Choosing a good body wash | Antioxidant Burst Leafy Agarwood Cleansing Bar Review

I spend a lot of time looking for good skincare products on my face.  To be honest,  I rarely pay much attention to choosing  a good body wash.  Many people have recently changed from using shower gel to bar soaps in order to cut down the amount of plastic used according to this article in the Guardian.

However,  shower gel vs cleansing bar really doesn't matter that much as long as we choose a product that has good quality. Myth has it but bar soaps don't really harbour more bacteria comparing to shower gel.

Leafy Agarwood Cleansing Bar is my new companion in the shower.  A common belief is that soap dehydrates the skin but not with Leafy Agarwood Cleansing Bar because it consists many moisturising ingredients listed below.

The active ingredients include

Agarwood leaf and fragrance - this is more commonly used as decorative items because it's deemed to give good fengshui and lucky charm. It contains terpenoids with sedative and anxiolytic effect which help people to relax. The presence of alkaloids and hexadecanoic acid make agarwood antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasite. In animal studies,  agarwood has been shown to build new connections between new brain cells.

Coconut oil- this is rich in fatty acids and a great moisturiser. It maintains the skin elasticity, contains many antioxidants and protects the skin against damaging UV rays.

Olive oil is abundant in squalene, a substance similar to human sebum. It also contains many antioxidants that's anti-aging properties.

Rice Bran oil contains lots of vitamin E, vitamin B, omega-9 and a rich array of fatty acids. These help to hydrate the skin,  fade pigmentation and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Sunflower Seed oil also works similarly to rice bran oil.

These are all naturally derived and are suitable for those with sensitive skin and eczema. Not all soap bars are banned in those with ezcema. You just have to look for the good one.

As with all other good skincare product, the Agarwood Cleansing Bar does not contain harsh chemicals like paraben, SLS, alcohol and mineral oils. These ingredients may irritate and dehydrate sensitive skin.

Watch my YouTube video about how great my skin feel after using the cleansing bar.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

For such a good quality product,  it's very reasonably priced and suitable for the use for both and face and body, as well as those with sensitive skin.  Since the cleansing bar is registered under NPRA, it's quality assured and is only made under the strictest conditions. I particularly love how silky my skin felt after cleansing using Leafy.

Leafy Antioxidant Burst Agarwood Cleansing Bar Official Website

The site contains many of the research evidence and benefits of agar wood.

Leafy Antioxidant Burst Agarwood Cleansing Bar is now available in 80 over major pharmacies in Malaysia now!

GLGC (Good Life Good Choice) Tiger's Milk Mushroom with Mixed Berries review

Tiger's Milk Mushroom is medicinal plant used by the aborigines in South East Asia for more than four centuries.

It's only found in the rain forest at Malaysia,  Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Papua New Guineas. Legend has it that the mushroom grows from where the tigress's milk dripped while feeding her cubs. It's extremely scarce and difficult to find in the wild though.

Tiger's Milk Mushroom is rich in nutrients such as polysaccharide, polysaccharide peptides, proteoglycans and tritepenoids. B-D-glucan is a type of polysaccharide found abundant in Tiger's Milk Mushroom that is touted to strengthen immunity against pathogens. It also has anticancer properties.  The mixed berries, on the other hand,  contains various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for health and strong immunity.

The GLGC Tiger's Milk Mushroom and Mixed Berries supplement is manufactured under LiGNO TM02® which is a proprietary indoor cultivation center for Tiger's Milk Mushroom in controlled indoor environment, especially the sclerotica part (underground tuber that hasn't sprouted) that has the highest medicinal value. The mycelium is not used.  The differences between the sclerotica and mycelium are listed in the following table.

Dr Tan Chon Seng, a researcher with MARDI (Malaysia Agricultural Research & Development Institute) spent 8 years with his team to successfully cultivate Tiger's Milk Mushroom under controlled and hygienic environments to avoid adulteration and cross contamination. The sclerotica is freeze dried then ground into powder.

Dr Tee Heng Giap, a renowned Cardiologist currently practising in Mahkota Medical Center endorsed the use of GLGC Tiger's Milk Mushroom with Mixed Berries in his patients. Even our current Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir also had Tiger's Milk Mushroom to treat his chronic cough. 

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

This GLGC supplement brings about great health benefits and is suitable for breastfeeding mothers like me to consume. I like how the beverage is not sweet and can be easily added to any other drinks or soup or porridge because the taste blends in easily.

GLGC (Good Life Good Choice) Tiger's Milk Mushroom with Mixed Berries Official Website

Get your own GLGC Tiger's Milk Mushroom On Shopee now!

Disclaimer: the opinion given is merely a personal experience and does not constitute formal medical advice. Please seek your medical professional's advice before any complementary therapy. Always ask for certified professionals before proceeding with treatment and stop if discomfort or side effect ensues.

美眉要美美 ︳Brand Queens 香熏首饰和护唇膏

Brand Queens 香熏首饰

我超爱这系列香水首饰，有精美项链、手链和耳环。Brand Queens 首饰是铜镀金打造。每一款都是精心打造，有可打开的吊坠，里面可以装喷了香水的棉花小球。让带上的美眉成天香喷喷。

喜欢什么香气，就喷什么香水，很随性。也很容易个性化。每天都可以依心情和场合配上不同的香气。不论是上班、出门逛街或参加婚礼活动，BQ手饰容易和多种服饰搭配。

首饰的设计独特，限量在大马打造。不止适合自己佩戴，也很体面，送礼大方又时尚。

Brand Queens 的创办人是 Winnie Ng。每一样饰品都是手工打造，拥有高级品质保证。手饰常带，不像银手饰，不变色或黑。喜欢的美眉即刻上官方网站看看吧！

粉紅佳人護唇蜜（BQ Lip Balm）

这唇蜜是 BQ 的新产品哦！这款唇蜜滋潤保養唇部、單獨使用可提亮和滋润唇部、長期使用可修復唇紋。涂上后唇釉有啞光質感、让唇部更丝滑。唇蜜不沾杯，也适合用于上妆前护唇，方便妆后卸妆。

粉紅佳人護唇蜜有五大主要成分

天然植物精油萃取：
唇蜜使用天然牛油果樹果脂、橄欖油甘油霍霍巴籽油、β-胡蘿蔔素、玫瑰花油等植物精華。这滋润唇部、淡化唇紋。唇色也持久呈现粉红色。

維他命E油:
这是天然強力抗氧化劑，广用于护肤品，改善乾裂脫皮，促進皮膚的新城代謝和防止色素沉澱，具有防衰老的功效。

蜂蠟：
这有解毒、生肌、消炎症，強化皮膚的修復能力。

全緣葉澳洲堅果籽油：
天然果實萃取出的澳洲堅果油，滋潤性佳；富含礦物質、蛋白質、多種不飽和脂肪酸。 適合所有膚質，使肌膚柔嫩。油性溫和，不刺激皮膚。

玫瑰花精油：
这有抗菌、淨化、鎮靜等功效。 適用所有膚質尤其是乾燥或敏感肌膚。

上网订购 Brand Queens 配件也很快就邮递到噢！送来的纸袋也闪闪亮亮，看到了心情都瞬间变好。质地很好，也很符合网上看到的款式。

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Organic skincare for Asian skin and babies | ERH skincare @ Eva Organics

As I have written before this in this article, Asians have different skincare needs than our Caucasian counterparts. One of it is how Asian skin tans and burns more easily, and is more sensitive and drier. This is why I am using organic skincare products, this time round produced in Taiwan. I am going to introduce a few products by ERH skincare and Sassibaby in this article.

ERH Supra Sun Protection Cream SPF 50+

This is a broad spectrum sunscreen against both UVA and UVB. The way to interpret whether a sunscreen is good enough was described in my previous writing here. Just trust me this time round, the ERH Supra Sun Protection Cream definitely fits the bill!

The active ingredients are:
- MBBT which are micro-sized particles that effectively segrergate harmful UV rays from the skin. It is lightweight and is able to penetrate into deeper skin layers for better protection without clogging the pores. This means the cream is also splash and sweat proof!

- Jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid nourishes and hydrates the skin, as well as prevents skin ageing.

- Liquorice root extract offers a great boost to fairer complexion and soothes irritated skin.

- Rice germ oil and German chamomile extract keeps the skin supple and calms sunburnt skin.

How to use?
- Apply after cleansing, toning and moisturising.
- Tap instead of smear the cream onto the face. It doubles as makeup foundation.
- Suitable for all skin types

It is also quality assured and registered under National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency with the NPRA number NOT140303465K. Other ERH series include the popular Ultimate Blackhead Killer Set,

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

This sunscreen is not greasy and gets absorbed fast without leaving stains on the skin. I love how it also includes other skinfood which hydrates and soothes the skin. The fact that it lasts for 12 hours, I do not even have to bring my sunscreen when I am away at work or out for play. It also has a water in oil patented formula which means that it is suitable for multiple applications, which also works as a concealer for uneven skin tone and the appearance of open pores.

Sassi Baby Bath and Body Wash

Both my children unfortunately have inherited our atopic trait which means that their skin is prone to eczema and dryness. The Sassi Baby Bath and Body Wash is designed for newborn onwards who have sensitive skin just like ours be it ezcema, diaper rash, milk rash or mosquito bites. Adults can also use it. Read more about eczema here.

A few powerful ingredients found in the body wash includes

-Lactobacillus is a skin friendly bacteria that helps to maintain the optimal skin pH balance to allow the skin to function in the best condition.

- Lavender Oil gives the body wash its distinct fragrant smell which is a great aromatherapy.

- Liquorice root extract soothes inflamed skin and brightens the skin colour. 

The four main functions of the series are to cleanse gently yet effectively, prevent itch, alleviate rash and to heal as well as enhance the skin's function as a protective barrier. 

It goes without saying that Sassi Baby products do not contain harsh chemicals such as paraben, alcohol, SLS, chlorine and mineral oil. It is also 100% organic and cruelty free with EcoCert accreditation. 

The Sassi Baby series also comes with tear free shampoo and moisturising lotion.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I love how easy it is to pump the body wash single-handedly. Remember moments when your baby is cranky and just wants to be held onto during a bath? This small trick comes in handy. As the packaging is so cute, baby Bing and Yi enjoy to play with the bottle which doubles as a bath toy. The natural and organic ingredients used make me worried free when using it for my young children.

If you want to try the products above, It's definitely a good time now. Quote MY60EVA to get RM60 off in this Merdeka month for purchase worth RM300 and above! 

To read more about their products head on to:-

ERH group 

Eva Organic Instagram

Unique cocktail and delicious pizzas in KL | Naked Restaurant KL Review

This is such a striking name- Naked Restaurant. But rest assure that no one is actually naked in the restaurant. But it is an apt name because the food and drinks are presented in the 'naked' manner-- the freshest and well presented.

Naked Restaurant
Located in: Hartamas Shopping Centre
Address: Block E-0-2 & E-1-2 Plaza Damas, 6, Block E-0-2 & E-1-2 Plaza Damas & Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Taman Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: Mondays- Sundays 11am–12am
Phone: 03-6206 1623
Official website
Facebook

Naked Restaurant is perhaps one of the most popular hangout place as a sports bar. But it is also great for families with young children, especially for lunches and dinners.

The outdoor sitting has comfortable couches for people to lounge on and to relax during the day.

The indoor sitting is air-conditioned with a huge TV screening the latest soccer match. We love the cool antique motorcycle in the dining area as well as the striking red couch.

Or choose to sit at a proper table with lovely decoration by the bar. Smoking is allowed on the premise because the kitchen is located upstairs.

Naked has an interesting list of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages to choose from. They do take making a good drink very seriously.

Happy Juice is a good and healthy choice, especially for children. This is a smoothie made from
fresh banana,  yoghurt drink, honey and milk. It's not sweet and in fact tasted a bit soury and fizzy.

The cocktail list in the Naked Restaurant is a must try especially for the two following cocktails.

Tea for Mojitwo is an interesting pot of rum, passion fruit, mint leaves and lime juice. This combination is refreshing and fruity. I could not discern the amount of alcohol in the cocktail until I felt the alcohol kicking into my system.

Pina Colada is a classic cocktail. Besides rum, coconut liquor,  coco milk and pineapple juice are also part of the fun mixture. This makes a slightly stronger tasting liquor which goes well with the fresh coconut flesh.

The food at the Naked Restaurant is also commendable. I love their pan fried red snapper which is cripsy on the outside and still tender on the inside with a splash of fresh lemon juice. A salad consisting of blanched brocolli, carrots, French beans and rocket leaves is well balanced in terms of texture and flavour.  Mashed potato is made with high quality imported potatoes that's fluffy in texture. Some lemon cream sauce is nicely served separately to allow one to choose the amount of sauce to enhance the palate which really brings the whole dish together.

Carbonara is another comfort food and children's all-time favourite. A thick creamy sauce with cripsy fried beef bacon slices and parsley to enhance the flavors.

Pizzas are also a huge hit here. It's the classic thin crust.  Not only is it great for soccer fans to enjoy watching a match with slices of pizza,  it's also now possible to enjoy their freshly baked pizza via food panda.

Carnivore pizza
This is an interesting combination of beef pepperoni,  roasted Cajun chicken,  chicken ham,  minced lamb,  beef bacon,  mushrooms,  garlic and  herbs. It has so much meat and topping that I just couldn't stop eating.

The signature Naked house pizza
Roasted Cajun chicken breast,  pickled jalapeno, onions and mushrooms make this pizza a fairly Mexican flavor.  But the spiciness was not overpowering.

Pepperoni is a great classic. With beef pepperoni and oregano, it's a great comfort food. 

These hot wings used to be marinated and fried in the chili sauce.  But many could not take the spiciness. So the chef decided to separate the two so the customer can choose how spicy they want the chicken wings to be.  To me,  it's just the right level of spiciness.

After a hearty meal,  it's always great to have a cup of cappucino to ease digestion.

Not to forget to round it up with a chocolate fondant. This is a rich chocolate brownies slightly crispy on the outside with a runny centre served warm and with a scoop of smooth vanilla ice cream.

That was a great Sunday late lunch and a chance to hang out with mr husband,  mom and our two children!  Our verdict is 8/10! Great food and drink,  cosy atmosphere at s reasonable price tag.

Benefits of consuming honey | Honey Hub Life Elixir review

Honey offers a wide range of health benefits. I have summarised this article from The Star about regular honey consumption. Besides carbohydrate and protein, honey also contains various minerals,  vitamins and phytonutrients that are essential to maintain health.

Honey has shown promising results in treating mouth ulcers,  lowering cholesterol, killing bacteria especially in wounds and killing cancer cells. It's also a healthier alternative to sugar as the glycemic index is much lower. As the taste of sweetness is also greater,  less is needed to enhance the flavour.

Honey Hub only produces the most premium quality of tualang honey. Tualang honey is abundant in the north-western region of peninsular Malaysia, a jungle honey produced by rock bees with hives on the Tualang trees. It is the Manuka honey of the East.

Do you know that many grades of honey available in the market? This includes commercial honey (farm honey ), reprocessed honey and raw wild honey. Of which raw honey is the best.

Raw honey is then divided into 5 grades
o above 25% moisture grade D
o 22% moisture grade C
o above 20.5% moisture grade B
o below 20% moisture grade A
o below 18% moisture premium honey

100% premium raw Tualang honey is the main ingredient in Honey Hub Life Elixir. Besides that,  it also contains

o American ginseng
o Astragalus
o Black curmin
o 100% Royal Jelly

These ingredients are rich in antioxidants, vitamins,  minerals and phytonutrients which are essential in fighting the ageing process and maintaining youthful skin. Some smaller studies also suggest possible benefits in retarding dementia.

Those who are interested can read more about Honey Hub's honey research here.

How to consume Honey Hub Life Elixir?

1) Take 1 tablespoon in the morning before breakfast
2) Take 1 tablespoon at night before sleep
2) Avoid using metal spoon
3) Don’t mix with water
4) It's also advised to avoid cold drinks and food

There's an interesting myth that the acidity of honey would corrode a metal spoon used to eat it. In actual fact,  the corrosive effect is fairly negligible. However, plastic, ceramic or wooden spoons can be used instead.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

Honey Hub, when consumed in moderation,  may help to boost energy level and improve suppleness of the skin.  As with any other supplements, please consult your healthcare professionals before trying. Avoid if you have kidney, liver or heart failure. Life Elixir has quite a strong flavour though.  It may take a few tries to get one familiar with the taste. But you know what? the best medicine is often less palatable.

Honey Hub Life Elixir
Testimonials

Disclaimer: the opinion given is merely a personal experience and does not constitute formal medical advice. Please seek your medical professional's advice before any complementary therapy. Always ask for certified professionals before proceeding with treatment and stop if discomfort or side effect ensues.

Managing type 2 diabetes mellitus in older people 乐龄糖尿病护理 | Jasper Lodge East (Kuantan关丹）

Malaysia boleh! We are officially the most obesed country in South East Asia and this is nothing that we should be proud of. With age, obesity brings about many health issues, particularly in areas of what doctors call metabolic syndrome which includes insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The mainstay of treatment remains a healthy lifestyle which has been shown in a recent study which can totally reverse the diabetic state.

Diet

A healthy diet is for everyone. There  is no such thing as a diabetic diet. Cut back on simple refined sugar and carbohydrate such as white rice, white bread, white flour, cake, sweetened beverage and cookies. No sugar is more superior than another because it is still broken down in the same manner in the body. Follow the Suku Suku Separuh principle and fill your plate with a quarter of carbohydrate, a quarter of lean meat/fish/chicken, half with fruits and vegetables. Snack on nuts such as cashew, almond, sunflower seeds instead of sweet pastries. Read here to get how certain ingredients can be swapped in popular recipes for a healthier alternative. The occasional indulgence is fine as long as it's in moderation. 

Exercise

I have previously written how much and how frequently exercise should be done here. It should include both endurance/aerobic and resistance training. For weight loss,  aerobic exercises such as jogging, swimming and zumba are the way to go. A modest weight loss of 5-10% over 6 months is more than adequate. Cutting down the waistline also directly reduce the amount of visceral fat (fat around important organs) which predict the risk of having a heart attack. Even if your BMI is ideal, exercise can improve fitness, prevent frailty and reduce fall risk. 

Oral medication

For an older person, the treatment regime should be simple. The target for sugar control is individualised and more lenient for those who are frail, who has limited life expectancy or who already has multiple other illnesses such as kidney failure and heart disease as these patients may have significant complications from having low blood sugar. Certain oral medications has dose adjustments for those who have kidney failure. Some cannot be used at all if the kidney disease reaches certain severity. Most oral medications can reduce the Hba1c by about 1.

Injectables

For those whose Hba1c remains uncontrolled or when oral medications are not suitable, insulin injections may be necessary. There are multiple ways in which insulin injections can be combined with or without oral medications to achieve a good level of sugar control. Insulin is nevertheless the most effective medications in treating diabetes but it comes with the side effect of weight gain and low blood sugar. There is another new injectable medications called the GLP1-RA which acts to achieve weight loss and is great for those who has kidney and heart problems. 

Want to know how to manage your diabetes well? Talk to one of the healthcare professionals at Jasper Lodge now to get an individualised plan for your diabetes. If you have no time to prepare a healthy meal and do not know how much exercise is enough, head on to one of our centres to try our daycare service. We have dedicated nurses to monitor your food intake, monitor sugar and physiotherapist to teach you how to exercise correctly. Jasper Lodge East is coming to Kuantan soon as well. 

Jasper Lodge 

Official website 

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