The inspirational story of Jamumall founder Khairul Nizam

Jamu Mall is a success story. Jamu Mall is Malaysian made. It is an online shopping platform that sells many beauty products and fashion items.

But it's never smooth sailing for Khairul Nizam, the founder. Born to have severe physical disability, he's only able to move 3 fingers on his own. What this means for the past 30years of his life is that he's fully dependent  for all this basic needs of daily living.

From eating, bathing, toileting, dressing and ambulating, he needs assistance. What's even more torturing is that he has normal intelligence. He must have spent nights crying and mourning over his disabilities. However this has become a blessing in disguise. True indeed, what doesn't kill him make him stronger.

Not only has he built a shopping empire Jamu Mall Sdn Bhd, but he has also managed to expand to a shopping platform online. This is huge success. Malaysians are buying from him, not because many know about his story and out of sympathy, but it's because his products are really of good quality.

Nizam believes that physical disability is not a hurdle to success. He perseveres in the journey of entrepreneurship and had to courage to take the first leaping step in establishing Jamu Mall. It must have taken a lot of planning to get this all set up. We have probably heard how many able bodied people failed in their business ventures. This makes all the more reason why I really salute Nizam.

Not only has he earned enough for a living, but he also has the ability to provide for his family members. He, as well as his family members, can afford to have holiday overseas at multiple destinations like Australia, Dubai, Korea and Japan. Nizam has also managed to move to a much bigger and luxurious house.

Nizam would like to encourage the rest to strive for success. He is really envious towards the able bodied who can run, walk and carry on their lives normally. But many tend to take these as granted. They give up easily and take a lackadaisical attitude in life.

He thinks that God put breaths in him for a purpose. So he works very hard. He wants to prove that the best way of living is by being grateful to everything in life. He takes these attributes as important such as strong motivation, love towards others, courage and the urge to keep improving one self.

He would like to urge everyone to put effort and make positive changes in our lives. Because he has proven that he can do it even with only 3 fingers, so why can't we?

Watch Khairul Nizam's touching speech here.

Jom follow Khairul Nizam

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Fashionable and durable baby goods | Skip Hop Zoo Collection Review X Bloom & Grow

I was always envious as a child how other children get to own a cute set of paraphernalia. However, in retrospect, most of these were only pretty and expensive yet mostly unpractical. Often found on the pristine display shelf in the departmental store. And left to collect dust after a few uses.

However, I'm proud to let everyone know that we have recently acquired a whole set of Skip Hop zoo paraphernalia from Bloom& Grow.

Skip Hop comes all the way from New York City to Malaysia bringing joy with the philosophy of "Must-Haves Made Better". Founded by parents Michael and Ellen Diamant in 2003, they want stylish yet functional baby goods suitable for the busy metropolitan life, for parents who are always on the go.

The Skip Hop Zoo Collection offers a few cute animals to choose from-- llama, leopard, giraffe, bat, fox and unicorn. All Skip Hop products meet or exceed ASTM and applicable safety standards. And the food wares are dishwasher safe, BPA-free, Phthalate-free and PVC-free.

Baby Bing happily chose llama as his 3years old birthday present. Let me introduce the products one by one.

Skip Hop Zoo Llama Little Kid Backpack

The main features are

-Zippered main compartment
-Side pocket for bottle or juice box
-Write-on nametag inside
-Top handle for convenience

Skip Hop Zoo Llama Lunchies

The main features are

-Roomy, insulated bag keeps food and drinks cold
-Large main compartment big enough for a sandwich, apple and juice box
-Interior mesh pocket for utensils
-Top handle clips onto any backpack

Skip Hop Zoo Llama Straw Bottle

The main features are
- Flip-top lid keeps the water clean
- Comes with an extra straw
- Handy grab-strap attaches to anything
- Holds 12 oz
- Easily diassembled for cleaning

How to disassemble?
1. Pull plastic straw and silicone straw from bottom of lid. 

2. Pull plastic straw and silicone straw apart.

Skip Hop Zoo Llama Plate

The main features are
-Durable melamine
-Two divided sections separate food
-Not recommended for microwave use

I apologise for the poor quality of the animation as baby Bing was way too excited playing house.

Skip Hop Zootensils-- Llama

The main features are
-Perfectly chunky for growing toddlers
-Stainless-steel heads
-Soft sides for easy grips

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I love how matching the set is. Besides that the products are value for money. The bags are durable and made with lasting materials. The size is just nice for young children going to kindergarten. The lunchies can easily keep food cold for several hours so no more worries about serving Bing's favorite chocolate milk cold and fresh just the way he prefers it.

The dining wares are heavy enough to help the young ones eat without spilling. The cutleries are deliberately chunky so that it's much easier to hold on to. Melamine is generally safe but it should not be heated in a microwave oven. And the straw bottle is easy to diassemble to allow thorough cleaning. Otherwise it can collect mould and yucky dirt! 12oz also holds a decent amount of water to last for half a day.

If you want to know more about why the following ingredients can be harmful, read the links I have included below:

BPA

Phthalates

PVC

Where can one buy the Skip Hop Zoo Series?

Luckily it's easily available nation wide including Happikiddo, Mothercare, Manjaku, Bebehaus and Lazada.

Want to know more? Head onto their official sites/Instagram.

Bloom and Grow Asia :@bloomandgrowasia
Smartmum : @smartmumasia
Skip Hop : @skiphop.asia

Exploring lunch spot in Kuantan | Max Kitchen review

The hot and hazy weather made me kind of grumpy. So we were pleasantly surprised to discover this new lunch spot along the back alley when we were heading to micasa cafe. Max kitchen has been opened for about 6 months now.

Max Kitchen

17, Jalan Besar, 25050 Kuantan, Pahang
016-932 8333

https://g.co/kgs/vN3J2z

Opens daily 9am to 11pm except Tuesdays

Absolutely in love with the atmosphere. The old Chinese style with music back in the 60s. My parents would enjoy it. However, would prefer the place to be colder because we were still sweating while dining indoors.

Time to try the food!

Curry noodles was mildly spicy with a great balance of coconut milk flavor. With stuffed brinjal, tofu puff and fish ball. It goes well with their sambal which is slightly soury in taste. But I prefer more kick to the chilli.

Noodles with prawn wanton. The clear soup is fairly bland to taste. Would also prefer real fresh prawns in the wanton too.

Dumpling soup. I deliberately ordered it without any noodles. Love how they pan fried the dumplings before cooking it in soup to give it a slightly charred flavour. But again, slightly disappointed with the bland soup.

Tomato chicken with rice. The tomato sauce is sweet and I couldn't taste any natural sourness that comes with tomato. Chicken was tender. The old cucumber soup was fairly tasty. Would be perfect if this soup was used for their noodle dishes.

Smoked duck breast roll. An interesting side dish at RM10 each set. I love how soft the roll and the filing in. But I would prefer more duck breast.

The coffee, on the other hand, was fabulous. A strong bitter trademark of Lavazza coffee which still retains its smoothness. Given that there's no barista in the cafe, I give them praises for serving such good coffee.

Americano

Cappuccino

Overall, we rate the cafe 6.5/10. Very affordable with all these at only RM52 (they do charge for plain water). And awesome dining atmosphere at such a price tag. 

How to clean dirty shoes fast and easy | Dirt Out by On''Goin review

I have big feet. So it can be fairly difficult for me to get a good and beautiful pair of shoes because I'm a size 10. Therefore I'm always reluctant to throw away an old pair of shoes. But with time, dust and dirt get collected onto the shoes and it can be a tough job to scrub them off, let alone making them look new again.

How did I use to clean my shoes?

1. Soak shoes in laundry detergent and water for half an hour.
2. Scrub very hard to get rid of stains which can be stubborn.
3. Wash off the detergent.
4. Air dry the shoes under the sun for at least half an day.

This is at least take up half an hour for each pair of shoes. Being a full-time working mother, I need something better and faster.

Dirt Out by On''Goin

On''Goin started to be a company producing affordable and durable shoes. This must come with their revolutionary shoe cleaning solution called Dirt Out.

Watch my short video to see how effective and easy it is to clean a pair of shoes. They look spanking new! Just a few simple wipes with a wash cloth. Additionally, it is made with 98.3% natural ingredients which is fully biodegradable with antibacterial effects.

Simply pump out the foaming solution onto a wash cloth. Wipe the dirty shoes. There's no need for scrubbing. Tada, done!

What's more, Dirt Out can be used for footwear made by various materials such as canvas, rubber, leather, vinyl, nylon, PVC, PU, mesh etc. There's also no need to air dry the shoes which may become somewhat hardened after being exposed under the sun. This is also useful if you only own a pair of shoes that's dirty and have limited time to air dry before next use.

The twin pack is sold on Lazada at only RM24.90

In addition, On"goin also produces shoes made from EVA foam. This is a type of polymer which has good clarity and gloss, low-temperature toughness, stress-crack resistance, water proof and resistance to UV radiation.

We have gotten 6 pairs of shoes so far. The design is suitable for the whole family-- from my parents, my husband and I to my 3year old toddler.

Sandals for baby Bing

Sandals for me

Covered shoes for mom

They offer a good range of covered shoes and sandals. I love how soft and comfortable the shoes feel. The price tag is also very affordable.

Interested? More information on

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Tun Mahathir Commemoration Coin- the oldest prime minister | review

The last general election was a dream. On 9 May 2018 which also happened to be my birthday, for the first time in Malaysia's history, unexpectedly, the opposition won the election. It became the headline for many countries. It showed that the Rakyat chose their leaders. A great evidence of democracy.

The other historical moment was when Tun Dr Mahathir was sworn in to be the prime minister for the second time. At the age of 93, he remained charismatic and dedicated. Not only is he the oldest serving state leader in the world, he has also previously served the nation from 1981-2003 ( even before I was born!).

Well, I'm not here talking about politics. Being a budding geriatrician, I'm well aware of the physical limitations ageing can cause. And much to my respect, Tun Dr Mahathir defies it all. Even his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah is aging gracefully and still has sharp mental faculties.

The people are just in awe. Age is not a limit to attain great achievements. There's no such thing as one is too old for anything. We decided to get our hands on Tun Mahathir Commemoration Coin as a memento. To remind ourselves that nothing is impossible.

The Star dedicated an article for Tun Dr Mahathir's achievements 3 days after the election ended. I love how beautiful this diagram depicts his contributions to Malaysia. Despite having to go through a coronary bypass grafting in 1989, he remains tenacious. What an attribute!

Even soyacincau.com has a list of tech legacies spearheaded by Tun Dr Mahathir. His vision for the development of Malaysia, to put us on par with the rest of the developed world.

1. KLCC, Petronas Twin Tower
2. Proton
3. MSC Malaysia
4. Cyberjaya
5. LRT
6. Sepang International Circuit
7. KLIA
8. The Penang bridge
9. Smart schools
10. The MSC bill of gurantees

This commemoration coin is made of 0.1g gold and a beautifully carved Tun Mahathir's portrait. The casing documented a brief history about Tun Mahathir with his signature at the bottom of the page. The cover also features the now Pakatan Harapan logo which means The Alliance of Hope.

We wish the 'new' Malaysia the best led by the 'new' government!

Interested to get a copy of Tun Mahathir Commemoration Coin? Get it here.

Website: tunmcc.com.my
Facebook: www.facebook.com/puncakjulung
Instagram: www.instagram.com/puncakjulung

The health benefits of spicy food | Boss Chilli Sauce review

Being Malaysian, how can I not love spicy food? But it's more than the flavours. Do you know that adding heat to food also has a host of health benefits?

Eating spicy food
1. Makes you live longer
2. Makes you slimmer and fitter
3. Reduces inflammation
4. May destroy cancer cells
5. Kills bacteria and slows aging

Read the science behind all these reasons on healthline.

In my constant pursue for spicy food, I have come across this range of chili sauce called Boss Chilli Sauce.

It's an online marketplace that sells chilli sauce founded in Malaysia since 2017. Instead of restocking your chilli sauce from the super market shelf, it's now possible to get the freshest with a few mouse clicks and pay via credit card or online banking.

There are 3 fiery flavors to choose from:
Happy boss- medium hot
Angry boss - hot
Crazy boss - extra hot

It's not difficult to discern the different types because the color goes from a pretty apple green to fiery red according to the level of spiciness.

It comes in a bubble wrapped package of 3. The box that comes with it is fairly exquisite and stylish as well. This makes it a good gift pack as well. Each order contains 3 chilli sauce which can either all be the same flavour or mixed flavours. I'll suggest first time buyer to get the mixed flavours which is their family pack.

Boss Chilli Sauce caters more for the Asian palate. It's a garlic based chilli sauce. The first impression was that it smells really like the good old Kampung Koh chilli sauce. This is already enough to make me excited to taste the chilli sauce.

What's even better is that it doesn't have any artificial coloring or preservatives added.

The chilli sauce is a complex flavor of tangy, sweet, sour and spicy taste. When it first hits the taste buds, I could appreciate the garlic a bit more, followed by the sourness. The heat comes later on, especially for Crazy Boss (the extra hot version), leaving the tongue, throat and stomach feeling warm and slightly numb long after taking the chilli sauce.

Because of this complex taste, Boss Chilli Sauce goes very well with almost any savoury food. From fried food to steamboat, it really brings out the flavors and makes the meal more exciting. Besides working as a dipping sauce, Boss chilli sauce is also suitable for wraps, marinate for barbeques or grills and stir fries.

The various level of spiciness available also makes it easier for different members of household to enjoy their preferred threshold. And of course my favorite is Crazy Boss!

If you are interested, browse their websites.

Official website
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Combat fatigue and stress | Toku Tsuru Drip Chicken Essence review

We have been taking turns to fall sick for the past month or so. It must be the seasonal virus and bad weather. My poor boys and I are still recovering from bad eye infections. The fact that Mr husband has frequent trips hours away from home means that I'm a single mother most of the month. Am really grateful for my parents and inlaws help to manage the household.

Mom and I, in particular, have been sleep deprived and tired both physically and emotionally. We are pretty excited when these Toku Tsuru chicken essence arrived in mail. I have previously tried their bird's nest which is of great quality- link here.

What's the benefit of consuming chicken essence?

Essence of chicken has been touted as an effective traditional remedy to combat fatigue and stress because it's rich in anserine and carnosine which are important amino acids found in the muscles and brain tissue. They have antioxidant and anytiglycation effects. I found this interesting study here which only involved 20 healthy male participants but it's a randomized control trial which is one of the most accurate way of assessing the effect of  chicken essence. After a month, there was shorter reaction time for cognitive tasks aka less mental fatigue.

Toku Tsuru Essence of Chicken
德鹤堂滴鸡精

Extracted from 100 days Taiwan black-feathered chicken, this Essence of Chicken is very different from other commercially available products. This is because it only uses free range chicken as well which are reared in spacious environment and are more nutritious.

Let me bring you through the process of making essence of chicken.

Traditional chicken essence uses the double boiling method which then had all the cholesterol and fat removed. Excess water was then removed to make the essence more concentrated. It's then filtered and additives were used to keep the density, color and nutritional value consistent. It's bottled and vacuum sealed then sterilised. This produces the standard black colored chicken essence.

On the other hand, Toku Tsuru Drip Essence of Chicken is extracted using slow fire and high temperature steaming without water added. Cholesterol and fat are then removed. The water content is preserved so that nutrients like amino acids are not lost. It's then filtered and packed into aluminum foil bag without additives subsequently sterilised.

There are two types of packaging available. 6 and 15 bags with the bigger packaging bringing better value for money of course. Instead of buying at RM40 each bag, it's RM512 for 15 bags during their mother's day campaign (22 April to 12 May 2019)

How to consume Toku Tsuru Essence of Chicken?

Immerse the packet in a glass of boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Or empty the contents into a bowl and heat it with electric cooker.

Who can consume Toku Tsuru Essence of Chicken?

Being a full-time working mother who's also breastfeeding, I need this to chase away fatigue.

Almost everyone! From children, adults, pregnant ladies to the elderly, this essence is recommended by Toku Tsuru. The same applies to breastfeeding mothers and mothers in confinement. Children are advised to consume only half of the serving in one go. Have a serving with an empty stomach an hour before breakfastand another 2 hours before sleep for the best effect.

However if you suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney or liver diseases, please consult your healthcare professionals before consuming.

 

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I thoroughly enjoy the taste of the essence of chicken. It doesn't have the classical pungent smell and taste. Instead, it smells just like freshly cooked chicken soup that's concentrated. The taste is equally heavenly with a smooth texture. So even if you don't usually fancy essence of chicken, Toku Tsuru Drip Essence of Chicken will give you a pleasant surprise.

Besides having it on its own, I have also tried adding the essence to dishes such as steam chicken pieces with red dates and goji berries because it really makes the flavors pop.

Instead of the conventional glass bottles, Toku Tsuru is conveniently packaged into 50ml aluminum bags which is great for those who travel a lot. The simple reheating method can be done even from the most basic hotel room away from home. A great tonic and energy booster on the go.

This mother's day surprise your mothers with Toko Tsuru Drip Essence of Chicken from PMMII now.

Official website

The stress through pseudomembranous conjunctivitis

All parents would never want their children to suffer, particularly the very young ones. I would rather be penning down my own experience rather than baby Yi's. After a bit bout of viral cold that affected baby Bing, we started to developed some symptoms. I had conjunctivitis of both my eyes which developed into keratitis. Mr husband had diarrhoea.

But baby Yi fared the worst. He's only 3 months plus. Initially he had hand foot and mouth with rashes everywhere. Luckily he didn't have mouth ulcers, no fever and was still feeding well and happy generally. Just as the rashes faded, the worst happened. I noted a red and teary left eye. Even though I started antibiotic ointment for him immediately, it quickly spreaded to his right eye in a day.

So I nervously referred him to the Opthalmology department. I thought the worst was over when he's diagnosed as uncomplicated conjunctivitis. I diligently applied eye drops and antibiotics for him. He remained his happy self.

The next afternoon, he started to have blood stained tears. But he was still my bubbly baby. As a doctor I was still surprised and worried about him. A visit to the opthalmologist confirmed the presence of pseudomembranous conjunctivitis which required manual removal under his lids.

In another 24hours, he started to refuse opening his eyes. So we were at the waiting room again. Corneal abrasions have started to develop in both his eyes! Even I winced with the foreign body sensation and photophobia with my keratitis. I can only imagine how painful it is for baby Yi.

I spent the whole night holding him in my arms to sleep. Because he was cranky and possibly in pain. The incessant crying and being inconsolable really broke my heart. His voice was hoarse by midnight.

His eyes drops round the clock. Have to pry his eyes to install them every 2hours.

I gave him syrup paracetamol and suppository ibuprofen which seemed to help. And I was glad to see his smiling face again the next day. But paracetamol alone is not enough. Once the effect of ibuprofen wore off, he started to wail again. Mind you, regular ibuprofen is not recommended in young children.

I have received yet another worse news the next day in the opthalmologist's office. Both the corneal abrasions have become bigger despite treatment. I read that they should heal within 24-72hours. So we have his right eye patched in hope it will heal faster. I had to put mittens on him because he kept wanting to peel the patch off.

We had to visit the opthalmologist everyday to remove his pseudomembrane and observe how corneal abrasions. And each examination meant heart wrenching and high pitch wailing. Also a teary grandmother outside the waiting room. My heart withered a bit each time just like this neglected plant outside the house.

We went through all these when Mr husband was in the UK for a work related trip. I couldn't get leave because of some administrative reason. I'm just so lucky that my parents are around to help out. Mom did the main bulk of carrying and lulling Yi to sleep during the day.

Pray for us. I hope Yi recovers without any sequelae on his vision.