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.

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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. 

Refreshing shower gel | Dove Go Fresh

Dove is definitely gaining its momentum and place in the market. I remembered a decade ago, only Dove bar soap was available in the market because my then boyfriend now husband uses it. 

Subsequently, Dove started to produce shampoo, shower gel and antiperspirant. And I'm lucky enough to try their Go Fresh shower gel recently via www.tryandreview.com

Go Fresh Revive Body Wash

This is one out of the 3 Go Fresh Body Wash range. The other two are Energize (grapefruit and lemongrass scent) and Fresh Touch (cucumber and green tea scent). The Revive version comes with pomegranate and lemon verbena scent. Lemon verbena is a plant that can be used in cooking and made into tea as well.

The Go Fresh Revive body wash also uses Dove's NutriumMoisture™ technology to effectively deliver nutrients to the skin. It utilises the mild cleansing benefits of DEFI (Directly Esterified Fatty Isethionate) that reduces protein damage, and 100% skin-compatible natural moisturizers, including stearic acid, soybean oil and glycerin that are fully absorbed into the skin to replenish lipids lost during cleansing.

Gentle lather after moving the body wash with some water.

This is the whole ingredient list for the product.

Water,Sodium Laureth Sulfate,Cocamidopropyl Betaine,Glycerin,Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate,Perfume,Sodium Chloride,Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer,Glycol Distearate ,PPG-9,Phenoxyethanol,Stearic Acid,Coconut Acid,Sodium Hydroxide,Lauric Acid,Cocamide MEA,BHT,Sodium Benzoate,Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Isethionate, Citric Acid ,Phosphoric Acid,Oryza Sativa(Rice) Bran Oil , Methylisothiazolinone, Punica Granatum Fruit Juice,PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,Trideceth-9,Tocopherol,Methylchloroisothiazolinone,Potassium Sorbate ,Lactic Acid, CI 17200

Punica Granatum (pomegranate) Fruit Juice
provides UV protection and helps to repair sun damaged skin. It also has high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants which are great skin food.

Rice bran oil has lots of beneficial Omega 6 fatty acids that moisturises the skin, as well as Vitamin B and E with antioxidants.

Tocopherol aka vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging ingredient.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

Dove Go Fresh Revive body wash is fairly gentle on the skin and doesn't dehydrate the skin after cleansing. After cleansing I can feel that my skin is softer. My hubby with ezcema could use this shower creme without his ezcema flaring up. I personally love the sweet scent the Go Fresh Revive body wash has that can last for at least half an hour.  For its price tag, it's an affordable brand and a body wash that is suitable for many.

But it may not be suitable for those with more severe eczema because it still contains laurate and stearate. Classic medical teaching advises ezcema sufferers to avoid these cleansing agents as they tend to dry the skin too much. The added perfume,  methylchloroisothiazolinoneand and benzoate as preservatives may also cause allergic reactions in those susceptible to it. So always do a patch test before using new products.

Overall, Dove is a quality product and is widely available at major pharmacies like a Guardian and Watson's.

Dove Go Fresh
Official website

Shapee Shapewear review | 2 way body shaper

Having delivered 2 children, my body is no longer what it used to be. No more flat tummy and push-up bras. Simply because it's much more convenient and practical to wear nursing bra instead for a breastfeeding and pumping mum. But I still want to look and feel fabulous at times, especially when there's a special occasion. That's when I'll dorn shapewear.

But those who do shapewear will know how unforgiving some of them could be. It can be very difficult to get into and get out off. I have friends who will even hold their urine just because they feel that it's too much to get out of their shapewear for a toilet trip. But the instant lifting and tucking is a great solution at times.

One of my favorite is Shapee shapewear series. And I have just tried their 2 way shapewear. 2 way means- U shaped wearing for bust lifting; V shaped wearing for bust concentration.

Besides this, it also has firm control on the tummy and is able to reduce waistline immediately. 

The straps are adjustable and convertible, allowing halter, cross back and classic style wearing. The material is thin and breathable, even in this extremely hot Malaysian weather, it remains comfortable to wear during the whole work day.

This photo shows how to get in the shapewear.

Shapee Shapewear can be machine washed but of course handwash will prolong it's shelf life. For a busy person like me, I love products that can be machine washed.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

Shapee Shapewear is light and not stuffy. It is almost impossible to spot me wearing one from normal work clothes. Even working in non air conditioned environment doesn't make me too sweaty from wearing two layers.

It's also fairly easy to fit myself into the shapewear. I didn't have to wiggle about too much and I didn't feel "imprisoned"as it's not too tight. At the same time, it can still slim down the waistline and provide bust support instantly. It's doesn't make the tummy disappear completely but that's fine comparing with an extremely tight shapewear which can make breathing difficult.

I prefer Shapewear that's not the body suit type like this as well because it's easier to get out of, particularly for toilet break. Nude color also makes it easier to "hide" the shapewear beneath my clothes.

As for bust lifting and concentration, this Shapee shapewear provides a more natural boost so it doesn't appear too pushed up and "squeezed". My bust line is fairly small actually but this Shapewear managed to create a slight cleavage which is great. If you want more push-up effect, wear it with you push-up bra.

Interested?

Shapee Shapewear
Official website