Sometimes we're exposed to things we're unaware are detrimental to our health. While traveling, we often don't have the same control over our environment as we may have in our native countries. Eating in restaurants, buying medicines manufactured in areas with questionable standards, among any number of other situations may effect our bodies in ways we couldn't have foreseen. Sometimes those effects remain in the body and sometimes, those effects can be lessened, even healed through the cleansing our livers. Think of your liver as an air filter that traps all the dust, dirt, and other germs that circulate through the air. Imagine what an air filter looks like right … [Read more...]
How To Avoid MSG In Thailand
Eating MSG free in Thailand can be a difficult task. Most restaurants and vendors use it and deciding to cook for yourself can prove to be additionally difficult as most sauces and condiments contain the additive. Few labels list ingredients in English. The following is the result of years of trying to not be poisoned and often not succeeding. Some pointers: MSG In Grocery Stores Assume anything savory contains MSG. Should a food label list ingredients in English, any ambiguous word for flavouring added should be assumed to include MSG. When in doubt, the safest course of action is to only buy savory products (i.e. sauces, potato chips, shredded pork, nori) and other … [Read more...]
Vegan? Vegetarian? Here’s How to Do It in Thailand
Although not easy, particularly when one ventures out of cities heavily trafficked by Foreigners, eating both vegan and vegetarian are possible in Thailand. The following refers to traditional Thai food and culture, not Western restaurants. Often the latter will employ English speaking staff which will render your request of omitting ingredients much simpler should there be no available options on the menu. Traditionally Thai food doesn't contain dairy, this includes desserts. Dairy is usually consumed as sterilized milk, yogurt, ice cream and other forms of Western confectionery (i.e. chocolate). From my experience, your average roadside … [Read more...]
Rain Veins On My Window Panes
Generally I keep track of my training. I've got a little creme coloured imported Thai day planner I picked up at a Dollar Store in Canada I reference. I do this to keep tabs on the coin I owe the gym (I pay by the day) and to take note of my health. I'm sick often out here. Ninety percent of it is due to msg poisonings and other allergy and / or (dirty) food related issues. For example, when reviewing the last eight weeks of my life, I realized I was sick for five of the past eight Mondays. If I don't take this all down on paper, my brain efficiently washes it way. I don't see the patterns, I just live in the present and push forward. Keeping tabs on my … [Read more...]
Clean Heart, Dirty Heart
Training was almost finished. I was unlacing my gloves when the old man called my name. "Lolah", he pointed at the plastic bags of food on the kitchen table, parallel to the ring. "No msg. You can eat it!" He smiled gleefully into my eyes. "Oh! Awesome." I smiled back. Due to my extreme allergy to msg, my post training meal at the gym generally consists of a bowl of white rice and two to three eggs - sometimes boiled, sometimes fried, sometimes deep fried. The rest of the gym eats a variety of dishes. Buying food without msg in Thailand is difficult. People will lie to you. They'll say it's msg free when it isn't. They'll throw in … [Read more...]