[Product Review] Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel + Giveaway!

I was introduced to Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel by a friend of mine. I specifically remember her telling me, that it is the most natural multi-purpose gel that is ever made - "we can even use it to soothe mouth ulcers!" I was sold. Who wouldn't like something that is natural, work in most ways imaginable and is not chemically laden? 2 years down the road and several tubes of Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel later, I am still a loyal customer.

Since childhood, I have had bouts of eczema (inflammatory of the skin) breakout and frequent rashes, especially when the weather changes drastically to hot and humid during mid-year. So there was no surprise that I recently had a rash outbreak on my left leg.

If you are familiar with topical skin conditions like these, you will probably know how badly it itches and  the itch intensifies when you are asleep. Previously, before I got to know about Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel, I have had steroid creams applied, prescribed from the doctors. Although it helped to contain the itch very quickly, I've realized it left my skin drier and left scars in the aftermath. It also didn't help that I have sensitive skin so an overdose of steroid cream application sometimes led to an outbreak of a different set of rashes. I was miserable.

When I started on Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel application in replacement of the steroid cream, the immediate soothe it rendered on my broken skin, due to scratching, was really comforting. I specially like how it absorbs into my skin quickly without the sticky residue. Knowing that it is all natural, I was not afraid to apply as and when I needed to.

Here are some photos I took of the healing process, after application of the gel on affected areas.

The Only Multi-Purpose Gel My Family Needs

I cannot emphasize enough how much Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel has made life very easy for me when we go for outings (park, zoo etc) and family vacations. It's the only effective gel that works in multiple ways : for first aid purposes (cuts, abrasions, insect bites, blisters), soothes inflammation of the skin (itch, sun burn, pimples) and we also use it as moisturizer so there's really no need to pack more than necessary!

You can read up more about Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel at the official site and see what else this amazing gel can do for you here.

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Keen to try out Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel? Here's a very special giveaway for one lucky reader! 

WIN a 100ml Dr Lily's aloe vera gel (worth $19.00) + a special package of 3 mini jars with Dr Lily's aloe vera gel and random essential oil + a Dr Lily's recycle bag

All you need to do is :

1) Like my facebook page, if you haven't already done so :  https://www.facebook.com/AccidentalMomBlogger
2) Like & Share Dr Lily's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DrLilysUSA WITH this blog post link giveaway in your facebook timeline.
3) Leave a comment on this post with your name and email address as indication to the above steps being made.

GIVEAWAY ENDED ON 28th JULY 2014. 

The winner will be announced on my facebook page and contacted via email. We reserve the right to contact the next person on the random list if no response come through to accept the giveaway, within 24 hours after the email is sent.
*Giveaway items will be sent directly from the office of Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel *

Congratulations Linda Wong! Your name has been picked as the winner of this giveaway!

 Can't wait to get your hands on this wonder gel already?

You can also place an order right now to friends@drlilys.com, quote "Accidental Mom Blogger" to enjoy 15% discount off your total amount.  Hurry! This discount is valid for one month from date of this blog post.

*Note : There will be a $5 non-discounted flat rate courier fee, regardless of the quantity you purchase.

  Till the next post, have a blessed week!

Disclaimer : The Accidental Mom Blogger received the said product as a token of appreciation and agreed to this review based on a prior positive personal experience with Dr Lily's Aloe Vera Gel. The content and photos shared here are true and best to my knowledge.

HPV Vaccination Against Cervical Cancer - Do or Don't?

To all my female readers, here's a question for you to consider.

If you know that there is a vaccination that can protect you and the important women in your life against cancer, would you take it? Or would you risk it and think that "it won't happen to me"?

I'm touching on a serious topic in my post today. Something I know I can take charge of especially for the sake of my daughter - because as her mother, I want to protect her in every way possible, for as long as I can.

Photo taken at the "Protect to Tell" - Cervical Cancer Awareness talk, held exclusively for female bloggers. Participants were invited to draw on balloons on what we like/love to do and with a short message about anything to anyone. My balloon captured the attention of the host, Shandy, during the talk.

We had two distinguished speakers at the talk -
A/Prof Anne Goh, President of Singapore Pediatric Society and
Prof Tay Sun Kuie, Senior Consultant for SGH's depart of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus or HPV for short, is a common virus that can infect different parts of a body. It can cause warts on limbs or at the genitals, though most of the HPV infections are not cancerous. However, 15 out of the 130 different types of HPV strains causes cancer in the cervix, along the passage between the vagina and uterus. The great news is, getting yourself and your loved ones vaccinated against these HPV strains early, will prevent and reduce the risk of developing pre-cancers and cervical cancer. 

Statistics in Singapore show that the number of cervical cancer cases has decreased tremendously. While this is an awesome data, there are still many women out there who are at risk - the young, the old, the beautiful, the healthy, the sporty, the rich, the poor. Regardless of our status, all women are not spared. Early cervical cancer has no signs or symptoms.

Statistics have also shown that women who take charge of their lives by going for regular pap smear screenings, play a critical role in detecting any changes in cervical cells. Though pap smear tests may turn out normal for many of us, it is still not enough to protect us from cervical cancer. Did you know, women can still be infected with the virus from having just one partner?  It is so important to have a pap smear test done once in every 3 years. Or even yearly if we are able to commit financially.

Of all the information that I have gathered during the talk, my biggest question was :

WHY must this vaccination be introduced to adolescents, as young as 9 years of age?

I have only one daughter and naturally, this has been a nagging question in my mind ever since I knew the vaccine exists. Thanks to the internet, there are many articles I've read pertaining to this vaccine. Some raved about the while others vehemently slam it. Which should I believe?

I learned that the best time to vaccinate is prior to sexual debut. Studies have shown that this is a very tolerant vaccine and it's immune response is stronger when young. There is no known side effects of the vaccine, other than the possible mild fever, fatique or site pain from the injection. (It is just like the vaccinations our children obtain during infancy or booster jabs at primary school.) There is no known causes of interference with adolescent development.

For now, the decision to go for HPV vaccination is based on informed choice. So I think it is very important that we, as educated parents, make the decision for our daughters to be vaccinated against this dreadful disease as soon as possible. As much as we want to educate the young from promiscuity at an early age, it is a fact that youngsters these days, start relationships earlier. Having this vaccination is not to encourage them to engage in sexual activity. The main goal is to reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Prevention is definitely better than cure.

Ladies, we all can play a part and make a difference! 
Take charge of your lives, your daughters' lives or give a friendly reminder to your loved ones and friends around you.

• Singapore Cancer Society provides free pap smear screening to ladies above 25 years old to prevent cervical cancer. Call 6221 9578 or email cancerscreening@singaporecancersociety.org.sg for more information.
• HPV vaccinations are available at polyclinics or speak to your family doctor about it. This vaccination is subsidized by Medisave for females aged between 9-26 years.

Or visit the Health Promotion Board site for more information on cervical cancer.


Till the next post, stay safe and healthy.    Have a blessed week!

Disclaimer : Protect to Tell – Cervical Cancer Awareness” on 12^th April 2014 Sat (the “Event”) was held as a lunch session, organized and sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Pte Ltd. The Accidental Mom Blogger was not paid for participating in the Event. All personal views expressed here are entirely my own.

Urticaria, Angelina Jolie and Me

Urticaria, also known as hives, is a common skin condition and according to the specialist I had consulted, it happens to 7 out of 10 people. But what's not so common for me is that I have been diagnosed with acute urticaria. The only bad news for me is that it may last me for many more months or even years to get it resolved.

Urticaria causes redness, itch and swelling to the skin. It varies in sizes and usually erupts in clusters or appears in a large patch on any part of the body.  If there are further swelling on the eyelids or lips, it is all together a different term - angioedema. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing both kinds.

Unglam photos of me with swollen lips on different occasions, which doesn't come down till night time or next morning. Initially, I experienced severe itch and swelling on my hands, palms, feet and fingers. The past few weeks however, it has affected basically any part of my body.
 

What causes it?

Causes of trigger for urticaria may include allergies to food, insect bites or medicines. However in my diagnosis, the specialist has ruled out allergies and pinpointed that acute urticaria is caused by a leftover viral infection that was not 100% cleared from my body. Thus the immune system tries to eradicate these viruses by releasing the histamine into the blood stream to fight it off, which causes the swelling.

How will it affect me?

It definitely has been a distressing time for the past 2 1/2 months, since the condition came on. It has caused me many sleepless nights as the breakout of urticaria usually happens when I am asleep. So I get very tired by mid-day especially when I have to take anti-histamines. However, I am thankful that it is somewhat in control as I've read that there are severe life threatening cases caused by breathing difficulty, since the swelling may occur in the tongue or throat. I'm also relieved that it is not a sign of any underlying medical conditions.
 

What can I do about it?

I can only wait for this to clear up with medication prescribed to me and go back to the specialist for further investigation if it still persists after 6 weeks. I am already on my fourth week of prescription but in my opinion, I am not experiencing any form of improvement yet. I am praying for a full recovery on this soon.

So what has Angelina Jolie got to do with me?

I'm not a fan of hers, really. But I think in my situation, this is as close I can get to having an itty bitty resemblance in the lip area. Yes? No? 

Though I dread having a break out of urticaria everyday, mopping around certainly will not help me recover any quicker. So I'm keeping the faith that I will have a complete recovery from this episode in no time. And preferably after the end of my 6th week medication, I will be back in form!

 
Till the next post, have a blessed week!

[Recipe] Pasta With Anchovy Sauce

When I saw Nigella Lawson preparing this mouth-watering dish on TV,  I was bent on trying it. I've never tried anchovies before and this would probably be the best opportunity to try in this pasta dish.

I was kinda apprehensive about how my family would take to this flavoring. My initial plan was to guinea pig myself one of the days when it is just me at home for lunch. But you know, I decided that it would be a "eat it or starve" circumstance. And till date, they all do not know that the awesome flavors came from the anchovies!

For many, I guess anchovies is an acquired taste. Let me describe my first taste : it has a rich savory flavor, salty (for sure) and a little pungent. Kind of reminds me of a western version of belachan, if I may say so.

So here's my simple adaptation to this pasta dish.

It seems so plain looking but believe me, the wonderful flavors coat every single strand of pasta!

Recipe serves 4.     Preparation + Cooking time : 20 mins

Ingredients :

- 3/4 packet of cooked spaghetti

- 1 cup corn

- 2 medium sized tomatoes, diced into chunks

- 3 to 4 stalks of chinese parsley

- 2 tbsp of minced garlic

- 1 tin of anchovies in olive oil (I used John West's brand in 45g)

- 2 tbsp of Olive oil

(There wasn't any other need for flavoring because the anchovies are salty. But do a taste test at your discretion and add salt if necessary.)

     

Cooking method :

- I used the olive oil soaked from the tin of anchovies to cook this dish. But you can use your own olive oil. Just remember to drain the anchovies from the tin.

- fry the garlic till fragrant and add the anchovies.

- you will notice that the anchovies will simply melt away. So that's your sauce!

- Then add in the tomatoes and corn with the pasta and toss it up.

- When its almost done, sprinkle the parsley and give it another good toss.

-  Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the pasta before serving. (optional)

   Bon appetit!     Till the next post, have a blessed week!

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