Category Archives: health is wealth

down with colds

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Had to take half day leave today because my colds has started getting bad again, with tears streaming down my left eye. Thankfully we’ve already finished the re-HAZOP yesterday so there wasn’t anything urgent that I had to attend to today. Perfect timing, ze colds.

Spent the whole afternoon sleeping so I’m hoping I’d get to sleep early this evening still. I don’t want to take the day off again tomorrow since I only have pretty much a month before I take my maternity leave.

Hubs came home bringing a whole melon (the yellow variety, cantaloupe?) which I’ve been crazy for for the past weeks (honeydew and cantaloupe alike; no watermelon please), plums and cherries. We ate everything. So I’m hoping I had a good dose of vitamins there to help me recuperate. Thanks Hubs!

One thing I’m thankful as well. As I lie in bed, I can feel baby kicking left and right; sometimes even left and right AT THE SAME TIME. I don’t have twins so I don’t know how she does that haha. But I ain’t complaining. She can keep on kicking to her heart’s content. 🙂

Brasserie La Classe

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This restaurant is the most recently opened one in Landmark Tower.

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Wanting some variety, I tried this resto several weeks ago, not having any idea what kind of resto it is. Upon sitting down however, I realised that it’s a fine dining restaurant. With a set dinner price that’s fit only for special occasions. Since I was already seated, I decided to just give it a try. Problem at that time was that I wasn’t really hungry. And looking at the set course already made me feel full and feeling some heartburn.

Thankfully, they have a selection of omelettes and soups as well so I ordered those ala carte. The amount was just perfect for my appetite at that time.

The following week, I was back at the resto. In the same exact table that I sat at the week before. During the second visit, I tried their Quiche de la saison (spinach and salmon quiche) and their soup for the day which usually is a healthy thick soup of something nutritious (my favourite so far is broccoli soup).

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The soup above is red bean soup.

With the salmon, spinach, fresh greens and healthy soup, it’s definitely a great meal for preggers. And it’s so filling at that!

And so since then I’ve been to the restaurant every week, once a week; always at the same table, ordering the same set. Everyone from the crew gives me a smile already and greets me warmly whenever I enter. The maitre d’ also always makes it a point to drop by my table and thank me profusely, with elegant bows and a big smile, for coming again. And even when I just order water (I gag now just thinking about orange juice and apple juice – I think I’ve had too much already) together with my set, they still set my table and treat me as if I’ve ordered the most expensive course they have along with the finest champagne in the house.

Truly exemplary Japanese customer service through and through.

battling pregnancy fatigue

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I was again extremely fatigued today. Even before I reached the train station this morning, fatigue has been weighing me down already. It’s the same kind of fatigue I felt back in the first trimester and also a couple or so weeks back before I started taking iron supplement. But I was already out so I trudged on, and just walked and moved about in the office as slow as I can.

Hence I was really thankful that hubs was able to be home early this evening (he had to renew his driver’s license) and cook pregnancy super food.

Grilled salmon! For the omega 3 fatty acids and DHA.

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Sautéed spinach and mushroom. Spinach for iron, vitamin Bs and the ever important folic acid. Mushroom for additional loads of vitamin Bs, C and D.

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When I arrived (fatigued but I still worked overtime), the table was already set for dinner, complete with Mexican mangoes for dessert and Yakult.

Thank you Hubs. You are really a treasure.

Now I’m a bit revived. I’m hoping this fatigue would be totally gone by tomorrow morning. The problem though is that sleep is still evading me. Sleep, do come now. I have an important meeting with Client tomorrow.

after the OB visit

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We’re back in Japan after our 10-day vacay in Manila and Davao. Lots to be thankful for in that trip! We were able to have bonding time with my family and friends over lots of good food. Had my fill of milkfish and Papa’s great cooking as well! End result, I gained more than 3 kg in 3 weeks – far too excessive for my own good. I almost laughed when I saw our Ob’s expression when he saw my weight on my boshitetcho (mother-child record book). Almost laughed only because it was my weight after all.

Ob then told us to try and control my weight gain; of which I am positive that I can since we’re back in Japan and hence can now resume my daily walks to and fro office.

After the ob visit this morning, we had lunch at the nearby family restaurant. This is mainly why Japanese maternity hospitals and clinics don’t give away prenatal vitamins.

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The Japanese basically have such a healthy diet. The spinach side dish alone can take care of your daily requirement of folate and iron.

After lunch, Hubs and I decided to make the 15-minute walk to the station to try burn the extra weight we’ve gained thus far. With this kind of view along the way, I absolutely wouldn’t mind walking further than 15 minutes. With a comfortable 19degrees C temperature at that!

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Baby, so glad to see you again this morning. 🙂 Mommy and Daddy were squealing with delight as we saw you rolling and twisting about. Love you. 🙂

Vie de France’ sesame and banana juice

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I love sesame dressing. Hence I’d love to hug whoever has concocted this nutty, fruity drink – black sesame and banana juice.

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For those who love peanut butter on banana, you’d surely love this shake as well. And it’s very healthy to boot! Sesame seeds

are a very good source of the minerals copper and manganese and are also a good source of magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, selenium, zinc, dietary fiber and monounsaturated fats.

(for more info on the healthy goodness of sesame seeds, click here.). And of course, everyone knows that bananas are high in potassium, dietary fiber and Vitamin B6.

Now, I’ve read TONSsss of literature related to what to eat and what Not to eat when pregnant but it is only now, when I was searching for health benefits of sesame seeds that I came across key words about sesame seeds being not advisable for pregnant women. Further research showed this to be a myth however (read THIS and THIS).

healthy goodness tetra pak

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Now THIS must be the healthiest tetra pak drink I’ve ever had.

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Look at the vitamins and minerals it contain! Vitamin C alone is 1000mg! And look at its folic acid content (the top one on the right column)! A woman trying to conceive is advised to take 400mcg daily and 600mcg once pregnant albeit I also read taking 400mcg still once pregnant. But this 200ml drink alone can contain 200~600mcg not to mention all the other vitamins and minerals enumerated!

As for the price, sold at 105yen in the convenience store, it is sold just like any of the other (comparatively less nutritious) drinks on the shelf.

No wonder maternity clinics and hospitals here doesn’t give away vitamins for preggers. Enough nutrition is available just off the shelf.