Supplements

I came back from Japan with a pretty light shopping bag this time! I had a few specific things in mind that I just couldn't find anywhere. One of the items I was hoping to pick up is this -

How I came to know about this product 

During my solo trip last year, I caught an infomercial on a local shopping channel. The ad featured an elderly couple eating a supplement and then effortlessly tackling a flight of stairs. Being easily swayed by good marketing, I immediately wanted to try it—momentarily forgetting that seniors in Japan and Korea are naturally far more agile than I am! 😂

I couldn't track it down in pharmacies at the time, so I eventually forgot about it. But sometime in April this year, I chanced upon a YouTube video of Ghib Ojisan endorsing Suntory Sesamin. The name rang a bell, and I was thrilled to realize it was the exact 'stair-climbing' supplement brand I had seen on TV last year. Since it's available online now, I didn't hesitate to buy my first three bottles to give it a shot.

Glucosamine

I honestly don’t know how my right knee got so messed up. It all started years ago when I was completely obsessed with fitness—exercising 3 to 4 times a week and going for jogs right after dropping the girls off at school. But then again I wasn’t exactly that young anymore, it also could be some other hidden health problems. 

I’ve just been enduring the pain all this time. It’s got to the point where I have to skip sidekicks and jumpkicks in FightDo because my right knee just can't take the stress when I need to do a jump up, land on floor and kick. Even during cool-down stretches, every time I bend it, it makes this 'kiak kiak' grinding sound like a rusty, faulty bicycle 🤭. What kills me are stairs. Whether it's just 10 steps to the next floor or climbing an overhead bridge, my heart sinks and my brain immediately protests. I’ve tried over-the-counter glucosamine, but it honestly feels like taking a placebo—it does absolutely nothing.

I’ve tried 3 different glucosamine before - the seafood type, the vegetarian type and the last one with MSM. Maybe I needed a longer time to see the results? 

Review in Sep

Wow! This thing works. I’m into my last bottle now. I don’t deliberately climb bridges to test my knee. But there were a few times when I’m caught in a mall with non-functioning escalators. I walked up and somehow there wasn’t any pain at all. It’s like a total transformation! 

A comparison between Suntory and the normal glucosamine I took 

Then I switched to another glucosamine with MSM

And the comparison

My research seems kinda biased huh? But if this is working for me now, then I shall continue with this.

This 🇯🇵 trip

So yah! This trip I said I needed to top up my ah-pek ah-ma supplements coz it must be cheaper. No success. One staff at Aeon Noritake told me this is mainly by online shopping. I made a wasted trip there. Based on Mr Google, I’m left with the final two stops in the airport. One staff told me Suntory mainly sells their products online. Probably that explains it why I wasn’t able to find them in the huge pharmacies. Cleared immigration and I found it! 

¥10,600 / bottle?? That works out to S$86.71 which is more expensive than what I can get at home. UP is S$76. I was able to get bundle discounts for 6 bottles at S$68.40, and after stacking more coupons I paid lesser than $68.40

 Placed my order on 23rd and they arrived two days later. This time I’m trying the EPA DHA Sesamin for the first time 

The supplements I’m taking now

Apart from the morning Japanese brand ACV I’m still taking (I’m into my second bottle now. Don’t think I’m going to change to more yucky Braggs) these are the other supplements I’m taking now. 

Looks like a whole load of supplements I’m taking on a daily basis. But honestly I’m not complaining coz I’d rather take a whole load of supplements than a whole load of medications. 

In reality, 2 out of 5 are not important supplements 😆

I just realised 4/5 supplements I’m taking are Japanese brand

So what are the other supplements I’m taking for now? The others are mainly for 爱美 and now mainly trying to finish them so that I can buy back the other supplements I took before this. I’m taking (1) Biotin, (2) Fancl Beauty Rise and (3) DHC Blueberry with Lutein

(1) Biotin : coz my hair has dropped a lot when I was on keto and even now after stopping keto my hair seems to have not been as full and thick as before. I can’t even do a french chignon or bun (now look like siumai size). I can’t use the dainty chopstick hair thingy I bought in Seoul! 掉下来 😂. Maybe daily washing also attributed to the hair dropping faster? 😳 Dunno lah! I’m so depressed my hair is so little now.

(2) Fancl Beauty Rise : was during one of my meetup with batchgirl E who’s still flying. I asked her what she eats coz her skin is so flawless! She introduced this to me, so when I went for my solo I helped her get some (no japan flights rostered). I only bought 3 packs and each pack lasts 1 months. I totally forgot about this until I was tidying the medications/supplements cabinet, I only took them out to eat in June this year 🤦🏻‍♀️. Count 3 months later lah! Technically by right I should have finished it by now but coz I didn’t bring them during my last holiday so it’ll take slightly longer than 3 months to finish. Will I get this next time? Nope! I’m going to buy back the other collagen I took which I feel it makes my skin better. But perhaps coz this works internally so maybe it works? I mean I asked her and she took this and never seem to age at all. 

Found on 15th May. Took out and only started eating in June 

When I was at Takashimaya looking for her tablets, I saw the drink supplement but I didn’t want to try, coz most times I feel all the drink supplement tend to have sugar to make them palatable to drink. 

Out of curiosity, I made a comparison with the Purest Co collagen supplement I took previously. And yes, that hydration doink doink feel on my skin was real

(3) DHC Blueberry : another supplement she introduced. More for the eyes coz on screen most times. Will I get this next time? Nope! Although this is not expensive but I think I’d rather save the money and buy something else. I guess to protect my eyes I can cut down screen time? 👍

What I will be buying once I finish (2) and (3)?

Going back to Purest Co. And this time I’ll do the subscription, I don’t have to deal with stocking up boxes in the BS and it’s cheaper while on monthly subscription. 

They do have other supplements (KIV : Herbal Harmony for menopause) as well so I might check them out next time while I’m carting the above two supplements. Was also considering to make full use of Ms Thermie by making my own Immunity ginger shots (since I have 12 empty pudding bottles 🤣) , so …. 还有时间可以慢慢去想

Anyway, I will need to take magnesium, Vitamin D (sun!), Vitamin B12. Damn sianz, when one gets older our priorities change and we start looking for proper supplements to supplement the body losing the hormones and bone density. Will look for that next time. 

Tonsillitis - when will this end?

Jotted down this new blog entry on 23rd April. I’m just getting so frustrated over this #%^*!! tonsilitis shit. 没完没了. I’m not sure exactly when I’ll post this entry coz I’m going to consolidate the timeline of this damn tonsilitis journey. 

Follow up from previous posts : 

18th Oct 25 , 10th Dec 25 , 26th Feb 26 

The frustrations 

How I’m able to trace back certain dates is coz she tells me so I put it down in my phone calendar. But she dare not tell me automatically, I always need to know asap so I can quickly remedy. Usually by the time I hear the ahem ahem ahem or the kek kek kek (I get so sensitive) days would have gone by. I’d ask then she’ll spill the beans “actually xxx I already feel xxx.” WHAT?!?! When I find out it’s too late then end up need to take antibiotic. Why can’t she tell me sooner? Why doesn’t she take down notes and dates herself? Why does she leave everything to me. I go to the doctor and show them the notes from my phone instead of her. 

Freaking #%%*!!-ing recurring problem started since Year 1 (2023) and the MCs keep increasing every year. She gets well after an episode then after that 2 or 3 weeks later it comes back again. How much antibiotics has run through in her blood, her small body? Honestly it’s not just the constant frustrations, the naggings the scoldings it’s putting a huge toll of stress on me. The man is not exactly healthy also! I can only bear a certain amount of of stress and frustrations and worries myself. Now I’m beginning to wonder those people who simply give up and commit suicide, how desperate they must have been over issues they can’t handle. Will I reach to that state? The constant visits means spending so much $$$$ and we are no where near to curing the tonsilitis fully with no return episodes. 

Lots of the frustrations is cause here I am spending money to help her with it, there she is :

(1) sleeping late. And she’s not even studying now! School hasn’t started. She’s just sleeping late coz she’s watching her boards stupid Taiwanese dramas, swiping social media. Doing all the stupid rubbish things instead of sleeping. I should just make her do all the houseworks to keep her busy, then I’ll sit down and 翘脚。I’m always so busy but she’s so lazy free. 

(2) drinking so many cups of bubble tea with sugar, almost on a daily basis. Without checking, coz last time I remember with che-che’s acute bronchitis issue I had to restrict her sugar coz it causes some inflammation and then she’ll end up with phlegm and start coughing (which explains I had lots of arguments with mom last time when every time che-che will return to my home sick after staying over in Tampines and I have to end up spending money bringing her to see Dr Lee and let her take antibiotics. It was really lots of arguments, saying that I accuse them for giving in to her / give her little bit won’t cause anything. But it was proven time and time and time again she’s always sick. Did they pay for her medical expenses? NO! She stays over extremely happy, they good people but come back I become the person to bring her to see doctor and be the bad person.) So anyway, if it causes inflammation for che-che it will cause some sort of inflammation for lil’ one’s tonsilitis. 

As proven with these I took from Mr Google

(3) not gargling throat with salt water which is easily found in the pantry

TCM

Said months or year ago that perhaps I should look into TCM. I need to bring her to tcm coz it seems Dr Teo attempts can’t help her much. Sigh… But then so many times so busy until when I have time to rest I just want to nuah and lazy to leave the house. Hubby really bochap her, as if she’s not his daughter. 

What happened during our hols in 2026

In Jan hols - bought antibiotics from the doctor to standby. Turns out we had to use it

Feb - another episode. Made sure to check the throat is cleared and asked for antibiotics and soden to standby. Asked doctor what else I can do to help her. He recommended that she takes Vit C with zinc. And probiotics. 

March hols - again her throat hmmm….. told her to quickly gargle salt. Made her gargle twice a day. When I ran out of salt, I asked Che-che if she could bring some over since she was going to join us in Chongqing. She didn’t want coz it’s white in colour. 😂. Bought the smallest packet low-sodium salt in the supermarket. For this and the Jan trip I packed the Chinese thing I bought from the medical hall. 

In March we were in Chengdu and Chongqing - lots of spicy food. Though her spice tolerance is not that high I still forbade her to eat too heaty and spicy food. Nagged at her to drink water. Well she said her throat feels ok when she didn’t consume those food, so I think I’m doing something a little right. 

Starting on probiotics

During our March holiday I also did some research on  probiotics. 

So yah interestingly I learnt about probiotics benefits apart for gut health. And since I had to replenish my own probiotics and other supplement I bought one for her to boost up her IMMUNITY. The Purest Co has different kinds of pre+probiotic melts, I’ve never tried this before so it’s a hit or miss knowing how my girls hate things with fruity taste. 

Then I came across something called K12 probiotic. Put in cart, placed order on 23rd April and arrived on 27th April. So far till today (5th May) she’s only taken once when her throat pain. I can’t rmbr which date already) wah lau eh…. Need to ask her have a notebook and jot down. As explained to her, with all these notes we can bring it to the GP when we go next time. Hopefully this is a good maintenance method. I’m honestly so sick and tired of the stupid tonsilitis episodes. Don’t want tonsillectomy, have to make mother suffer with her (as if I don’t have other worries). 

Then be more automatic lah! Always need to keep reminding her to do so. Wah… I already complained in my previous post I was so damn pissed that I had to keep telling her to do this and that. Don’t take care of herself. I have other worries and things to do and my own health I need to take care. 

Happy that there were no episodes during the trip.  Hopefully the salt water helps, I mean it’s just something from the pantry not that difficult or expensive to get. My understanding is that tonsillitis is caused by bacteria building up. Maybe this girl super dirty so keep having bacteria in her mouth? 

Huge achievement to keep her away from Soden and antibiotics.

Back in SIN

29th Mar : AR : Start to get headache, throat abit pain. What the hell? Come back already….. she hasn’t had anything heaty or spicy leh. the change in weather? Holiday over then pain come back? TMD #%^*!!

23rd April : Said sharp pain throat last night (22nd April). So started with Soden in late afternoon. In total took 2 times, 4 tablets in total. Took for how many days after. Aiyoh! Told this girl to take note herself on piece of paper and she can’t rmbr when I ask her how many days she took. One person how to take note of everyone’s health. I cannot keep track leh! 自己的健康不注意⚠️

In between 23rd n 28th : suddenly like hear runny nose. Damn scared. Asked her to take flu medication. 

Sigh…… I’m mentally and physically exhausted leh! 

28th April : visited mom in hospital without her. Ideally to bring her to visit grandma but she barely got well herself, so not bringing her to hospital a place filled with germies.

Thought she was ok with the flu. Then on 5th May heard her sniffing again. Aiyoh! We hardly go anywhere also leh! Ok… there’s another thing which I hate the kids and the man don’t do post-covid. Especially the man, he’s vulnerable and he don’t take care of himself. I know there’s no more Covid but they still don’t bother with the cleaning hands etc.., 

7th May (Thu)

Meant to post out my blog 2 days ago hoping that I’ve kept everything in control but ….. *another 😕😮‍💨. 没完没了。It’s been keeping me on my toes all the time and I barely had any mental break from this worry. 

Told me last night she felt a sharp pain (it’s always that one time deep dagger stab pain and/or sudden headache that means the episode is coming up again. So sianz 😮‍💨

Started her on Soden again, noticed left with 4 more which will only last Saturday morning dosage. No matter how tired I am, how much work I keep thinking I have to do at home I had to drag her to the doctor after my Fight-Do. OMG! That was the longest wait in the clinic - 2hrs! Dr Ang told me to see how she sleeps. (1) if she sleeps with her mouth open (2) hear if she snores. Ehhhh……I think not easy to check on her coz (a) she sleeps late. I can’t be checking on her or not sleep myself to keep checking on her. I might end up dozing off until the next morning (b) because she needs to be in deep sleep to start snoring, if she snores, so when can I check? I’ll be the one snoring instead. 

Medication given : 

EXNISE (MOMETASONE) 0.05% NASAL SPRAY 

SODEN (NAPROXEN) 275MG TAB 

ATRIZIN (CETIRIZINE) 10MG TAB

Spent in total : $65.20

Yay! No need to take the antibiotics. Told her I still have the antibiotics I took from her in February, I stuck it on our medication/vitamins cabinet door like those “BREAK GLASS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY” display. 

10th May (Sun) 

Messaged bro for help. I wanted to prepare a template and then print it out for her to write down (if she ever does!) whenever she feels the pain. But coz I didn’t know if I was doing it correctly and what else I missed out so messaged him for help. Advised to add more rows, told that medication usually takes 1-2hrs to work so she needs to check back / take note again after that. 

这也不是办法。我咬着牙根，带她去看中医了

14th May (Thu) : 1st sinseh visit (3 days medication. $65)

Dragged my tired body to bring her to see sinseh. Had things to do but this is important. Plus I have this bad habit of hating to go out of the house very often, so I always do everything I can in one outing. 

First time he’s seeing her, no past records so he needed some understanding. I’m just so thankful that he can speak English. 

She was so happy when she saw the liquid medicine. “Mummy is this my favourite black black medicine? The one I drank before?” She was holding the plastic bag swinging it happily as she traipsed to the car, it’s as if she was going home with a bag full of candies. 😂 This girl is so funny. 

By the time we finished the visit and reached home, she took her first of two dosage daily at 4.10pm

17th May (Sun) : 2nd sinseh visit (one week medication. $86)

Still trying to understand her body constitution. She “lacks water”, so should drink more water. In a day I think I only drink 1litre or if very busy no time to stop for drink. She drinks even lesser than me. Is it coz I never boil her her weekly 花生根 already? But I cannot find the peanuts anymore!! I mean if I think of when I actually stopped giving her would be more than a year back already. The herbs are still in my fridge. Maybe I also cook soup for dinner now? 

Thought her this point to press if she feels the pain. 

24th May (Sun) : 3rd sinseh visit (one week medication. $86)

I asked 谢医师 why does she have inflammed tonsils to begin with then? 

He asked me if I know how to see the tonsils. Demonstrated by shining the torchlight in his throat. Wah! It’s like the Tianmen can see fully 

Sugar laden drinks avoid but this girl don’t listen

Proven that it’s not good :

Same same as when Che-che last time everytime eat sugar will have phlegm. And a lot of unpleasantries when I keep telling mom not to give her too much sweets when che-che stayed over last time. She stay there happy happy, come back end up I have to suffer and treat her (see doc, deal with the coughing, wasting money to see doctor), then mom says I’m over-reacting the sweets she ate is not a lot.  

28th May (Thu) - hubby sick. From where? Outside contamination? Was only worried about hospital contamination coz he didn’t even bother to wear mask even though I gave it to him. Should I even have a blog about him always falling sick n the person who got covid the most times?? Just visited hospital on Wed. Ok there’s a reason most times when I need to visit my mom I don’t ask him along coz he is immuno compromised.

He was coughing, sniffing, and it got worst the days but still refuse to see doctor and I dare not give him medications coz not advisable with current medications he’s on. 

29th May (Fri) - then she told me her throat was slightly itchy yesterday. What?!?! 

And has she been pressing the points? I’m fed up leh! 20 years old and I still need to tell her but she don’t do. Tell her to gargle throat, drink lots of water now that she’s not in school yet. Have ample free time to do all rheee. HTS also don’t do. Wah… damn fed up with her. Should I even bother with her, bother to bring her see sinseh or should I just let her suffer the tonsil pain. Don’t fuck care about her anymore . 

30th May (Sat) : 4th sinseh visit (one week medication $86)

So lucky saw sinseh first, she’s probably caught the flu bug from daddy. My goodness! The man started coughing and runny nose on 28th (Thu). So where he got it from I don’t know he could have gotten from outside or the hospital visit to mom on 27th, a public holiday. There’s a reason why I don’t like to make the hubby to go to hospital for visits coz he’s immunocompromised AND HE DIDN’T WEAR MASK. Ok so I must state why I’m edgy with him since Covid. He is the only one in the family who got Covid the most number of times, bochap wearing mask + don’t sanitize hands. Why I was so hard up on him getting Covid? Coz the moment he gets a cough, it turns very chesty macam kena TB like that. Ppl take few days to recover, he takes weeks to recover. 

Sinseh wanted to do acupuncture but timid girl didn’t want. Even refused cupping! 🤦🏻‍♀️ I had to tell her to do it coz it’ll get the “heat” out from her. That girl saw the flame and thought sinseh was going to burn her skin. Sigh….. stuck on her neck for only 5 mins and she made it sound like she had the bamboo cup on her for 5 years like that! 

Actually when I saw this, I was so tempted to do guasha at home

Silly girl says she has backache for 3 days after the cupping. I thought it’s too exaggerated I put so many cups on me also no backache

I was so worried about her falling sick, that girl is such a weakling. But she did say she felt so much better after that. The miracle of TCM! 

7th June (Sun) : 5th sinseh visit (one week medication $86)

Just a day before I told her if the sinseh feels that doing cupping will help her, do it. Cupping will help to extract the toxins out of her. And that’s what we want recovery not a stagnant existing problem 藏着不放 . She started her 唠唠叨叨 backache for 3 days. 3 days better than suffer longer right? I just want to whack and knock her out then he can do the cupping on her. 

Mentioned to sinseh about the backache, then he commented coz she was so tense when he did it. Haha! 她自己自造麻烦。

Spent the longest time of all our visits today, almost 2hrs in the clinic. I think once things get more stable, hopefully so coz I dunno what will happen when school starts, then maybe I should request for 2 weeks medication.

 

Given the same ‘not so nice’ medication.

7th June (Sun)

Back at home shouting singing songs with her sister. Maybe she was happy that her throat was finally looking/feeling good? 

8th June (Mon)

Put 板蓝根 in chrysanthemum drink. So I told him that I do boil this for her regularly. He clarified that me putting in 板蓝根 or 石斛 or 金银花, or my thinking that she’s heaty is wrong . She merely lacks “water” but it’s ok to let her drink. For her, if she eats one fried stuff she needs to drink lots of water.  

Now I need to cook soup when I cook dinner. Cooking soup is always a hit and miss with hubby (the soup mainly drank by them) who always complains dunno what I’m cooking.  I follow recipe to the T and exclude sugar - that’s it! Doesn’t like it. 

9th June (Tue)

Says throat pain. OMG! Saw her hitting her head. 

14th June (Sun) : 6th sinseh visit (one week medication $86)

Everything ok last week and I was so happy until she had that concert. Told sinseh Andy Lau sing for so many hours also no problem, she sing less than that kena sore throat 🤦🏻‍♀️. 

Said she’s 阴虚火旺

21st June (Sun) : 7th sinseh visit (one week medication $86)

Says her 脸色 is so much better and nicer now. Put something else on her medication to 调 her girly monthly thing. 

22nd June (Mon) 

Cooked soup as one of the dinner dish 

28th June (Sun) : 8th sinseh visit (one week medication $86)

Lunch : Drink abit Tom yum soup, throat abit burning so stop drinking 

Dinner - she has the non-spicy basil chicken leftover. Cooked plain porridge for her

5th July (Sun) : [sinseh not there. TCM Lim Siew May attended] 9th visit ($86)

She told me I can help to do guasha on her spine, can use ruyi you. Wah…it really seems like forever since I heard this oil again. Yah I went to buy but how to guasha? 

19th July (Sun) : 11th sinseh visit ($86)

16th Aug : 15th sinseh visit ($86)

Can’t remember what was consulted. I had all consultations since Day 01 audio recorded but I’ve transferred them out of the phone to create space for holiday. As my post is late, I can’t seem to trace back some details. 

Trying out to stretch medication for 2 weeks means she takes medicine once a day

Reminded her on the fishy point again 

30th Aug (Sun) : 16th sinseh visit $162 for a month medication (in total spent $1517 since May) 

He wanted to give us two weeks medication but I told him we’ll be away when she’s due for visit, if I can stretch to one month instead or 3 weeks. 

Immediately he gave instructions to staff outside to write down her English name on the medications. So considerate! Was given two sets of medication,

Sinseh told us the medication is for once a day. He gave small empty bottle just incase I needed to transfer the little leftover to bring overseas. 

26th Sep (Sat) : 17th sinseh visit $186 for a month medication. $1703 in total

He forgot what she was there for. Thought she’s sick. I’m glad she’s not. I think I shall stop blogging about her TCM tonsilitis treatment, all future visits will just be recorded for my own records. I will start claiming back $$ from her when she starts working. Nevertheless I’m glad that she didn’t have to do the tonsectomy surgery and we found the root problem. 

** edited

I actually had this post—along with 25 others—completely ready to publish in one go. But after our trip to the sinseh on Saturday, 24th October, I figured I needed to update it. (Honestly, I might even need to change the title!)

This was our 18th visit, costing $186 for a month's worth of medication. When the sinseh asked her how she felt during the recent haze, we were both pleasantly surprised when she didn't feel any discomfort at all. 👍 According to sinseh, the haze (altho we hate it) was the ultimate testing ground! Because of this, he’s officially stopping her tonsillitis treatment. Does that mean she’s discharged?! 😬

Instead, he’s shifting the focus to balancing and strengthening her body constitution. His prescription in the meantime to prevent any tonsillitis flare up ? Drink more water, gargle with salt water, sleep early, and—crucially—GET SOME EXERCISE!

I constantly nag this lazy girl, but she just refuses to move. I’m truly fed up. I hope she can see this with Mom as a warning. Because Mom hasn't been moving around, she went from walking to not being able to lift her legs at all in just 11 days of me not seeing her. I worry the same thing will happen to [name/lil' one] if she stays inactive—she's only hurting her own health. If she won't take care of her own life and health, there's only so much I can do. I just hope she doesn't regret it later when something happens to her —by then, it'll be too late for regrets (吃后悔药都没用了!).