Tuesday 3 March 2009

12C 4 HE

I remember it was only about 10 months ago when I was really discipline with food due to my health condition. For example, I will never cut off the fat from those yummy looking siew-yuk. And you know what I did during those discipline period? No, I didn’t cut the fat off; I stayed off siew-yuk completely.

Besides that, I am also proud to say that it has been more than a year since I last had fast food. Yup, the new 595 thing in McD has no effect on me. I only had alcohol twice in the last 10 months – once during my sister-in-law’s registration and the other during my sis’ wedding dinner. I think I had soft drinks less than 10 times in the last 10 months; and that includes the-tarik and coffee.

Not bad right?

But as some of you may know, the results of my 2 previous check ups were pretty encouraging. I found out that good readings from the tests are… bad!!! Suddenly, the temptation to add char-siew or siew-yuk to my regular chicken is now so hard to resist. I succumbed to it yesterday. And last weekend, I whacked a lot of mutton curry when it was only 10 months ago that I managed to stay off red meat for almost 6 months.

Yes, it’s truly tough to be healthy. You will only be truly healthy when you think you are dying. Well, technically speaking; we are all dying; just a matter of how soon. Sorry for being so morbid.

Anyway, I found something very interesting about healthy eating in my
friend’s blog. There are 10 Commandments given by God and a guy called Michael Pollan gave us his 12 Commandments For Healthy Eating. And the 12C 4 HE are:-

Number 1:
Don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognise as good.
(Zewt:- I really like this one. Think about all the junks you’ve eaten!)

Number 2:
Avoid food containing ingredients you can’t pronounce.
(Zewt:- Gee, how many will go off the list?)

Number 3:
Don’t eat anything that wouldn’t eventually rot.
(Zewt:- Anyone seen the video showing the “life” of McD fries before?)

Number 4:
Avoid food products that carry health claims.

Number 5:
Shop the peripheries of the supermarket; stay out of the middle.
(Zewt:- Get the drift?)

Number 6:
Better yet, buy food somewhere else.
(Zewt:- Means go to the wet market lah)

Number 7:
Pay more, eat less.
(Zewt:- This is so true in Malaysia if you want to be healthy)

Number 8:
Eat a wide diversity of species.
(Zewt:- I have eaten a bat and it’s really yummy!)

Number 9:
Eat food from animals that eat grass.
(Zewt:- I tend to disagree with this)

Number 10:
Cook and if you can, grow some of your own food.
(Zewt:- I am glad I like cooking)

Number 11:
Eat meals and eat them only at tables.

Number 12:
Eat deliberately, with other people whenever possible, and always with pleasure.
(Zewt:- I think this is not applicable to Malaysians. When we get together, we feast!)

So, do you think you can follow all of them (except for number 12)?

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

bat? you've eaten a bat?

Anonymous said...

batman will not be pleased...better watch out the next time you see the bat signal in the sky

Anonymous said...

13) Go do your groceries only after your meal, you will be less likely to buy junk food.

Oh, and I haven't bought a grain of salt or sugar for the past year. Never cook with them.

day-dreamer said...

Well, there's this unpleasant saying that goes...

Eat also die, don't eat also die, why deprive yourself of those good food leh?

LOL.

Terra Shield said...

Why did you eat a bat? And what did you replace your tea and coffee with?

As for the 12 commandments, I think it's good to follow them most of the time, but once in a while we should be able to sit back and enjoy some good food (taste wise!)

rainbow angeles said...

yo.. i don't quite get what you meant by good readings from your tests are bad? means what? means your staying off from siu yuk etc, is actually bad for u? *konpius*

leyaw said...

Some people can drink and chain-smoke their whole life and live on to a ripe old age of 90. Some can be a strict vegetarian and die of some diseases at 40.

No point eating tasteless and awful food in order to stay healthy. Just eat moderately if you want to stay healthy. After all life can only be wonderful if its colourful and flavourful, right?

Anonymous said...

haiyo... zewt,
No.8 i think suppose to mean eat a variety of fruits and veges eh. My daily diet have to include 10 types of different fruits and vege. So in the end my mum blend everything into juice in case i'll missed some of the species. Lol

Huei said...

i disagreeee!!!!!! and thank god i read littlepolaris's msg! i wanted to kill u for #8!!! =P

and i dun agree with #12 either..i can't eat alone. ego and lonely problem =P ok i can..but i have to tapau!

anyway..good job in staying healthy..n keep doing it..the results will be shown..be patient! =D i for one can't stay off fast food..ok i can..but i get easily tempted..i just had burger king last nite! =P

taxy said...

Bats have medicinal properties. And honey doesn't rot. And bacon can be bought from the peripherals of our supermarkets because non-halal areas are always placed at the fringes. And you caved less than a week into Lent?

Hilman Nordin said...

number 1, go back to grandma.
this shows the importance of eating in the ways of our ancestors, local delicacies etc.

unfortunately, they forgot the ulams and remembers only the rendangs. they eat the nasi lemak, but don't want ubi kayu.

but, watch out, modern grandma also like to eat fast food. they like to spoil grandchildrens.. =)

Unknown said...

number *: i have even eaten a bat...

ARe you for REAL???? and i think i have restircted myself to the same thing as you do, other than siew yuk lar.... couldn't resist chinese food... but carbo drinks and MCds??? am like avoiding them forever now.. just in times when i have to really take it... itworks, but after cina new year.. uh owh... there goes the scale...

Anonymous said...

SPPDH says we malaysian have "see-food" problem and not just seafood problem. Gosh, when i knew my cholesterol level was ideal, i went for a glutton spree. LOL.

Keep it healthy zewt :)

Unknown said...

My grandma don't eat dairy but I love butter and don't get me started on baked cheese cakes. I'm doomed!

Anonymous said...

many ppl might thot there r some error in no.4/5/6, as anyhting from the 'mainstream/well-established' should b highly credibly safe/effective...

ok one of the many ppl is my bf, shxt!

foreva anon

Anonymous said...

i have stop softdrink/tea/kopi/ice for like 2 year edi, and im still weak lor, in fact feeling lagi lemah eh...

so i started taking ice cold drink again..

McD is a week-week-need-cant-live-without thing, where can stop 1!

Lisa said...

ewww you ate a bat???
grossssss

hmm as we gets older, we must really look into our eating habits..

just like my dad

drumsticks said...

hehe have to agree with no.12, 2, 3, and er.. no. 5, good if u go to the green sections of the supermarket..

btw, i'm really glad your test results are positives.. hope it will stay this way for as long as possible..

foongpc said...

It's true you will only eat properly (read healthily) if you know think you are dying. The 12 commandments are good guidelines, but I don't think I can follow all of them, though I will try! : )

TRACE said...

Zewt! u r very determined oh! salute! obviously u wish to live longer on earth. not many ppl will discipline their diets eventhough health condition is bad...sigh~

yes, we r all dying...but i wish i dont die with Cancer or Diabetes or Cardiovascular disease or osteoperosis or Parkinson or obesity...and the list goes on..=S

you are what you eat.

p/s: thanks for the post! remind me of my bad diet recently...

H.C. Tan said...

actually i think eat whatever you want lo, as long as it's in moderation...roti canai, nasi kandar, banana leaf rice, char koay teow...they dont do you harm if you take once in awhile...

the more you worry, the worse it'll get - ;P

i have an italian fren who's been here 1 yr and the last time he went for a checkup he said his cholesterol level was super too high...he blames our coconut milk...but i think it's due to the fact that he takes it with 'cheese'...coconut milk and cheese combination kills haha

eat fattening food if you want...but only one type at a time ;)

Anonymous said...

I too have doubt in no.9. Red meats like beef and mutton have quite high uric acid content, and we all know that cows and goats eat grass.

Anonymous said...

Never thought I'd live to see the day when zewt would post on FOOD!!! So what did you have for lunch today? Ate anything nice? Healthy, I hope! Heard that Cibol was there too...!!! Hahahahahaha!!!

zewt said...

eyhasnevereatenbat - u should try it. being chase by batman is cool u know.

ven - gee... what do u eat?

day-dreamer - it's how u die. and most importantly... when u die?

terra shield - hahaha.... when i went hunting and shot one. i just drink more ilo.

rainbow angeles - cos it encourages me to be more unhealthy... no more cautious mind :)

zewt said...

leyaw - hahahaha... life is unfair isnt it? well, for now, i need to choose the healthy route.

littlepolaris - hahahaha... nice or not?

huei - burger king... dont tempt me lah. hahaha... number 12, if u cant eat alone means u can follow that lor.

taxy - i am a sinner, not a saint :P

Mohamad Hilman bin Nordin - hahaha... u sound like one, the spoilt grandchild :P

zewt said...

Binn - yes... no kidding. it really tasted good... make soup :P

Aoki - SPPDH?

Jennifer - cheese...i cant resist those too!

foreva anon - hahaha... we should only trust mother nature.

anon @ 4/3 1.45pm - why stop those can weak? it's in the head. McD too.

Lisalicious - why is everyone finding it hard to believe? hehe... it's true.

zewt said...

drumsticks - thanks... hope so, thanks be to God.

foongpc - the eat grass one, can forget about it lah.

TRACE - we all need constant reminders :)

HC Tan - i think as we age... the definition of moderation will change.

jam - yup.. that's what i meant.

suituapui - he was :)... when u coming to town?

Ven said...

use herbs and spices. They do wonders too.

Anonymous said...

well i've got to admit that it's really difficult to discipline yourself in terms of diet and exercise.

i was religiously going on a healthy diet (not the ones where you don't eat at all) and constantly running on a treadmill to stay healthy. broke all my big NO-NO a year ago. *sigh*

now it's eating char siew with more fats! it's yummier!

but of the 12, i'd say that some are absolutely true (especially #1). well, i hope u continue to stay healthy! :)

zewt said...

Ven - which one?

chiaoju - yeah, i think staying in malaysia doesnt help at all.sigh... must work harder!

Jacss said...

aiyo...i can't comply to most of them i guess, can't even answer no.1 & no.3!!
what...bat can eat ahh, uweekk??
anyway, u hv my salutation on yr persistency with yr diet!!

zewt said...

jacss - no worries ler, a lot of ppl cant do it anyway. but one should start 1 thing at a time. start with... more vege... work from there... :)