Shuang Hor Lingzhi : Greenhouse Farm

A quick tour to Double Crane's (Shuang Hor's) very own Lingzhi farm in Taiwan. It's the largest Lingzhi plant in the whole world with the latest technology for the best quality of Lingzhi species cultivated in the Greenhouse Farm.

Cloth diapers : Care

Now you want to try Cloth Diapers (CD). What's next?

We need to know how to care for them. The use of normal liquid detergents is a NO-NO for baby wears. It's because the residual traces from the chemical products on the clothing will cause skin irritation when our body perspire. For babies, this is dangerous as the harmful ingredients may penetrate into the skin and causes chronic diseases such as eczema.

I've encountered two famous CD brands on the web; Grovia and Rumparooz, and surprised with 2 different approaches they are pursuing. Being a curious consumer, I contacted them via e-mail regarding the recommended CD cleaning products.

Grovia, from its website, discourages the use of enzyme cleaners while Rumparooz on the other hand, encourages it. Hurm...

So these were their replies to my inquiry :

From Rumparooz : We highly recommend the use of detergents that contain enzymes

"When caring for your diapers we simply have suggestions and recommendations. I am not familiar with the product that you are using so I can not speak about it specifically. The number 1 thing that is most important when caring for diapers is to make sure that you are using a detergent that has enzymes. Enzymes are natural and biodegradable and they have specific "roles" in cleaning. There are enzymes that break down fats and enzymes that break down proteins and both of these enzymes should be present in your detergent to get the diapers clean. Without them the filth and poop is not cleaned from the diapers."

but here is the reply from Grovia : DO NOT use bleach, enzyme cleaners or fabric softeners

"Thank you for contacting us regarding your interest in our products. We do not recommend the use of enzyme cleaners in cloth diapers for two reasons. First, if the enzymes are not throughly rinsed from the fabric, they can actually work their "magic" on baby's bottom, resulting in irritation and rash. Secondly, repeated use of enzyme cleaners will cause the materials to wear more quickly, as with regular use over time they will also eat away at the cotton soaker pads. Enzyme cleaners do an amazing job of eliminating organic wastes, but if they aren't rinsed throughly they can eat away at both baby and diaper, and therefore we don't recommend their use for diapers. If you do further research on cloth diaper friendly laundry detergents, you will find that those which contain fragrances, dyes, enzymes and optical brighteners do not come highly recommended.

I would be very very cautious with using enzyme cleaner in diapers, they can cause serious rashes as they can eat away at baby's skin, as well as the materials of the diaper. There are several enzyme-free natural detergents that I would highly recommend. Ultimately it is your decision but I do urge you to research alternatives further."

First of all, I would like to thank both Grovia and Rumparooz for replying my inquiry promptly. I appreciate good customer service. And of course I respect both tips and advice. As a consumer, we need to be wise and know why we should or should not use certain products.

In my experience using GoEco Liquid Detergent (LD) and GoEco All Purpose Cleaner (APC), it is definitely the products I would recommend. To Grovia's concern, it is required to rinse the CDs thoroughly using enzyme cleaners as it may cause harm on the baby's skin otherwise. But I noticed after using GoEco Bio Enzyme LD, it is very easy to be rinsed, and does not leave soapy effect on our hands like normal detergents do. (Takde rase licin2 macam lepas pakai sabun biasa yang kena bilas banyak2 kali) So less water consumption and more effective cleaning! Besides, if you are using normal detergents on your baby wears, you actually need to rinse it thoroughly too! Because traces of the ingredients could lead to more severe diseases on the skin, and also internally! Also, Grovia also explained that enzyme cleaners might 'eat out' the cotton diapers. Hurm. I think cheap detergents will do worse cause it is harsh on the material? Erk. I always believe natural ingredient is the safest way to go! What do you say?

Now... what are actually GoEco products?

GoEco Bio Enzyme Liquid Detergent

Formulation : Protease Enzyme, Anti-Redeposition Cellulose, and Complex Super Detergent

• An enzyme formulation that is highly biodegradable, does not pose any health concern, contributes to environmental protection, and gets rid of stubborn stains effectively;
• Suitable for all washable clothing, including premium quality garments, underclothes, and baby wear. After laundry, the clothing would give a soft and smooth touch and do not get wrinkled, entangled, or hardened;
• Sets you free from the worry of residual traces of chemicals and does not harm your hands or cause skin allergies. Imparts your clothing with a natural, refreshing scent after laundry;
• A concentrated and efficient liquid detergent that needs only one-third the amount of a normal detergent, produces low suds, and is easier to be rinsed. Comparatively, its use brings the benefits of saving water, time, and power consumption;
• Conforms to the regulations of Eco Friendly Label, totally free from contents that are harmful to the human body and environment. These include phosphorus, optical brighteners, and bleaching agents;
• It also contains Anti-redeposition Cellulose, which immediately envelops or wraps up the dirt dislodged during the process of laundry to prevent secondary contamination of the washed clothing.
• Besides with the dirt being broken down into smaller clusters by the enzymes, the clothing becomes readily to be rinsed clean with ease, hence doing away with the need for a softener. As such, GoEco Bio Enzyme Liquid Detergent is your answer to ensuring that your clothing always stay as clean as new.

GoEco Bio Enzyme All-Purpose Cleaner

Formulation : Lipase Enzyme, Protease Enzyme, Glucoside Cleaning Agent, and Non-lonic Cleaning Agent

• An enzyme formulation that is highly biodegradable. Capable of thoroughly breaking down the oily film on the tableware and kitchen as well as the flooring.
• It features low suds and no residual traces, leaving the surfaces squeaky clean after washing;
• Highly concentrated formulation that needs only a small amount to generate economical cleaning results;
• It is free from any harmful solvents and hence does not harm your hands, the utensils, or the surfaces of any material, making it safe and environmental friendly;
• The sponge, rag, and washing basin do not become oily and can be rinsed clean with ease after use.
• As the breaking down is effected by enzymatic actions, it helps dislodge the oily stains that have built up in the draining pipes to reduce problems associated with blockage, keeping your kitchen and household environment clean and hygienic at all times.

You may need to wait for another few more months at least to hear from my personal experience using GoEco products on CD washing. (",) As for now, I've been using GoEco for my household cleaning and extremely love it. Especially GoEco LD, with fresh-scent naturally extracted from Lavender. GoEco APC which contains lemon oil is also very good for washing cars and kitchen utensils. With these products, you do not need to buy different detergents for different type of cleaning in the house. Only 2 bottles of cleaner (LD and APC) for the whole house -- talk about saving money! And most importantly, safe for you and your baby!

*Edited*

I just came to realize why GoEco LD is essential to us especially breastfeeding mommies. Make sure you use it to wash your undergarments too! Because your baby is close to your body when breastfeeding. When our body perspires, traces of chemical products from the detergent used on our clothes might affect our babies. Let's create a healthier younger generation. Stop spreading diseases! Reduce unnecessary medications and live healthy!

Cloth diapers

Save the planet, save the earth!

How do you take part in making sure we are doing what we are supposed to maintain a healthy environment? Get rid of plastic bags? Well, that's a start but not the total solution. I remember how my hubby always yank about how we should not stop using plastic bags immediately. The people need to be taught how to make full use of the plastic bags we got from groceries shopping. Yeah. For people like us, we REALLY appreciate those plastic bags. We never simply throw them away. No no. It's too precious!

What else can we do?

Well, I'm not pretending to be like Captain Planet, here. But since I have been exposed to all the health awareness programs, things have become easier for me to accept the responsibility and do my part, a very small one, in helping creating a better living environment for the next generations, insya Allah.

Recently, I have been doing some research on Cloth Diapers (CD). Since I'm ending my 2nd trimester in a few more weeks (insya Allah), I thought it would be better to get myself loaded with knowledge and infos on the pros and cons using the CD. :)

Picha taken from Permata Ummi

At first, CD was never an option for me. Thinking that it would be a hassle compared to the disposable diapers. And not forgetting about the price! Gulp! But hey, thanks to the new technology of the world wide web, I managed to get useful information regarding its benefits. It's costly? Of course, definitely! 1 piece of CD ranges from about RM20 up to RM90! Wowwie. And I read that ideally, a baby requires 5 CD changing in a day. So we need to prepare ourselves with 10 CDs (at least) in order to survive the next day while the 1st day's CDs are being washed. Sounds difficult? If you want it to sound like one! So when I started to really investigate what's behind all the price and stuffs, I got to realize that it definitely saves money in the long run. Imagine having 10CDs for a child. It could last from the 1st day your little junior was born up till 3-4 years old. And when the next junior arrived, you don't have to buy a new set of CDs (unless you can't resist the cutie colours and prints). Even if you have 10 more juniors on the line, the same CDs can be used over and over again. Ok, maybe you might need to have more sets of CDs, but hey, imagine how much money you could save every month -- including fewer garbage bags! Brilliant? Yes!

When my mom and I were having our girl-chat yesterday, she also encourages about the use of CD. At first, she was not aware about CD's existence. But when I told her about the 'modern' diaper changing made of cloth, she totally supports it! That's why we love our mommies. Always positive and never rejects our (sometimes) ridiculous idea! Why? Because disposable diapers are easy - dispose after use. Easy, kan? So washing off the stains, hang them to dry, use it again - sounds a little ridiculous la - in these (konon) modern days. It's not so alien to our mommies pon because apparently, that's what they have been doing many many years ago, while we were kids! Dulu mana ade pampers!

Picha taken from Handmade-Adelaide-Baby.com

Try googling "cloth diaper+vs+disposable diapers cost".

Of course not everybody is keen with the idea. But most of them who are against it might feel it is time-consuming since they have their day-jobs and no maids around. Well, IMHO when it comes to raising our children with the best care, it is not something that can be negotiated. So we need to think of what is our real priority. You think you can skip the first few years of their development and try to regain it in another few years? Think again. By that time, they've been raised up in a way you may not want and it's impossible to turn back time!

Still thinking raising baby is a hassle? Gah! Try raise some kittens! Having a baby definitely is the best thing in your life. I can feel it now it's dancing in my belly!

Alhamdulillah. Life is so very beautiful!

**And for some old sweet memories ...

"EARTH!"

"FIRE!"

"WIND!"

"WATER!"

"HEART!"

"Go Planet!"

"By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!"

Captain Planet, he's our hero

Gonna take pollution down to zero

He's our powers magnified

And he's fighting on the planet's side

Captain Planet, he's our hero

Gonna take pollution down to zero

Gonna help him put asunder

Bad guys who like to loot and plunder

"You'll pay for this Captain Planet!"

We're the Planeteers

You can be one too

'Cause saving our planet is the thing to do!

Looting and polluting is not the way

Hear what Captain Planet has to say!

"The Power is Yours!"

Cheap facial spa

Facial cleansing is important in order to maintain a clean, glow and healthy skin. However, little did we know if it is not done with the right technique, it can cause harm to the skin. During our weekly house meeting last week, we learnt some simple basic steps on how to maintain a healthy facial skin using the VCare products. A good skincare products are essential as real cases have shown that highly chemical-ingredient products could lead to fatal damage to our health including major skin problems and even put us into a comma! VCare Skin Care range are made of plant-based ingredients, completely safe and what makes it more unique is the Nano-Ganoderma Lucidum extract. This means, the product range is suitable for all skin types and the nanonized ingredient will penetrate deep into the skin to balance our skin condition. Since the ingredients are all-natural and 100% safe, you don't have to be worried anymore. Now, thanks to the great effective products, you can enjoy a spa-like treatment whenever you like with a price you can definitely afford!

The must-have basic products for daily and weekly regime are :

• VCare Facial Cleanser
• VCare Makeup Remover
• VCare Exfoliating Gel
• VCare Facial Toner
• Mask tissue

Here are the 3 simple steps for weekly routine :

1. VCare Facial Cleanser + VCare Makeup Remover : Squeeze out Facial Cleanser and Makeup Remover (about 20cent-sized each) on your wet palm and work into rich lather. Makeup Remover is essential in cleansing routine as it is not necessarily for people who wears makeups, but specifically to get rid of oil and dirt trapped in the skin from the whole day activity. Massage the rich lather onto face and work from forehead down to your neck in outward circular motion. Rinse with clean water and pat dry.


2. VCare Exfoliating Gel : Make sure your skin is completely dry. Squeeze a small amount of Exfoliating Gel on the skin and massage slowly in outward circular motion. Similarly, work from forehead down to your neck. Notice that as you massage your skin, dead skin cells will start to appear. Continue until flakes of dead cells drop off from your face. Rinse with clean water and pat dry.


3. VCare Facial Toner + Mask tissue : Use a plain face-sized tissue (can get from local pharmacy) and fold it into a small size. Apply a generous amount of Facial Toner on the folded tissue until it is damped. Unfold the tissue and apply it on your skin. Make sure to release air bubbles so that the tissue is directly contacted with skin. Leave it on for 15 minutes and remove slowly.

For daily routine, skip step #2 and use a cotton pad to apply Facial Toner on your face after cleansing. Note that the best time for facial routine is between 10pm to 2am everyday. When your face is properly cleansed, you will wake up feeling fresh the next morning~

Easy? So why wait? Start your own spa treatment at the comfort of your home today! Maybe next time I'll upload a video from one of our facial demo sessions!

When your skin's healthy, it shows~