Getting Pregnant

For those who are not aware of this - I only got pregnant at a very late age - I was not a young mother like i tell everyone and truth be told, I never thought I would have Missy Moo.  But those who are thinking of getting pregnant or planning to - i strongly advice that you really planned ahead because taking care of your body in order to give the best to the baby is very important.  If i could turned the clock back i would have taken all sorts of  prenatal vitamins before and after I got pregnant.  But my best advice for anyone trying to have a baby is to relax and take it easy  - the more you stress about it - the unlikelihood of getting one is rather high.   The body is really funny and for your body to be the vessel for your child - you have to take care of yourself now.

My New Doctors

First off .. you have to congratulate me for having what i called one of the best doctors I’ve seen in my 11 years here in Canada.  And nope he didn’t ask me what kind of fitness equipment i was using nor did he said i was obese but he did say - a wee bit of activity will go a long way - now isn’t that a nice change from the previous doctor I had now?

Not only that - the new doctors were very encouraging and they explained in detail about my health report and my blood test - they were very thorough and it was definitely a totally different experience.  They were also very understanding and took Missy Moo in immediately when she threw up the same day. Keeping our fingers crossed that’s for sure.

Alcohol & Diabetes

Christmas is over .. and the New Year celebration is round the corner.  Many of you are wondering, when you are doing your new year’s party..  are you gonna be able to have your bubblies (champagne toast) right?  Talking about champagne..  i need new  kitchen faucets but that’s another story for another day.

Ok.. into more serious talks now..  so can one drink alcohol..??  According to what i know.. please don’t quote me .. it’s ok.. to have the occasional drink.  Now what do you mean by occasional drink..??  well.. during celebration.. like the new year.. and christmases.. but no more than 3 glasses .. i would say.  But if you are not into drinking.. don’t just go drinking..and burnt out your liver.. just because you think .. it will help with your blood sugar.

Cinnamon Can Lower Blood Glucose

I was out shopping for candle sconces when i met an old friend of mine and she looked so healthy .. and slim.  I had to ask right..??? hahahha!!! what was the secret.  Well, she has diabetic too.. and swears by cinnamom and peanut butter .. if she needed a snack.   But we all know that cinnamon can help a little.. but it’s not everything, even my family doctor insisted he never heard of something like that.

So can cinnamon lower one’s blood glucose..??  i came to this conclusion that it works with different people and not everyone is the same.. so our body reacts to things different.  Just like my friend who swears by it.. and i can see that it worked for her.  So for those like myself.. who has diabetes.. it’s a continuous trial and error for us eh.

T-Zone Vibration

They claimed that 10 mins on this is equivalent to an hour exercise..??  is it true.. can it be as effective..?? we currently have one here in our small town.  At first.. i thought it was a a car factory.. with that name.. hahahahha!!!  on the website it doesn’t say too too much.. says it’s under construction .. in a lot of pages.  So i’ll have to wait.. and report back.  At $5 per day membership.. it’s definitely worth trying eh..?

Pap Smear After Hysterectomy

I went to visit my family doctor about my blood sugar the other day.. and we had started talking about my other health issues.. and what i had been doing to make sure i live a good long life. I had also mentioned about my pap smear.. with the new gynae.. and my family doctor then told me i didn’t need a pap smear no more.  I was kinda shocked.. because no one told me that..  and neither did my new gynae.  Then I was told that I didn’t need one.. if i had my cervic removed.. but i donch really know if my cervic was removed.. because i know the old gynae removed my uterus.. and left my ovaries.. so did he take the cervic as well..??  Well, i guess i’ll have to write to my old gynae or call my new one eh.  More on it.. when i find out.

Family Doctors

I met my family doctor and his family at the mall the other day.  He made not attempt to make small talk with me even though i got Missy Moo to great him.  His daughter.. was too shy to say anything.. and he never introduced us.  A little further strolling.. we met him and his entire family .. and this time.. he never even look up .. lol.

My family doctors back home.. we are promptly introduced and they know my entire family too.  When one is getting married.. we also bring our spouses to see our family doctor.. so that he can give us some advice.  It kinda make me pretty sad.. realizing.. the differences.. not only in culture.. food and everything else .. i kinda miss home even more.  My family doctor - one of them.. actually watched me grow up .. and when i was living in Singapore. i would visit him at least once a year.  Dr Wong, I miss you so much.

More Info On NS Family Pharmacare

Just for those who wants some more info about the above program, i really think that everyone who REALLY needs it should apply.  It’s just like looking into some laptop deals and you get what is best for you and your family.

Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare is a provincial drug plan designed to help Nova Scotians with the cost of prescription drugs. The program offers protection against drug costs for families who have no drug coverage; or, if the cost of the prescription drugs becomes a financial burden to them.

The program is available to all Nova Scotians with a valid health card and there is no premium or fee to join the program. The annual out-of-pocket cost is capped at a percentage of family income. Specific questions about individual situations can be answered by calling toll-free 1-877-330-0323.

Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program

Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program  is for those who needs help with paying for their prescription and are of lower income.  No you need not be on welfare or any disability, although i guess if you are .. you should automatically be in this program..??  Well, as far as I have been in Canada, I know that there are people who are abusing this system.  Knowing that they can afford to pay $150 to do their hair or to go for a huge feast everytime they get their checks, makes me wanna puke.  But yes, these people are on some kinda of program that allows them to pay nothing for medication and dental care.  Lucky them you would think - so for those who are working part time or not earning alot, you too can apply for it and save the application on a flash drive if you can’t print the forms out in the office.

Suppositories

Since Missy Moo had been haviing fever on and off.. we had told her that we will need to give her some suppositories.. if she didn’t wanna take her medication.  She calls it bum medication.. and had asked if it would  hurt..  just yesterday.. and i had tried to explain it to her.  Even though we would hate to stick it up her bum.. we know it doesn’t hurt.

While many parents like myself.. shudder at the very thougt of suppositories, this is actually the best alternative if a child is very sick.. especially with high fever, throwing up .. or refusing any kind of medication.  The discomfort is very temporary .. and it is usually .. the parents who feels the discomfort more than the kid.. so they say.

One way .. that can help .. or tip.. when you are administrating suppositories .. for your kid.. is to ask them to blow imagineary bubbles.. it  helps to relax and distract them.  And it also helps to bring the suppository to room temperature and to warm your fingers under warm water.  Avoid using Vaseline, which creates a barrier to the drug.

The Good Fats

So what is the good fat you asked..?? or so many of my friends asked.

Monounsaturated fats are said to improve blood cholestrol levels.  And here are some of the sources, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, non-hydrogenated margarine, avocados, almond, pistachios, cashews, pecans and hazelnut.  Outta the so many i’ve mentioned above.. i only take like 5 .. but that’s ok.. including any one of the above is great.

Polyunsaturated Fat also known as (omega-3) can be found in mackeral, sardine, herring, rainbow trout and salmon.  Canola and soybean oil and Omega 3 eggs, flaxseed, walnuts, pecans and pine nuts.  So if you haven’t incorporated these into your diet.. please start now.

Polyunsaturated Fat also known as (omega 6) can be found in safflower, sunflower and corn oil, non hydrogenated margarin, almonds, pecans, brazil nuts and sun flower seeds.

Ok.. what about the bad.. i hear you asked.. to be cont’d.. in the next post.

Fats 101

So i hear that there are the good and bad fats in our diet .. well..! these dietician sure makes one go on a merry go round sometimes eh. We all know that we need a certain amount of fat .. in our diet for good health.  Oils and fats supply calories the essential fats to help our bodies absorb fat soluble vitamins, like the Vitamins A, D, E and even K .. although i rarely hear about the K.  But i was told that both type of fats and the amount one consumes are a very important factor for health.

The good and the bad .. later.

Gravol With Ginger

Gravol is used here in Canada for sea sickness and even morning sickness. .. and now . .even our Westerners know all about the goodness of ginger.  Therefore, we now have Gravol with Ginger it it.  It is said that they have real ginger root extract therefore this is your most natural source of getting read of feeling nausea.  it’s available tablet form or lozenges and the best part is no drowsiness . .like some of the tablets that puts me to sleep.  At about $6.50 a packet, definitely worth trying.. i hear it’s safe even for pregnant woman.

Flu Shots Every Year?

But my kid has already taken the shot last year -  that was what i heard a parent tell the doctor’s office the other day.  In which the doctor explained that the shots works only to last long enough to cover for that season.  And the protein coat on an influenza virus charges subtly from year to year.  And since protection depends on one’s immune system’s to quickly recognise and kill the virus, therefore a new shot is need every year.  Now we know eh.

Flu Shots

It is a common practice that the government advise parents to bring their kids for flu shots.. and even for the parents themselves.  I’ve never had a flu shot before.. and neither did Missy Moo, so every year we debate . .as to what is the best to do for Missy Moo.  But there are a lot of misconception about the flu shot.. and its side effect when one takes it.

Someone told me that taking a flu shot can give one flu .. so i went.. what..???  Well .. this was what i learned.  The vaccine contains only part of the virus and it’s not live, so there’s no way it can cause an infection.  Just so you know, an influenza vaccine only protects against three strains of the infection.. and not the hundreds of other viruses .. that can cause similar symptoms.   Having said that.. a small percentage of kids.. may develop a mild fever within 24 hrs.. and that is the sign to tell you that the vaccine is activated.

Is IWK A Better Hospital..??

IWK is a hospital up in the city - Halifax.. and I had been there several times for immigration purposes and when i was pregnant with Missy Moo. The place was darn packed and crowded.. i’ll have to say.. but each time i was there.. the waiting time.. was a lot shorter than the hospital here in town.  Having said that.. when i had that emergency operation.. and was puking my guts out.. i was taking in right away.  But the hospital in the city .. seems a lot more organized from what i’ve seen or more doctors perhaps..??  Even their computer systems seems a lot more advance compared to the ones here.. whereby sometimes.. they can’t find my information.  Some Apple memory may work good for them.. since they are using the Mac systems for the whole hospital eh..??  But that’s only one part solve .. I still think they need more doctors.

Santa Box For 4 East

I had planned to get some angel hooks for the nurses of the hospital in town… for the many comfort they brought to me .. during my stay in the hospital .. some 6 months ago.  I was staying on the 4th Floor East Wing.. and the nurses were awesome.  But i didn’t managed to get enough angels.. so instead.. i’m gonna send this cookies from Santa instead… plus try to find the nurse who bathed me.. when i was sick.  She was the best nurse ever..!!!

Win A Tree & Support The Hospital

We were at the hospital to see the family doctor yesterday.. and although it is so near Christmas.. it was kinda depressing that they didn’t really focus on decorating and cheering the sick people in the hospital nor the nurses.  Nurses needs cheering up too yer know.. afterall, they really do a lot more than the doctors..  even though the doctors get paid so much more.. and get so much more respect.  If i had the time.. i would definitely go rally for the nurses.  And for those who knows me.. you would know that i’m gung-ho about stuff like that.  What about you ..?? have you been touched lately by the nurses.. in your area..??  if so, share it with me.. and i will highlight their name on my blog.

Our Family Doctor

We must be having some kinda luck lately with our family doctor’s office.  Not only did we get to see him like immediately today.. as soon as we called.. it’s a miracle.. that he gave sample medication to Missy Moo to bring home.  It’s funny .. how Missy Moo was so impressed with our family doctor.  But it was pretty cool.. in fact we went out to get him a Christmas card today… instead of getting our pet supplements.  You see .. it really doesn’t take much to please us.. just a whole box of kid’s tylenol. muahahahhaa!!