[EVENT + GIVEAWAY] Launch of World-First Prebiotic Honey - Beeotic by Capilano

The well-known and popular Australia-based FMCG business, Capilano Honey is bringing their range of honey products to the next level by launching the World's first clinically-tested* honey that contains naturally occurring prebiotics, Beeotic®. *(Based on published clinical study results as at 19 August 2016.)

A little background information on Capilano by the Export Manager, Merv Kickbush. Capilano Honey was established as a cooperative in 1953 to support Australian beekeepers by Brisbane brothers Tim and Bert Smith. Today, Capilano is proud to continue supplying delicious and 100% pure Australian honey from their network of more than 600 beekeeping families. 

Capilano Managing Director, Dr Ben McKee, a 5th generation beekeeper said that the launch of Beeotic® allowed Capilano to reach out to more health-conscious consumers around the world. This world-first health and wellness innovation of honey that is identified to deliver the prebiotic content gives consumers the option to improve their overall digestive health while enjoying their favourite honey at the same time. 

Professor Patricia Conway further explained the benefits of prebiotic as well as the difference between probiotic and prebiotic to us. The difference between probiotic and prebiotic is that probiotic are live bacteria and must be kept alive to be beneficial but they can be easily killed by heat, stomach acid or die with time. Prebiotic, however are natural, non-digestible fibres that can nourish the good and suppress the bad bacteria. "Honey has been used to help normalise digestive balance for many years. The focus of the clinical study was to scientifically validate the specifications of a prebiotic honey to deliver consumers certainty around its potential health and wellness benefits," Professor Conway said.

Do you know that there is 10 times more bacteria in our intestine than our body cells! That sure is shocking to know!

Here are some of the benefits of Beeotic®

- Consuming Beeotic® that contains prebiotics help the good bacteria in the gut to grow, thus improving the good-to-bad bacteria ratio and improves in our digestive system.

- Beeotic® is 100% pure Australian honey. It does not contains additives, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours.

- Usually food that are good for our health tastes bad but for this honey, I don't think anyone would dislike the sweet taste of this.

- Beeotic® is halal-certified and is recommended for children 12 months and above.

Based on the results of the clinical study, it is found that the recommended intake of Beeotic® is 14ml, which is approximately one tablespoon per day. One can choose to consume Beeotic® pure, mix it in your beverages or even used in as a dipping sauce.

The delicious refreshments that we had which all had some of the Beeotic® honey mixed in.

We are very lucky that Singapore is the first Southeast Asia country to have Beeotic® available to us as it is distributed by DKSH Singapore. Beeotic® is now available in all leading supermarkets (NTUC, Giant and Cold Storage) in Singapore in two BPA-free PET variants: 340g squeeze bottle at $16.80 and 500g jar at $22.00.

For more information, please visit 

Website: www.capilanohoney.com 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/capilanohoney

Instagram: @capilanohoney

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/capilanohoney

Twitter: @Capilano_Honey

At the same time, check out my giveaway too! 

I find the Beeotic® squeeze bottle packaging really cool and awesome which makes it so convenient and mess-free. For my readers, I will be giving away two sets of Beeotic® Honey (1 jar packaging and 1 squeeze bottle packaging) on my Instagram, do click on this post here and join my giveaway!

Instagram: @Chewyjas

XOXO

[PERSONAL] Celebrate Breastfeeding at Mount Alvernia Hospital + My Breastfeeding Journey

World Breastfeeding Week 2017 starts on 1st August to 7th August and to celebrate this, Mount Alvernia Hospital held an exclusive breastfeeding and postpartum health talk to encourage more mothers to breastfeed on 5th August 17.

Breastfeeding is a very important milestone for both mothers and the little ones. It is highly recommended to exclusively breastfeed an infant at least for the first six months. While we all know the importance of breastfeeding, we should not forget about the challenges that comes with it too.

This post combines the celebrate breastfeeding event as well as my personal journey to serve as a reminder for myself on how I get my first drop of precious liquid gold, the problems I encountered and how I'm coping with breastfeeding now.

My mother has been a great motivator and supporter and thus I can't think of anyone else but her to accompany me to this event. She's the one who always told me to eat well, sleep well and don't stress too much.

Ms Kang Phaik Gaik, better known as Sister Kang, the head of lactation shared with us on some breastfeeding tips which I'm more concerned on continuing breastfeeding after I go back to work. She touches on this topic as well as how to properly store the milk that was pumped out.

Ms Tan Shi Ling, the dietitian continued to provide more tips on weight management and how to start weaning when baby is ready to eat solid food.

Ms Michelle Liew form Alvenia Parentcraft Centre sharing her personal breastfeeding experience which is not all smooth sailing too.

After the talk, we had a mass latching session thus even babies were allowed to attend. All 15 parents latched our babies at the same time. It was a fun experience. We also had a great set lunch and not only do we went home with tips but so much goodies. Thank you Mount Alvernia Hospital for organising this event.

The start of my breastfeeding journey was a painful one. I thought my milk supply would come naturally immediately following the birth of Baby Rena but it didn't work this way. It was horrible as I carry and try to latch my crying baby but there's just no milk for her. I even have to beg the nurse to let my baby have some formula milk because I didn't know what else I could do. 

NUH, being a pro-breastfeeding hospital, the nurses there just kept assuring me that my baby's stomach is still tiny and would not need to top up with formula.

Everyday, the nurses would come and check on my milk supply and asked me to do some circular massage. By day 3, my milk supply still didn't kick in and I was giving up hope. The nurses there provided me with this hot compress to make my harden breasts feel better and told me that a lactation specialist will be visiting the next day.

By right, I should be discharged on the third day but I stayed on another day due to the discovery of jaundice in Baby Rena. This extra day happens for a reason as my milk supply finally kicks in! Especially grateful to nurse Zhang Yan for being so patient, helping me to massage and collecting the colostrum drop by drop. Colostrum is yellowish in colour and is the first milk that will be produced. This is extremely nutritious so do not think that it's dirty milk and throw away.

At this point of time, Baby Rena still has not mastered the skill of sucking, she will just latch but will not suck so we have to use the syringe to collect the milk and feed her.

When Baby Rena finally learns how to latch, another problem arises. There will be a 'let down' from the unlatched side. My bestie, Lis then introduced this special container called the Haakka, this is used to collect the leaking milk from the other side. Best part is that it's Hands Free as the silicone is able to provide the suction. Great invention that solves the problem of breastfeeding mummies.

During the first few months, I did not exclusively breastfeed my baby because I have lots of fear and uncertainties. I'm afraid that my supply is not enough and that I did not eat well enough. At that time, we would alternate between formula milk from bottle and direct latching. It was quite inconvenient as we have to bring milk powder and hot water to prepare the milk outside. 

Towards the end of June, I started to realised that whenever my MIL prepared the formula milk and fed my baby, after a while my shirt will be wet from the leaking milk. That's when I stopped preparing formula milk and exclusively breastfeed my baby. Going out was easy, I do not need to bring so many equipment since my baby loves latching direct, I just have to make sure the place I went to have nursing rooms, otherwise I have to use the nursing cover.

To me, I felt that the greatest joy is the ability to nurse my baby. It's a special bonding between baby and myself that no other people can take away. I would hope that I could nurse my baby for as long as she wants to.

"There are three reasons for breastfeeding: the milk is always at the right temperature; it comes in attractive containers; and the cat can't get it." Irena Chalmers

Just when everything seems like a breeze, another problems arises. Going back to the workforce. I have my pump ready but the sterilizer is spoiled and I had to sterilized the bottles using the most traditional way. Put in boiling water. Then, Baby Rena decided she doesn't want to be bottle fed. My mother had a tough time trying to feed her. She would cry and struggle and refuses to drink. Sometimes, going to sleep without drinking.

Now that my baby is five months old, she still latches directly whenever I'm around. However, my milk supply has gone down a bit and she would rely on bottle-fed formula milk when I'm at work. She still struggles a bit before she drank from the bottle. Soon, she will be entering the next stage whereby we would have to introduce solids to her gradually. It will be another new set of challenges that time. Till then. 

* Photos without watermark are taken from Mount Alvernia Facebook Page *


XOXO