Life of a Foxy Siren

How far would you go in finishing up your toothpaste before you bin it?
Just when you think its coming to its end of life; or till you cut it up to get the very last bit?

Usually by the look like the above pic, it would have ended up in the garbage bin, right? One rarely have the energy to super squeeze the content at the cap - definitely not in the morning haha :P

My mom taught me this: The next time you're finishing a tube, set it aside.
Come weekend when you do your house cleaning, cut it up, and transfer it into a sponge.

Then, wash your sink. It works better than any sink cleaner.. you get spanking clean sink effortlessly. Yes, you don't have to scrub hard. The dirt gets loosen up easily.. Try it!

And that is the reason why at 10.50pm, I'm munching from a bag of Ruffles Sour Cream and Onions potato chips. Arrrghhh so much for healthy eating, but this is a once a month affair, and I can't resist the temptation.

Sour cream and onion.. mmmm reminds me of Pringles too!
As you bite into it, the salty taste of sour cream.. ahhhh blissful! 
It says 0% trans fat, but this isn't the healthiest food around.. so indulge in moderation..

Ok, if you didn't behave (like me now haha), flush it with a cup of warm water yeh. Don't say I didn't warn ya, you could wake up with sluggish skin. 

But I'm going to sleep with a bottle of Lennox FirmUp. :)

Tonight, I cried... cried in the car park watching my new friend eating in joy.

I came home after a long day at work. Upon getting out of my car, I noticed a stray dog sitting up nearby, greeting me with a wagging tail. Its skin was badly infected, and it kept scratching and at the same time wagged its tail vigorously. 

While waiting for The BF to pick up his bag, I watched this little stranger. It was sitting up very nicely now.. and its' eyes sparkled. I have no idea why, but I thought it looked happy to see me.. This is the first time I came across a stray so friendly. 

I got a water bottle and took a few steps closer, and it wasn't at all got aggressive. Instead it tried to come to me.. I poured some on the floor, but it didn't want any. I knew it was hungry.. but I had no food with me :( 

As I made my way back up home, I kept thinking of "Sparkly". I felt guilty for leaving just like that... The next thing I knew, I dropped my bags at home, and took out a plastic container. I poured some dog food and then head off to the mini mart downstairs. Bought a can of tuna in water (thought this is healthier than curry chicken?) just in case Sparkly isn't used to eating dog food.

I went back to the carpark but Sparkly wasn't there. I regretted leaving earlier.. but I kept searching and I saw it! Towards the end of the carpark, Sparkly was lying down, looking kinda bored and sad. In an instant, it stood up, though groggily and all I noticed was its wagging tail :))


Gently pushed the container towards it, and Sparkly loved it! Looking at how happy Sparkly was eating its food, I felt tears streaming down. I sobbed.. and sobbed and sobbed. I felt happy, sad all at the same time. I opened the can of tuna and gave it out as well.. Treat for you Sparkly. His tail never stopped wagging.. "Take good care my friend, love ya and hope the best for you.." 


I left before passing cars noticed this crazy woman sobbing.


Will I ever meet Sparkly again? Will it be okay? Water? Its next meal?
I feel very happy just remembering the encounter :)

Would you do the same too if you were in my shoes?


I love you Sparkly, and hope you get well soon and stay happy always. *hugs*

Finally, I lasted one whole day at work without coughing! After 3 bloody weeks sigh. Its freaking annoying when my job includes interview & training ppl and participating in meetings. I can't even construct a proper sentence without coughing will my face turn baboon pink! Blehhhh...

So I've tried all these remedies below:

- Cough syrup from the clinic. Just to make sure it wasn't the terrifying H1N1. I need to be at work, and most cough syrup makes me drowsy so I only took this at night. Naturally, this didn't work. But it did make me sleep thru the night without waking up, coughing.

- Nin Jiom Pei Pa Kou. This is my all time favourite throat soother. Taste yummy and good as a refreshing drink too. I was finishing my current bottle, and I couldn't find this at Jusco! So I later settled for...

- Pei Pa Lou. Hmm this is a runnier version of Pei Pa Kou. Taste very similar too, but not as yummy. Non drowsy, but I find this didn't really help with the pesky cough..


 - Medicine from Chinese Sinseh. Because the meds from doctor didn't help at all, I went to a Chinese Sinseh twice. I was told not to take too much of cooling food (no herbal tea for now) and no spicy food. He gave me some pills to soothe the throat, lungs and stomach. 3 times a day, about 17 pills each time lol. Good to know The Cough is gone!

How come I've never thought of Googling for some home remedies?
Is working 13 hours a day a good excuse? Sigh.. anyway, I later found some remedies - I don't know if these works, so don't quote me if you decided to try..

Grapes

One of the most effective cough treatment. Grapes tone up the lungs and act as an expectorant, relieving a simple cold and cough in a couple of days. A cup of grape juice mixed with a teaspoon of honey is advised for cough relief.

If only I found this earlier! I love grapes to bits!
Almonds
Almonds are useful for dry coughs. Seven kernels should be soaked in water overnight and the brown skin removed. They should then be ground well to form a fine paste. A quantity of twenty grams each of butter and sugar should then be added to the paste. This paste should be taken in the morning and evening.


Onion
The use of raw onion is valuable in a cough. This vegetable should be chopped fine and the juice extracted from it. One teaspoon of the juice should then be mixed with one teaspoon of honey and kept for four or five hours-it will make an excellent cough syrup and should be taken twice daily.

Onions are also useful in removing phelgm. A medium-sized onion should be crushed, the juice of one lemon added to it, and then one cup of boiling water poured on it. A teaspoon of honey can be added for taste. This remedy should be taken two or three times a day.

A little yucky don't you think? Onion juice... hmmmmm

Turmeric

The root of the turmeric plant is useful in a dry cough. The root should he roasted and powdered. This powder should be taken in three gram doses twice daily, in the morning and evening.

Raisins
A sauce prepared from raisins is also useful in a cough. This sauce is prepared by grinding 100 gm of raisins with water. About 100 gm of sugar should be mixed with it and the mixture heated. When the mixture acquires a sauce-like consistency, it should be preserved. Twenty grams should be taken at bedtime daily.

I like raisins.. but the idea of mixing it with sugar? :S
Aniseed
Aniseed is another effective remedy for a hard dry cough with difficult expectoration. It breaks up the mucus. A tea made from this spice should be taken regularly for treating this condition

 
Ginger Tea

1 inch or so fresh ginger root, sliced thin or grated
1/2 a fresh lemon, sliced (peel & all)
1 clove garlic, mashed
~2 c water
Very generous spoonful honey

Place water, ginger, lemon, & garlic in saucepan; bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer gently for 20 min. Strain into mugs and add lots of honey. The tea *will* get stronger if you let it sit! Most invigorating!

The garlic adds a bit of bitterness, but the honey masks that. This tea is very soothing to the throat and warms and opens the chest and nasal passages. Plus there are all those vitamins and other good things! I now make this tea at the first sign of a cold, which helps me fight it off. I find it more effective than the commercial hot lemon remedies, and of course cheaper!


Old Fashioned Mustard Plaster
Helps relieve chest congestion due to colds.

1 tbsp dry mustard
1/4 cup flour
Lukewarm water

Sift together mustard and flour in a bowl. Slowly add just enough water to make a paste. Spread the plaster on a piece of muslin big enough to cover chest. Cover with another piece of muslin.

Make sure the skin is dry. Place the mustard plaster on the chest. Check frequently and discontinue if there is any kind of allergic reaction. Remove when skin begins to turn red, usually after 10-20 minutes, and don't leave on any longer than 30 minutes at a time. Then rub the chest w/ petroleum jelly to keep the heat in. Treat twice daily until congestion clears up.

NOTE: For children, reduce amount of flour to 6 tbsp.


Simple Cough Syrup
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup honey
1/4 cup warm water

Combine lemon juice and honey in a bowl. Slowly stir in the water. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator - take 1-2 tbsp as needed for cough.

To soothe a sore throat, add 1 tbsp of mixture to a cup of comfrey root, chamomile or rosemary tea.


Cranberry Soup
1 cup cranberries
2 cups water
Honey to taste
1 tbsp potato starch

Heat cranberries and water together until cranberry skins open. Strain and add honey to taste. Bring mixture close to a boil, then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, mix starch with 2 tbsp cold water. Slowly add this mixture to the cranberry juice - stir vigorously.

Return mixture to heat and bring to full boil, stirring until it thickens and becomes slightly transparent. Store in refrigerator in a covered container. Serve w/ warm cream. Soothes colds, and is a good source of vitamins C and B.

1 lemon
2 tbsp glycerine
2 tbsp honey

Heat the lemon by boiling it in water for 10 minutes. Cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Add the glycerine and honey. Take 1 tsp as needed.


Marshmallow Cough Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice or juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp chopped dried marshmallow root

In a small saucepan, bring the marshmallow root and water to a boil. Recuce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain liquid into another saucepan (should result in about 1 cup). Over a low heat, slowly stir in the sugar until it becomes thick and granules completely dissolve. (Stir in more water if the mixture becomes too thick.) Remove from heat and stir in the orange juice. Transfer to a container and allow to cool before covering tightly.


Wild Cherry Cough Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar (scant)
1 tsp wild cherry bark
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp chopped dried marshmallow root

Make a decoction of the cherry bark and marshmallow root. (Boil in water for about 4 minutes. Steep the mixture with the cover on the pot for a few minutes.) Slowly stir in the sugar and cream of tartar, simmer until the mixture becomes thick and sugar granules completely dissolve. Transfer to a container and allow to cool before covering tightly.


Lemon Cayenne Throat Soother

Mix 1 tsp honey with 1 tsp lemon juice and dash of cayenne pepper. Take like cough syrup. This does not prevent cough, but does relieve throat pain in two ways. First, the honey and lemon coat the throat. Second, the cayenne pepper brings blood cells needed to fight off infection to the throat area.


If you are averse to strong garlic, simmer the garlic until soft
Muddle one clove garlic with one tbsp honey
Stir in one tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Consume

Why garlic works
The combination of garlic and acidic vinegar or lemon juice really opens up sinus passages and, along with the honey, breaks up phlegm. Garlic and honey are also loaded with vitamins and have antiseptic properties.


Aloe and Honey Cough Remedy

Aloe is bitter but the honey makes this quite palatable, making it easier to take your medicine. Particularly good for a dry cough.

If you are using your own aloe leaves, make sure that you drain off the latex first or you will have a powerful purgative on your hands.

Thoroughly combine equal parts aloe juice and honey.

Mix and dilute by the teaspoon in boiling water and drink as a tea as needed. Will keep up to a week if kept refrigerated in an airtight container.

Why it works
Aloe soothes and coats sore and irritated tissues. Honey does the same and gives you some energy to keep fighting


Avoid tea, coffee, refined and processed foods

The patient should avoid meats, sugar, tea, coffee, condiments, pickles, refined and processed foods. He should also avoid soft drinks, candies, ice-cream, and all products made from sugar and while flour.


Source from:

http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Cough.html

http://www.make-stuff.com/formulas/cough_cold.html

http://www.grannymed.com