General

iHerb Promo Code SG

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iherb discount codes

I have been a iHerb customer since 2011 (more than 10 years ago!) and I highly recommend their products not only because the price there is cheaper but also their range of products are organic as compared to the common brands we found in local department stores.

I always update this page with the latest iHerb promo code for Singapore customers. The code for current month is: ZIM276. You can enter this code every time you buy from iherb, you will save 5 to 10% depending on the products you purchase.

The following are some of my favorite products just to share with you in case you want to hit the minimum spending for free shipping.

  1. African Black Soap Bar – This help me save tons of money! Being one of the highly rated products on iHerb, I use this soap to clean my face twice a day. It helps to calm my skin and reduce acne problems. You can read the reviews here. This soap only costs SG$5 and can be used for months!
  2. XyliWhite Toothpaste – A lot of the toothpaste in the market contains SLS (Sodium Lauryl sulfate) and paraben which are not good for our gums. I use this brand for several years already and like it very much. This product also has one of the highest reviews in iHerb.
  3. MegaFood Multi-vitamins – The only brand I buy nowadays for multi-vitamins is MegaFood. Click here to see a range of products they carry.
  4. Coromega Omega-3 Orange Squeeze – This is a unique product. I don’t like to swallow big fish oil capsule so I prefer this brand where it is in gel form that I can easily squeeze it into my mouth and swallow it. This is my way of getting my omega 3 daily intake.

Do you have any iHerb products to recommend? You can share with me in the comments section =)

Just a reminder, the iherb promo code for Singapore is: ZIM276.

P.S. If you are located in other countries, you can also use the same code above to get the same discount. This code is universal =) 

Da Xue (大雪) Solar Term – Diet and General Wellness Guidelines

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We are into the Da Xue (大雪) solar term (节气) starting from 6 Dec to 20 Dec 2024. Da Xue is the 21st solar term out of the entire 24.

The weather will be colder (or cooler for tropical countries like Singapore) than in the previous solar term (Xiao Xue, 小雪).

As the saying goes, “小雪腌菜，大雪腌肉”—this means that the previous solar term (Xiao Xue) is when people start to make preserved vegetables, and when the Da Xue solar term comes, people start to make preserved meat to prepare for the new year.

Besides making preserved meat, Da Xue solar term is also a good time to consume tonic to boost our immunity.

There’s also a saying, “冬令进补，春天打虎”. This means that if a person were to consume tonic during this period, the body would have the resources (essence stored in the kidneys) and energy to fight a tiger when the new year comes! (This is just an analogy, please don’t try it!)

Having said that, I do not recommend most people to consume heavy tonic foods because not everyone is suitable to eat strong tonic herbs.

Instead, I recommend the consumption of gentle and warm kidney Qi-boosting foods that are generally safe for most people and are also effective for boosting immunity.

During these few solar terms, we need to consume foods that help to strengthen our kidneys.

In TCM five elements (中医五行), the kidney aligns with the color, black. Thus, we can increase our intake of the following black-colored foods:

  1. Black Beans – Black beans are an ideal food for people with weak kidneys and spleen. They have the additional benefits of dispersing blood clots and improving blood circulation. It can be added to rice and cooked together or added to any soup (especially soups that enhance blood circulation).

  2. Black Rice – Black rice is also known as 药米 (medicinal rice). Besides strengthening the kidneys, black rice can also strengthen the spleen and stomach. Thus, it is suitable for people with poor digestion and weak spleen. You can simply add some black rice together with white/brown rice in your next meal.

  3. Black Sesame – Black sesame can also be used for relieving constipation on top of its kidney and liver-strengthening properties. One easy way of consuming black sesame is to apply black sesame paste to your bread for breakfast.

  4. Black Fungus – Although black fungus does not have direct benefits for the kidneys, it has great benefits for the lungs and liver. During this cooler weather, it is important to keep our lungs moisturized (润肺) to prevent coughing. Also, black fungus can help to reduce blood pressure and has anti-cancer properties. Thus, it is an excellent food to add to your dishes these few weeks.

General Wellness Recommendation

Getting enough sleep during this solar term is important. So make sure you go to bed earlier and wake up a bit later (if possible). Do avoid heading out too early (before the sun rises) to exercise as it will increase the chance of your lungs being exposed to cold air. If the morning sky is still dark, you can do some light exercise indoors instead.

yong quan acupoint
Image referenced from acupressure.com.au

One well-being tip that you can do is to massage the Yong Quan (涌泉) acupoint, which is located at the base of your foot.

Yong Quan acupoint is very effective in warming up your body as it helps to boost your kidney Qi.

You can make it a habit of massaging the point when you are watching videos or listening to music.

Here is one resource I found online that details the effect of Yong Quan.

Hope you find this post useful!

Xiao Xue (小雪) Solar Term – Diet and General Wellness Guidelines

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Xiao Xue Solar Term

We are into the Xiao Xue (小雪) solar term (节气) starting from the 22 Nov to 5 Dec 2024. Xiao Xue is the 20th solar term out of the entire 24.

As the weather turns colder (or cooler for tropical countries like Singapore), many people may become more susceptible to a reduction in 肾阳 (the Yang energy in kidney).

Thus during this period, it is recommended to consume foods that can boost the Yang energy in our kidneys, such as walnuts, cashew nuts, chinese chestnuts (栗子), and chinese yam (山药).

As some of the above recommended foods have a warm thermal nature, do consume them in moderation and balance them with cooling foods, such as vegetables like radishes and fruits.

The dietary direction for this solar term is 益肺气，潜肾气 (in simple terms, it means to strengthen both our lungs and kidneys’ Qi).

One food that is very helpful in strengthening Qi in our lungs and kidneys is chinese yam (山药).

Chinese yam not only offers great benefits for the lungs and kidneys, it also helps to strengthen the spleen, enhancing nutrient absorption in our body.

The following is a recommended porridge recipe that is suitable for most people during this solar term:

Ingredients (for 1 pax):

  • Fresh chinese yam (30g)
  • Walnuts (10 to 20g)
  • Rice (preferably use mixed grains, 50g)

Chinese Yam walnut porridge

I like to use a thermal pot to cook porridge as it saves a lot of gas!

  1. Put the mixed grains into a pot and add lots of water (5 to 7 times the amount of water compared to cooking rice).
  2. Bring the water to a boil, then add fresh chinese yam (cut into pieces or slices) and walnuts.
  3. Let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes and remove from heat. Place it into the thermal pot, and the porridge will be ready to serve in an hour!

General Wellness Recommendation

Do take note that during this solar term, some people may have a higher risk of cardiovascular attacks. Some foods that these people can consume are hawthorn, black fungus, and San Qi (三七 – this is a Chinese herb that has very strong properties in dispersing blood clots). These foods and herbs help to disperse clots in the bloodstream.

Getting enough sleep during Xiao Xue solar term is also important. Do make sure you go to bed earlier and wake up a bit later (if possible).

Another thing to watch out for is not to exercise too vigorously, especially during the early morning. Do your best to exercise only when the morning sun is out. If the morning sky is still dark, you can choose to do some light exercise indoors instead.

Hope you find this post useful!

Li Dong (立冬) Solar Term – Diet and General Wellness Guidelines

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li dong

We are into the Li Dong (立冬) solar term (节气) starting from the 7 Nov to 21 Nov 2024. Li Dong is the 19th solar term out of the entire 24.

As the saying goes, “立冬补冬”, which means this is the time of the year to strengthen your immune system to prepare for the cold (or cooler) year-end (depending on where you live).

I remember when I was little, my mom would tell us that today is 补冬 so we must eat/drink some herbal stuff/soup. Many people believe that when they consume tonic on this day, they will not need to take any tonic for the rest of the year.

In this post, I will share what kind of tonic you can consider and some general well-being tips to take care of yourself and your loved ones during this solar term.

The main direction of consuming tonic during Li Dong should be—填肾精，固根本. This means strengthening your kidneys and nourishing them with vital essence so that your body immunity will be strong.

From TCM perspective, if the kidney is deficient, it will affect one’s bone density, immunity, and hearing ability. Thus this is a good time for us to build up our immunity and give our kidneys a good treat!

That said, it doesn’t mean everyone should start rushing out to buy ingredients for ShiQuan soup (十全大补汤) or Ginseng/Cordeceps soup, as these heavy Qi-boosting tonic might not be suitable for everyone.

Thus, I’d like to recommend the following gentle kidney Qi/essence-boosting foods that you can consider eating during this solar term (which is suitable for most people):

Walnuts – Helps to boost kidney Qi. It can also help to relieve back pain and knee pain. Walnuts are easily available and can be consumed as snacks.

Chinese Chestnuts – Known as 栗子. It not only strengthens kidney Qi, but it also helps to strengthen the spleen. Nowadays there are Chinese chestnut snacks available that you can eat immediately after opening the packaging.

Black Beans – Black beans are an ideal food for people with weak kidneys and spleen. They have the additional benefits of dispersing blood clots and improving blood circulation. It can be added to rice and cooked together or added to any soup (especially soups that enhance blood circulation).

Black Sesame – Black sesame can also be used for relieving constipation on top of its kidney and liver-strengthening properties. An easy way of eating black sesame is to apply the black sesame paste to the bread for breakfast.

Goji Berries – Similar to black sesame, goji berries have great benefits to the eyes and ears because it has liver and kidney-strengthening properties. Goji berries are very flexible when it comes to including them in your diet. You can add them to your drink, tea, or soup!

People Who Are Not Suitable To Consume Tonic During Li Dong

Do  note that not everyone is suitable to consume tonic during Li Dong solar term. If a person is having flu or feels uncomfortable when the wind blows at him/her or is feeling under the weather, then eating a tonic at this time will make things worse. It is better to fully recover from the flu before consuming tonic foods/soups.

General Well-Being Tips

Besides consuming tonic, another very effective way to boost your immunity during this period is to get sufficient sleep.

Li Dong is one of the solar terms that is suitable for sleeping early and waking up a bit late (not waking up at lunchtime)!

Getting enough sleep during the Li Dong solar term is sometimes even more important than eating tonic. So make sure you go to bed earlier and wake up a bit later (if possible).

Another thing to watch out for is not to exercise vigorously, especially during the early morning. Do your best to exercise only when the morning sun is out. If the morning sky is still dark, you can choose to do some light exercise indoors instead.

I hope you find this post useful!

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