Why sunshine is good for our children?

We often hear nursery rhymes, children songs and animations telling us that the sunshine makes everyone happy and bright. We also hear the old saying that our children need to go out and get some sunshine. But had it occur to you what makes sunshine so good for our children?


When the sun came in contact with our skin, our body is able to produce more vitamin D. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in our body thereby giving us strong and healthy bones. Deficiency in vitamin D will cause rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. According to James Dowd, professor of medicine at Michigan State University and author of The Vitamin D Cure found that vitamin D in our body will only activate itself when it gets ultraviolet B rays from sunlight. This means that vitamin D will not serve its purpose when it is without sunlight.

Breastfeeding children are at risk of having rickets because of the lack of vitamin D in the breast milk. Thus, these children should take foods or supplements with vitamin D.

Today’s modern culture has encouraged children to engage in unhealthy activities such as staying indoors watching TV, playing computer games, no outdoor activity and thus lack of sun exposure. These unhealthy habits give rise to children contracting rickets disease, bones disorder, diabetes and other diseases.

Apart from building strong bones, the sun also helps in the production of white blood cells to build a strong immune system to our body. A strong immune system is important to fight against germs, bacteria, viruses and toxins.

Through the warmth of the sun it stimulates blood circulation throughout our body and driving more oxygen into our body.

The sun makes people happy or in a good mood because it stimulates the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a type of hormone found in the human brain. It helps to regulate our mood, relieve depression and give us a goodnight sleep.

The other benefit of sun exposure is that it stimulates our liver and helps in breaking down toxins. This will greatly benefit newborns because newborns have weak liver and that makes them susceptible to jaundice. By having sun exposure for a few minutes a day will prevent the occurrence of jaundice.
Having sun exposure will also help with any kinds of skin disorder such as eczema, acne and cradle cap.

Although there is so much goodness in receiving sunshine, however experts only recommend that a good sun exposure of 10 to 15 minutes a day between 8am to 9.30am and the hours after 4pm. It is also recommended not to use sunscreen while receiving the benefit of the sun. Exposing too much on the sun will risk us getting skin cancer and thus it is good to wear sunscreen after the recommended time.





Tags: Benefits of sun, sunshine, sun health, strong bones, heal skin disease, prevent osteoporosis,rickets, moods, vitamin D

Oh no… he knows how to climb a chair (A year and 8 months old)

I don’t know whether to celebrate or to call it a disaster. Last Friday he just did it-- he climbed a chair and smiled broadly as if it is his victory. As if he had climbed the highest mountain in the whole world. I’m happy that he learned something new but then it is a disaster when he can now grab everything that is on the table. Batteries, multi vitamins, receipts, medications, mugs and tissue paper are all loosely scattered around the table will now have to be kept within his reach. He especially liked to play with the wireless mouse, imitating his parents when they are clicking the mouse surfing the net.


His victory means that I have to be extra cautious as not to let him accidentally fall off a chair or get hold of something that could be dangerous to him. He could poison himself if he accidentally taken his father’s pills or hurt himself if he broke a mug. Everything has to be child proof.

Fun with books and magazines

A month ago I picked up two Ladybird books from my parents house so that I can read to my son. I use to read them when I was young and they were there for more than 25 years already. Books are the things that were left in my old room because we use to move around a lot and most of my toys were given away.

I love children books because they are full of color illustrations and it reminds of my young and carefree life. I also have a queer habit of smelling brand new books, they just hike up my curiosity to read the contents of the book.

So, the titles that I brought back are “The Big Pancake” and “Lady and the Tramp”. The first time I read to my son, he just listens intently but after that he got impatient when I am halfway reading to him. So I change my strategy. I start to tell the story briefly in my own words and point the pictures as I go along and he is able to follow me.

I find that books like “Peekaboo” is well liked by my son because we are able to interact with each other more and he learns fast through this book. As you can see the book has lots of words given in the pictures.

 So, we treat it as a fun game. I throw him a few questions such as where the elephant, clouds, sun are and he is able to point to the pictures. Bring me smiles whenever he did it.

Women magazines, National Geographic magazines and any other magazines are just as fun too because they contain realistic quality pictures and it is easy for my son to learn about things in the world. So again I’m back with the “point and guess what” method. Whether it’s a bag, shoes, trees, zebra or monkey, somebody walking or a smile, they are all fun. My bubbly baby just babbles nonstop as if he is having a real conversation with me and I just play along as if I understand what he says.

Letter to my Son (Part 1)

Sometimes you make me laugh and sometimes you test my patience. Everyday you grow a little knowing what life uncovers you. I have to remind myself to cherish our every moments together as you are not the same as you are as weeks passed. Sometimes I even missed you when you were younger. I looked back to your past photos and videos and had wished I am there again. But I knew I had to be mindful of the days with you now or I will miss these moments with you in the future.

Science Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur

If you happen to be around Lake Garden you can visit the science planetarium which is very nearby. Better still, if you visit Museum Negara, there is an escalator on the outside of its entrance leading to the planetarium.

The entrance fee to the Planetarium is only RM 1. Me and my family just went for a visit sometime April this year. There is really nothing much to see other than the display of the astronaut equipments and the display of an interior of a space shuttle. Probably the planetarium is still new as it was only established in 1994. The only interesting activity there is the blue room (I don’t know what it is called) which is small and looks kind of like a space shuttle. . I got a bit dizzy being in that room because the whole room is slanting to one side and I get the feeling of an anti-gravity effect. It is just located on the right side after the entrance.But children who pay a visit are having fun in there because at one corner of the room there is a slide for children to slide out.


Maybe I didn’t get to appreciate the planetarium fully because my boy is running around like mad. We will probably come back again for the shows when my son is older. They are currently showing Dawn of the Space Age, Passport to the Universe and Fly Me to the Moon. If you are interested you can check this website: http://www.angkasa.gov.my/planetarium/

The shows cost RM 3 for each person on one show the last time I check at the ticket counter which is outside of the entrance and you are not allowed to bring in backpack. We were given the exemption because our baby milk is inside the backpack.

Tags: Planetarium Malaysia, Lake Garden, Museum Negara, travel, Malaysia places of interest, Kuala Lumpur

Wonders of Manuka Honey

Maybe it’s the flu season again. My mom just told me that few of my relatives are down with flu. Could it be the nights watching world cup? Well sleep deprivation does bring down your immune system.

But my husband is not a fan of world cup and neither am I. But last week my husband came down with a bad sore throat and I suggest he try Manuka honey UMF 15 and it all cleared in four days. I know it is slow recovery but then save ourselves from the side effects of medicine and not to mention the Rm50 of consulting a doctor.


I’m a fan of natural healing. It has no side effects apart from the hassle of slow recovery and it brings a lot of benefit to the body. We consume so many chemical foods these days that it’s time for us to slowly cut them down. I always believe that it is always best to take home remedy when a mere discomfort or initial symptoms show up. If the symptoms have been dragging a few days then it is better to go to the doctor.

Here are some facts about active manuka honey.

The origin of manuka honey came from New Zealand and its antibacterial properties have been known to have healed stomach ulcer, indigestion, cold, flu, sore throat, skin ulcer, mild burns and fever.

The difference between active manuka honey and the normal honey is that manuka honey is found to have the highest levels of healing properties.

If we buy an active manuka honey it has to be sealed with a UMF trademark. UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor which is a standard for the measurement of antibacterial potency in the honey. The higher level of UMF signifies a higher antibacterial potency.

Benefits of manuka honey:

It is a natural antibiotic

Boost immune system

Ease digestion

Heal skin conditions such as eczema, scars, infected wounds, acne, cuts, burns and insect bites

There are so many natural remedy in the market, one that works for me might not work for you. So, we have to try all sorts of natural remedy and if we find one that is right, then stick to it.

A note of caution: active manuka honey or any other honey is not safe to be consumed by babies below 1 year old because of botulism which could be deadly.

My son is having flu for over a week now. But it’s not really that bad. Last week he had few dribbles from his nose but this week he only dribble once in the morning. I just gave him a teaspoon of manuka honey once in the morning and once in the evening after meal. Hopefully by tomorrow I won’t see any dribble from him anymore.

Bought it this year at Nature's Farm for RM 132 (500g).

Brand name: Waitemata UMF 15

Tags: active manuka honey, UMF, sore throat, digestion, skin disease, immune system, natural healing, home remedy

Are we living in an illusion?

Is it an illusion that we all grew up with the mindset that being wealthy with a big house, an expensive car and achieving all the materialistic elements in life is the road to happiness? I just wonder what is it like being rich and having all. I’m not denying that money plays a part in maintaining our basic needs in life. But is being affluent the end of it as in happily ever after? As in Cinderella’s story depicts a marriage that ends with a happily ever after?


Day after day I’m chasing after money for a house, holiday for my family, toys for my baby, luxury goods and I think the list goes on and on. It seems there is no end and finally I think I have suffocated myself with so many “want” list that I started to question myself as to what is the meaning of life.

Then I read about the life in Gaza after it was seized by the Islamic militant Hamas in 2007. Businesses were shut down by 95% and its people suffer with infrequent electricity, no employment and if lucky people get to work in illegal businesses or spy for Israel just to make ends meet. Everyday the people in Gaza are battling for survival. Extremists roam around the city and will not think a second of killing someone who defy their beliefs. Then I read another news reporting incidences of extremist group propagating our university students in our country and their plans of blowing up places of worship.

All these have led me picturing myself in all this kind of situation where extremist overtaken our country, we are left with no electricity, no water, no job, no food, watching our love ones die and living in fear of being killed anytime. Then I wonder what will happen to our children living in that kind of brutal environment.

The terror of it made me realize that how lucky we are living at this present moment where there is peace and our basic needs are met. It is selfish to think of the luxuries when others are suffering in other parts of the world. It is foolish to chase for things that might not materialize when our happiness is right in front of us. For me my happiness is my family.

The Gaza news has really opened my eyes and it reminds me to always be mindful of my love ones and to fully embrace the moments when I am with them. And be grateful with what I have now.

I have a new mission in life and that is to strip myself against the material world and begin to live my life as simple as can be with an abundance of love.

My quote:

“It takes you to understand what life is when you have nothing with you except for love. When you leave your house, your money and your greed behind then you will come to see the true meaning of life. The greatest meaning of life is to give love and to accept the love that is given. I am truly seeing them now.”






Tags: spiritual healing, money, materialistic, meaning of life, love