The Asian's Mentality Towards Healthchecks

Today is one of your typical Friday the thirteenth, and a piece of news broke through the light-heartedness of the upcoming weekends, stirring my thoughts once more, on the fragility of life itself.


My closest uncle was diagnosed witb 4th stage Colon Cancer. There were no obvious symptoms or red flags raised all these while, except the occasional, milder pangs which he would attribute to relapses of his childhood gastric pains. After all, he eats very healthily, exercises on a daily basis, does not smoke nor drink, lives in a nice area where he breathes hills and lush greenery every morning, and does the basic health screening on an annual basis.

If anyone were to attain longevity of life, it should be him, right? Well, don't worry, he just underwent a 3-hour long surgery last night at a good hospital under the care of accredited doctors at my recommendation - the operation went smoothly and he should be discharged in a week or so.

When I asked him why he'd never thought to do more thorough healthchecks before, he honestly answered that since he leads a very healthy lifestyle, he did not see the need for these tedious bodily tests that might require hours on end to conduct. His words made me want to emphasize to you right now the 5 main misconceptions Asians have about healthchecks, and why they should be discarded immediately.

1. Healthchecks / healthscreenings are troublesome and unnecessary
Right - that means you probably never heard of "prevention is better than cure".  By the time your body starts displaying weird signs, trust that some part of it has already been hit hard - and probably underwent months or years of endurance before the breakdown. Why do you think machines require periodical checks instead of waiting till it malfunctions eventually? Why do you need anti[-virus for your computers even when they are brand new? Well, your body works the same way, so please be kind to it and bring it for checks at least once a year.

2. Healthchecks / healthscreenings are Expensive
Yes, admittedly, they are, especially if you choose to go for the comprehensive ones. Again, for the sake of prevention, and if you measure it against the value of your health - whats a few hundred dollars a year? Your latest (don't say Prada or Chanel) Longchamp bag, new I-phone or Japan trip probably are less vital than a good healthscreening package - yet I bet you probably pay for the latter items without batting an eyelid, but feel the need to sacrifice bodily checks.

3. Lack of proper information
I have personlly been reprimanded by (both educated and uneducated) elderly folks for suggesting that they attend healthchecks / healthscreenings, citing reasons from superstitions to "don't curse me" scoffs to distrust of the medical facility handling their health reports. These people misunderstand the true purpose of a healthcheck / healthscreening, later blaming illnesses to everything else besides their own lack of commitment to healthcare. Would someone educate them on this please?

4. "Don't Say It" (denial)
No one likes to hear bad news, especially news that they have been diagnosed with somethint unpleasant diseases. After all, it affects one's emotional and financial well-being, and may even eventually disrupt their lifestyle totally. Who wants to think about medical bills, long-term treatments and being a burden to family members? So, better not go for checkup, in case something bad is being discovered.

But f you keep burying your head in the sand this way, you would eventually end up with your worst fears. After all, not knowing, not hearing, not discovering, does not mean that the problem does not exist. Discovering it at an earlier stage would help save more costs than treatments at later stages - where sums of money spent may no longer guarantee recovery.


5. We are meant to die anyway
So you enjoy living life on the edge, believing that you would have no regrets even if you were to die today? Hence the unhealthy food and lifestyle, as well as deliberate neglect of bealthchecks / healthscreenings.

Cool, you rock! Just ensure that before you are diagnosed or die, you have set aside enough savings for treatments in case you fall ill.  Better yet, maybe disown all kin so that if you incur massive bills, they wont be implicated; and if you have difficulties with daily living activities, they won't be burdened to take care of you. If you think I sound harsh here, you are even harsher to your loved ones, through these selfish thoughts of yours.

If any of the above scenario or mentality reasonate with you, or sound familiar, perhaps it is time to change your views on healthchecks / healthscreenings, and to educate your loved ones to do the same. Take ownership of your own health, because ultimately, health is wealth!

Dinner at Soup Restaurant

450 Toa Payoh Lorong 6, #01-10 Toa Payoh Entertainment Centre, Singapore 319194

Tel: 6352 2889

Website: http://www.souprestaurant.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoupRestaurantSingapore

Having eaten the famous Samsui Chicken, a signature dish at Soup Restaurant a few years back, I was not impressed. Hence I decided to give it another go today, with 3 other foodie friends.

A Chinese restaurant rich in Oriental decor and served by polite crew, Soup Restaurant offers a variety of Chinese dishes at reasonable prices.

Lately, they let patrons have the choice of choosing between the a la carte menu or steamboat buffet (the latter at SGD$26.90++ per pax). We decided to go for a la carte.

Dinner began with Samsui Chicken (SGD$17.90 for small), neatly chopped tender, moistened steamed chicken arranged artfully with cucumber sliced around the plate, and served with their special pound ginger dip. Tasty and succulent,  I actually liked it a lot better this time round.

Then Sweet Sour Pork with Pineapple (SGD$12.90), consisting of small pieces of crispy pork marinated to give it a nice tangy taste.

Tofu Prawns (SGD$17.90 for small) was drenched in gravy that bore an uncanny resemblance to chilli crab sauce. In fact, the taste of the gravy was like a toned-down, non-spicy, much-sweeter version of the familiar local chilli crab gravy we all know. I enjoyed this sweet, sour gravy with egg beaten in, as well as the springy prawns and soft egg tofu rounds.

A plate of Fried French Beans with Minced Meat (SGD$10.90) balanced the meaty meal with its crisp, crunchy sweetness.

We also had starters of Spicy Wings (SGD$4.50) that comprised of crackling skin, tender flesh but bland taste - spiciness was not quite detectable, unfortunately.

Finally, a small tray of Steamed Siew Mai (SGD$3.90) concluded the meal. Being steamed using metal trays instead of wooden trays might have affected the taste? I dont know, but we knew it wouldnt be a dish we'll order again if we return.

Lunch at Beppu Menkan Restaurant (别府面馆) @ China Square

3 Pickering Street #01-32 / 33 China Square Central, Nankin Row, Singapore 048660

Tel: 6438 0428 

Website: http://beppu.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beppu-Menkan-Japanese-Noodle-Restaurant/195819740447761

Beppu Menkan has a rather long-standing history in Singapore. I remember eating here, as well as their now-defunct Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet since around a decade back. Besides the usual rice, seafood and other Japanese dishes, Beppu Menkan is famed for its spicy ramen - where diners could select the various levels of spiciness they preferred.  They had this concept since back then, when very little restaurants had this offering.

There were three of us lunching, after Saturday's event.

We started with Chawanmushi (SGD$4.80) which was just typical Japanese steamed egg and rather non-descript here.

Then a Garden Salad (SGD$6.80) with tossed vegetables, Japanese dressing and shredded strips of crabstick.  This was refreshing and a delicious start to the meal.

The Assorted Sashimi for 4 pax (SGD$28.80) was very reasonably-priced, made up of salmon sashimi, squid sashimi, swordfish sashimi, octopus sashimi and tuna sashimi with some salmon roe. The composition was rather colorful, and tasty. It was not the freshest or thickest we'd eaten, but enjoyable all the same.

Following that, we had the Soft Shell Crab (SGD$8.00), a crackling yet tender dish served with dressing on the side. We also enjoyed this item immensely.

The Grilled Mayo Prawn (SGD$7.30) was so good we ordered 2 sets of this in all. The prawn was luscious and firm, topped with creamy mayonnaise sauce and grilled to smoky succulence, scoring full points for texture and taste.

Last but not least, Grilled Squid (SGD$11.80) which looked so tantalising on its own. The long sea creature was sliced expertly into even strips, and every strip was succulent and chewy. Natural sweetness of squid was combined with a slightly charred hint as well as the sweet soy sauce doused over it.

Finally, Tsukimi Ramen (SGD$8.80) -  in a creamy Kyushu broth and without chilli, because the other two guys didn't take spicy. There were also half-boiled egg (not flavoured egg), sliced chashu, spring onion and fried garlic. The ramen was normal and nothing to boost about, except that the broth was delicious.

It was overall a satisfying lunch where we got to eat lots of our favorite seafood items at Japanese restaurants and price was very reasonable. Service was very attentive because on a Saturday afternoon,  there were only a few tables.

Review on Brazilian Waxing at Spa Haven @ Amoy Street

46 Amoy Street, Singapore 069872

Tel: 6221 2203

Website: http://www.spahaven.com.sg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spahaven

I usually visit Spa Haven for their painless Brazilian hair removal procedure (SGD$50.00). I think they recently have some painless laser hair removal procedure which I might try soon. Today I will be describing my experience here at Spa Haven and the process.

Located at a row of shophouses along Amoy Street, Tanjong Pagar - Spa Haven is a quaint day spa offering a full suite of services including hair removal, facial treatment, breast lifting, massages, slimming etc. They also have a wide range of cosmetics and skincare products for customers - this is pretty much a one-stop solutions centre to take care of one's health and beauty regimes.

Service is professional and efficient - swift and polite but nothing too overly friendly or hard-selling all the same.  There are two stories and the treatment rooms are located on level 2, up a narrow flight of stairs. Decor is simple and elegant in a zen manner - stark white and fuss-free, giving an organised sense of peace and tranquility.

I was informed to remove my bottoms and lie on the bed where sheets of paper are lined. I am always a little concerned that over here, they do not demand their guests wash up before the Brazilian waxing procedure, like some other parlours, so I always ensure that I wash up before heading here for my hair removal.

These are the hot wax and creams / lotions used during the process. The therapist doused the hot wax over the affected areas, waited for it to harden to a certain extent and pulled the hairs off with pieces of paper (or were the pieces of paper already stuck to the wax upon hardening?).

Anyway, the ripping of the hairs out could  be a very painful process, but it gets less and less so, if waxing is done on a regular basis. Brazilian waxing also slows growth of the hair and keeps the body cleaner for hygiene purpose. Take care not to go into the seas or swim for the next 1-2 days immediately following the waxing session.

Tackling Thailand - Bangkok (new - Asiatique Riverfront and Chocolate Ville)

In furtherance to my Thailand post (click here) giving an overview of the food, malls, temples, museums and Bangkok Palace etc as some of the main venues of interest in Bangkok, I shall now do a quick update on the newer and more exciting spots I have visited during my most recent trip.

Be warned that this is a very photo-heavy post. Also, I have forgotten the price for some items in Baht so I have rounded them up to Sing Dollar; the current exchange rate as of May 2016 is around SGD$1.00 = 25 Baht.


HOTEL AND SPA

This time, we stayed at The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, for various reasons - relatively new, good location (amongst many shopping malls and near Chit Lom BTS station), spacious rooms, enticing photos, comprehensive facilities, very reasonably-priced and at the strong recommendation of a family member who'd just returned from there.

Address: 559 Ratprarop Road, Makkasan, Rachatewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Tel: (662) 309 -9999
Website: http://www.berkeleypratunam.com

While service crew on ground level (concierge, guest relations officers etc) provided impeccably excellent service, we were very disappointed with the Housekeeping here - if they didn't take a good hour to attend to our requests, they left out replenishing something everyday (first day no soap, second day no water); on top of that the shower stall's drainage system was terrible, leaving the stall flooded after every shower. Not very recommended - top up a little more for a better hotel, really.

The Natural Retreat Spa & Massage, located on level 10 of the hotel itself, was not bad though. They offer a variety of massages - oils, traditional Thai, head & shoulder, to name some. Facilities were posh and clean; service polite and professional. They charge around SGD$36.00 (or 900 baht) for 90 minutes' traditional Thai massage and SGD$60.00 (or 1,500 baht) for 90 minutes' oil massage. Options are available for 60 minutes' massages as well - SGD$28.00 (or 700 baht) for traditional Thai and SGD$48.00 (or 1,200 baht) for oil massage. Reservations are very strongly recommended as they are extremely popular, even on weekday mornings! They open from 10.00am to 12 midnight everyday.


RESTAURANTS

Karmakamet Diner
Address: 30/1 Soi Matheenvet Sukhumbit 24 Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 2262 0700
Website: http://www.karmakamet.co.th
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karmakamet-Diner/446021698824192

This beautiful "secret world" cafe hides amidst lush greenery and it's just a short walk from Phrom Phong BTS station (past Emporium Suites, turn left). Started out as an essentials oils stall, it has morphed into an exquisite and stunning cafe from inside to outside, get your cameras ready for the lush greenery outdoors as well as lovely decor indoors. I heard the food is good, too bad we went after lunch (it was an impromptu decision), so we enjoyed some coffee as well as the famed Strawberry in the Cloud (around SGD$16.00) - gigantic candy floss sitting atop a cup of ice-cream and fresh strawberries - nearly every table orders that dreamy, pretty mess.

Noodle Restaurant, Level 4 Food Park, Big C Supercenter
Address: 97 /11 Ratchadamri Road, Lumphini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 2250 4888

Very affordable Thai-style noodles and rice. I really enjoyed my Special Combination Noodles of Pork and Chicken - the noodles (I chose glass noodles) were fine and infused with the spicy sauce tinged with heavy dose of zest. It was utterly appetizing. The Beau also enjoyed his Pork Balls with Rice and we shared a refreshing glass of Iced Lotus Root drink.

MK Restaurant, Level 4 Food Park, Big C Supercenter
Address: 97 /11 Ratchadamri Road, Lumphini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 2250 4888

A restaurant with a very clean and spacious decor as well as friendly staff who performed a short song-and-dance halfway through. They serve Thai-Chinese cuisine as well as hotpot, if you'd prefer. The Beau had the Crispy Roast Pork Rice with the most crackling good pork I have ever eaten, and I enjoyed my Shrimp Wanton & Roast Duck Jade Noodle tremendously as well - the green spinach noodle was springy and dry so it was almost like al dente.

Kuang Heng Chicken Rice Stall
Address: 936 Phetchaburi Road, Makkasan, Rachatewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 0225 18768

We decided to try the chicken rice here because The Beau loves chicken rice, and so we were curious to see how Bangkok Chicken Rice would differ to the ones in Singapore. Furthermore, whenever we passed by here, we would be greeted by wafts of aroma, and we would also see a long queue.

We ordered a plate of Chicken Rice to share, as well as the special Spring Rolls. The chicken meat was tender, and there was also a piece of chicken blood on the plate; rice was mushy and did not taste flavorful or despite its fragrance.

Restaurant at Chocolate Ville
Address: Soi Nawamin 74, Yak 3-8 Kaset-Nawamin KM. 11 Road, Klong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Lum District, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 81 9212016
Website: http://www.chocolateville.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chocolateville

This is one huge restaurant encumbered in a vast, fairy-tale setting. As the entire park is made up of interesting landmarks, one may choose to dine indoors (within one of those interesting, fantasial houses), dine by the canal or on the grass patches. Retro music (think Marilyn Monroe style) and a multi-cuisine menu add reasons to dine at such beautiful settings - feel free to choose from burgers to Mexican food to Thai / Asian dishes on one thick menu.

We started with drinks such Iced Lychee Lemon Tea, Mojito and Chang Beer, Red Curry Pork, Tom Yum Goong, Papaya Salad and Deep-fried Shrimp Rolls (in lieu of the unavailable Duck Confit Rolls). Food was good and service was quite commendable as well. We dined by the canal so it was incredibly romantic. The only pity was that desserts were not available on menu - all we saw were shelves of cakes.

The Dishes Seafood & Restaurant @ Asiatique The Waterfront
Address: 2194 Charoekrung Road, Wat Phaya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok, Thailand

This must be a pretty new restaurant since I could not find any information on it at all, and it is not updated on Asiatique's directory list. Love the retro setting of monochromatic linoleum floors. We shared a huge pot of Green Curry Chicken, a Pineapple Fried Rice and a huge Coconut.  The curry was spicy and flavorful but the pineapple fried rice was rather bland in taste.

Mango Tango @ Asiatique The Riverfront
Address:  2194 Charoekrung Road, Wat Phaya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 81760 1469
Website: http://www.mymangotango.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mango-Tango-at-Asiatique/423561514450895

Mango lovers would dig this mango dessert cafe - their love of mango is evident in the decor as well as music (yes, they have their own mango song and the lyrics are on the blackboard). We shared a platter of Mango Sticky Rice, Mango Pudding and Mango Ice-cream all in one, loving the redolent sweet aroma of the mango.

Lebua @ Mezzaluna Hotel
Photosource: http://www.thailandtouroperator.com/hotel_bangkok_lebua_hotel_silom.html

Unicorn Cafe
Photosource: http://www.thailandfans.com/blogs/details/2329

We didn't get to go to these 2 places, but they were in the list - the former is a beautiful, elegant dining concept overlooking Bangkok City's vibrant nightlife, Lebua @ Mezzaluna Hotel; the latter is a dreamy, girly concept, Unicorn Cafe - be prepared to be dazzled and tossed into a fantasy world of ethereal colors.

We also tried a couple of fast food restaurants, namely McDonalds - for the Samurai Pork Burger which The Beau liked - and KFC, just for satiate his craving for deep-fried chicken. Fast food here cost a lot - their sets are almost equivalent to Singapore's prices - yet the Thai / Western restaurants cost so much less.


SHOPPING

Besides the usual night markets at Chatuchak, Patpong, as well as well-known malls such as MBK, Platinum Fashion Mall etc, there has been some new malls springing up around Pratunam area itself - like a multi-storied Isetan, Big C Supercenter, Palladium IT Mall etc.

A few stations down, we have Emporium and Glass Quarter Malls with many well-known brands. The latter even has a striking Water Garden on level 5, for relaxing in as well as photos. This is the perfect way to unwind in between shopping.


OTHERS

A couple of newer discoveries that we hung out at, and were enamored by. By the way, if you are a dinosaur fan, there is also a Dinosaur Planet in Bangkok for you to have fun at, with your favorite prehistoric creatures.

Asiatique The Waterfront
Address: 2194 Charoenkrung Road, Wat Prayakrai District, Bangkor Laem, 10120 Bangkok, Thailand.
Tel: (+66) 02108 4488
Website: http://www.thaiasiatique.com

This is a scenic tourist attraction comprising a theme park with its prominent Ferris Wheel, rows of restaurants and pubs, and an entire square of retail shops- all by the Chao Phraya riverfront. Street performers such as painted characters and singers jazz up the vivacious ambiance by another notch - whether you are here for the sunset, the food, the shopping or the rides, it is a charming little island reachable by free shuttle ferry at   Saphan Taksin BTS station.  We rode the ferris wheel (around SGD$12.00 for 10-minute ride) and had dinner here, after which we shopped at the night bazaar - lots of souvenirs and fashion accessories.

Chocolate Ville
Address: Soi Nawamin 74, Yak 3-8 Kaset-Nawamin KM. 11 Road, Klong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Lum District, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: (+66) 81 9212016
Website: http://www.chocolateville.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chocolateville

A very charming park filled with lots of fairy-tale enchantment, around 30 minutes' cab ride from Mo Chit BTS station. Whether you are looking for pretty houses, inns, clock towers, bridges or fountains, this place has it all. On top of that, there are also ferries, polar bears, windmills, Christmas characters and dolphins to reckon with - all set around a canal. This very photo-worthy and picturesque jazzes up the ambience with retro songs and encompasses a huge multi-cuisined restaurant - we had a lot of fun posing around for photos and exploring what each landmark had in-store for us. It was almost surreal being here, thrown back in time among beautiful settings.

My only complaints were that there weren't anything related to chocolate here - no chocolate house or at least a shop selling chocolates (inspite of its name); and that it is not too easy getting to here. Many cabbies have not heard of this charming little place so be prepared to have the address ready, or turn on your GPS to help guide them. When we got here from Mo Chit BTS station, the fare (by meter) was around 200 Baht, though if traffic is heavy it could go up to 400 Baht. Don't worry about transportation from Chocolate Ville - because there's a "taxi dock" here where they could take you to Pratunam, Asiatique, Mo Chit BTS, Airport, etc.


For other posts about Thailand:
1) Bangkok
2) Pattaya
3) Koh Samui Resort