Health & Wellness

I wasn’t a fan of water.  I only drink water when I work out.  I dislike its zero taste, and I also dread restroom visits.  When I was working, I remember seeing my late secretary (note: she tragically passed away a few years ago), coming to work every day carrying a huge tumbler of water.  She would finish it, replenished it, and drank it continually throughout the day.  That used to amaze me. She would lecture me about the benefits of water, and she would nag me for not drinking enough. Every morning when she made my coffee, she would put a glass of water next to it.  God bless her soul.      One day, I was accompanying my sister to see her acupuncturist. Whilst she was having her body ‘poked with needles’, the assistant asked me if I wanted to test the condition of my body?  Since I had a while to wait, I said OK.  I was asked to hold this cylinder-like ‘stone’, that fitted the curve of my palm.  That ‘stone’ was attached to this machine.  After punching in some data, like my age, weight, gender etc. I was asked to relax, and to hold the ‘stone’ firmly. After a few moments, the machine generated a printout.  Based on the assessment, I was told that my body was severely dehydrated!  I sort of knew that was the case, because I was having constant headaches, which I blamed it on the hot weather.  I regularly experienced muscle cramps and lightheadedness (especially when standing).  Dehydration can cause a build-up of wastes and acid in the body, and it can clog and eventually lead to kidney damage.  Serious stuff.  However, the thing that got me was when she plainly said, …“your body will prune-up, your skin will age faster than normal and as a result, you will look older than your age”… My vanity jumped in shock, in horror.  LOL! Drinking water is often overlooked as a necessary part of staying healthy.  The body and blood are largely made of water, so we need a lot of fluid to function.  I have formulated a daily pattern of drinking water that suits me and my lifestyle.  I generally consume 2 – 2.5 liters of plain water daily, starting with 500ml of water as soon as I wake up.  I notice I don’t have headaches anymore.  Also, no more giddiness and muscle aches.  What a true blessing water brings. I also carry around with me a copper tumbler, small enough to put in my handbag. Storing water in a copper vessel and drinking from it, is an old Ayurvedic tradition of maintaining sound digestion and improving immune system. I try to have 2 sips every 15 minutes, if I can.  Water is a miracle.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out – Anonymous. I am an early riser.  Lights are on at 6AM.  I love the early morning feeling – the fresh, cool and crispy air, and the momentary silence broken by the sound of birds twitting their morning melody.  It gives me a wonderful start. I do light stretches, as soon as I open my eyes, feeling thankful for a wonderful sleep.  I drink 500ml of water right after, as it is vital to hydrate after long hours of sleep.  I used to dread drinking that much water, but I soon realise that headaches slowly became the thing of the past.  I hurriedly do my bathroom shenanigans – loo business, wash my face, oil pulling and brush my teeth. Before I perform my dawn prayer, I meditate for 5 minutes.  Meditation is something very new to me.  I only started meditating a few months ago, when MCO 3.0 started, as I obviously needed an outlet!  Meditation has helped me a great deal.  The breathing exercises enhance my self-awareness, making me focus on the present. This helps with my concentration, especially during prayers. All ready to ‘face the world’, I begin my day with a series of superfood.  Taken on an empty stomach, I start with one teaspoon of honey, a Medjool date with a glass of warm lemon water. I used to take Manuka Honey, but have since discovered our local honey called Kelulut, harvested from stingless bees in the remote rainforest of Pahang.  Kelulut Honey is thinner in consistency, and has a sweet and sour taste.  It has low sugar content, with its glycemic index being 3.5 times lower than that of Manuka!  Apparently, it is ideal for weight watchers and people with diabetes, but still want the benefit of a superfood honey.  Kelulut Honey helps with my digestion, and dates give me sufficient energy to start my exercise. I exercise almost every day, at least an hour each time.  I do it because I like the sense of achievement I get, and I am also addicted to the feeling after – the endorphin effect.  It makes me happy.  Next off is breakfast of either fruits, or a piece of croissant with coffee. It is my version of intermittent fasting, I guess. However, what I cannot live without are my vitamins and supplements, which I take religiously, including 2 capsules of Organic Turmeric with Fenugreek by KALIA (…. but of course)! Then it is time to enjoy a glorious shower, and prep myself (after) with a 6-step facial regime from cleanse, tone, eye, serum, moisturiser, and last but not least sunblock.  What follows is a 5-minute Face Yoga, from an app that I downloaded and paid one-year subscription to.  Yeah, I succumbed to the hype! Since Covid-19 pandemic started, I (like everyone else), find myself with so many hours in a day.  To occupy my time, I decided to pick up the Quran.  I have read the Quran, as a child, never understanding its content since it’s all in Arabic.  Thereby, I felt like I wanted to engage with the Quran, in a meaningful way, so I began to read the Quran translation.  I started reading the corresponding translations, to the two pages of the Quran that I read daily. What is the intended outcome to me?  It is knowledge.  It is guidance. Everyday I look forward to reading, and understanding (or trying to understand) the 1,400 year old scripture.  It is like reading a history book.  It gives me a great sense of peace. By mid-morning, I will be at my home ‘office’ and my work day begins with zoom meetings, engaging with my customers, researching, reading, writing, blogging and everything in between. Lunch ensues, followed by the afternoon prayer, with more work right after.  Tea time is generally when my workday ends.  After the late-afternoon prayer, I indulge myself with some ‘me time’, which is mostly Netflix! Dinner is early, no later than 7PM, and meals are generally light.  After dinner, is the sunset prayer, performed together with my husband.  The rest of the evening is just couple chat, dessert, CNN and herbal tea.  Then it is time to wind down – scented candles, long warm shower accompanied by soft music (from my Spotify playlist) of mainly Spandau Ballet – yes, I’m an 80s kid! I end my evening with the night prayer, followed by my 5-step skin routine (again), and some reading.  I am currently in the middle of The Last Thing He Told Me, a gripping novel by Laura Dave.  I picked it up based on Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club Selection. Love her book list. Lights off at 10PM.  

I remember the moment so vividly.  It was May 2006.  My husband and I were on our way back home, after spending a weekend in Bali to celebrate his birthday, when I received a call from my sister.  That call changed my life forever. My baby sister’s weak voice through the phone, telling me that she has been diagnosed with cancer!  I was stunned, speechless. All I remember was my world in a spin, turning so fast.  I screamed with tears.  I was uncontrollable. My sister was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – it’s a type of cancer that originates in your lymphatic system.  What is lymphatic system, you may ask?  Lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. A year or so before her diagnosis, I remember noticing a swollen node in her neck, but she used to wear bulky necklaces to cover it.  She was also losing weight, which I thought was normal as she was very careful with her food, and was constantly on a diet. Personally (then), I was also very absorbed with work.  I just remarried, and my social life was in full swing, that I didn’t pay much attention to the closest in my life.  I was in the state of me, myself and I.  I should have asked her to go for a check-up, but I didn’t. The doctors told me that my sister had a few months to live – maybe six months, or maybe one year tops.  Knowing that the inevitable was approaching with a ‘timeline’, was sorrowful beyond belief.  I couldn’t imagine my life without her. We were close, my baby sister and I.  We shared many secrets between us – they were so closely guarded, that I cannot remember most of them anymore!  However, when I started my consulting job in the mid-90s, we drifted apart as I was hardly in Malaysia.  During that time, I missed many birthdays and even a few Hari Rayas, as I was always away on various consulting projects abroad. I felt that I owed it to her, to spend the last few months with her.  So, with a heavy heart, I decided to leave the job (that I loved), to care for her.  My new husband was very supportive of my decision, and I felt blessed that he understood the situation I was in. I was with my sister at every chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions, stem cell treatments, and at almost every doctors’ appointments in between.  I witnessed how she struggled.  There were good days, but there were more bad days.  The strain and the load, caring for a loved one, was affecting me physically, psychologically, and emotionally. I was crying incessantly, as I know we were on borrowed time. I was feeling lost and helpless.  I needed a refuge – that was when my husband suggested that we go to Mecca to perform our Umrah.  I had never been to Mecca. I knew that I needed a sense of connection to something bigger than myself.  A religious and spiritual awakening, of some sort.  I prayed.  I prayed like I never prayed before, wholeheartedly.  I believe that my prayers were answered.  My sister lived way beyond the doctors’ predicted time.  She passed away three years after, in 2009, two months after we celebrated her 38th birthday.  The three years that we were together, we spent a lot of time reconnecting.  We managed to take trips together, both abroad and locally.  Went for good meals, although she had difficulty swallowing, most of the time.  We had good laughs and also great sadness. Since the passing of my sister, my mind was searching for answers to all my questions. I began to see relationships differently.  I learn never to take time for granted, never to put our loved ones on hold.  We should never be too busy for our family, for the people we love.  If we do, it may be too late.  I also began to believe that everything happens for a reason, and virtuous things emerge from dust of our sorrows. My sister’s passing has brought me closer to my creator. I find solace in my prayers.  I find peace, five times a day, because it makes my soul at ease.  It was the beginning of my spiritual journey. My sister would have turned 50 two weeks ago.  Although the sadness is still there, whenever I think of her, but I know she is no longer in pain. Alfatihah Awin.   In memory of a loving daughter, sister, mother, aunty ….. and soon-to-be grand-aunty Allahyarhamah Sharifah Noor Mazwin binti Syed Kamaruddin Jamalullail (June 18, 1971 – August 10, 2009)

I went through a difficult emotional turmoil in 1998. Having a demanding job, living literally out of suitcases, traveling for weeks on end, with hardly any close contact with my family and my loved ones, didn’t help my marriage.  I was divorced!  A week after that devastating event, I was called to join a Project Team in Sydney.  In a normal environment, I would have been thrilled to return to my stomping ground.  A city where I grew up from a reticent teenager, to a self-reliant young adult.  A city which kept all my secrets and experiences, much that shaped me.  But instead, I was sad.  All I wanted to do was to be in a dark room, with the curtains drawn, and to cry out loud.  I tried to level my work with my personal life, but almost always ended up with me feeling down and out.  I always pride myself as a ‘glass-half-full’ kind of person, but I soon realised that staying positive is not easy when you are feeling dejected.  I was miserable and anxious.  I was also very stressed at work – trying to manage clients’ demands and tight deadlines – didn’t help my mental condition. Mental health is not to be taken lightly   Emotional and mental health is important because it is a vital part of our being and it impacts our thoughts, behaviours and emotions.  Most people don’t even know that they have developed a mental illness.  However, people should look at the early signs of mental health disorder such as feeling hopeless, displaying negative emotions, feeling confused, having consistently low energy etc.  Mental illness is still a stigma in our society, but it shouldn’t be.  We need to recognise that similar to physical health, our minds need nurturing (too) in order for us to have a perfect meaning to life.  Knowing that I was not well, was the first step. I recognised that I needed to take charge of my life.  Burying myself in work, and temporary forgetting my emotions, was not the answer.  I started to make changes to my lifestyle, in order to facilitate my wellness. Such changes included sleeping more, since sleep is a cornerstone to health, although consultants aren’t given such luxury most times. I began eating a balanced/nutritious diet, continuing with my exercise routines, and having exposure to nature.  I started being more mindful, living in the present without judgement. I also began to derive pleasure in little things like sitting on the lawn whilst sipping my coffee, enjoying the morning sun. I made sure to take time for self-love, which is most important for everyone to recharge and refresh, and to accept healthy love in their lives.  My immediate boss also encouraged me to gradually use up my annual leave (which I accumulated so much over the years), and actually take vacation!  Having a support network of close friends and family, is integral to living a healthy and balanced life, and can also be helpful in boosting our emotional health.  After some time, I decided that I needed to take a step back.  I missed home.  Although I was in a better position emotionally, I knew that I needed to return to my familiar surroundings again, to spend more time in Malaysia.  I left my consulting world, and took a position in a media company in 2000.  It was the best decision I made.  I loved the fast-paced nature of the industry, loved the challenges the work brings, and made many lasting, meaningful friendships.  I thrived to reach a balance between life activities, responsibilities, with efforts to achieve psychological resilience.  I found new love, amidst my busy schedule.  I was married in 2005.  I was in a good place.  Life couldn’t be any sweeter. Take care of your mind, and your soul will follow.

Throughout my adult life, I never understood the total concept of body, mind and soul.  I always regarded it as a frivolous notion, perpetuated by the ‘yoga community’ (note: sorry … namaste), with little weight of importance.  All the way through my twenties and early part of my thirties, the words like holistic and integrative were not part of my vocabulary. I only started exercising right before I turned 30 – I was late to the game.  I was working for an international consulting firm then.  I saw how my ‘mat salleh’ colleagues would wake up as early as 5AM (whilst we were on projects abroad), they would hit the gym before getting ready for work by 8AM.  They were very disciplined.  Exercise was part of their daily lives.  I could tell how alert they were at work – so focused, so sharp, and I wanted what they were feeling. I later picked up the habit.  First and foremost, I got myself the gym outfits.  Hey, I am a girl, and having the right outfits is key to the longevity of my newly adopted lifestyle, I thought.  Priorities, priorities … LOL! I started running once a week, then twice, and later thrice a week.  I interlaced my cardio workout with some weight training, to build up muscle strength. After much consistency, I could feel the changes happening in my body.  I felt more energetic, and I loved the sense of achievement I got from my new ‘leisure pursuit’. I was also addicted to the feeling after – the serotonin effect.  People often refer to serotonin as the happy hormones, due to the roles they play in regulating moods and emotions.  Being in good shape didn’t hurt either. I have kept with the regime, for more than 20 years now.  I haven’t looked back since. Being active is vital.  I cannot stress it hard enough.  I am sure everyone is aware of its immediate and long-term health benefits.  Exercise strengthens the heart, lungs, reduces blood sugar levels, controls weight, strengthens bones, regulates blood pressure.  The list goes on and on. Yes, it is difficult to start.  Yes, it requires a strong willpower.  I know, I have been there.  But once you do, you will not regret it. Think about it – if you set aside an hour a day for only 3 days in a week, that is equivalent to 3 hours a week.  O.N.L.Y  3  H.O.U.R.S  A  W.E.E.K.  Do the math.  That is like watching 2 movies, or if you are a Bollywood fan, it is like watching 1 Bollywood movie. I believe that you owe it to yourself, you owe it to your family, and to your loved ones, to be healthy and strong. Take care of your body, and your mind will follow.

Ayurvedic is an ancient science.  Ayurveda dates back thousands of years in India, and has since spread across the world, shaping and improving many lives.  Mine included. The core of Ayurvedic is focused on prevention. It is based on the concept that general health and wellness rely on a delicate balance between our body, mind and soul.  To do so, it employs a holistic approach that combines diet, exercise and lifestyle changes.  If you have been searching for a balanced approach to your overall health, you are in the right place. Central to Ayurvedic, there is a system known as dosha.  The word dosha means energy.  It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to specify how certain people should eat, sleep, exercise, and what their emotional strengths and weaknesses may be.  It refers to each person’s unique physical and mental makeup, which affects their health and happiness. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Everyone has a combination of two doshas, with one more dominant than the other.  Think of each dosha like a two-way scale.  As long as your dosha is in balance, you will enjoy a healthier, more balanced life. However, when the scale is out of balance, it can cause physical and emotional distress. My Ayurvedic journey started when my husband and I had an introductory taste of it, during our visit to India in late 2014.  The experience was magical!  Many months later, we chanced upon an Ayurvedic center in Bangsar, and we decided to give it a go. My Ayurvedic doctor is this gentleman from Kerala, India. I cannot remember his name anymore, but what I remember is how kind he looks. Upon arrival, we were given a self-assessment questionnaire which was more than 10 pages long! I had to answer extensive series of questions pertaining to everything, from my skin type to my eating habits, from my favourite weather to my attention span.  My doctor also used other diagnostic methods, starting with looking at my appearance, and inspecting me (that was awkward!).  He then checked my pulse, my tongue, my eyes and ears. He asked me many personal questions.  I felt like we were on our first date, getting to know me. LOL! After the lengthy examinations, I discover that I inherit a blend of Vata and Pitta.  Vata being the dominant dosha, is an element of air or wind.  It’s an energetic dosha linked with flexibility, and free-flowing spirit.  People with Vata dosha, as the main life force tend to: Have a naturally cold and dry body; Have a naturally thin frame with cracking joints; Be hyperactive, and have a hard time sitting in one place for too long; Have a friendly nature, welcome new experiences, excitable and energetic; Often stay up late and have trouble sleeping because the mind refuses to stop working. As a result, will wake up in the morning with high cortisol level; and Suffer from bloating or gas because of excess wind in the body. Like the wind, appetite is irregular.  This brings trouble in digesting food because of a weak digestive fire. And guess what? I was all the above!  Then it all made sense – the sleep troubles, the flatulence, the skin problems, the endless sneezing and joint pains. The growing realization just blew my mind. My good doctor then created a Treatment Plan specifically designed for me.  The goal of the treatment is to cleanse my body of undigested food, which can stay in your body and lead to illness. The ‘cleansing’ process is designed to reduce your symptoms and restore harmony and balance.  To achieve this, I had to rely on massages, medical oils and herbs. I particularly love ‘shirodhara’, the treatment that pours warm oil on the forehead, as well as the warm herbal compress massages. I was advised to take turmeric with a pinch of fenugreek, every morning to boost my immune system and alleviate any inflammatory conditions in my body.  Inflammation can be caused by a lack of sleep (or just poor-quality sleep), digestive issues, and unhealthy diets.  Ayurveda’s focus on nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness has the potential to reduce inflammation by addressing its underlying causes. I was prescribed food choices (what to eat, what to avoid), lifestyle guidelines, and even recommended exercise regime. My doctor suggested that I manage stress through meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi and all things slow and steady.  Anyone who knows me, know that I am one who love energetic workouts like boxing, spinning, running.  Yoga and tai chi were not my thing, but I succumbed.  I succumbed because I wanted to get the better. Fast forward to 2021, when Covid-19 is still terrorizing the world, I have never felt stronger, healthier and most importantly, I am happier and calmer!  I thank my good doctor for making me take charge of my health.  I should visit the center one day, and see if he is still working there, to thank him personally.  But I will wait till MCO 3.0 is lifted.

I have been battling cholesterol for many, many years. I am generally slim-built, but my cholesterol level has always been a concern.  Due to my young age, in my mid-40s then, my physician refused to prescribe cholesterol medication.  This is because once taken, it will be a lifetime commitment (something to avoid, if possible).  I was advised to have a lifestyle change and eat healthy. In the meantime, let’s talk cholesterol – Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all the cells in your body.  Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, Vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods.  Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, produced by your liver.  There are two major types of cholesterol – HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, and LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein.  HDL is sometimes called good cholesterol, because it carries cholesterol back to your liver to be removed. LDL or the bad cholesterol, if uncontrolled, leads to the buildup of plaques in your arteries.  This condition will raise your risk of heart disease and stroke! High cholesterol has no symptoms.  A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it.  My total cholesterol reading (in mmol/L) went from 5.8 in 2014, steadily climbing up to 6.4 in 2016.  Anything above 6.2 is considered high, which raises my health risk.  My bad cholesterol hovered around 3.5 to 3.8, over the same period.  I was borderline; not bad but not too good either. It is true that high cholesterol can be inherited, but it is often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which means it can be prevented. Aside from poor diet, other factors that can increase your risk of bad cholesterol include obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, age and diabetes. For me, I suspect my love of anything fried and teh tarik must have contributed to this.  I tried to mitigate the situation.  I succumbed to the endless advertisements on the radio, promoting BG22 Oat Bran Powder (remember that?).  I ate so much oats, over a period of one year, hoping to lower down my cholesterol.  No improvement. Nothing. Nada.  At around the same time, I had also started my turmeric with fenugreek morning regime.  Not thinking much about turmeric’s effects, I consistently drank it for over 5 years, like a clockwork. Fast forward to end 2019, I am so pleased to say that my cholesterol is no longer a health issue.  My last medical checkup had my total cholesterol reading down to 4.7 mmol/L, with my LDL reading, also reduced to 2.3 mmol/L.  My physician was amazed at how I managed to fight my cholesterol.  He asked me what did I do different in my life?  My answer was …. the golden one!  

I am a breakfast kinda girl.  I am not one who can just have coffee, and wait till lunch for a meal.  I wake up every morning to eat.  However, over the last five years, my first order of the day is a hot cup of (no, not coffee, sadly but…) turmeric with fenugreek drink!  You will say in chorus – WHAT IN THE SPICEWORLD IS THAT??? Every morning, I would pound a raw organic turmeric root (the size of my little finger nail), put the potent golden-yellow-knobby-flesh in a cup of boiling water, and add a pinch of organic fenugreek.  Soak the two ingredients for a few minutes. Voila… my perfect AM sipper is ready.  It is a routine.  It has been a routine drink for me for over five years now.  I can’t say that I love the taste of it, in the beginning, but after drinking it for this long, I don’t mind it anymore. The health values of turmeric far outweigh its bitter and pungent taste.  Turmeric, and especially its most active compound called CURCUMIN, has many scientifically-proven health benefits. Turmeric’s natural anti-inflammatory properties make it ideal for anything in the body that is inflamed and causing pain. Numerous studies have indicated that inflammation is the root cause of nearly all diseases.   I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and auto-immune disease. Simply put, RA is an inflammatory disorder that affects your joints and cause deformities. RA is not the same as osteoarthritis (OA).  OA is caused by wear and tear on the body, and is generally less severe than RA.  RA, on the other hand, is caused by the immune system attacking the body. I don’t know how I got it, but I have it.  I have no clear symptoms, although I do get slight sores and discomforts in my joints particularly my knuckles. The way my rheumatologist explains it, my RA is in a ‘dormant stage’.  It is asleep! It may flare up in the future.  When that will be, no one knows. It has been 8 years since my diagnosis.  Healthy diet and lifestyle change have kept my inflammation under control.  I have also been taking the turmeric with fenugreek drink, every morning for over 5 years.  I believe in turmeric’s power to reduce inflammation.  The proof is in the pudding, as they say it.  This rings so true, based on my annual medical results which see massive reduction in my Rheumatoid Factor (RF). What is RF, you may ask?  RF is a protein made by your immune system that can attack healthy tissue in your body.  Healthy people don’t make RF.  Only unhealthy people make RF. So, the presence of RF in your blood can indicate that you have an auto-immune disorder.  I had a lot of it.   In 2013, my blood sample indicated that I had high RF reading – it was 128 IU/ml.  For point of reference, healthy people have RF reading of below <20.0 IU/ml.  Mine was 128 IU/ml.  It was very high, six times more than the average healthy range.  It was off the charts!  However, in 2019, I am happy to report that my RF is reduced to 42.3 IU/ml.  That is a huge markdown from 128 IU/ml in 2013. I am not 100% healthy yet, because my RF is still above 20.0 IU/ml, but I can safely say that my RF is lowering, year by year, and my joints soreness and numbness are things of the past.    

My love affair with turmeric began more than four years ago. This was how it started. This is my story. I had my routine blood test in 2013, and found that I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA)! RA is an inflammatory disorder that affects your joints. It occurs when your immune system mistakes your body’s health tissues for foreign invaders. To be honest, my limited knowledge of this disease went as far as associating it with old people. Wrong! I was mistaken. I confused RA with osteoarthritis (OA), another common joint conditions, occurs most often in older people. OA is aptly called wear-and-tear arthritis. Upon consulting my rheumatologist – considering my age (I was 47 then), and the fact that I hardly had any symptoms associated with the disease, I was not prescribed any medication. Also once taken, I will be required to take them for the rest of my life, which is to be avoided, if possible. Since I didn’t experience much pain (except for some occasional discomfort), I left it at the backburner and continued my life as per normal. A few years later, totally unrelated to my earlier diagnosis, my husband and I decided to go to an Ayuverdic center in Bangsar for some general treatment. We were in India prior to that, and we had an introductory taste of ayuverda. The experience was magical! We loved it. The trip to the center opened up my eyes to a whole new world of alternative healing, and traditional medicine. For the uninitiated, Ayuverda is a system of medicine native to India. Ayuverda is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between our body, our mind, and our soul. Our life forces or energies called dosha, control how our body works. They are VATA dosha (wind), PITTA dosha (fire), and KAPHA dosha (water). Everyone inherits a unique mix of the three doshas. I learnt that my doshas are a combination of VATA PITTA – the elements of wind and fire! What took me by surprise was – with VATA dosha as my main life force, it is thought that I am more likely to develop several conditions, one of which being rheumatoid arthritis! I was blown away, knowing that the ‘likelihood’ of having RA was already a reality for me. I was already diagnosed with RA a few years earlier. As part of my treatment plan, I was advised to drink a concoction of raw turmeric with some fenugreek, soaked in one cup of hot water, as a start to my early morning ritual. I was told that turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and it may also help improve symptoms of arthritis. At that particular time, my thinking was …. just try it. It is natural, no chemical addition, no harm. I have been consuming the turmeric with fenugreek drink, every morning, for almost five years now. God bless my helper for preparing this miracle drink for me all these years. Based on my annual medical checkup, I am pleased to share the following: 1. 1) Rheumatoid Factor (RF) : from 128 IU/ml in 2013, reduced to 42.3 IU/ml in 2019. The healthy reference range is <20.0 IU/ml; 1. 2) Cholesterol : from 6.3 mmol/L in 2016, reduced to 4.7 mmol/L in 2019. The healthy range is <5.2 mmol/L. Over the years, I have shared my story with as many people who would listen. I have helped a few friends with inflammation problems like gout, and joint problems. They have benefited from consuming the turmeric with fenugreek drink, as part of their daily habit. The key point here is consistency. If it works for me, it can possibly work for you. Try it. It doesn’t hurt to try.