Use onions to prevent flu

Just received this interesting email from a baby’s mother and thought that I will share this with you.

“In 1919, when the flu killed 40million people, there was this doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it, and many died. The doctor came upon this one farmer, and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy.
When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it, and asked if he could have one of the onions, and place it under the microscope. She gave him one, and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore keeping the family healthy.
Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in Arizona. She said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year, she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop.
To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work . .. (And no, she is not in the onion business.)
The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office, or under your desk, or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year, and we never got the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case.
Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!
Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions: I don't know about the farmer’s story, but I do know that I contracted pneumonia, and needless to say I was very ill. I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion, put one end on a fork, and then place the forked end into an empty jar, placing the jar next to the sick patient at night.
It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs. Sure enough, it happened just like that. The onion was a mess, and I began to feel better. Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.”

I searched the net for more information and apparently this is an old wives tale. Most people rubbished it but there were a couple of people who claimed that it worked. So I thought that I may as well try it at my centre. If it works, the parents will thank me for helping them save on medical fees and if it does not, all I lose is a few onions. Maybe you might want to try it out and let me know the outcome.

An effective way to prevent spreading germs is to cover your mouth when you cough as Jeremy demonstrates.

Are cell phones safe?

I just received this letter from Dr Al Sears and I had to share this with you.

Dear Cecilia,
When I was hiking through the Andes, I saw people chatting on their cell phones. In Kerala, India, I saw fishermen call into shore from their boats to negotiate a price for the day’s catch. They even send pictures!
Cell phones are ubiquitous. Especially in the third world, they give people that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it access to the internet. And in that way, the cell phone is one of the greatest inventions of our time.
But I’m conflicted about the health consequence.
A new study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) warns that many of the new internet phones bombard your brain with dangerous electromagnetic waves.
1. These waves penetrate your skull and can double your risk of a brain tumor.
Back in 2003, the Food and Drug Administration assured us that cell phones do not cause brain cancer. Unfortunately, they based their study on only three years of cell phone use.
2. But if you use a cell phone for a decade or more, your risk goes up. Researchers in Scandinavia and the United Kingdom discovered that people who used cell phones for more than 10 years had a significantly higher risk of developing brain tumors.
3. Even more alarming is what happens to kids that use cell phones.
Young skulls are less than half the thickness of adults, making it much easier for radio waves to penetrate and damage the brain. Multiple studies show young children absorb more radiation than adults do, putting them at high risk for brain tumors.
4. A two-minute call can alter the natural electrical activity in your child’s brain for one hour. Multiply this by the average 2,600 minutes a month your child is on the phone…and you get 22 hours (nearly a day) of unnatural brain activity.
Wireless earpieces and keeping the phone in your pocket are not good options. The earpiece relies on radio waves for transmission – these go into your brain. The phone in your pocket is emitting radio waves straight to your vital organs, especially your genitals.
So what should you do? I for one don’t want to give up my cell phone. And I don’t suggest you give up yours either. But I do take certain steps to limit my radiation exposure.
Here are some steps you can take:
Check what kind of radiation your phone emits. The lower, the better.
EWG has an updated list of the best and the worst phones.
Put your phone in ‘airplane’ mode when you’re in places you can’t (or shouldn’t) use your phone – driving, theaters, meetings, and doctor’s offices. This reduces the number of radiation exposure hours.
Go ‘hands-free’. The further away your phone is from your body – the less radiation penetrates you. Twelve inches (one foot) is the closest you should be to your phone.
Use a wired head set for all calls – make sure the cord is long enough so your phone is at least twelve inches away from you.
Send text messages instead of calling. Or keep your calls short.
And possibly the hardest advice of all to implement… limit use of cell phones by your children and teens. I tell my son Dylan to text instead of call. This limits his exposure.
I keep my phone in my desk drawer while I’m at work. In the car, I keep it on the console. And when I’m going back and forth, I keep it in my briefcase. And I don’t use it for long. When I’m going to be on the phone for a while, I use a landline.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD
11903 Southern Blvd., Ste. 208
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

Cell Phone Radiation – Science Review on Cancer Risks and Children’s Health – Environmental Working Group http://www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation

Introducing my new super baby models

It has been some time since I updated the status of my super models. The latest addition are:





Nash





Jayden





Ee-Wern





Jason

Birthdays galore

All my little 'rats' are one year old now and toddling. The 'rats' are those born in the Chinese lunar year of the rat.






The first birthday party started in September with Renee






Then it was Isaac and the twins Marrisa and Mirabelle in early October











Finally it was Xuan's turn in mid October

My baby gymnast is one year old !!

I cannot believe that all the babies are one year old or will be soon. It seems like only yesterday when they came to the centre. So far, 4 of them are one year old and this is Jeun Yip celebrating his first birthday.




Hey! Are all my friends here?







That's my birthday cake








Mummy helping me to cut my cake

A Natural cure for AH1N1?

I just received this email and I do wonder if this natural therapy does work but considering that almost everyone who contrscts the virus dies from pneumonia, I feel that doing something is better than doing nothing at all and it does not cost much.

"JUST A SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL INFO FM ME TO YOU AND YR FRIENDS...MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF H1N1 SINCE IT PRACTICALLY HIT US LIKE A TIME BOMB.....

My staff was crying herself sick on Tuesday morning...was told that her son was confirmed of H1N1 in his Uni at Kangar, Perlis...worse was that when he was bedridden 2 days the warden didnt even bother to sent to hospital till his dad came fm KL and with his friends assistance brought him to GH Kangar....

No one bothered in the hospital and he was put in the normal ward for another 2 days!!! (imagine the amount of people he has infected!!) .....after 2 days and his eyes were turning yellow and saliva greenish...he was put in quarantined room...

His mom practically fainted just telling me the story.. cant do much cos she does not have enough money to go to the north with the father...

First thing we did was made her call the hospital and insist that they sent him to Sg.Buloh Hospital or any other hospital in KL since they seemed to be more alert and more equipt...they refused of course...so I sent her off to Kangar the same day to solve the problem.

Whilst this was happening, I had a call from one Ustaz who was in town to "help cure" another H1N1 child in Shah Alam....and was told this simple prescription by him.....

EAT MINIMUM 6 GREEN APPLES A DAY AND FRESH ORANGE JUICE

For those with sore throat please blend the apples and keep on taking till your fever disappear and yr symtoms are gone....I cannot explain it but the child in Shah Alam was ok too after taking this tip....

My staff's son was given the apple juice for the whole day on Monday/Tuesday and he was out of the fever yesterday Wednesday... .she called me and was crying on the phone to say that her son was out of ICU and was able to eat normally...all these happened within just 4 days today (thursday 6 august)...

This is just to share with my fellow sisters and brothers and hope this small info could assist others as well, No harm in trying and anything can happen!!!!"


Health benefits of apples

Apples contain flavonoids, antioxidants that improve immune function and prevent heart disease and some cancers. Apples also have antiviral properties and will help you detoxify your body. Green apples act as a liver and gall bladder cleanser and may aid in softening gallstones.

Because of their high water content, apples are cooling and moistening and aid in reducing fever. Simply grate them and serve them to feverish patients. Steamed apples sweetened with honey are beneficial for a dry cough and may help to remove mucous from the lungs.

Easy on the digestion, apples contain malic and tartaric acids that inhibit fermentation in the intestines. Their high fiber content adds bulk that aids the digestive process, making elimination natural and comfortable. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.


Apples are a good source of potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C. A single apple has approximately 1500mg of vitamin C to give the immune system a boost. Additionally, there are trace amounts of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. The skin of an apple contains quercetin an anti-oxidant found to lower the risk of heart disease and even prevent the cell changes that lead to cancer. If you eat two apples a day you can reduce your cholesterol level by up to 10%. Apples also reduce the risk of type II diabetes, COPD, stroke, respiratory disease, some types of cancer and asthma. Eating raw apples gives the gums a healthy massage and cleans the teeth.

Giving fruits to small children

Almost all the babies are 10 months old so time to introduce fruits. I personally do not like to puree the fruits because, firstly I am too lazy to do this and secondly but most importantly, processing fruits will reduce the nutritional contents of the fruits. I also do not like to extract the juice because the children need the fibre to prevent constipation and some of the vital nutrients are in the fibre so by just giving the juice alone your baby will not have all the nutrients of the fruit
Most of the children have a few front teeth so they can bite through the fruits but they do not know how to properly chew food yet therefore it is important to use the right method to feed them.






Fruits like apples are hard therefore the best way is to scrape them. Cut the fruit into big slices.







Using a teaspoon, scrape the fruit until you get a pulp onto the spoon.







Offer it to the child. Continue scraping and feeding it to the baby until the slice is finished. It is best to start with one big slice and as your child gets used to the fruit you can give more.




If the fruit is soft you can give it slice by slice instead of mashing it up. This will teach your baby to enjoy the real texture of the fruit and it is less messy. I like to use the local ‘pisang emas’ because the texture is smoother and one banana is just nice for small children.







Peel the banana and using a teaspoon, slice off a small piece at a time.








Feed your child one slice at a time.








If you give kiwi fruits, cut it into halves








Use the ‘slicing’ method








Give one slice at a time until it is all gone.








Watermelon should be cut into very small cubes








Use a fork to offer the cut fruits to the child








Jeun Yip showing us that the fruit is good. All children cannot use their thumb to show the “this is good” sign so they use their fore finger.

A one year old chilli king

I have never seen a small child who loves eating chilli. Jeremy just loves anything with chilli in it.

My baby gymnast started walking!

Remember my baby gymnast? Jeun Yip is now 11 months and he has started walking by himself. Well done!!

Breakfast time

I usually start giving breakfast at the beginning of the 8th month. You can give pre-packed baby breakfast cereals or rusk biscuits.





This is a piece of rusk biscuit








Break it up into small pieces so that it is easier to dissolve








Add sufficient hot water








Mix it into a smooth paste








The twins, Marissa and Mirabelle waiting for their breakfast








Marissa wondering what is in the bowls








The first spoonful for Marissa








Mirabelle:“Hey Sasa, what does it taste like?”








“Oh it's my turn now”








Marissa’s turn again








Now it is back to Belle








“We like it!”





Now it is Jeun Yip’s turn to start having cheese for breakfast





This is a piece of soft cheese which practically melts in the mouth so no chewing required. Also make sure that it is not too salty






Use a spoon to cut it up into very small pieces








“Here we go Jeun Yip”








“Hmm, it tastes different”








“One more piece please”








“I like cheese!!”

We are still here

I know it has been awhile since I updated the blog but it has been a most trying one month. I was two staff short at the daycare centre and after 12 hours of looking after the babies and having to clean and wash up each night I was really too exhausted to think straight. I had forgotten how time consuming housework is. In addition my electricity supply kept tripping every night so cannot use the pc at all. Finally found the culprit which is a burnt out fan upstairs which we only use at night which explains why the tripping only happens at night. I got my domestic help at last and hopefully, things are back to normal now so I have time to write again.

First of all Marie celebrated her 13th birthday in April so she is now officially a teenager and coming out with spots on her face.











Update on Wei Jun and Jeun Yip





Wei Jun actually left the centre in April but came back after 2 weeks because he missed his friends here.





Here he is with his best friend Jeun Yip. Both of them are teething and they compete with each other to produce the most amount of saliva. If you do not see them just follow the trail of saliva and you will find them.




They both love playing with Marissa (one of the twins)







Jeun Yip is shy in showing his affections






Wei Jun loves kissing Marissa even though there are bars between them.

Are you prepared for any pandemic threats?

So far there are no cases of swine flu in Malaysia but we never know when it will come or even if it is already here with the ease of international travel. Below is recommendations from Sunway Medical Centre on precautions to take.






click on image to see enlarged version







In the event of a widespread outbreak of any type of illness, one of the best precautions you can take would be to eliminate or minimize your exposure to the general public by self quarantining. This would require that have ready a supply of essential supplies such as food, medications, toiletries etc. If you have not done so already, now is definitely the time to prepare to meet any future challenges rather than wait for a crisis to occur and join everyone to empty the local grocery stores.

You should have enough nonperishable and canned items to be able to get through a couple of weeks without having to leave home. If you need to take medications or supplements, it is not unreasonable to keep a three-month supply on hand. Just make sure to rotate the items as you continue to purchase new supplies each month. Whenever anyone goes to my kitchen, they always comment on the amount of nonperishable food in the cupboard and frozen food in the freezer. This is because I am always prepared for any emergencies.

For various respiratory threats I would suggest keeping a small supply of fiber surgical masks around. Dousing them with several drops of eucalyptus oil goes a long way toward both preventing and treating respiratory infections. Type N95 masks offer improved filtering power against bacteria and other pathogens. Keep a few on hand for everyone in the family. You can find the masks in many pharmacies or at any medical supply house or on the Internet. While you're shopping, include a box of surgical gloves as well.

My intent in sharing this information is not to frighten or create a feeling of hopelessness, but I do think it is a threat that you and your family need to be aware of and prepare for.

Lucas is one year old!!

Lucas is the first of my batch of baby ‘rats’ to turn one. Here he is celebrating his birthday with his friends.







The Chinese believe that when a baby turns one on his Chinese birthday he should he should have a chicken leg to bite on. Want to know why? Please go to the Old Wives Tales on babiesconsult.com