An Introduction to Water Kefir

Yum yum, who doesn't like the idea of drinking "healthy soda pop"?? As of recent months I have been getting more and more interested in eating more healthy raw food, juicing, fresh food...etc for both adults and babies. Josh is growing older now at 11 months and is a healthy-not-fussy eater. (Thank God!)

Anyway, came across quite a few postings on fermented foods and eventually came across Kefir. So my interest was piqued and I decided to do a little more digging. I was blown away by the amount of stuff on fermentation and how it affects health. Anyways, I decided to zero in on Water Kefir as making and drinking my very own probiotic soda pop sounded like fun. More fun than popping probiotic pills, cheaper (I hope...) then buying Yoplait yoghurt and Yakult!

So spent last Sunday afternoon learning about Water Kefir and doing a hands on preparing and flavouring. I was obviously bombarded with more information than I could comprehend so I consoled myself with the fact that everything is now available online so all I had to do was ask Mr. Google. I learnt that water kefir grains are alive! We also learnt how to prepare the sugar solutions and how different sugars were needed for the grains to thrive. We even talked about the type of water to use and how to give them a coconut bath every two weeks to help them grow and multiply. Lastly we also discussed how creative we could get with flavouring our water kefir using fresh fruits, flowers and greens. Blueberry lavendar or longan goji berry water anyone? Finally we also discussed a little about how traditional Jamu could go hand in hand with water kefir providing a more comprehensive detox and obviously the subject closest to a woman's heart came up. Someone asked the million dollar question, "Can lose weight ah?" Someone testified that by just drinking kefir and jamu everyday, she lost 6 kgs in one month plus. We all sat up and paid a heck of a lot more attention after that. :) 

 So we to trudge on and after nearly 4 hours.I was a happy camper going home with a cardboard box full of goodies as below:-

1. 2 tablespoons of donated water kefir grains in a small glass jar
2. 2 bottles of pear flavoured kefir
3. 1 bottle of cherry flavoured kefir
4. 400 gm packet of Country Farm Organic Raw Cane Sugar
5. 1 small plastic sieve
6. 1 mason jar with handle
7. 2 pieces of cut "Good morning" towels to cover the mason jar while fermenting
8. 1 small glass jar of Tumeric Asam Jawa Jamu to try
9. 10 glass bottles measuring 300 ml each to do flavouring (bought them cheap at RM1.20 per bottle)

I was obviously excited about my "little monsters" and couldn't wait to get home to stare at them and hopefully see them multiply and thrive. Someone else likened them to the popular digital Tamagochi pets which exploded in the 90s where you had to raise an alien egg into and adult creature. Like my little monsters, I am sure they will go through several stages of growth and will develop differently depending on how I care for them. Since I already have an 11 month old son....ala I tak hairan la...hahahaha

Anyway, will continue to write more on my water kefir-ing sometime later this week! Have a good one!

Nursing Bra frustrations!

I have been breast feeding for 11 months now to the dot and it has been really frustrating for me to find good nursing bras. To start with, I was a 34C/D pre pregnancy and since then have gone up a cup size or two. I think that I have normalised back again to to a D.As with all breast feeding mums the typical complaints are saggy or heavy boobs. So I can't go without a bra even at night when sleeping.

I find that most bras I have come across just don't seem to provide enough support for heavier/chestier mummies like me. I have tried Marks & Spencers nursing bras, Fabulous Mom bras, Autumnz, every brand in Mothercare...sigh... even a search on the internet on nursing bras in Malaysia doesn't yield very promising results. Most online shops only show similar brand bras and a lot of them stop at C cup size!

Anyway, my breastfeeding journey for Josh is only halfway and we are hoping to welcome more new family members to our little family...I need to find good supportive nursing bras! So I am determined to go on a little hunt to find suitable, supportive and reasonably priced nursing bras... really really soon!

Happy New Year 2015! Being INTENTIONAL

Thank God, I finally get to sit down and pen down some thoughts. I hope this doesn't become a habit. (It is 1.30 in the morning...hahahaha too late)

Anyway, I was just thinking about the new year. It alwasy brings hope and excitement. From the numerous messages and well wishes from friends and acquaintances on whatsapp to videos and facebook postings of "Happy New Year 2015!" Wishes of health, prosperity and happiness...advice on leaving the old and embracing the new, exhortations to make every day count, blessing and abundance...

Cute advice from Dr Seusse (posted by a friend) 

Flight advice from an uncle that starts like this:- (The rest of the message was too long so won't bother to post it here)

The Boarding on Flight 2015 has been announced Your luggage should only contain the best souvenirs from  2014 ..... The bad and sad moments should be left in the Garbage. The duration of the flight will be 12 months. 
So, tighten your seatbelt...etc...

But the best one that I liked the most was this picture.

I really thank God for the opportunity to start a New Year, walking in his ways and his promises. I know that He has so much in store for us.

Hubby and I have been spending some time talking to each other and asking questions, throwing ideas about what we were looking forward to this year. Somehow or rather it was difficult for me. I thought and thought but somehow they were all not quite there. What to do, being the super kiasu person and wanting to have everything and every base covered, I struggled to decide on how I was going to move forward this year.

I did decide thought to read to Chappati 1 Proverb and 5 Psalms every night and I started yesterday. Just before putting him to sleep today, I picked up my phone and starting reading to him again. He then went to sleep and I came out to write. I really felt that I needed to write, wanted to write...then a word came to me INTENTIONAL! Bible reading really can inspire I tell you!

So I have decided that this year I WILL BE INTENTIONAL vs living life on autopilot. Whatever happens this year, I pray that I will be intentional about everything and that God will give me the wisdom and strength to walk through the year ahead, to be a blessing to those around me and grow in my relationships. Whether at work or at home, with friends, family and loved ones...I will be intentional. 

Many say that this year will be the most difficult year yet. So to start, I will stand on His promise and declare in my life and family the following from Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Blessed New Year 2015 to everyone!