Himalaya Herbals: Triphala Review

I have always suffered from bloating. I love food but eating in general makes me uncomfortable, due to the after effect. Bloating not only makes my belly bigger than it really is, I end up being gassy at both ends until the food digests.

I learned that some people have missing enzymes in their stomach that causes them to digest certain types of foods inefficiently. That certainly rings true for me as some of the food that I eat simply doesn't digest! (How I know? I looked back to examine my er...'brownies' and saw that the food I chewed remained as bolus and not 'brownies'). Therefore I am convinced that my stomach is missing some digestive enzymes.

This poses a huge problem, as the foods that you eat determines the health of your second brain, the GI-tract. The GI-tract contains beneficial bacteria that helps in digestion and absorption of food. So imagine having a wonky stomach content and the GI-tract unable to recognize the breakdown of the digested food, because the undigested bolus interrupts the GI-tract and...you get the picture.

When I bake brownies in the wazoo, the experience had always been unpleasant for me. Some days I am positively a musical human march band.

So I began to research foods and supplements that would help in digesting my foods, also act as my digestive enzyme that would not irritate my GI-tract. You see, we're essentially looking at probiotics here. 

Yoghurt is the easiest and convenient access to probiotics but the ones on the supermarket shelf has preservatives and sugars in it. Did I mention that my stomach can't also digest sugar effectively?My research explains why I seem to have fatty deposits on specific parts of my body; making me look completely out of shape. There's also another problem: I am lactose-intolerant. So yoghurt, easily accessible as they may be, 1) I can't digest fucking milk, 2) it has sugar. Both of which would only worsen my condition. 

So I researched probiotics and supplements similar to that. I found Triphala. Pronounced tree-palla. 

What is Triphala? According to Banyan Botanicals, literally meaning “three fruits”, triphala is a traditional Ayurvedic herbal formulation consisting of three fruits native to the Indian subcontinent: Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bibhitaki (Terminalia belerica) and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula). 

Benefits listed are as follows:

Assists natural internal cleansing

• Gently maintains regularity
• Nourishes and rejuvenates the tissues
• Supports healthy digestion and absorption
• Natural antioxidant

I have found the magic elixir that basically cured my digestive health. The first few days I started on this capsule, I had the shits like there was no end to it. Triphala does that you see: cleanses your gut, liver and spleen of impurities and toxins. After approximately 5 days, I noticed absolutely incredible changes in my digestive health.

I am no longer a walking human trumpet, there are farts here and there but not as frequent as before. I poop regularly, my bloating stopped.

This doesn't mean I can eat those foods whose enzymes had been missing. Nay, I still eat food where the sugars are naturally occurring like some fruits and veges. The odd teh tarik and milo panas now doesn't bloat if I pop in 2 capsules after eating. I eat 2-3 capsules right after eating and the results have been tremendous. I no longer suck my stomach to hide the bloat nor do I waddle like I am 4 months pregnant.

My stomach is slowly becoming flatter as Triphala also assist in weight loss if taken with proper food and exercise.

The brand I am using is Himalaya Herbals' Triphala vegan capsules. At the time I bought this, there was sale but I ended up buying only a bottle as I did not know how well it worked for me. Had I known, I would have bought boxes of it!

So if you a gal (or gent) that suffers from bloating and indigestion like me, try this.

DISCLAIMER: Make sure you research thoroughly about Triphala like I did before deciding to go ahead with it. This magic elixir is extremely potent and reacts differently in some people!

The Innocents (2016): Review

A Polish-French movie set in WWII Poland in 1945, tells a story of a young French nurse who ends up helping some pregnant nuns in a closeby church.

The movie beautifully explores PTSD, doing what is right despite your believes, questioning your faith and everything you have lived by your entire life.

The nun's lives are changed forever by the French nurse Mathilde, who takes greats risks to travel between her French Red Cross mission and the church, while avoiding invading Russian soldiers. 

The movie may be jarring and uncomfortable to some, but this was based on a true story. Of how a lone young woman protected a group of vulnerable nuns from relieving their nightmares for the umpteenth time.

The ending is bittersweet but satisfying, thanks to Mathilde's bravery and excellent presence of mind.

A truly woman-positive movie that we all deserved.

Acting was natural, emotions were delivered calmly yet remained powerful in their impact. The quiet resilience theme of this movie is what got to me the most, being a non-dramatic person myself.

Highly recommended. Does not portray women as simpering ninnies, but women who are broken by their repeated nightmares yet still finding the strength to live.

Director Anne Fontaine carved the delivery of this movie sensitively, with a lot empathy and projected kindness for women who's live revolve around suffering alone.

Malaysian Passport Renewal via Online

Consider this a long overdue review. My laziness knows no boundaries.

Ever since we received the irresponsible news from Malaysian Immigration that passport booklet stock is in a deplete and that renewal could take up to 6 months, Malaysians flocked to Immigration Offices, queue-ing up from 3am onwards just to get numbers; travelling became a nightmare.

I have been a victim of this too, sacrificing my well-deserved weekends queue-ing up at immigration offices only to find that I am unable to get a number (angka giliran).

Fearing for my impending overseas travel in 3 weeks and my passport expiring in 3 months, I had no choice but to put my hands on the MyOnline Passport system that commenced in 03 Sept 2016. I began my application on the very next day.

Paying online was a hassle, a damned nightmare as the FXS payment system was permanently down, promptig me to refresh for the millionth time and even sacrifice my lunch breaks at work to sit in front of the computer and eat while damnably clicking refresh. While at home, on the 4th Sept (Saturday), FXS payment was finally up and I managed to make payment. E-Receipt was issued and my instruction was to come the next day (6th Sept, Sunday) to collect at my chosen Immigration office. I chose the Pudu UTC as it is nearest to my office. I could just pop in after work.

So I sacrificed yet another weekend, as collection was only between 9.00am-4.30pm. So after one hour journey from home, I gleefully reached the Pudu office only to be told collections are never on weekends  but weekdays only. I shoved the receipt on his face and pointed that I am following instructions.

He then pointed to an instruction, conveniently printed in small font, that says collection is only from Monday-Friday with the times specified above. I fumed. I fumed at the very polite and apologetic immigration officer, I fumed during my entire journey home. I fumed at the Malaysian Immigration customer complaints page.

I decided to wait one week to give these guys leeway in preparing my passport. I went back Friday the next week around 3.00pm and thankfully I was given a number as I was an "online payment" customer. I waited 15 minutes for my number to be called only to be told that my picture is wrong. So the very polite and patient immigration officer (he was tho, I am not being sarcastic) apologized and took my picture and told me that after this I can collect, just wait for my number.

I am a very prepared and resourceful young woman you see, anticipating the long wait commonplace in government offices, I brought my knitting needle and yarn. Let the wait begin.

I waited for exactly one hour when my number was called. I finished a simple square dishcloth by that time.

Apalagi, gumbira lah dapat passport baru. Signed the forms, new passport and retrieved the old one.

Went home. I actually stood in the Immigration office hallway and just LOOKED at my shiny new passport. Doesn't matter that my passport photo looked like a mugshot. I had a new passport valid for 5 years. I don't have to think about this caboodle of a mess for another 5 years.

And that folks, recounts my nightmare of a journey getting a new Malaysian passport.

Lessons Learned:

1. Always pick up your passport on a working day.
2. Your photo uploaded online may very well be rejected by the system, so prepare to get a new one at the office anyway.
3. You will wait long. Bring a book to keep yourself occupied, like me with my yarn and knitting needle.

My Experience with Wazoo

Let's call it...Wazoo. I didn't use Tinder because it requires Facebook log in. Plus, fuck Mark Zuckerberg.

I thought at my age, my dating prospects aren't looking very good. Guys my age are either up for a lay, laying guys or laying someone else. Also not forgetting the 40+ men who are strangely not married yet but thinks it's okay to creep on girls my age.

I am looking for something that would eventually turn into marriage or long partnership. So I thought, let's make this dating apps and website a strictly experimental thing before I decide how to approach this whole dating game on my own way, a way I deem the safest.

I have read horror stories from people who used Tinder/Grindr, Wazoo, PlentyofFish, OkCupid and Match.com. I jumped into this sea of online dating knowing full well I would have my own share of creepypastas. I am not disappointed. I have never, ever planned to meet my Mr. Right on anonymous dating platforms where anyone can be anything. I am not looking for a double life here.

I have had guys who were so persistent they would view my profiles several times a day, send me barfing-ly sweet messages every few days, and assign endearments without even getting to know me (and I didn't give them a chance either, why would I? They have desperate written all over their faces).

I have also had the absolute pleasure of viewing profiles that were basically looking for women that don't exist. There's always 'those' guys who write like they're a serious catch and explicitly state they don't want girls of a certain ethnicity or religion. Wow. Charmer. Your mama must be so proud. I pity the girl who gets stuck with you, pal.

And then you have the genuine profiles of such good-looking men with successful careers; those who REALLY don't need dating sites to meet someone. Its just makes you wonder why and what, an all-rounders guy doing here? What dark Christian Grey-secret is he hiding? Honey let me tell you if you see a good looking guy, with a good career and active social life in a dating website, something is seriously wrong with him. Girls in his own environment don't want him, that's why he's here. I can speak for myself too, but I make it explicitly known that I am not expecting to meet anyone. This is not some Katherine Heigl romance movie, this is real life.

So what are my options? What piece of work is laid for me?

Oh God, I think I am mentally scarred. Most dating platforms gives you the option to filter the kind of people you wanna meet but my god holy shit. No. God no.

I lasted ONE WEEK on Wazoo (because this dating app looked really respectable TBH, kinda glad to be disappointed on this one. Tinder straight up showed me how trashy the people in there are).
Suffice to say, for the moment I'm gonna ruminate on the fact that I am safely single, but would thread the waters carefully before getting ready to mingle.

Anime Review: Bobby's Girl (1985)

This anime has several names: Bobby ni Kubitakke, Bobby in Deep and Bobby's Girl.

An early Madhouse production before the studio rose to megastardom, this anime was one of the first animes to be produced and ultimately buried as 'better' things has taken up demand. It was considered a lost treasure when a fan unearthed their collection and found it. What followed was an arduous but professional restoration job. The original VHS material was damaged by age and un-use. As a result, the restored version as a 'foggy' and 'blunt' lined around the animation.

Started off as an experimental anime that uses novel animation styles (for that time period), Bobby's Girl is a very calm storyline, with a heavy gloom of bittersweet aura underneath it.

Akihiko "Bobby" Nomura is a 17 year old who does not care much for his education. He lives, breathes and sleeps on his blue motorcycle. His slacker attitude is his militant father's bane but he has a supporting younger sister who appreciates Bobby's passion for motorcycles.

Bobby ultimately decided to quit school and work several odd jobs including in a biker cafe frequented by professional riders, coincidentally named Bobby's Cafe. The cafe has on its display a magnificent antique black racer bike, which is probably the reason Bobby asked to work there. Bobby's father, furious at his decision, booted him out. His sister reports to him from time to time on what's happening at home.

A girl from a faraway Japanese district had seen pictures of Bobby of when he submitted his photos to a biker magazine, appearing to have fallen in love with him. She sent him a romantic and airy letter and the two began corresponding. While her letters are long and sweet, Bobby replies in short, straightforward replies. He does enjoy reading her letters but admitted to being awkward with her.

The girl confessed that she is lonely. Bobby asked that she calls him sometime and gave her his number. She arranges to call him on August 10th at 6.00pm, her birthday.

The manager and owner of the cafe saw Bobby's passion for motorcycle and brought him to his barnhouse that serves as a club of sorts for professional and retired bikers alike to hang out. Bobby appeared to have an epiphany. During the epiphany, he remembers that he had made arrangements to call the girl (today!) and raced back home. The ending sequence is a breathtaking pencil animation, an absolute visual treat.

A truck is seen coming from the opposite direction and Bobby was sent flying into the air.
The phone in his room rings at 6.00pm, with the audience knowing that Bobby would never be able to take that call.

The handful of reviews of this anime had called this anime a drivel; ordinary plot with extraordinary visualization; orgasmic animation sequence etc.

I think this story is fantastic. 40 minutes long but it perfectly captured the awkward teen melodrama, the 'floating' phase where a young person does not think about the direction in their lives and a lot of missed opportunities and unsaid feelings.

It was a truly bittersweet treat to watch this anime.

Highly recommended, just for the sake of taking a look into Madhouse's early production works: 9/10

Bobby (left) resembles Nicholas Brown (right) from GANGSTA a little too much. Secret love child? XD

Richard Huckle Must Die

The filth that is making headlines globally for his sexual abuse exploits in Malaysia, Cambodia and other Asian countries is making headlines.

Tipped off by an Australian Intel, authorities in the British side of things were waiting to pounce on him and make sure he pays for the heinous things he did.

He has a total of 91 counts of child sex offences against him of which 71 of it he had admitted to doing. Most of the depravity being committed in poverty stricken orphanages across Asia. These are the voiceless children who are ignored by society and left to the charity of donations and volunteers.

This filth used the desperation and trust by those caring for impoverished vulnerable children, in the guise that he wants to help them. His every move and plans were calculated and cautious as he only wanted one thing: to bamboozle the children who were unrepresented by society. Because no one essentially cares for these kids, it makes them the perfect target. The filth used this disadvantage, to his advantage.

The filth's depravity and its kinds have no boundaries. Among his depravities:

1. He had a three year old girl whom he had likened to a "loyal pet dog" that he could use as he pleased. He said that he's "getting bored of her" as she's "very willing".

2. He wrote a 60-page manual on how to target vulnerable children as "they are easy". He was about to publish them.

3. Sells images of him abusing children to the other filths in the dark web.

4. Kept a ledger that served as a scoreboard whenever he managed to push his depravity one level further, making him more daring to one-up his activities.

5. Would jump from one impoverished children's shelter to the other, making collections for himself and his fellow filths.

6. Prided in not getting caught for so long.

7. He asked to look at his pictures before he agreed to admit to his offences. The people in the court actually had to watch him salivate at the pictures he took of those poor children before he admitted to be the filth that he is.

Arrested in Gatwick Airport UK, he admitted to his parents that he was a pedo. He had since been disowned and his parents relocated somewhere else.

This filth had literally sauntered across Asia, abusing children getting more brazen as he travelled.

He had the nerve to say he's sorry. He's only sorry he got caught, he had absolutely enjoyed committing his crime. So no, this filth can't back away now that he's where he's supposed to be, and hopefully will be for the rest of his life: this filth must be chucked into the prison at once and by jove I hope the prisoners in the murder him brutally.

I feel sorry for his parents who had to raise this filth as a son. They don't deserve this.

In short, Richard Huckle must die. Bring back the death penalty in the UK for this scum.

Bahubali (2015) Review

WARNING: NOT SPOILER-FREE.

Smashing is the word that comes into my mind to describe this movie.

Excellent camerawork, engaging storytelling, compelling acting and all-round superb filming. That 40 million budget was put into VERY good use.

Princes, Queens and Kings actually LOOKED their part. And might I add that Ramya Krishnan was BOSS as the QUEEN. If someone told me she is the queen, I would fall at her feet going "Amma, deivameh!".

I am too overwhelmed to describe how awesome this movie was because the entire time I was beeming with pride on seeing such a well-conceived South Indian film.

Where do I start pinpointing this movie’s excellence?

1)      Female characters with substance

The feminist in me was screaming YAS BITCH YAS seeing women in such important roles getting the same respect as the male characters. The women in this movie are not dolled-up damsels in distress waiting to be rescued. One was a nursing mother, a Queen no less who kicked ass in a dagger while holding a baby in her arms. The next scene was of her breast-feeding babies while having an audience with her royal council which very quickly turned into a bloodbath. And she was not done breastfeeding her babies.  I don’t think even Western movies would depict a woman kicking ass while carrying a child. Did I also mention she walked miles with an arrow on her back carrying a child, killing two assailants while she was bleeding to death? THIS is the kind of strength I wanted to see in female characters.

All hail the Queen!

Tamannah to a certain degree was impressive in her role as a warrior. But her overacting killed it. I got a new sense of respect for her – getting down dirty in mud and wet with blood and muck all over is a very fresh thing to see from her usual roles of pristine, shining beautiful bishoujo. I felt like the director/producers wanted to keep that pristine pretty lady image of hers because I felt that her character could have been ‘more’ than a love interest. Her character development became stunted when she met the Protag.

Fun Fact: Typical sexism in Indian cinema. Not ONE depiction of Tamannah in her warrior outfit when I tried googling it. 

2)      Animation

I wouldn’t compare it to Avatar, but South Indian movies are notorious for using comical aniation quality. I mean look at the disappointment that is Kochaidaiyaan. Good script botched by abysmal animation. But we’re talking about Bahubali here. The animation in this movie was smooth and compatible with the flow of the movie.

This guy was scary-awesome weyh. 

3)      Costumes

This movie is a 3-hour long costume porn. I was jizzing the entire time. The amount of work and dedication put into the costumes were very, very commendable. Beautiful, stylish and practical. The costume and makeup of the Kalakeya people are something to behold! I am even glad that they took the trouble of inventing a ‘barbarian’ language.

4)      Background sceneries

This movie does not disappoint MARK MY WORDS it’s like taking a gander on paradise.

Them abs. UNF.

5)      Acting talent

Apart from Tamannah’s overacting – everyone else was pretty on point with their roles. Everyone nailed their roles flawlessly. It was easier as the younger actors were quite easy on the eyes! Cucilah mata habis-habis! The natural acting was one of the star points of this movie – even the extras were chosen carefully. An epic like this, you can’t have rookies.

6)      Cinematography

The war sequence of this movie is definitely the highlight of this film, apart from the Portag’s gorgeous abs, of course ohoks.

So to sum it up – this movie is worth every penny.

If you’re the kind of machas and machis who prefer garbage like Maari or masala films, I advise you to still watch this movie, in the hope that you will learn to appreciate quality films.

10/10 would recommend.