Rules for Eating Sushi at Traditional Sushi Restaurants

Posted by Editor on Jan 15th, 2020 in Food, Social Niceties | 0 comments

Sushi can be found anywhere around the world nowadays, but nothing beats the experience of being served at a traditional sushi restaurant. However, to fully enjoy the experience, you also need to learn the art of eating sushi. Here are the dos and don’ts you need to remember.

• Call ahead to make reservations especially if you are coming as a group. This is also a good idea if someone in the group has dietary restrictions so that the restaurant can make adjustments.

• If you want to see how sushi is made up close, you should sit at the sushi bar. However, you should never order drinks and other items from the sushi chef or itamae. You can only order sushi at the counter, while other orders are handled by the crew.

• Do not take photos without asking for permission especially if you are sitting at the sushi counter.

• Some restaurants are lenient when it comes to wearing perfume, but part of the appeal of sushi is the aroma of the fresh food. If you are planning to go to a sushi restaurant, do not wear your perfume.

• To best enjoy your experience, start with sushi with the mildest flavor especially if you are in a conveyor belt-type restaurant. But to be safe, follow the recommendations of the sushi chef on what to eat first.

• Don’t leave your food on the table if you do not like it. It is impolite to have leftovers, so ready your palate if you want to try to eat at an authentic sushi restaurant.

• It is okay to ask for specific items on the menu especially if there are seasonal items offered on the list.

• You might be offered a hot towel before the meal. This is called oshibori and is used to wash your hands. Make sure to fold it back the way it was given to you after you use it.

• Some sushi types should be consumed by hand while others will need chopsticks. For example, nigiri-zushi can be eaten with the hands, but sashimi needs chopsticks.

• Each sushi is meant to be consumed as one piece, so do not cut up a piece to make smaller portions. That is considered impolite.

• If you are served ginger or gari, you should only eat it between each sushi piece as it is meant as a palate cleanser. Do not eat it with the sushi.

• If you are given a bowl of soup without spoon, you are expected to pick up the bowl and sip from it.

• In some traditional restaurants, you will be expected to drink alcoholic beverages only before and after being served sashimi. The itamae considers most sushi not complementary with sake because they are both rice-based.

• If you have alcoholic beverages on the table, however, you will be expected to pour for your companions. Do not pour a drink for yourself. It is also customary for the most senior in the group to pour the drinks for the others.

• If you are giving tips at the bar, you may do so separately for the itamae for serving sushi and the crew who served you the drinks and other items. In some traditional restaurants, the tips are included in the bill.

What is Salicylate Sensitivity?

Posted by Editor on Jan 15th, 2020 in Health | 0 comments

Food intolerance is still a sensitive subject because it’s not yet well-understood even by doctors. Consequently, those who suffer do not get the proper treatment they need and are even used as a propaganda to promote bogus wellness and diet fads. One uncommon type of food intolerance is salicylate insensitivity, which is difficult to diagnose because of a host of symptoms.

Salicylates and Its Sources

Salicylates is the name for chemicals that contain the salicylic acid base which are found in various plants and are also used to produce other products. In nature, salicylic acid is used by plants as protection from predators and diseases. Most people can tolerate some amount of salicylates, but a few suffer from a variety of symptoms even at small doses. In recent studies, it has been found that those with asthma are more likely to be salicylate intolerant and will have negative reactions to aspirin.

Symptoms of Intolerance

Most people with salicylate intolerance exhibit the following symptoms when they are exposed to salicylic acid: hives, fever, asthma, sinus inflammation, stuffy nose, tissue swelling, inflammation of the large intestine, diarrhea, gas, and polyps in the sinus and nasal passages.

The symptoms listed above are precisely the reasons why it can be difficult to diagnose. It might be mistaken for a food allergy or other condition, but it is quite distinct from an allergic reaction because the immune system does not react to the chemicals. The only way to diagnose it is to rule out allergies through a skin test, then exposure to a small amount of salicylic acid.

Foods to Avoid

Not only should people with salicylate intolerance avoid taking medication with salicylic acid, but they should watch out for food and beverages that contain them. Like most intolerances, the only way to stop the symptoms is to avoid the triggers. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to keep track of what you eat because salicylates are present in most vegetables, fruits, and spices. Some dairy, meat, fish, and cereals contain a small amount of salicylate, too.

The following is a list of food that contain a high amount of salicylates. Please note, however, that some people can still suffer from the symptoms even if the food contains only a moderate amount of salicylates.

• Vegetables: red chili, chicory, green capsicum, endive, courgetti, mushrooms, green olives, pepper, radish, tomato, zucchini
• Fruits: apricot, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberry, dates, grapes, guava, orange, pineapple, plum, prunes, raspberry, and strawberries
• Beverages: all types of tea, liqueur, port, rum, champagne, peppermint tea, wines, and cordials
• Spices: allspice, anise seed, cayenne, celery, cinnamon, cumin, curry powder, dill, fenugreek, five-spice, garam masala, ginger, honey, mace, mint, mustard, oregano, paprika, pepper, rosemary, sage, tarragon, turmeric, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce
• Others: peanuts, almonds, most savory chips and crackers, licorice, chewing gums, mints, and peppermints
• Non-Food Products: lotions, mouthwash, shampoos, conditioner, perfumes, and toothpaste

A Quick Guide on How to Roast Squash Seeds

Posted by Editor on Nov 21st, 2019 in Food | 0 comments

Did you recently open up a whole squash and wonder how you can use the seeds rather than just throwing them away?

Well, wonder no more and start keeping those seeds – you can make a healthy snack out of them to munch on anytime you want!

A single ounce of squash seeds makes for a great snack that’s rich in nutrients like magnesium, which has been linked to promote better sleep quality. This makes them the perfect snack when you’re finally done pulling out that all-nighter and you’re ready to settle down for some much-needed shut-eye.

Kinds of Squash

You can roast seeds from different kinds of squashes, like the following:

• Spaghetti
• Buttercup
• Acorn
• Butternut
• Kabocha
• Delicata

Ingredients

All you need to start roasting pumpkin seeds is a half-cup of raw seeds, a few pinches of salt, and two tablespoons of melted butter. Alternatively, you can also add a drizzle of olive oil instead of melted butter if you want to go for a low-fat option.

Once you have them, it’s time to start roasting your seeds.

Directions

Preparing this healthy snack is really simple. Once you have everything you need, all you need to do is follow these steps:

1. Preheat your oven to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit or 150 degrees Celsius.
2. Toss the seeds in an oven-safe bowl along with your melted butter and salt to taste. Mix until all they are evenly coated.
3. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and let bake until golden brown, which usually takes about forty-five minutes. Remember to take them out once in a while and stir occasionally to ensure they are heated evenly.
4. Add spices to taste. However, this step is completely optional – you can enjoy them salted or even unsalted if you like!

Storage

If you’re already hooked on pumpkin seeds and want to make them a regular snack for all occasions, here’s what you need to do to store your raw seeds for a later time:

1. Place your seeds in a colander and run them through a faucet to wash out the skin or any remaining strings of pulp.
2. Set the seeds on paper towels and let them dry in the open air overnight. Drying them thoroughly allows the seeds to be more crispy when they come out of the oven later on.
3. Once the seeds are fully dried, place them in an airtight container.

Keep in mind that they only last for up to a week when stored in the refrigerator, so you want to roast them within that time so they don’t spoil.

Social Media Marketing Mistakes You Should Avoid Doing

Posted by Editor on Nov 21st, 2019 in Internet, Lifestyle, Services | 0 comments

Let’s say your start-up in Singapore is already doing good. So you decide to start social media marketing to reach more people. You jump right into it but later you notice that your audience has still not increased. Just like in many other aspects of business, you might be making some slight mistakes that are costing you. Here might be some of them.

Having no strategy

If you think that social media marketing is just as easy as posting on your personal accounts, that’s completely wrong. Companies that don’t establish a strategy will not have any social media presence at all. Especially because so many other businesses are using social media platforms already. One great start is to hire a social media manager who knows how to disseminate information with a mix of humor and professionalism. Then you can just build up your strategies from that.

Having too much to handle

When strategies are not employed, companies also make the mistake of creating accounts on too many platforms at once. Why is this a bad thing exactly? Well, if you don’t have a plan, you’ll have difficulty coming up with new content. This is why you see a lot of websites or social media pages where the last posts were done years ago. Basically, these pages have been abandoned! So, don’t go creating too much and keep your focus narrow at the start. That way, you’ll have a better foundation before you branch out to other platforms.

Not engaging with the audience

Of course, it’s called “social” media for a reason. In social media marketing, you should definitely avoid posting something and just leaving it at that. If people start commenting, try to engage with them as much as possible. Give them additional info, answer their questions, you can even message them in private if needed! Remember that your goal with social media marketing is to get your brand known to more and more people. But you don’t want to be a remembered negatively by not engaging with your audience at all!

Not tracking analytics

Another thing you should be taking full advantage of is analytics. Most social media platforms offer analytics which show your audience engagement, how many new followers you have, which posts gained more attention and etc. Being able to track such data is very important if you want to know where your focus should be. It will also help you know which aspects need improvement. All in all, this will help you save a significant amount of time, money, and effort!

Having bad responses to negative comments

Lastly, one mistake you should never make is to respond unprofessionally to negative comments. Negative feedback will always be there on social media. But you should definitely not delete or ignore them (unless, of course, if they don’t make sense at all). On the other hand, having a good response to a negative comment can earn you more loyal customers.

Different Exercises to Help Alleviate Lower Back Pain

Posted by Editor on Oct 1st, 2019 in Exercise, Fitness, Health | 0 comments

Lower back pain is experienced by more and more people today. No matter if you work in manual labor or you sit in a desk all day, you’re prone to experiencing lower back pain if you’re not careful. Fortunately, there are many exercises you can do to alleviate lower back pain. You won’t even need to go to a gym in Singapore too.

Bird Dog Exercise

One reason why the bird dog exercise is ideal for reducing lower back pain is that it teaches you to focus on mobilizing your back all throughout.

The bird dog is done by getting on all fours, with your hands and knees on the floor. Position your hands under your shoulders and make sure your knees are also directly under the hips. Then, extend your right arm and left leg so they are level with your spine. Hold this position for 5-8 seconds then go back to the starting position. Then do the opposite and extend your left arm and right leg this time.

Bridges

The gluteus maximus or the buttocks is actually the largest muscle in the body. Because of that, a weak gluteus maximus will cause lower back pain. Bridges engage the glutes and are a great exercise for keeping the muscle strong.

Firstly, you want to lie on the ground while leaving your feet flat on the floor near your butt. Then, slowly lift your buttocks by pressing your feet on the floor until your whole body is straight. Make sure to keep your shoulders on the floor and to keep your arms at your side for better balance and support. Hold that position for about 10 seconds. Repeat about 5 times.

Supermans

The superman allows you to stretch and strengthen your back extensors. Back extensors run along both sides of the spine and basically helps you maintain a good posture and also arch your back.

As the name suggests, this is simply done by copying how Superman flies, with a few modifications of course. First, you want to lie down on your stomach and stretch both your arms out over your head. Then, stretch your legs but keep them on the ground. There will be people who find this exercise uncomfortable though. If you think this exercise does not benefit you, you won’t have to do it.

Try to Avoid: Leg Raises

The leg raise is mainly an exercise for the lower abdominals. Though this is the case, the movement involved in the exercise puts certain demand on the hips and the lower back. If you lift both your legs when your core is still weak, your back will compensate and that could lead to more lower back pain. As an alternative, you can try just lifting one leg at a time, with the other bent at the knee.

Money Skills You Absolutely Need to Pick Up

Posted by Editor on Oct 1st, 2019 in Money Matters | 0 comments

You recognize yourself as a hardworking Singaporean who loves to do his job and are pleased with your earnings. But, you find that there are times when you have to take some money from your savings just to get through the week. If this is the case, you’ll want to keep reading and see what you can do to become better with money.

Living according to your means

Truthfully speaking, there are a lot of people living way beyond their means. If you’re guilty of this, don’t worry! Simply put, we should try to stop putting on the illusion of being rich. Obtaining wealth is a long-term journey. If you spend a lot on clothes and food to maybe try and impress others, your wealth is short-lived. That simply does not make you “wealthy” at all. So, stick to the necessities and try not to give in to temptation.

Keeping your money away

 

This point ties directly with the one above, but what does this mean? Literally, just keep your money where it will be hard for you to reach them. You’ll hardly notice it but there’s a big difference if you have your money in your wallet and if you have it on a vault. With your wallet, it’s very easy to just reach out and get some cash. With a vault though, you’ll have a lot more things to do. That one significant difference can actually help you from spending more money than necessary.

Being strict about savings

Saving is obviously the most basic money skill, and you might even already be doing it by now. Even so, there are actually many people who have a hard time implementing this in their lives. A person might save up for a month but end up using all his savings for some other reason. If you are strict about saving, you might be surprised how valuable it’s going to be in the long-term.

Looking for ways to earn passive income

Having multiple sources of passive income basically allows you to earn money on auto-pilot. You can invest in stocks or real estate, rent out an apartment room in your building, or you can even write a book or a song to earn royalties. If you really try hard and look, you’ll find that there are actually many ways for you to earn money without working too hard for it.

Understanding financial literacy 

Everything written above can be done effectively if you have a good understanding of financial literacy. Simply put, being financially literate means you know how to manage your money, where to put it to make it grow, and etc. This is why, before anything else, you should make it a priority to learn about financial literacy. This doesn’t mean you have to earn a degree, just that you have to be aware of the principles that govern money.