Confinement period

CONFINEMENT PERIOD

Many cultures have various types of beliefs and restrictions for women who are in their confinement period. Some cultures believe newly delivered women should not eat vegetables, drink lots of water, eat cooling foods or heaty foods. If we were to analyse from the scientific perspective, some beliefs are true and some as considered totally false.

When breastfeeding, it is important for new mothers to consume proper and healthy food as it directly affects the quality of their milk. If breastfeeding mothers are to reduce their food intake due to restrictions on the type of food to be eaten during confinement period, the baby will not get sufficient nutrients from the mother's milk.
If breast feeding mothers do not eat vegetables, vitamin and minerals from the vegetables will not be absorbed into the mother's milk and they will suffer from constipation.

Some cultures believe in giving new mothers a small quantity of alcohol as it helps keep the mother's body warm. However if you are breastfeeding, you need to be extra careful when taking alcohol as it will be absorbed into the mother's milk.

Breastfeeding should be done before consuming alcohol. After consuming alcohol, it is important to drink lots of water. After 30 to 1.5 hours, the alcohol content disappear from the system and breastfeeding can be continued again.


During confinement period, some women are afraid to drink water as they believe that water will keep the body cool. This is a wrong perception and it is very important for breastfeeding mothers to drink lots of water. This is because when breastfeeding, the body will be constantly dehydrated and if the body is not replenished with sufficient water, the secretion of mother's milk will be affected which in turn affects the development of the new born baby.

bresasfeeding

BREASTFEEDING

It is important for a newly delivered mother to breast feed her baby as it provided lots of benefits to both mother and child.

Benefits to the mother:
a) By breast feeding, the mother's excess fat will be burnt. Excess fat gained during pregnancy will be easily burnt when breast feeding. This is because the body required at least 5000 calories a day to produce milk. Burning 5,000 calories is equivalent to 2 kilometres of jogging.

b) Reduces the risk of cancer and bone related diseases, i.e. osteoporosis

c) Regains the size of uterus.
The size of uterus will be enlarged during pregnancy. By breastfeeding, the uterus
regains its normal size.

Benefits to the baby:
a) Development of baby
Breastfeeding for 6 months will help the development process of the baby.
It will also help reduce the risk of lungs related diseases, diabetes and
weight related diseases.

b) Reduce the risk of hospitalisation
There are many nutrients in mother's milk. Serious attention should be taken on the
types of food eaten when breastfeeding as it directly affects the quality of the milk.

Proper care and attention on the types of food consumed during pregnancy should also be given during breastfeeding. By eating carbohydrate food, it will help provide energy while protein food and various types of vitamin helps increase the quality of mother's milk which directly helps the growth and development process of the new born baby

FOOD AND PREGANT WOMAN

FOOD AND PREGANT WOMAN

Some pregnant women have the wrong perception of the need to eat more and consume more nutrients during their pregnancy period. In order to gain more nutrients, they tend to purchase various types of vitamin supplements.

However we have to have the awareness that not all types of vitamins are suitable to be consumed as it could create harmful effect to the child.
For example: If vitamin A were to be taken excessively, it can cause harm to your baby's heart and nerve system. Therefore before consuming any type of vitamin capsules, make sure you consult your physician.

Types of vitamin which are important for a pregnant woman to consume are calcium, folic acid and iron. There also types of food which a pregnant woman should not consume.

Types of food which should be avoided are

a) half boiled eggs, half cooked fish, chicken or red meat.
This is because live micro organism could exist in these food and can harm the
infant. Therefore make sure the foods you eat are properly cooked.

b) Unclean Fruits and Salads.
Make sure fruits and raw vegetables are properly washed and cleaned before
consuming

c) Unpasteurized cheese
Pregnant women should consume pasteurised cheeses only. Blue vein cheese and
fermented cheeses should be avoided.

d) Unpasteurized Milk
It is important for unpasteurized milk, i.e. cow's milk is boiled to its boiling point
before consuming.

e) Processed Food and Junk Food should be avoided as we will not know
the types of colouring agent used in processing the food.

Morning sickness

MORNING SICKNESS

Morning Sickness is very common among women who are from her first to third month of pregnancy. Morning sickness could be due to hormonal changes or the type of food that is consumed.

Those who suffer from morning sickness or nausea are advised to eat small frequent meals. By eating this way, morning sickness will be greatly reduced.Vomiting could also be due to absence of taking food for a long time. To avoid or reduce the occurrence of morning sickness, pregnant women are advised to eat a light snack before sleeping, i.e. sandwich, a glass of milk or biscuits.

Some pregnant women may experience stomach bloatness or heart burn after eating. This is due to the pressure of the baby against the stomach which causes acidity and a feeling of indigestion. Do not sit after eating. Walk or move around and heart burn will be reduced. By consuming mint tea or mint sweets occasionally will help relieve the gastric or indigestion problem. If there is too much pain or extreme discomfort, it is best to consult your physician.

Leg cramps are also common among pregnant women. It could be due to lack of calcium. However to identify the actual reason or cause, you should consult your physician

NUTRIENTS FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

It is important for pregnant women to pay attention on the types of food they eat as the nutrient from the food will also be absorbed by the baby.

Within 9 months of pregnancy, women will put on weight from 9 to 13 kilos. This extra weight is an indirect way of determining the baby's health. Some women may put on more than the required weight as they tend to over eat due to the misconception of eating for two.

If pregnant women were to put on excess weight, they tend to suffer from various types of diseases and sickness like gestational diabetes and hypertension.If pregnant women were to eat less than the required amount, the baby will not be able to get the required nutrients and will affect the baby's growth development.

A pregnant woman should consume 300 to 500 extra calories a day

It is not sufficient to only eat 3 meals a day. They should eat healthy snacks in between meals. These extra calories are needed for baby's muscle growth and hormone development.Pregnant women should also consume extra protein. Protein food should be consumed during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Extra protein is very important for baby's muscle growth and organ development.

Pregnant women are to consume the below mentioned nutrients as it is very important for baby's growth:

a) Folate
Folate is a vitamin B nutrient. Folate is very important to prevent baby's nueral
tube defect disease. It is also important for women who are trying to conceive to
consume this nutrient. Folate is found in green vegetables and citrus food, i.e.
oranges and pineapples. However folate in green vegetable are lost when it is
cooked. Therefore it is very important for pregnant women to take folate
supplement during their pregnancy period.

b) Calcium
Calcium is very important to build baby's bones. Women who are in their 30's
requires a daily intake of 800mg of calcium. If they are pregnant, they require an
extra intake of 200 mg of calcium. Hence a pregnant woman around her 30s
should consume a daily intake of 1000 mg of calcium.

To consume 1000 mg of calcium a day, it is required to eat 3 types of food which
are rich in calcium.

In the morning, suggested food is 2 glasses of milk and a slice of cheese.
For lunch and dinner: Suggested foods are chicken and sardines.
Note: Sardine and chicken bones are rich in calcium


c) Fibre
Pregnant women who are in their third trimester (6 to 9 months) may suffer from
constipation due to changes in hormone level and diet. To avoid this problem,
pregnant women at this stage should eat more vegetable, fruits and whole grain
products.

d) Water
Some pregnant women do not drink enough water as it will cause them to urinate
more often. This is a very bad practise as lack of water will cause constipation and
improper blood circulation. A pregnant woman should drink 6 to 8 glasses of water
a day.

HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHY PROCESSED FOOD

HOW TO CHOOSE HEALTHY PROCESSED FOOD

Besides checking the expiry date, we should also place importance in checking the food label. Food label is very important as it provides vital information whether the food is nutritious or high in calorie.

If you are not able to read and understand the nutrient content displayed on the food label, you should refer to the ingredient section.

Example:
Biscuit A: Ingredients are Flour, Sugar and Fruits
Biscuit B: Ingredients are Sugar, Flour and Fruits

You should opt for Biscuit A because according to food label regulation, the first ingredient stated is the most quantity used to prepare the product.
Therefore for Biscuit B, sugar is the most quantity used to prepare the final product and it is not healthy as it has high sugar and calorie content.

If sugar and fat are listed in the first 3 main ingredients, avoid buying the product as much as possible. Make sure sugar and any types of fat are listed as the last ingredient in the ingredient section label of any food product.

Some food may be labelled as low fat. But this does not mean that it is low in calorie.

Example: Low Fat Yogurt
The yogurt could be low in fat but for taste, extra sugar could be added in. The extra sugar will increase the calorie content. Hence when choosing healthy food, make sure the product or food is not only low in fat but also low in calorie.

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Poolang kilangku

14th AUGUST 09: WHITE TURMERIC (poolan kilangu)
Different culture use white turmeric in different ways.
Chinese tradition boils white turmeric to gargle their mouth. The boiled turmeric water helps remove bacteria, infection and cures teeth related problems.
Malays use white turmeric leaves (cekur in BM) to treat women who are in confinement period.a) Ashes from the dried burnt leave are applied to treat swollen breast.b) Boiled white turmeric leave water is consumed to help i) clean stomach and blood ii) clear remaining dirt from the body
In Indian Tradition, white turmeric is powdered and used a fragrant agent while preparing oilment. The herb also helpsa) promote hair growthb) bring glow to the skin. When grinded together with turmeric, it acts as an antiseptic body scrub.c) cure dandruff. Apply boiled white turmeric powder on scalp for a few minutes before washing the hair.

Skin problem

13th AUGUST 09: SKIN PROBLEM
Not many of us have smooth and clear skin. Some individuals especially teenagers will either have pimples on their face or pimple like/boils all over their upper back.
To help remove any type of skin problems, it is effective if you were to apply turmeric paste over the affected areas. This is because turmeric has antiseptic properties and helps ripen the pimple/boils.
Neem leave are also effective. If your child is suffering from chicken pox, the only remedy to remove the pox is by using neem and turmeric paste. Apply the neem- turmeric paste on the face and body and leave it to dry for 10 minutes before washing off. The paste will help dry, remove and clear the pox and pox marks.
Pimples are normally caused by hormone imbalance, irregular menstruation cycle and constipation. If you are having any of these problems, you must consume medicine to a) have regular bowel motion andb) have regular menstruation cycle. Try to consume one ounce of turmeric juice when you are having your period as it helps remove dirt from the womb.

13th AUGUST 09: SKIN PROBLEM
Not many of us have smooth and clear skin. Some individuals especially teenagers will either have pimples on their face or pimple like/boils all over their upper back.
To help remove any type of skin problems, it is effective if you were to apply turmeric paste over the affected areas. This is because turmeric has antiseptic properties and helps ripen the pimple/boils.
Neem leave are also effective. If your child is suffering from chicken pox, the only remedy to remove the pox is by using neem and turmeric paste. Apply the neem- turmeric paste on the face and body and leave it to dry for 10 minutes before washing off. The paste will help dry, remove and clear the pox and pox marks.
Pimples are normally caused by hormone imbalance, irregular menstruation cycle and constipation. If you are having any of these problems, you must consume medicine to a) have regular bowel motion andb) have regular menstruation cycle. Try to consume one ounce of turmeric juice when you are having your period as it helps remove dirt from the womb.

Pumpkin

12th AUGUST 09: WHITE PUMPKIN
Indian Tradition believes in the concept of evil eye and there are many remedies and rituals to cure and help remove evil eye.
Some of the many methods are:a) by having "black pottu" on baby's cheekb) hanging a white pumpkin outside a new house to ward off evil and bad negative energy into the house.
It is also believed that evil eye could also be the reason for couples or family members to have constant misunderstandings and fights. To help clear the bad eye, white pumpkin should be hung outside the house. When the pumpkin becomes dry and black, replace the pumpkin on an auspicious day and time.
Besides warding off bad negative energy, the vegetable also has many medicinal values. It contains lots of water and the properties in the vegetable help clean and clear dirt from the kidneys. It also aids in regulating the excretion of water through urination

Lemon Grass

10th AUGUST 09: LEMON GRASS
Lemon grass leave is fragrant. Dried lemon grass leave are effective to be burnt together with incense as the smoke acts as an insect repellent.
Smoke produced from lemon grass and holy basil leave have the properties to ward off mosquitoes. Therefore instead of throwing the leaves, dry and store as it acts as an insect and bacteria repellent. Lemon grass leave can also be kept in your cabinet to remove cloths moths
Include lemon grass in your daily cooking either by grinding it to a paste or cutting into thin strips. Lemon grass can also be consumed as tea. The properties from the lemon grass have the ability to reduce pitta and create equilibrium to body. By maintaining a balance, it helps maintain the effectiveness and functionality of the liver. Excess pitta can lead to dizziness, hypertension and mental disorders. Therefore try to include lemon grass in your daily diet to help control the level of pitta in your body.

Custurd apple

7th AUGUST 09: CUSTARD APPLE
To have a healthy body, we need to eat lots of fruits. Custard apple is one fruit that has been forgotten and has many medicinal values.
The black seeds are not to be eaten. However keep the seeds as it is effective in treating boils and rashes. Powder the seeds and apply the powder on the affected areas. The properties from the seeds will help kill bacteria and remove dirt trapped in the boils or wound.
Do not eat the fruit regularly as eating it regularly can increase one's pitta level.The fruit, if consumed, provides antiseptic properties and helps strengthen the colon

Capsicum

6th AUGUST 09: CAPSICUM
Capsicum comes in 4 colors, red, green, yellow and orange and is widely used as a vegetable in western countries. In Malaysia, capsicums are used as a garnish or used in salads. Instead of using chilies in your cooking, you can omit them with capsicum.
Capsicums are good to be consumed regularly by rheumatic arthritis patients. The properties from the capsicum will help reduce the gas trapped in between the bones. Capsicum can be consumed by juicing it, cooked or eaten raw.

White crysanthemum

5th AUGUST 09: WHITE CRYSANTHEMUM
Take 5 dried white chrysanthemum flowers and soak in hot boiling water. You can add sugar to give good taste and aroma to the drink.
Medicinal values obtained by consuming chrysanthemum tea:a) helps reduce excess weight
Besides using white chrysanthemum flowers, you can omit the flower with dried jasmine flower, dried hibiscus flower or dried drumstick flower.
Tea made from dried flowers has the properties to produce blood and helps removes free radicals from the blood.

3rd AUGUST 09: BRINJAL
Brinjal or eggplant comes in many varieties. Brinjals are low in calorie and rich in potassium, sodium and folic acid. Obese or overweight individuals are advised to eat brinjals to help them lose weight.
However those who suffer from rashes or any type of skin disease are strictly forbidden to eat brinjals. Brinjals has properties to cure stomach cancer. Potassium from the brinjals also helps give nutrition to the brains.
To make a tasty brinjal dish:a) Cut the brinjal into small pieces.b) Fry the cut brinjalsc) Add masala powder and brown sugar and cook the vegetable until the gravy becomes dry.
Besides helping obese individuals to lose weight, brinjals also helps cure measles

Bitter gourd

31st JULY: BITTER GOURD
We have 72,000 nerves and for each nerve to function effectively, we need to consume food which is bitter in taste. This is because the properties in bitter food aids in strengthening the nerves.
Bitter gourd and its leaves have many medicinal values. To kill stomach worms and help clean your stomach, consume 1 tablespoon of bitter gourd leave juice once a month.
Bitter gourd is effective in treating diabetic patients. Instead of cooking the vegetable, try to consume 2 tablespoon of freshly squeezed bitter gourd juice once a week. If you are to practice this habit, nutrients from the bitterness will help strengthen the nerves and helps reduce the severity of diabetes. It also helps reduce sugar level in the body.

30th JULY 09:TURMERIC
To cultivate a turmeric plant, break either a dried turmeric or raw turmeric into half and plant in a pot filled with soil.
Pound and extract the juice of a small piece of raw turmeric.Pound and extract the juice of one clove of garlic.Pound and extract the juice of one small onion or one shallot.Mix all the three juices and prescribe half or one tablespoon of the juice to your child who is suffering from cold and chest phlegm. Excess phlegm in the chest area will be dissolved and removed from the body.
Prescribe one tablespoon of raw turmeric juice to your child. The turmeric juice has the properties to kill and remove stomach worms. Mix a small amount of freshly powdered dried turmeric with honey. The mixture is good in reducing the severity of jaundice.
Lastly, as mentioned in previous article (27th July 09), turmeric is good for liver as it kills and removes bacteria. It also provides nutrition for the liver to function effectively.

burdock root

29th JULY 09:BURDOCK ROOT
Peel the skin off and cut the root into small pieces. You can either make soup or stir fry the root. The root is available in supermarkets and is treated as a vegetable among the Chinese community to treat sickness and diseases.
Benefits of consuming the root:a) effective in melting kidney stonesb) good for cleaning kidney and liver and c) efficient in cleaning the blood
Diabetic patients are advised to consult their physician before consuming this root as the root is sweet. The root is very suitable to be eaten by gout and arthritis patients.Pregnant women are forbidden to eat this vegetable.
In short, those who are suffering from any disease except for diabetic patients are advised to eat once a week to obtain the medicinal values from the root.

28th JULY 09: RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Rheumatoid Arthritis attacks when vata or gas gets trapped in between the joint areas. When this happens, it will effect the nerves and bones and causes extreme pain and swelling.
Those who suffer from arthritis are
a) strictly forbidden to bathe in cold water. If you are suffering from extreme pain, add salt in hot water and pour the hot salt water over your body and affected joint areas.
b) Avoid constipation When you suffer from constipation or have irregular bowel motion, dirty gas will spread and gets trapped in the joint areas.
c) Make sure you do not have difficulty in urinating. Irregular urination will lead to accumulation of salt in the body which causes harm to the body system.
d) Excess phlegm can also lead to diseases. Therefore make sure your tridosha, i.e vata, kappa and pitta are in balance. To maintain a balance, practice oil bath and consume the necessary medicine to root out the cause of your sickness or disease.

turmeric

JULY 09: RAW TURMERIC
According to Hinduism, taking a human birth is a great privilege. This is because by taking the human body alone can one attain the goal of life. It is also stated in the scriptures that humans can live to more than 100 years. But how many of us are able to live up to this age without any sickness or diseases?
Today many of us are dying at a very young age. Many of us experience many types of sickness and diseases before or after 60 years of age. To maintain a healthy body system, we need to have a healthy liver. To maintain a healthy liver, we must
a) exercise regularly andb) eat proper food to provide nutrition to the liver to function effectively.
Turmeric is one type of food that can help to maintain a healthy liver. Raw turmeric ( ibu kunyit in BM) helps increase blood flow, avoids blood thickening and acts as an antibiotic. Try to use 2 inch of raw turmeric in your cooking everyday. Grind the raw turmeric and treat it as a " masala" paste.
If you are suffering from a disease or sickness, pound raw turmeric and extract the juice. Treat this juice as a medicine and consume once a week.