Changed Water Filter Media

Recently my water smelled funny. I thought it smelled of an overdose of chlorine. I called the water filter man in and he thought me how to check the level of water filter in my water. He got me a bottle of chlorine checker from a fish or aquarium shop. The smell was very strong. I could smell it even when drinking a cup of hot cocoa made with boiling water. Even all my little guppy fishes died!

We are not sure what was the cause of the strange smell in our water. However, after consultation with the man, we decided to change the water filter media anyway since it was almost two years since we last changed it. They had to cut our water pipes.

The water pipe has been cut before two years ago when we changed the water filter media previously. This is the advisable period or time to change the water filter media. I wonder how many more cuts they can make to the pipe. There doesn’t seem to be much more space for any more cuts and joints.

The pipe was fixed very closely to the wall. The man had difficulty cutting it from his cutter, so he brought in a saw. After changing the water filter media, he re-joined the pipes and waited for a while for it to dry before doing a back wash. The process took about an hour in all.

This is the water filter media. We have to change it once in two years. The man takes out the old media, cleans out the container, then pours all of this media into the container before sealing it.

He advised us to do a back wash once a week. That is how often we have to do a back wash with the water filter. Perhaps we had not done it often enough in the past.

After we changed the water filter media the strange smell in my water is gone. So maybe it was the water filter after all.

Having good, clean water is very important to our family. It is all part of our journey towards finding, achieving and hopefully maintaining good health.

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Should I get a Food Detoxifier

The other day when I was at the Mall, I stopped by a counter selling a Food Detoxifier. I was intrigued because I do a lot of juicing so we eat a lot of raw fruits. My worry is accidentally eating contaminated fruits and vegetables since we don’t cook them. My kids drink the fruit and vegetable juices too so it makes me even more conscious about the cleanliness of the vegetables.

The guy manning the booth showed us how the Food Detoxifier turns water into an oxygen-rich environment for cleaning food. He also demonstrated how food coloring is removed by going through this food detoxifier water cycle.

I am quite interested to find out more about this Food Detoxifier. However, I will not purchase it just yet. It is expensive but price aside, I must first research the safety of its use. I wish someone who has it will leave a comment to tell me more about it because recently the water in my house smells funny.

I think the chlorine in it is high. I can smell it even after the water is boiled and even when I make a hot chocolate to drink. Even all my little guppy fishes died. That is why I am concerned and looking on ways to improve the water in my house. In fact, today, the water filter man is coming to change my filter. The other day he came to check my water and bought us a small bottle of liquid for checking the level of chlorine in the water. I didn’t know there was such a thing.

I hope that the water will improve after today.

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Year End Health Checks and Family Dental Check-Up

Usually at the end of the year, we would have a little bit of unclaimed monies for medical and health checks. That is a good thing because it forces us to actually make that appointment for a health check. It is also the time when we have more time as the children are on school holidays and the man has some leave to clear. We include dental checks as part of our health check too.

So each year, I would go for a pap smear, a breast examination and get the gynaecologist to do a blood test for me too. This year’s blood test was ok. Last year I was on the borderline for my cholesterol and it has gotten worst so she advised me to be careful with my diet. No fried stuff and eat less meat. I had a Hepatitis A jab and will go back for another one in 6 months. Otherwise, I passed my health tests.

As for our dental checks, the small one had been complaining to me about his toothache on and off for some time. I thought it was just new permanent teeth replacing his milk teeth but one morning he woke up with a swollen cheek. The dentist told me that he had a filling gone bad and I didn’t even know he had a filling!

The filling had been done at school during a school dental check. The boy did mention about the school dental check but I thought he was talking about scaling and general cleaning. Next time, I must remember to take a torchlight and peer into his mouth to do an inspection myself.

As it is, he had to visit the dentist 4 times to resolve that. We’re still not done yet with the dental visits. The first time was to take antibiotics. The second time was to remove the old filling and put in a medicated one. The third time is to put in a temporary filling and the fourth is to put in a new permanent filling. All this for his milk teeth.

When we asked the dentist why not just pull it out? She said that the teeth still has a good few more years to go before it is replaced by a permanent tooth so she prefers not to pull it out yet so that his permanent teeth will grow nicely in  position in the future.

As for the girl, she advises her to go for and orthodontist visit because her front teeth are beginning to jut out. This is a result of her having an opposite bite previously and how her permanent teeth came in at the back of her milk teeth in the past.

I am glad we have done our medical tests and everything is ok so far. Medical Checks is the one thing I don’t look forward to at the end of the year but it is very necessary for our well being and health.

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An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

My children, like most children, hates vegetables? So what do I do?  I give them fruits instead. They love fruits. In addition to eating the fruits whole, we also juice our fruits. A quarter of our grocery bills goes to fruits! We also had to upgrade our refrigerator to fit in all the fruits. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? In our case it is several fruits a day keeps the doctor away.

Our Top Ten Favorite Fruits include:

1. Apples
2. Oranges
3. Pineapples
4. Banana
5. Dragon Fruit
6. Mangoes
7. Grapes
8. Watermelon
9. Papayas
10. Kiwis

So if your child won't eat vegetables, don't fret. Try giving them fruits instead or give them more fruits and less vegetables but provide them with both.

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I don't have time to exercise

I don't have time to exercise is an excuse for those of us who lack motivation and who has not made exercise a habit or daily routine in our lives. When you truly want something you will make time for it.

You will make time to do the things you love so why not make time to exercise. Ok. The truth is, I am writing this post because I am trying to motivate and inspire myself to exercise. I have been doing well so far, daily since Monday. I will have a break during the weekends. Thats what I used to do, then the kids fell sick and I had a host of things to do. All excuses not to exercise.

After exercising everyday, instead of feeling more tired, I feel more energized with each session. I try to exercise at the start of the day so that I feel refreshed and energized but you can make time at any time of the day. My spouse goes to the gym during lunch. He walks to the gym too.

My brother who is a very busy man and always travelling makes time to exercise at all the hotel gyms. When he is home, he will either jog or cycle early in the morning or in the evenings.

You have to change your mindset from "I don't  have time to exercise" to "I will make time for exercise" then it will happen. It is as simple as that. You can walk, do housework, dance, run, swim, play games, jump on a trampoline. They're all exercises too.

Fitness can be fun too. On my current wish list now is a Wii Fit Plus. Pin It

Exercise

I have been slacking in my exercise routine. I have been busy. The kids have been sick. These are all excuses not to exercise. As I begin to exercise daily again, I remind myself that ...

To be physically fit enough to exercise is a blessing

Quite often people say that we should exercise to keep fit but have you thought about the fact that to be physically fit enough to exercise is a blessing. I try to remind myself of this now. I don't want to reach a point in my life when I am unable to exercise and I regret not exercising to improve my health when I am able to.

Some people only exercise to lose weight and once they reach their target weight, they stop exercising. I think that should not be the goal of exercising. We should exercise for health's sake and if we lose weight as a result, then it is a bonus. Pin It

Fruit and Vegetable Juice Recipe for my Kids

My husband loves to drink vegetable juices and has been asking me to make some vegetable juices for the kids. However, I find that vegetable juices are a bit harder on the palate then fruit juices so I am starting them on fruit juices first... mixed with just one or two vegetables. That is more appealing for kids.

Previously I used to make diluted fruit juices for them but now they can take it straight. So far I have used two fruit and vegetable juice recipes. Having said that, it is however better for kids to drink diluted fruit juice because drinking it straight is too sweet for growing teeth and you also want to avoid and pesticide poisoning.

Fruit and Vegetable Juice Recipe for Kids - Recipe 1

• 1 Pear
• 2 Apples
• 3 Oranges
• 4 Stalks of Celery (Halved) 

This yields 2 cups. It is sweet and tangy. It is easy to remember as well. I have a rather bad memory. So I came up with this 1, 2, 3, 4 fruits and vegetables to help me remember. It is actually two stalks of celery halved to make the number 4. 

One day, we ran out of celery and pears and our second fruit juice and vegetable recipe for the kids were discovered quite by accident. I just went to the refrigerator to find what was available and came up with this recipe.

Fruits and Vegetable Recipe for Kids - No 2

• 1 Apple
• 3 Oranges
• 1/2 a Carrot
• 1 tomato

This yields 2 cups. The Carrot and Tomato changed the color of the juice for yellow green for Recipe No 1 to orange red for Recipe No 2. The kids liked this colour. The sour taste of the tomato and oranges were masked by the apple and carrot making it tasty yet nutritious.

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