Teach your body to burn fat and lose weight forever

Teach your body to burn fat and lose weight forever.

Overweight is one of the biggest problem facing mankind today. This is more so in the developed countries but it is fast catching up in the developing places too. The list of issues associated with overweight is so long that I would not list it out. However the reason why I went on a weight loss diet  was my cholesterol level have crept up over the years and my GP  wants me to start on statins. As all those males above forty will know, the fear of  a cardiovascular incident will drive one to improve your health. Most will seriously work out at the gym, going on serious diets to the extend of not eating any food that contains cholesterol. I think they have the same experience as me. It does not seem to work.

The easy way out is actually to take your GP’s advice. Just start taking statins and you will be fine. Afterall there is so much information outside about the effectiveness of this wonder drug that some doctors are advocating you to take it like a vitamin supplement even though you don’t have a cholesterol problem yet. Also when you check around you will find many of your friends already on the medication and they don’t seem to have a problem with it.

I choose to differ. I have high blood pressure since my forties. I have tried all the remedies known be it oil ,salt free, vegetarian diet to  no avail. Yes the medication had side effects but by changing them and fine tuning the dosage it is almost no trouble at all.

However I think one medication is enough and I need to do something about it.

I love watching TV especially documentaries. One night I happened to watch the BBC series Trust me I am a doctor. In it Dr Michael Mosley who had similar problems of health. He went on to interview many schools of dietary ideas. The problem with any dietary regime is the effect on our daily life habits not just personal but with the social interactions with people around us. Afterall our immediate family members and all your friends don’t have your health issue.

Food and its consumption is also the time we interact with people the most. Take for example when I was on my vegetarian and oil free diet my family complained terribly about the tasteless and bland food they were having daily. Also I have to give excuses to friends during social gatherings. Finally it  did not work.

Five and  Two diet

What Dr Mosley discovered and practiced on himself is known as the Five and Two diet. Whether he is still on it , I am not sure but it seemed he did well to reach his targets. Basically this diet advocates you fast on two days limiting your calorie intake to 600 calories for men and 500 calories of ladies. On other days you can eat normally but must not be a glutton. As there are already many articles on the internet that you can find I won’t dwell into it. This diet came about from  observations in America that during the  Great Depression era of the 1930;s many of these  so call health diseases were greatly reduced. The conclusion was this phenomenon was due to reduction in calorie intake. Many people loss their jobs during this period. With a loss in income people had less food available.

Advantages of this diet.

Life goes on as normal as far as social interactions are concern. One does not have to avoid any types of food or cook it differently.You can still partake food or drinks with your social circle albeit on a reduce amount. You choose the two days you have to reduce the calories. Thus literally speaking there is little change in your life.

**** GOAL***  

Once you reach your health targets you no longer have to fast on the two days i.e you no longer have to diet. You have mastered the technique of burning fat and thus you don’t have to worry about the issues associated with overweight.

How to get through the diet.

Obviously as with any diets one must stick to it. The first two or three weeks can be daunting but once you overcome that period it will be easy. This is where I can share my experience with you.

At the beginning.

To start of measure your weight and height so that you have an idea of your BMI. Also keep notes of your previous medical reports as a reference.

The two fasting days.

As I have mentioned there are already a lot of resources available, so do  refer to them.

My personal regime.

Breakfast

My usual day starts with fruits. I would use a blender, throw in juicy fruits and vegetables such as oranges, starfruit, cucumbers etc. Use fruits that have a high fibre content. Add water to the blending. Thus you get your vitamins, fiber and water to start your day. In addition I will just have  two tablespoon of muesli type of cereals with skimmed milk.  

Lunch

It can be hard boiled egg, sardines and some fruits such as apple, carrots, celery. I like fruits and vegetables that has low starch content, not sweet and has  a lot of bulk.

Tip. Divide the lunch into small portions and eat it over time. Drink lots of water to acoomapny  the food so you feel bulk up.

Dinner.

Clear soup, lots of vegetables, a small piece of meat.

Things to avoid.

Sugar and carbohydrates are the biggest contributor to weight gain. So I avoid it completely on the two days. As a dentist I am very well aware of the effects of sugars on our health, thus I hardly consume any soft drinks and generally do not drink any beverages with sugars. I have leant to appreciate tea and coffee in their natural state.  

Fats. As you can see fats are important but in this diet it just comes along with the food.

Tip

To distract my hunger pangs on the first two weeks I took time for walks when I feel hungry and not time yet for the next meal. All I needed was a bottle of water and the distraction of the surroundings.

The Science behind this diet.

I am sure most people have tried some or all the diets in their lifetime. Some will find it works but others cannot keep it up for life. The good thing about this diet is it is easy and you can do it for life. The best of all it cost you nothing.

Exercising and weight loss,

Many discipline people will push themselves to burn off the calories. This is very well written subject. However one has to work out the maths to see it is difficult to achieve one’s goal.

When you run or walk 1 km, the energy you burn up is only about 65  kcal. To lose

1 kilo of your weight you have to burn up 7000 kcal. Thus effectively you will have to run 100 kms to do that. Imagine the time consumed, the wear and tear on your body and the extreme discipline to finish it. Worst of all , the impact on your joints when you start exercising as an overweight person.To make matters worse if you drink a rehydrating drink after the exercise then you  have zero calories lost.

Effectively to run a marathon you only burn up in the region of a day’s routine calorie intake. If you look at the African world marathon champions they hardly have any fat.

So isn’t it easier just not to take in the calories in the first place.

So the moral of the story is exercise for health and fun so there is no need to stress your body.

Where is our fat and cholesterol coming from in our diet?

In our good life, food has become plentiful. Not just in amount, variety but also very conveniently available. Firstly we have been conditioned from young by our parents as they gave us as much food a we wanted so that we grow up healthy. Asians who are traditionally non milk drinkers have a pint of it daily. The food industry is the worst culprit. The more they sell the more money they make. So not only do they upsize the meal they add a lot of sugars to hook you. Worse of all when the food arrives on the table in order not to waste any, you finish all of it thus conditioning your body to the next big meal.

Carbohydrate is the real culprit.

In human evolution, our main building blocks are protein and fats. Once agriculture was developed carbohydrates as a source of energy was easier to obtain than hunting for food.

However our body is tuned to the early days. When food comes into our system our body is geared  towards the absorption and storage of the protein and fat as they are the basic building blocks. In the past man has to do more physical work thus any intake of carbohydrate is welcome.

Now the story has changed. Not only is food abundant, with the help of machines we are doing much less physical work. The nett result is an abundance of carbohydrate and thus calorie intake.

Everything will be fine if excess carbohydrates excreted out just like water as urine.

Now comes the big Ouch.

All the excess carbohydrate is converted to Triglyceride. Yes you did not see wrongly and what does triglyceride end up as? Yes you guessed it. Fats.

So now you can understand why the hype about eating low cholesterol food did not achieve an inch of success!.

We have all being conned.

What else?

As we know the building blocks of cholesterol is triglycerides, you will not have a problem of having a high cholesterol if you just take in the right amount of calories. Simple isn’t it? Now you can return the statins to your GP.

 

My own personal experience.

As usual when one starts of on any project there is always a lot of scepticism.

My starting weight 71 kilos

                  Height 168 cm

Trousers waist measurement 34

As can be seen I am not really overweight. However for the sake of my high cholesterol problem I embarked on this journey. I gave myself seven weeks as I was going on a overseas holiday. As usual I am not able to resist the variety and new types of food on such trips.  

Results were dramatic.

I loss 6 kilos in 7 weeks.

My blood test results were really rewarding. My cholesterol numbers have improved significantly.

I can now wear trousers with waist measurement of 31.

Pretty dramatic changes in the cholesterol readings.

Ketones in the urine.

The  urine test indicated ketones in the urine. I checked my previous test and there was no such thing. Came as a surprised. To my happiness I found out that when your body burns fat, ketones are formed and excreted in the urine.

Hallelujah I can burn fat now.

The biggest benefit I found was my ability to run again. I used to run a lot to the tune of 8 to 10 km regularly. I am also an avid squash player. They go hand in hand. You don’t play squash to be fit but you must be fit to play squash. So you need to run to build up stamina. Over the years i find it increasing difficult to finish 8 km without stopping. It became a case of running and walking.

During the third week I went for my run. I felt I had lots of new found energy  and before I knew it I manage to run the whole 8km. That was 5 months ago, now I can run 10 km. Not bad for a 63 year old man.

The Best unintended result.

My blood pressure has come down. I now take only  half the dosage of the medication. Hopefully one day I can get on with life free of medication.

Most important now is I never really feel hungry at all. Even if I don’t eat the whole day I can still go running. Amazing.

My weight now still hovers around 64 kg. This was my weight when I was a university student, then the fittest period in my life. Alas the good life had slowly added kilos without be being aware.

I am sure the diet I undertook is not for everyone.However I want to share this with people who have the same problems I had an easy and successful way to claim back your health without medication. Think of the amount of money you can save from not having to pay for all those medications but also the food bill you saved. You are also contributing to a greener world as we know the growth, transport, preparation,sale and consumption of food  uses a lot of resources.

Still have the energy and mental strength to win a golf tournament. The tournament was played over four days. 

Follow through of the diet.

Once you have achieved your goal, it is just a matter of maintenance. The trick is very simple. If you know you are going to have a heavy meal with family or friends, make your other meals very light. In reality even if you don't eat you no longer feel hungry. So now you can really eat for fun.

Now you really can have the cake and eat it.

The mobile phone and the future of Urban Transport

The Mobile phone and the future of Urban Transport

The Personal Mobile Transporter.

How you can save yourself and mother earth.

The title of this article seems very odd. What has the mobile phone to do with moving people around going on their daily life.

The mobile phone is what we call a disruptive technology. It destroyed our old system of communication using the telephone line. It also changed the way we buy, sell products and services or what you call e- commerce. Most important of all we can now do all the above literally from any place in the world and even on the move.

In the days of landlines all communications depended on the telephone. So if you have no telephone you will not be able to talk to another person out of hearing range. Even then you must make arrangement with the party to pick up the phone when you dial the number. Otherwise you will have to leave a message and rearrange a new time to communicate.

Even the message you sent can be erroneous. This is because the person transmitting the message can say different things or worse to than that forgot to transmit the message. Then came the telex machine. First you will need to find one and worst the message has to be delivered by a person or by post. Finally with the advent of the fax machines all these problems were greatly reduced but all these were  still not personal. There is always some middle person or machine that you need to access.

The line telephone mode of communications was thus expensive and prone to errors.

As for commerce the mobile phone has really destroyed many systems. The personal computer revolutionise how information was handled and business was done creating what we know as e-commerce. With e-commerce you no longer needed a physical shop. People can buy and sell things 24 hours a day without even coming into physical contact. Now the mobile phone is your personal computer and thus the days of the PC is limited. Even better with Apps the mobile phone can do much more things faster and you can also lock in your customer.

Now what has the mobile phone to do with the transport system.?

As you know the transport system is very similar to the landline telephone system. When you want to go from point A to point B, you can walk. So just like not using the telephone when you can shout your message across. If you have time and the distances are longer, you can use a bicycle to go further.  Nowadays we are always in a rush and we need to cover much longer distances. The car was the greatest invention that came into our lives. It is personal, convenient and transport us great distances very comfortably. However when everyone wants to drive in a city, it creates massive traffic jams, pollution, and takes up too much land space. Not only we need land for roads to drive around but also to park the car. Thus cars are a very expensive mode of transport. It is really very wasteful on the world’s resources. Cars consume a lot of energy as you are moving big chunks of metal and rubber around. You will need even more resources to clean up the pollution it creates in addition to getting rid of the rubbish like tyres, plastics etc.

So in most cities we are encouraged to use public transport such as buses and trains. Buses and trains can transport many people efficiently and at much cheaper cost than cars. However as they are designed to transport big numbers they are no longer personal. Effectively you will have to wait for a bus or a train to come along. Thus your time of travel has to match other similar travellers. Besides this you will have to walk to the designated spot be it the bus stop or the train station i.e the so call last mile.

Trains are a very efficient mode of transport provided you can conveniently within reach of the station. There are no traffic jams or traffic lights to bother. There is also a very low risk of accidents as in driving a car. To top it the majority of the trains don’t even need a driver. There is hardly any pollution along its track so that the air quality is greatly improved.

The set back of the train system is obviously the cost of building and maintenance. However over the long run it is very cost effective. Access to the stations is the main problem as these stations can be quite a distance apart. Furthermore when the population is not dense enough in certain areas it is not economical to built a train line. A big occasional irritant is when the train system breaks down. Then thousands of people are inconvenienced as there is no backup to it.

Buses are a very convenient mode of transport as there have the mobility as the car. Bus stops are usually closer to each other than train stations. In Singapore bus stops are set about 400 meters apart while train stations are about 800 meters apart.

Stuck in traffic

Problems of using buses.

Many times when you are waiting for the bus it does not seem to turn up at the designated time.  When it finally shows up it is packed and you have to wait for the next bus. Thus travelling times can be affected and one have to give more leeway.

Buses have to share the roads with all other road users i.e cars , trucks, motorcycles , bicycles and finally pedestrians. So you have many types of vehicles on the move and worst of all a human being with all its unpredictability and nuances constantly making the bus trip unpredictable. To add to this confusion there is also the dump traffic lights to contend with. Thus most bus journeys are seldom smooth and many a times the passengers are thrown around. More often than not any bus accidents usually have significant casualties.

Then there is the problem of pollution. All buses are powered by diesel engines. At least in Singapore black soot belching buses are rare but nevertheless with a few thousand buses daily on the roads a fair share of smog is created. Then there is the problem of bus schedules. To please the public buses are run on schedules. As in the typical transport problem everybody wants to travel at the same time. Thus the buses are packed. But then one forgets that during off peak hours these buses are running more or less empty thus really contributing unnecessary pollution. Furthermore it is all these wastage of no passenger miles that add the cost to the bus fares. In addition buses take up a lot of road space and parking places. In land scarce Singapore this can add up to a lot of land both for bus stops and terminals. Also buses are fairly huge vehicles and they really slow down road traffic especially when they come to bus stops and also the implementation of bus lanes. Congestion at bus stops contribute to a lot of delays and also significantly lengthen travel time. The worst journey is obviously when you have to take a feeder bus to catch a train change to another train followed by another bus to your final destination.

Finally there is the problem with costs. Buses are not cheap vehicles. Some of them can cost more than half a million dollars. Add these to the number of bus drivers the cost of running a fleet of buses it is a very costly transport system.  Bus drivers in Singapore are usually foreigners as locals cannot take the hardship. Can you imagine driving the bus from Clementi to Bedok facing all the traffic and the irate passengers, plus wearing diapers as there is no way to go to the loo. As it is there is no robot bus driver yet unlike the trains.

Taxis. This is probably the most convenient mode of transport. Fortunately taxi fares in Singapore are very reasonable but it can still burn a big hole in your pocket. In the era of driverless cars this can be a very good option. Still like a car it is still a big chunk of metal running around. In Singapore the authorities require the taxi to clock a mileage of 250 kilometers so as to ensure they don’t hide at places. Really in the age of Uber and other call apps this is really and joke and extremely waste of fuel, wear and tear, least of all contributing to the smog.

What About Bicycles ?

The funny thing is our traditional idea of the bicycle as a clean, healthy mode of transport is the barrier to the new age of Personal mobile transporter. PMT for short. Bicycles have been around for a very long time even before your advent of cars. Remember the massive numbers in China’s cities before Chinese became rich. What happen to all these cyclist? They all become fanatic new car owners. Not only did they have a new status symbol now they have also projected their distances significantly.

Let’s face it. The number of cyclists dwindled because cycling is really hard work. Yes it is good for health but you can be very tired when you reach your destination. Then there is this weather problem which all cyclist are faced with. In Singapore  the weather is so hot that even cycling for a kilometre is a torture and you will need a shower just to get rid of the sweat. In countries with winter and snow it is too cold to really pedal on the road.

Many countries have developed cycle lanes to encourage cycling. Holland is the best example and thus a lot of Dutch people commute with bicycles. However in Singapore the civil service has their brains stamped with this phrase of land scarcity that building cycle lanes is done at a snail’s pace. Also we still have an archaic law that says bicycles must share the roads with other mechanised vehicles so much so road traffic deaths are a regular. This puts tremendous fear on me to cycle especially the buses and trucks are always rushing to their destinations.

The bicycle is a very large object and some of them can be pretty heavy. There are many places in Singapore , one has to carry their bicycles across bridges or go down staircases. This is really daunting for a petite person. There are a number of foldable bicycles that one can use on trains but few people have use it because it is very difficult to move it into a crowded train. Last but not least bicycle thefts are still rampant in Singapore. I was once such a victim and the authorities have not been able to solve this issue. I have given up cycling since then.

The new disruptive revolution.

The first of the technologies introduced was the electrical powered bicycles. This turn the common bicycle into much like a electric motorbike. It extended the cyclist range greatly with the comfort without the need to peddle.  In China this is a very common vehicle. In fact there are charging stations just like your petrol stations where a short charge can enable one to reach home or their office to plug in for a full charge. However they have made it more or less like a electrical motorbike and thus is fairly bulky.

Choosing freedom

The electric skateboard and other similar devices.

Recent technological development in reducing the size of electric motors and greater power output has enabled them to be fitted to skateboards. This essentially started as a piece of fun equipment but many people have adapted it for their daily commute.  With the affordability of light weight lithium batteries this boards have a tremendous reduction in weight and at the same time significant range. Now there are a plethora of other similar devices such as the hoverboard, spinning wheels, roller skates. For those who cannot balance so well seats can be fitted to the skateboards.

Once again Singapore has failed to recognise this new disruptive technology. Our country prides itself trying to be an innovative country but actually we have been followers. This may stem from our citizens and decision makers kiasu mentality. Every project we undertake  must have an expert panel  opinion. If the project does not meet expectations it is not my fault because so many experts have studied it. Take for example the idea of flood prevention, we need a panel of external experts to advice us on that matter. Some of these experts come from countries that have desert like climate. Can’t we think for ourselves?

This Personal Mobility Transporter is really god sent to our small nation state especially for our hot humid climate. Riding on it will immediately create a natural breeze. It is not only our country’s answer to mass transport but if we can innovate further a great contributor to the world eco system.

The advantages of the PMT.

Clean and non air polluting.

The total reduction in buses and cars with their associated CO  and noise pollution is already a fantastic contribution.

Reduction in land demand

There will also be a tremendous gain in land space due to the reduction of roads and also motor vehicle parking spaces.

Human resource.

The reduction in buses and taxis will contribute to our manpower  issue.

Barrier free movement

Independent mobility.

Whether you are young or old, handicap or fit there is a PMT that can be tailored made for you. You no longer have to wait for the bus or taxi and reach all corners of Singapore. MRT breakdowns are not an issue as you can still zoom home. Some PMT are so powerful you can travel with your partner or child.

It is very common in Singapore to see a maid pushing a wheel chair loaded by an overweight person. Doesn’t it make great sense to use an electric wheel chair instead?

Where is the jam?

 Isn’t it like your mobile phone?

What can Singapore do? Follow the concept of the mobile phone.

Miniaturise and improve.

We should research into developing lightweight materials be it the motors, body and the battery. Even the battery charger can be made smaller and thus portable. Eventually the whole kit can be folded and pack in a small haversack to make it really personal.

Develop the necessary infrastructure.

PMT lanes and flyovers.

Like the cycle lanes, special lanes can be created to avoid PMT pedestrian, or PMT motor vehicle conflicts. In fact PMT can travel on raised paths i.e like existing double decker roads and flyovers to speed up their travel. The lightweight nature of PMTs allow for such constructions. School children can safely travel on their own to schools no need for school buses or their parents crowding outside the school. Singapore had already embarked on a program to build cover walkways. So we can have a double decker walkway with the PMTs using the upper section while pedestrian use the lower  section.

Charging Stations.

In time just like the mobile phone you can just plug it into any electrical socket be it in the office or even in the cafe. As we have a lot of sunshine, solar panel charging stations can be build all over the country. 

PMT on call.

Google technology has changed our lives tremendously. They are experimenting on driverless cars and their google navigation system has made London taxi driver training looks like dinosaur school. Thus you don’t even need to worry to own a PMT. Use a phone to call up one and with the smart technology it will come to you from the nearest PMT storage depot, send you to your destination using the fastest and most convenient route. Isn’t it great for the tourist and definitely for you. The whole system can interact with driverless train systems thus increasing PMT’s reach.

So why are governments not even thinking of the idea?. Some people say it is because they can’t collect taxes on PMT usage. Hopefully that not true. They can save billions of dollars not building or maintaining so many roads, buying buses etc, thus there is no need for tax increase. For the average person not owning a car is already saving tremendous amount of money plus you are now a great eco citizen of the world. Generally speaking people who run governments love grandiose projects so that people can remember the great thing thay have done. Take for example the city of Metro Manila which perpectually plaqued with traffic jams and pollution. They calculated that the number of man hours lost in these jams run into billions without even thinking of the health care cost from pollution. So they got JICA, the Japanese government agency to develop a master plan to solve this problem and you what they recommended. Five things which include a new airport plan, new harbour, new subway, road controls etc. Now please tell me how is the Philippine’s government going to pay for all that and how much will the Manila citizens suffer before all those work are completed. Just don’t make sense eh?

Humans are funny. When the Segway came out many governments bought it so that their police can ride on it to guard in airports and public spaces This machine is very expensive yet governments pride on it. Isn’t a show off thing. I think a lot of governments don’t want to implement PMTs because they are worried other countries will laugh at them with such a cheap transport system. Wait till Prada makes one of them with star studded diamonds.

Ask not what the world (government) can do for you but ask yourself what you can do for yourself.

 If you wait for the government to act on this idea, it may not happen. This is the best time to do your own thing. Free from the constraint of public transport, free from the heavy loans of owning a car. Free from all the pollutants in the air generated by buses, cars and motorbikes. These air pollutants may be a contributor to all the cancers we are suffering from. Also we can avoid a great many road traffic tragedies. With PMT’s the authorities can ban motorcycles. Motorcycles are potentially death machines.

We can also save the world by reducing our carbon footprint and thus our polluting footprint. It is already here so go for freedom and also do a good deed for mother earth.

The future PMT Drones

Amazon dot com is talking about delivering their parcels using drones. What is there to stop us from developing a PMT drone that enables us to fly. That day will come when the batteries are very light and the propellers can generate enough power. After all, just like you mobile phone you can charge your drone anywhere.

Just Ride it

SLA land acquisition The sure way to destroy the JCC community

SLA land acquisition The sure way to destroy the JCC community

SLA has announced that they will acquire the whole of Jurong Country Club (JCC) in 2016. The land is required for the building of the High Speed Train (HSR) station and also general development i.e shopping centres, hotels, offices and residential homes.

Singapore has transformed itself from just a port and backward country to one of the more famous cities in the world. This is the 50th year of independence. In these years one can see tremendous amount of changes to the landscape. Whole villages have disappear and many iconic buildings torn down. In the name of enbloc development fairly new apartments and to the extent of an entire housing estate (outram park) are torn down. In all these events the human cost has never been factored. This round of land acquisition is probably one of the most glaring in this new land development. In involves a whole community that literally makes up 2 percent of our population.

The Jurong Country Club Community.

Most people will associate a golf club with golfers. JCC is more than just a golf club.

The Club was set up 40 years ago to provide for a recreational area and a green lung for the then upcoming industrial Jurong area. It was to be the recreational home for all the residents and working people in this new region of Singapore. This area was then fairly isolated from the rest of Singapore. Thus it was built on a sizable amount of land. This was an area of swamps and thus useful for a recreational area.

As such the club boasts of 8 tennis courts, an Olympic size swimming complex, squash courts (at one time even a competition squash court which is mothballed) and a huge driving range.

After a $24 million revamp in 2010, the club can boast of probably as one of the best playing golf course in Singapore. Few will know that in an extremely urban built-up area, we can built such a high quality golf course. This can be said as a marvel to all cities in the world.

My second home

JCC has 2800 members with the vast majority being golfers. A survey of its membership high lights that more than 60 percent of its members are above 60 years old. To many of these members JCC is their second home. It has become a fact of life they can be seen at the club daily.  I am sure in these behaviour is the same in all golf clubs in Singapore.

Generally golfers can be divided into 2 groups.

The exercise crowd.

Walking on the golf course is a very good form of exercise more so for those above 60’s.The majority had been active in their lives. Walking on the golf course be it with your spouse or friends is a very different experience than walking in the park. The views are fantastic.  Everyday just as the sun rises you will see many golfers lining up to tee off, many with their spouses. The majority are pulling their trolleys. Some will play 9 holes while the rest will play 18 holes. All of them look forward to these daily routines. Everybody knows each other. Even for the solitary walk-in golfer, everyone is most welcome to join in the game.

In the parks, most walkers are strangers. At most one would smile to another. On a golf course one is never alone, its always among friends.

The serious golfer.

The serious golfer comes mainly in the afternoon. They would have done their chores either taking care of their family (marketing with the spouse or settling down the grand children) or completed their duties in their business. Most of these golfers take the game very seriously. In fact some of them train like professionals. Some even invest in the latest clubs so that they can play a better game. The majority of this group are also participants in the social activities after the game.

Both these groups enjoy great camaraderie.  There are always cheers for the great shot. No body remembers the bad shot. Even long after the game the stories of the good shots never end.

Golf is a game of friendship. One plays off his handicap, so there is no advantage for youth neither for those with brawn. For any individual the game that is ever changing. As they say one can never hit the same shot twice. It is also a game where the beginner can play with a season player. The handicap system takes care of the difference in skill level. A full game takes about 4 and half hours. This is the perfect setting for those retirees to whilst away their time. For those in business it also gives them an opportunity to size up their partners and also an opportunity for intimate discussions.

The golf committee.

JCC is a members club. Thus members volunteer to sit not only on the management committee but also various committees to ensure the smooth and successful running of the club. 40 years of club history can attest to this dedication to volunteerism in Singapore. A golf club is a good place to cultivate volunteerism.

The greens committee.

After the $24 million makeover of the course, JCC has been hailed as one of the best course in South East Asia. In fact for its location in the city, there no other golf courses that can claim this title. Kudos must be given to the group of dedicated members who were not only involved in the construction but also maintenance of the course. The constant problems arising and finding solutions to solve them rest solely on a group of dedicated people whose rewards are just a pat on their shoulders. These are also people who have learned very special knowledge about developing a city base golf course. It is such a shame such expertise is not acknowledge by our government who is so keen to promote life long learning.

Recently the course was voted the third best golf course in Singapore. In the words of our captain it is because the two better clubs had much more money, land and prestige. I am sure all golfers from other clubs having played in JCC will attest to it.  

The Driving Range.

JCC boast very big driving range. This is the only driving range on the west side of Singapore that is easily accessible to the public. As an indication to importance, it is always crowded especially on weekends and evenings. There are a lot of golfers who are not members of any golf courses coming to hone their skills. The driving range is really a sports hub, where friends can meet.

The Golf School.

There is a golf school in the driving range. This caters to people from all walks of life. Most important there is a very active junior programme that allows very young people to take up golf. This school uses the smaller course in JCC to conduct real instructions. Not too long ago our government was promoting golf as a important sports. It seems they must have changed their mind.  The junior sports programme will definitely disappear.

The Sports Facilities.

Tennis section.

There are 8 tennis courts in JCC. This is probably the largest concentration of tennis courts in any club in Singapore now. Just like the golf junior programme, there is also a very active tennis program. Just check with the large Japanese community who send their children there for training. Once these 8 courts disappear it would be very difficult to find another place to play tennis. It will also mean the end of opportunities for tennis coaching.

Japanese children having lunch after their tennis lessons

The Squash section.

Squash is a dying sport in Singapore. However in JCC there are about 25 very active squash players who will meet 3 times a week to work out their bodies. These range from teenagers to many above 60 years old, in fact the oldest is 73 years old. The keenness of this core group is remarkable. They have strongly encourage their children to take up this sport. Quite a few have gone on to represent Singapore. Regular friendly squash gatherings are held with other clubs or associations.

The Swimming section.

This is probably the only Olympic size pool with competition facilities accessible to public training in the western part of Singapore. The distinct advantage is half the pool can be blocked up for training lanes without complains from other users. The training programs are very active. Plans were also drawn up to improve the swimming facilities to offer resort style settings.

Sadly Singapore has lost many of its public swimming pools. No doubt there are many pools in condominiums, they are not mean for training purposes as they are not built to sports standards. Increasingly our population is finding it difficult to find a pool as a source of exercise ground.

Swimming training in progress

Obviously there are many more sports and social activities found in the club. In fact the problem holding up the club from more activities is the government strict interpretation of built up area and its accompanying charges in exceeding such permitted allowance.

Can you imagine the view from that apartment? What price would you pay for that view? The value of the surrounding buildings will be greatly enhanced with this view.

Paradise lost.

Recently the botanical gardens obtained its designation of a Heritage site from Unesco. The government must have spent a lot of effort, time and money to obtain this status. If you ask yourself when was, it the last time you visited the botanical gardens, I am sure it most would have a hard time remembering.

Just like the Marina Bay area development, many hotels and offices surround the water giving them a unique view and ambience. Obviously just like Central Park in New York, many important buildings and luxury apartments can be built around JCC. When that theme is fully developed it will be the talk of the world crowd. Recently when the famous EPL football players came to Singapore, the first thing they did was to play golf!.

Most Singaporeans travel very far and wide to visit places they were told are paradise. In such areas the views are a dream to behold. Most of our houses are so cluttered that standing in any wide expanse of land is a sight to behold. If one lives in an apartment, most of the time you have to walk downstairs out of the building before you can see the sky. Obviously they did not know there is a paradise in Singapore at JCC.

Yes our society has developed very successfully. In fact we have become one of the nations with the highest per capita income. Many people feel they are left behind.  They see the trappings of the wealthy with the fast cars and expensive houses. Isn’t it a familiar enquiry when one Singaporean meets another Singaporean when they have just met, is the question where ones stay so that they can estimate your wealth. In the last general elections the wealth differential was seriously highlighted. So now it is politically correct to take away such opportunities for the better off crowd as a means of equalising our society.

From time immemorial, our country has encouraged setting up communities to take care of themselves, to take up active volunteerism, encourage a sporting and healthy lifestyle and undertake lifelong learning skills. These ideals do not seem to apply to JCC. Alas with our paradise soon gone, we may still meet up for a drink at the pubs or coffeeshop, gather in CCs doing line dancing, or greet each other as we passed on the park connectors and finally wake each other up at the library when it is time to go home.

A favourite place for senior citizens is the Chinatown library, enjoying the aircon and having a nap. We can save a lot of space and  money by taking out the books.

Personally I cannot understand why we must always tear things down just for the sake of development. Does building a few more apartments, shopping centres bring us greater wealth and the resultant happiness? The world shops online, does business on computers, who will use all these buildings when they are ready?

Finally we will never hear “Good Shot” again.

Bad Singaporean Eating Habits

Food courts probably started its existence in Singapore. In the early seventies, in the effort to clean up the Singapore river and the environment, it was noted that hawkers plying the streets was a big source of littering and hence contribute to the pollution of the drains leading to rivers becoming an open sewer. Thus food courts were set up to house hawkers. This enabled the authorities to control not only the cleaniless but also the associated pests such as rats and cockcroaches. The indirect benefit was competition among the stalls led to very cheap eateries that benefited the man on the street. It was also very convenient for the population as all the local varieties of food can be found under one roof.

This transformation did not come easy. Many hawkers were reluctant to move into such a buildings as they felt that pushing their carts along the road or siting their carts at critical junctions gave them an advantage in gaining business. Thus there were many “illegal hawkers” who had to run when enforcements police came to catch them. Over time with continuous enforcement and also hawkers seeing the benefits not moving around food courts are part of our landscape. They are also a must standard feature in large shopping malls with diners eating in zircon comfort.

However Singaporeans may live in a first world country but their eating habits are still very third world.  Singaporeans are very fond of eating but when they eat at food courts their habits don’t differ much from pigs. They mess up the tables with their left over, don’t bother to clean up and just walk away from the mess. Fortunately we have cleaners to come and collect the empty plates and dishes. With increasing labour cost, these have become a big problem. To a foreigner setting foot into a  food court seeing all those rubbish pile on the tables, one must thought they have entered a pig sty.

Look at the mess

see i can finish my meal on my tray without messing up the table

the tray return trolley but look how full it is. Shows that a lot of people follow the campaign but  food centre workers don't know what to do.

see how neat it can be

Many years ago when you enter a food court the hawker assistant will come and take your order. They will also deliver the food to you and collect payment. This ended when labour cost underwent the first round of increase. So one must now queue for his food and bring to his own table. So if one can do that why can’t one return the plates to the stalls?  This is the difficult part.

Recently the government has started a drive to encourage patrons of food courts to return their trays at least to the tray return station. Some patrons have cooperated but sadly many have not done so, thus the tables are still a very unsightly scene.

One of my golf kaki suggested a monetary system to incentivise the population. He uses the example of the supermarket trolley. When you return the trolley, you can get back the dollar coin. If you don’t then someone else can return it for you to claim this dollar coin. So if the hawker charges one dollar more for the tray, then this encourages the diners to return the tray for a refund.

this is the trolley return station there is a coin lock on the top part of the trolley

Others suggest as Singapore is a “fine country” where fines are impose for littering, spitting etc, the government should also impose a fine on those who does not return the trays or clean up after eating. Fines have worked very well and if they still litter the table, then the authorities can make them clean up the food court. Ha ha, this sounds a bit drastic but it seems we locals are used to this sense of punishment

. More than ten years ago, I was at cafeteria in a Swiss supermarket having lunch with my family. After eating as we were about to leave the service lady came running to us and pointed to the tray return place. She also asked us to wipe the table. On a more recent note, I was in a food court in a Chiengmai shopping center, all the patrons clean up and return their trays.

So how come we Singaporeans have this bad habit of not cleaning up after eating and returning the trays?.

Pain Free keyhole Surgical Removal Of Wisdom Tooth

Pain Free Keyhole removal of Wisdom Teeth.

Dr Seow Onn Choong

Last week a young lady walked into my clinic. Both sides of her face was swollen. She was obviously in a lot of pain. She was crying when she told me she had surgical removal of her wisdom teeth just 4 days ago.

Her left face was really swollen with an obvious haematoma. She told me that she had been not eating properly since she could not open her mouth and asked me to be very gentle. I reassured her that i will be very gentle as I have managed many of such conditions before.

On examination it was obvious the surgeon had made very large incisions to remove the wisdom teeth. To make matters worse there were many ulcers on her lips and her cheek. This is an indication the surgeon was very rough in handling the procedure.
As can be seen on photo lots of ulcers.

Why is there  a need to remove wisdom teeth.

The majority of people are born with the curse of the Wisdom tooth. There are usually 4 wisdom teeth in the mouth and they are the last molars to erupt right at the back of the mouth. There is a lot of variation in the numbers. Very few people are lucky not to have any wisdom teeth. Some have anything from 1 to 3 but 4 wisdom teeth is definitely the most common.

Not all wisdom teeth give rise to problems. Those who give problems are always associated with lack of space for proper eruption and thus the teeth are stuck. This is known as impacted wisdom teeth. Food gets stuck in the gap causing not only frequent swelling of the gums but also cavities. The most damaging consequence is when the tooth in front gets a bad decay resulting lots of work to save it. More often than not root canal treatment is required but the results may not be good and the tooth is eventually extracted.

Types of impaction.

Gum impaction.

These teeth are usually partially or fully blocked by the gums. Their removal is usually easy.

Bony impaction.

In this situation the tooth maybe partially or fully covered by bone. Those teeth that is lying horizontally poses the most difficulty as a gum flap is usually necessary followed by bone removal.

What is the possible reason why wisdom teeth cannot erupt normally?

Nobody really knows why the wisdom cannot erupt out normally. Maybe is an evolutionary problem. Why do I come to this conclusion?

The wisdom tooth usually erupts only after 18 years old. If one looks at history, dentistry as a profession did not exist about 100 years ago. So dental care was absent, not even tooth brushing. Dental decay was very common and most people would have lost some teeth before they reach adulthood. This is especially so for the first molars that erupt out when one is 6 years of age. Thus by the age of 18 the first molars would have broken down. Since the wisdom tooth comes out then, it can restore back the bite. Thus the last molar is known as the wisdom tooth because it comes out at the age when one is wise enough.

In the modern world this seems ludicrous. However if you know that more than 100 years ago the  life expectancy of most people were no more than 45 years you would be able to appreciate the importance of 4 more teeth.

My learning curve in pain free wisdom tooth removal.

Most dental students perform only a handful of cases during their student days. Even these few cases are selected ones so that no problem arises. As a young dentist I had my fair share of  my problems especially when along time is required. This usually ends up with a lot of trauma and unnecessary pain.

I found it extremely stressful and unrewarding in the struggle during the surgery. Thus I approached what was then the most famous oral surgeon in Singapore to teach me the art. He was known as the King Dentist because he drives a Rolls Royce then. He was very kind. He wanted me to spend some time assisting him so that I can see and learn. It proved to be a most invaluable lesson and since then i have little difficulty in the surgical procedure. Later I experimented further with different instruments and techniques so much so i can achieve literally pain and swelling free removal.

Pain Free Experiences.

My own daughter’s experience is a good example. On her second time of removal she was dressed up for sports. I asked her what she planned to do. She said she was going to play football after the operation. Wow I asked? She said after the last operation she rested at home and she was bored cos nothing happened. So this time she is very confident nothing will come about.

Another friend’s son came on Christmas eve. He was a university student. He was taking advantage of the long Christmas break. His story is worth listening. He had a dental student friend who persuaded him to be a demo patient by an oral surgery professor. To him it was a big mistake cos he said he suffered a lot during and after the operation.

That evening i sms his dad. The reply was “He is eating like a pig, absolutely no pain and he does not even feel that he had a wisdom tooth operation” How wonderful to hear such news.

Last year my ophthalmologist friend’s son was going to UK to study medicine. He needed a second wisdom to be removed. I had removed his one side and now it was the next side. She was so impressed by the first time she told me to document it and present it to my profession. I told her I doubt the profession will believe me cos i am just a gp dentist without the titles.

This is the latest feedback from one happy person

Hi Doctor Seow,

sorry this is so late, been rather busy. Anyway here's my experience on my operation.
It is my first time plucking out my wisdom tooth, i heard of many experiences where, people have to stay at home for 1 week because it is very painful, some of my friends, cant even take solid food, they just want to sleep the pain away. During the second day of work, my friend asked, "wow you pluck out your wisdom tooth and still able to eat?" and another friend asked my during supper asked "are you sure you can eat?" I told them, "i felt no pain after the operation." I believe they were surprised

Anyway do look at the pictures and see for yourself.

Before surgery

On recall 5 days later

Her xray

Before operation

Can't see the tooth in the mouth, buried tooth

On recall no swelling at all

His xray

The ideal age group to remove your wisdom tooth.

The wisdom tooth usually erupts at around 19 years old. This is also the best time to remove them. At this age the roots have not fully formed and thus not hardened. The bone socket they are in is still soft. This is to allow the roots to grow fully.  These are important factors that contribute to the easy  removal with much less risk of root fractures or damage to the inferior dental nerve.
As the site has not been affected by chronic infection or accumulation of bacteria colonies, healing is usually very swift and good. Infection usually cause further pain.. Without infections, antibiotics are not necessary at all.
A lot of people refuse to remove their wisdom tooth at this age usually due to ignorance. As a result with chronic food trap and inability to clean the site the neighbouring tooth develops a deep decay. By the time pain shows up the decay has affected the nerves.This  tooth needs root canal treatment followed by a crown. This is a troublesome and costly problem. As this is a difficult tooth to perform root canal treatment, most cases end up in failure and have to be extracted. All these suffering could have been prevented if the wisdom tooth is removed early.