SuperHerb (medicinal)

Korean Red Ginseng (hongsam), for centuries it has been known as the elixir of life. It is considered as the best of the oriental medicinal herbs and believed to increase longevity if taken for a long time. In comparison to western medicine, which targets specific parts of the body or problem, hongsam is beneficial to one's whole body system.

Known for its superior quality and medicinal efficacy, historial records show that ginseng was used as one of the most important medicines during the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 BC - 668 AD). Emperors in ancient China also searched for medicinal herbs that would give them eternal youth. Korean ginseng was it and it became the most prized medicinal product. The oldest records of ginseng cultivation were found in Korea, the birthplace of ginseng. It is best adapted to the climate and soil of Korea - unrivaled superior quality.

It protects the heart, liver and lungs. It has anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogen and anti-inflammatory properties.

The Benefits:

• increases energy (qi), strengthens the body and promotes blood circulation
• enhances immunity and combats inflammation
• helps in the recovery from major illness or surgery
• recommended for patients with rheumatism, anaemia, cancer

Due to the growing popularity of Korean red ginseng, privately manufactured and counterfeit red ginseng has flooded the market. Chinese ginseng is sometimes remade into Korean ginseng which is not easy to distinguish even for Koreans. 

So it is recommended to buy Korean ginseng products manufactured by the Korea Ginseng Corporation, Cheong Kwan Jang, (means a reliable, genuine product manufactured in a government-run factory) the most prestigious brand of Korean red ginseng (6-year old red ginseng) products on the planet, keeping true to its 100-year old tradition.   

http://www.globalkgc.com/

Cheong Kwan Jang offers different types of red ginseng product to meet diverse preferences; root, extract, powder, tea, tonic, drinks and snacks.

Korean Red Ginseng Extract is the most concentrated and pure form of 100% six-year-old premium Korean Red Ginseng roots available on the market, a small dose is enough to reap all of the health benefits of red ginseng. 100g bottle (equivalent to 142g raw ginseng),SGD176

Available in Singapore at Yue Hwa, 70 Eu Tong Sen Street, Tel: 65384222.

Grow your own organic herbs

It's simple. Grow your potted herbs on a sunny window-sill or spot, with a few varieties of herbs you will have a constant supply of fresh leaves to flavour your salads or dishes.

Many herbs are easily grown from seed. Keep them well-watered, but avoid waterlogging. For a bushy plant, keep snipping off the growing tips to use in salads/dishes, otherwise it will grow upwards and become tall, and don't allow the herbs to flower.

BASIL SWEET GENOVESE

Basil is my favourite herb. It's a natural source of beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant which combats free radicals in the body. Also with unique flavonoids which protect cell structures and chromosomes. It is also effective in blocking action of an enzyme causing inflammatory health problems. Add it to your salads, instant noodles, rice porridge,...

WILD ROCKET

Another of my favourites, very nutritious, full of phytonutrients and well known for its cancer-fighting properties. It is also a digestive stimulant, high in sulphur, great for healthy skin, hair and nails. Love its distinctive peppery flavour.

WATERCRESS

Watercress is a natural superfood. Packed with vitamins and minerals; vitamin A, B1, B6, C, E, K, folate, iron, calcium, beta carotene, magnesium, manganese, zinc.  It has more vitamin C than orange, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, and more folate than banana. Add it to your salads or make a delicious watercress sandwich with chicken or egg.

Order your seeds online from The Organic Gardening Catalogue http://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/index.php  

Grow your own organic salad leaves

Fresh, crisp, nutritious organic salad straight from my garden. (wild rocket, cos, lollo rossa, tomatoes)


Grow your own succulent salad leaves that you can snip off for a healthy salad packed with nutrients.

All you need is a window box or pots, organic seeds and compost. Look for a sunny space around the house/flat; window, patio, terrace, courtyard,... The best kind of leaves to grow are cut-and-come-again varieties (cos, lollo rossa, butterhead). You can eat them when the plants are about 10cm high, and they will re-sprout and you can cut them again a few weeks later.

How to grow

1. use rectangular planter pots for 3-4 plants(at least 50cm long x 16cm wide x 18cm high) or round pots for single plant, with drainage holes and put it in a sunny & slightly shaded spot
2. put a layer of pebbles on the bottom of the planter and fill it with organic compost
3. moisten the compost and sow seeds 10cm apart and covering lightly with compost, germination should take place 3-4 days later
4. water them in the morning and evening
5. once they are 10cm high, you can cut the leaves

Where to get them

• Organic MIXED LETTUCES seeds (GBP1.47) from The Organic Gardening Catalogue http://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/index.php  
• New Horizon organic peat free compost from Goodwood Florist, 565 Thomson Road, Singapore
• Pots, pebbles and garden tools from Goodwood Florist or Daiso (the $2 store)

Choose wisely

It's important to use toiletries and beauty products that are as natural as possible. There are lots of unhealthy chemicals that go into these conventional products.

The best way to avoid these chemicals is to read what's on the label. The most harmful ingredients tend to be those that are added;

• to make the product lasts longer - preservatives
• to make it feel nicer on the skin - mineral oils & silicones
• to give it a signature scent - perfumes

These ingredients give no actual benefit and can be quite toxic.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN TOILETRIES & BEAUTY PRODUCTS

PRESERVATIVES  
Parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, etc..), EDTA,  Formaldehyde, Quaternium 15,  Methylisothiazolinone
EFFECTS : Skin irritation,  allergic reactions, parabens are suspected hormone 
disrupters        
SILICONES
Cyclomethicone,  Dimethicone, Simethicone, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane
EFFECTS : Skin irritation,  blocked pores, some are tumour promoters & accumulate in liver & lymph nodes
MINERAL OILS
Parafinnum liquidum, Petrolatum    
EFFECTS : Skin irritants, allergens, potential carcinogens
DETERGENTS
Sodium lauryl sulfate, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Ammonium lauryl sulfate, Cocamide DEA,  MEA   (commonly found in shampoos, bodywash, liquid soaps,..)          
EFFECTS : Skin irritation,  can promote formation of cancer-causing substances -
nitrosamines - in products during storage
ALUMINIUM
Aluminium chlorohydrate, Aluminium zirconium          
EFFECTS :  Neurotoxin linked to Alzheimer's disease. May contribute to heart & lung disease & fertility problems
FRAGRANCE
Parfum/Perfume         
EFFECTS :  Parfum is a mixture of synthetic chemicals that are linked to asthma, skin irritation, irritability, lethargy, nausea

If you check the ingredients listed on the products that you are using now, most of them contain the above chemicals. Even the top and expensive brands have them, so the alternative is organic products.

But certain organic products don't work that well, for example
mascara and some skincare products. I would also choose paraben-free items from brands that I like, not necessary organic.

The objective is really to minimise the use of these toxic stuff as much as possible.  

SuperTonic

Bird's Nest soup is an excellent nourishing tonic. It contains healing properties and also provides resistance to diseases.

• major nutrient glycoprotein - promotes cell growth and tissue repair as well as strengthens the immune system. Frequent consumption can promote youthful, radiant and wrinkle-free complexion.
• helps to speed up recovery from chronic illnesses 
• improves blood circulation, heart and kidney function, and nourishes the lungs
• also contains amino acids, calcium, iron

I like Eu Yan Sang bottled Bird's Nest with rock sugar (reduced sugar), it's convenient and preservative-free. Ingredients: genuine and superior-quality swiftlet's nests and rock sugar.

How it began...

What made me aware of the bad stuff behind the label/process of consumer goods; preservatives, additives, pesticides, etc.... was a chance encounter with Zac Goldsmith (editor of The Ecologist then, Conservative MP for Richmond Park & North Kingston now) at Picasso cafe on King's Road in London. 

He was on television the night before, et voila...and there he was standing right before my eyes while I was having breakfast on the terrace of the cafe...we smiled at each other. And then weeks later, I bought a copy of The Ecologist (the world's leading environmental affairs magazine founded in 1970 by his uncle, Edward Goldsmith), and it opened my eyes to a world of scary stuff that we have been consuming. I've gathered much knowledge from it and since then I've been rather conscious of what I put in my mouth and on my body.

http://www.theecologist.org/