Ibyang
Ibyang

Health and Well-being

Food Find: Sweetened Dried Cranberries

Want a healthy option for a snack? Try this…

The brand is Craisins because it’s like raisins, only this is

sweetened dried cranberries.

I love it! I’ve been snacking on these since I’ve discovered it from a party that we attended. It tastes better than raisins because it gives me a more sour taste.

You can eat this with yoghurt, salads, cereal, porridge or simply eat it straight out of the bag.

Nutritional Value:

  • Naturally fat-free
  • Source of antioxidants
  • May help maintain urinary tract health

Effects I’ve experienced after snacking on dried cranberries:

  • No more constipation blues (I find this more effective compared to raisins)
  • I feel more “detoxed” everyday

This brand may not be available in the Phils, but there might be another brand of the same thing and there might be sweetened dried cranberries available in stores that sell peanuts and dried/preserved fruits.

While window-shopping at Paddy’s Markets two weeks again, I saw sweetened dried cranberries in the markets, so it’s probable that these may be available in other wet and dry markets too.

Edited: After a few minutes of posting this, a friend of mine from the Phils has informed me that Craisins is available in Santis Delicatessen (thanks Alyn!).

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Long, Happy, Productive Weekend

My weekend started on Thursday night as I took a day-off from work on Friday.

Birthday Celebration of Louie and Teena at Pancakes on the Rocks. Dessert at Max Brenner near Wynyard Station. Our (husband and I) first time to eat Max Brenner at this branch. More photos here.

Friday was spent going to the bank, shopping for home stuff and a little of groceries for the pantry. Afternoon til evening was spent cooking, afternoon napping, watching Heroes, cleaning the home and doing laundry.

Saturday was busy. Morning appointment at the clinic for my first Hepa-B vaccine (as part of my pre-pregnancy prep), furniture shopping and doing household chores at home. We’re very happy to have found and ordered a bed frame, two bedside tables, a tallboy and a sofabed. We also bought a small bookshelf and a his-and-her camping chair. Can’t wait for our stuff to be delivered.

Sunday was a bit busy too as I was able to unpack two small luggages and a box, did laundry and cook. It was also the Husband’s first time to have work on a Sunday here (read: OT) so I was left by my lonesome watching old movies while sorting out our stuff. To end my long weekend, I rewarded myself with a warm bubble bath.

As I end this entry, I’m waiting for Husband to arrive home so we can end the night by watching an episode of a Koreanovela we’re currently watching.

How was your weekend?

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Pharyngitis

…was the verdict of the doctor today. Other than my runny nose and fever, that is.

I was advised to take one more day off work. Great! Just when I have lots of things to do because last week I only went to work for 2 and 1/2 days.

But I figured to just take it instead of trying too hard to be well tomorrow. I remember not taking sick leave when I was in Manila and I know that caused burn-out and I’m not doing that again here.

Once in a while, I still have to remind myself that I live in a different country now.

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Coffee Linked to Fertility Problems

Yesterday I read on the newspaper that drinking more than four cups of coffee a day might lead to fertility problem. Read the article below:

London, July 8: Women, please note — you can jolly well sip one or two cups of hot coffee everyday, but if you have fertility problems, then downing more than four could reduce your chances of getting pregnant.

Researchers at Radboud University in the Netherlands have based their findings on an analysis of 9,000 women who had received IVF treatment to get pregnant naturally between 1985 and 1995.

They found that around one in seven did, but drinking more than four cups of coffee a day cut chances of conceiving by around 26 per cent.

In fact, they noted that 16 per cent of the women went on to conceive naturally, 45 per cent within six months of their last IVF treatment, the BBC News portal reported.

Drinking alcohol at least three times a week carried the same risk as excessive caffeine intake. But smoking more than one cigarette a day and being overweight reduced the chances of pregnancy even more, the study revealed.

The researchers estimated that a 36-year-old woman who smoked, drank too much coffee and alcohol and was overweight, and who had been through three cycles of IVF, would have a five per cent chance of a natural pregnancy.

If she was a healthy weight and did not smoke or have too much caffeine or alcohol, her chance would be 15 per cent.

According to lead researcher Dr Bea Linsten, patients should be advised how they could maximise their chances of a natural pregnancy.

“We have to remind our patients that they may influence their chance of spontaneous pregnancy after IVF with a healthy lifestyle,” Dr Linsten said.

Source

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