Rainbow Food?
I read that research is underway to confirm the goodness of kunyit(turmeric) and halia (ginger) in retarding tumours and therefore helpful in the fight against cancer. My mind clicked to the fact that I grew up on gulai kuning prepared with fresh kunyit rather than the powdered variety, and my Mum put ginger in everything-masak kicap, bubur kacang and teh halia. She even boiled crushed ginger and drank the brew and lived to a ripe old age of 82.
And in all the magazines, mention was made of why it is worth it to fill up your plates with colourful food. Not from dyes or food colouring but based on the natural colours of the food. Rainbow coloured vegetables and fruits provide daily requirements of carotene, beta-carotene and vitamins. I think of our rojak buah and gado-gado which could fall under this category. Dried fruits, nuts and pulses also provide needed plant fats and proteins which are more friendly to the system than animal proteins.
After a rich chicken stew last night, tonight's dinner was mixed vegetable soup with eggs with multigrain bread. Earlier, my friend RJ came by with some putu mayam and we had some for tea. My brother came over again from Melaka, so he can accompany me for the blood test tomorrow. I feel guilty that he has to commute Melaka-KL every couple of days to check on me and at the same time making sure the cats are okay back there. I hope he will not be exhausted by the time my treatments are completed. I am the one who is supposed to be fatigued, not he.
Day 9 post-first chemo.
One more day to go before the interim FBC tomorrow. So far so good, despite the hot weather and suppressed immunity, I feel fine. My eyes feel heavy lidded though as if it is bedtime but it is still a long way to go. Maybe I am feeling bored as I am refraining from going out after promising myself that I will stay indoors between days 7 through 10.
Bowel movements have been really good, thanks to the copious amounts of fluid I drink all day. At least 1.5 litres of air zam zam/oxygenated water/Evian and lots of green tea. My friend Vivien recommended chinese red date juice. I stewed a handful slowly on the stove and drank up when I felt like something sweet and comforting. Her Mum says it is good for the blood, so I drink up.
I feel like a cow. When Kakak comes in the evening, we would prepare a few varieties of green vegetables to go with my meal. Lots of chewing involved. I wish it is ulam with sambal but it is more of chicken stew(we managed to get a very skinny ayam kampung) with chopped vegetables and brown rice. Then it is fruits galore.
My friends drop by with bagfuls and baskets of fruits and I really need to do justice to the fruits before they wilt and succumb all their goodness to the weather. My fridge is overflowing with organic vegetables, juices and fruits, so some of the fruits have to be placed on the kitchen counter. I adore fruits but would usually stock up just 2 or 3 varieties to last for a week. What I have in the house now can feed the neighbourhood for a week. The quantity is actually in tune with my intensive effort to try and seek natural goodness from natural foods rather than from dubious supplements.
Honestly, I am beginning to feel bored, but thankful that there is no more drama of retching and vomitting. That moment has passed for this cycle. I have listened to my favourite music over and over and over again while reading. I am not much of a TV person although I love movies. But movies are much more fun in cineplexes ( where you get "value" for money with the extra entertainment from the hilarious subtitles) when you go out with your buddies.
I wanted to write but it was too hot to sit out in the patio. 2 of my friends who came by yesterday offered their driver / son to chauffeur me around if I feel like getting out of the house. How to go out and yet avoid crowded places? KL is crowded, full stop. I can hardly wait for next week when my body is supposed to be repairing itself in time for the next round of WMD. Maybe I will go to the Lake Club library and get more books and have a good meal there. If I can swing it, I will visit my dad and get to pop in to see my babies as well. How I miss them.
We have a stack of the latest health magazines in the house and I spend some time browsing through them. Lots of interesting and helpful articles. I did not realise it but April is Breast Cancer month, so it is the time for various articles in journals and magazines on herbs, supplements and Lifestyle tips. Most of the health magazines seem to be for women, I wonder why. Men get sick too!
The titles are catchy. Prevention, Let's Live, Nature & Health, Health and Beauty, Only Health, Healthy, New You, Health Today . They all sound very inspiring! Not the price though, a very thin fly-swotter magazine can cost Rm19.90 or 29.90 but admittedly the contents are well planned and well coordinated.
One more day to go before the interim FBC tomorrow. So far so good, despite the hot weather and suppressed immunity, I feel fine. My eyes feel heavy lidded though as if it is bedtime but it is still a long way to go. Maybe I am feeling bored as I am refraining from going out after promising myself that I will stay indoors between days 7 through 10.
Bowel movements have been really good, thanks to the copious amounts of fluid I drink all day. At least 1.5 litres of air zam zam/oxygenated water/Evian and lots of green tea. My friend Vivien recommended chinese red date juice. I stewed a handful slowly on the stove and drank up when I felt like something sweet and comforting. Her Mum says it is good for the blood, so I drink up.
I feel like a cow. When Kakak comes in the evening, we would prepare a few varieties of green vegetables to go with my meal. Lots of chewing involved. I wish it is ulam with sambal but it is more of chicken stew(we managed to get a very skinny ayam kampung) with chopped vegetables and brown rice. Then it is fruits galore.
My friends drop by with bagfuls and baskets of fruits and I really need to do justice to the fruits before they wilt and succumb all their goodness to the weather. My fridge is overflowing with organic vegetables, juices and fruits, so some of the fruits have to be placed on the kitchen counter. I adore fruits but would usually stock up just 2 or 3 varieties to last for a week. What I have in the house now can feed the neighbourhood for a week. The quantity is actually in tune with my intensive effort to try and seek natural goodness from natural foods rather than from dubious supplements.
Honestly, I am beginning to feel bored, but thankful that there is no more drama of retching and vomitting. That moment has passed for this cycle. I have listened to my favourite music over and over and over again while reading. I am not much of a TV person although I love movies. But movies are much more fun in cineplexes ( where you get "value" for money with the extra entertainment from the hilarious subtitles) when you go out with your buddies.
I wanted to write but it was too hot to sit out in the patio. 2 of my friends who came by yesterday offered their driver / son to chauffeur me around if I feel like getting out of the house. How to go out and yet avoid crowded places? KL is crowded, full stop. I can hardly wait for next week when my body is supposed to be repairing itself in time for the next round of WMD. Maybe I will go to the Lake Club library and get more books and have a good meal there. If I can swing it, I will visit my dad and get to pop in to see my babies as well. How I miss them.
We have a stack of the latest health magazines in the house and I spend some time browsing through them. Lots of interesting and helpful articles. I did not realise it but April is Breast Cancer month, so it is the time for various articles in journals and magazines on herbs, supplements and Lifestyle tips. Most of the health magazines seem to be for women, I wonder why. Men get sick too!
The titles are catchy. Prevention, Let's Live, Nature & Health, Health and Beauty, Only Health, Healthy, New You, Health Today . They all sound very inspiring! Not the price though, a very thin fly-swotter magazine can cost Rm19.90 or 29.90 but admittedly the contents are well planned and well coordinated.
I read that research is underway to confirm the goodness of kunyit(turmeric) and halia (ginger) in retarding tumours and therefore helpful in the fight against cancer. My mind clicked to the fact that I grew up on gulai kuning prepared with fresh kunyit rather than the powdered variety, and my Mum put ginger in everything-masak kicap, bubur kacang and teh halia. She even boiled crushed ginger and drank the brew and lived to a ripe old age of 82.
And in all the magazines, mention was made of why it is worth it to fill up your plates with colourful food. Not from dyes or food colouring but based on the natural colours of the food. Rainbow coloured vegetables and fruits provide daily requirements of carotene, beta-carotene and vitamins. I think of our rojak buah and gado-gado which could fall under this category. Dried fruits, nuts and pulses also provide needed plant fats and proteins which are more friendly to the system than animal proteins.
After a rich chicken stew last night, tonight's dinner was mixed vegetable soup with eggs with multigrain bread. Earlier, my friend RJ came by with some putu mayam and we had some for tea. My brother came over again from Melaka, so he can accompany me for the blood test tomorrow. I feel guilty that he has to commute Melaka-KL every couple of days to check on me and at the same time making sure the cats are okay back there. I hope he will not be exhausted by the time my treatments are completed. I am the one who is supposed to be fatigued, not he.
Next week, I plan to train my tastebuds to appreciate salads even more. I love salads, especially the ones served at Marmalade Cafe in Mt Kiara and BV2. They are all freshly prepared, very colourful (rainbow coloured) and crunchy with bits of nuts and seeds. Now that I can take raw foods after the 1oth day, perhaps I should prepare them at home. And start juicing fruits and vegetables again since someone is around to help with the washing up. My juicer is not very friendly to the fingers. I used to get nicks and cuts when cleaning the blades that I ended up more often going to Jushi if I need a fruit and vegetable concoction. But I suppose, no pain , no gain except that I can't afford to cut my fingers now!
2 comments:
Dearest Azmi,
One of the reasons why April is the month for Breast Cancer month I think is because that is when daffodils start blooming. Daffodils are symbols of hope and a new beginning. In Canada they have Daffodil Day in April. And the flowers are a source of income, grown in fields and cultivated in plantations..and exported as well..
Here in UK, ladies wear brooches in the shape of yellow daffodils on their lapels(especially the Marie Curie society) starting spring.
I just love daffodils because they are such a pretty sight. Their golden yellow heads nodding in the winds especially when they are aplenty...like Wordsworth's poem...The Daffodils...
Take care now...I am also trying to make my food as colourful as yours!
Wasalam
Dear Umi,
your note makes me feel so nostalgic, of my student days in the UK! I remember grabbing a 50p bunch each time I passed along Marble Arch whenever I was in London to stay at the old Msia Hall in Bryanston Sq. Aah,must go to the Lake District again. We camped there once instead of staying in one of those rustic cottages to save some money and we had so much fun. You must be feeling very creative now that spring is in the air and flowers everywhere and perhaps a 3rd novel is in progress in between your CADET project?
I now know where you got the inspiration for the title of your first one!
Salamz,
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