Ume Tonic

Ume Fruit (from google)

June brings the hot air from the south full blast without warning. Even the fans at full power do not help. Some people got heat-stroke but the truth is, I love the heat. I love to feel droplets of sweat dripping down my body. I love to perspire. To perspire means the skin (which is the largest organ in our body) is healthy. A little heat is priceless to stay in health.
Weak humans need added strength to keep up with the heat. I have a home-made way to just do that. It is the ume fruiting season and the good thing, the secret is in this ume tonic.

I made myself this ume tonic and you can read all the health benefits of it here.
My Ume Tonic
So for many days to come this summer, I'll be sipping this sweet tonic to keep my body, in and out, clean and healthy.

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Penggaga

Penggaga
I know Japanese people don't take these herbs. In the Malay language it is named penggaga but another official name for it is hydrocotyle asiatica.
This is the Japanese version and the Japanese assumed it is wild grass.
I went to a friend's house and saw this herb while waiting for her to get ready. I picked and made kerabu penggage. Actually this dish is suggested by many interested friends in Facebook when I wrote about it and asked for some receipes related to it.
kerabu penggaga
Penggaga is a humble herbs, almost invisible like the grass but so much health benefits and one of them is alleviating anxiety. It is proven, trust me!
So I wanted my friend to know its importance and when to her house showing her some ways to cook it. Actually, I want her to keep this herb in her garden so I have to tell her the benefits as well. She is going through some menopausal syndrome and felt excited knowing that this herb might reduced her high anxiety and stabilized her irregular mood.
There! My supply of penggaga is saved! Yeah!

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Health/Erimo Misaki

One of my sister-in-laws is obese or over-weight. Recently I saw her and noticed she has greatly reduced her size. I commented on this to her and she said she has to reduce her weight as she is going along with the government. The government, I questioned back, why the government?
She said the government is following her progress. Every couple of weeks, health officers called her and take note of her weight. If her weight does not improve, she would have to come for the training, two or three times a week. She doesn't want to be at the training center, so she is doing the dieting seriously.

Another friend's husband was a heavy drinker. The yearly check-up found him to suffer from diabetes. This man is healthy but he was warded for two months. While in hospital for two months, he was fed with calories-counting meals and did a tight training to reduce his weight.
After that two months, the diabetes problem disappeared and he's weight went down 12kg.
He was given a warning. If the diabetes come back, he would be hospitalized again. Oh no, he will not go into that torture chamber again and watch his weight carefully thereafter and of course the drinking is out.

Last year, my husband waist-line was 98 cm. The hospital grouped him as having the metabolic syndrome. He must reduced it to 85 cm. Now, he is at 90cm and still trying.

One of my haiku friends had blood pressure reading at 145/85. Over 140/80 is a bad warning in Japan.
So, this friend now have to do training 3 times a week to bring that pressure down. She is monitored. She is given a health card and writes down everything she eats and the hours she work-out.

Touch life if you are obese, diabetic and suffering from high-blood pressure in Japan.

The video above is my collection (actually for me to practice karaoke). Hubby asked me why I put up such difficult song.
Well, this is my blog and I put up the songs that I like/fancy. People out there can put up whatever songs they like on their own blog. Excuse me!

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北の街ではう　悲しみを暖炉で
kitano machi　dewa mou　kanashimi o danrode
燃やしはじめてるらしい
moyashi　hajimeteru　rashii
理由のわからないことで　悩んでいるうち
wakeno wakaranai kotode　nayande　iru uchi
老いほれてしまうから
oiborete　shimau　kara
默りとおした　歳月を
damari　toushita　toshi　tsuki　o
ひろい集めて　暖めあおう
hiroi　atsumete　atatame aou
襟裳の春は　何もない春です
erimono haru　wa　nanimo　nai　haru　desu

君は二杯目だよね　コーヒーカシプに
kimi wa nihai me dayo　ne　ko-hi (Coffee) kappu (Cup) ni
角砂糖をひとつだったね
kakuzatouo hitotsu datta ne
捨てて来てしまった　わずらわしさだけを
sutete kite shimatta　wazurawashisa dake o
くるくるかきまわして
kurukuru kakimawashite
通りすぎた　夏の匂い
toori sugita　natsu no nioi
想い出して　懐かしいね
omoidashite　natsukashi ne
襟裳の春は　何もない春です
erimono haruwa　nanimo nai haru desu

日々の暮しはいやでも　やってくるけど
hibi no kurashi wa iya demo　yatte kuru kedo
靜かに笑ってしまおう
shizukani waratte shimaou
いじけることだけが　生きることだと
ijikeru koto dake ga　ikiru koto dato
飼い馴らしすぎたので
kainarashi sugita node
身構えながら　話すなんて
migamae nagara　hanasu nan te
ああおくびょう　なんだよね
aa okubyou　nan dayo ne

襟裳の春は　何もない春です
erimono haru wa　nanimo nai haru desu
寒い友だちが　訪ねてきたよ
samui tomodachi ga　tazunete kita yo
遠慮はいらないから　暖まってゆきなよ
enryowa iranai kara　atatamatte yukina yo

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In Tyfoon 18, 2009: Death or alive

As I'm sitting comfortably now watching the news, tyfoon 18 is roaring over in Aichi, Kochi towards Osaka and northwards.
I see the Japanese government has grouped everybody in the path of this torrential rain and fierce winds in emergency centers. I wonder how my friends up there are doing.

I need to renew my National Health Insurance which will expire soon. Otto said he needs to write the application for me. There is something new. He said I can choose to be an organ donor and it will show on the card.

That is good, I said.
I don't mind donating my organs except that my pair of eyes and my heart is not so good.
So leave those out, I said.
Put on the application form that they can have the rest of my body, I remind Otto.

The rest of the body without the mouth, otto rolled his eyes as he said this.

Otto said it's very dangerous to donate my organs.

I don't understand what dangers can there be after I died!

Muslims can donate there organs, that's what MUIS (Masjlis Ugama Islam Spore) announced a couple of years back, so go ahead. Make my day (in Afterlife)!

Otto said that is not what he meant. I still don't know where his mind is going.

You might be the target of organ-robbers just so they can get their hands on your liver, pancrease and the rest of your body parts.

To donate or not to donate. To live or not to live. Death or alive,nobody is safe now.


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Tatkala belulang berkasar...

Semalam saya selak-selak sebuah majalah terbitan Malaysia (tak perlu namakan) dan membuat kiraan.
Menjaga kecantikan tapak kaki.

Yang diperlukan:
Pembasuh lawan kuman RM15
Pembuang kalus RM30
Krim RM18
Krim pelembut RM18
Spray lawan kuman RM13
Semua campur RM94.

Mencantikan tapak kaki perlu siapkan RM94!

Saya syorkan duit itu masukkan saja ke tabung anak-anak yatim (hendak-hendak bulan Ramadan mulia ini-dapat markah ke syurga!) sebab saya ada cara lain.
Cara yang saya lakukan paling murah, paling mudah, paling berkesan dan terjamin tapak kulit kaki licin hingga menjilat jari...(pinjam slogan ayam Kentaro!)
(Dapat seorang macam saya dalam 10 orang pembaca majalah itu, nampak sah...industri kosmetik di Malaysia gulung tikar).

Ini cara saya.

Pertama sekali...sebelum mandi siapkan bangku. Bawa bangku ini bersama ke kamar mandi.

Penuhkan air panas suam dan rendam kedua-dua belah kaki selama 10 minit. Sambil menunggu, basuhlah rambut dll. Itulah sebab saya kata bawa bangku. Bangku itu untuk didudukkan.
Lagi lama dapat rendam kaki itu, lagi senang untuk menjalankan operasi mengasah belulang.
Lepas berendam, lumatkan tapak kaki dengan sabun mandi dan dengan menggunakan papan pengasah, teruskan operasi mengasah. Kalau kalus agak banyak, gunakan pengasah batu (tengok gambar). Asahlah dengan lembut, tapak kaki itu nak guna lama.

Dah. Itu sahaja. Jangan lupa masukkan RM94 ke tabung anak-anak yatim ye!

YES. Itu SAHAJA.

Keluar kamar mandi, sapukan krim pelembut kulit (baby losen pun jadilah) pada tapak sehingga ke betis. Sebelum tidur, selepas bersihkan kaki (sebelum tidur bersihkan kaki!), sapukan krim pelembut dan guna stokin. Kalau stokin rasa rimas, sejam pun cukup.

Ulang proses operasi ini 3 kali seminggu.

Kalus perlu dihilangkan sebab jika dibiarkan lama-lama, ia akan merekah dan tercalar. Luka terbuka begini mengundang jangkitan kulit seperti kurap.

Lain kali saya beri lagi tip mencantikkan badan (tak janji). Khidmat dan nasihat saya percuma tapi hulurkanlah RM94 itu ke tabung kebajikan!


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Umeboshi-making tyme

For my home-made umeboshi (dried plum), I used the items below. The quantity is all up to you, but this is my measurement.

I use:

10 kilograms fresh-plucked Japanese apricot (ume/ bahasa Melayu word not invented yet). Abundant only during apricot season.

2 bottles of leek vinegar (leek bahasa Melayu...not invented yet)

1 pack of red shisou leaf (beefsteak leaf/ bahasa Melayu...not invented yet)

With lots of sunshine and patience.

Step one: Pick off stalks from base of apricots. Wash and drain water well.

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Step 2: Pour 2 bottles of leek vinegar and mix well. Hands should be cleaned with vinegar before mixing. Mix with shishou leaves here.


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Steps 3: Weight down with 10kg stones. Weighing stone and the base must be cleaned with vinegar first.


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Step 4: Leave in cool (below 26c) place for 2 weeks. If bubbles and white particles appear, pour more vinegar and mix again with vinegared-covered hands.


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Step 5: After 2 weeks, pick all fruits and arrange on filter to dry. Keep the vinegar.

This vinegar makes sore throat better, prevents bad breathe, creates appetite, balances the acid/alkaline level in intestional tract.

I use it for salad dressing and cooking. Whenever I feel tired, I drink about 5 tablespoon directly.

See the link I attached below for more info.

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Step 6: Cover friuts from flies and insect and put in very hot sun for 2 days or until fruits really dry up.


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Step 7: Keep fruits in air-tight jar. Keep in cool place. Eat anytime you like.

Another information about umeboshi: Bacteria cannot penetrate it!

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The making of umeboshi-tyme

Please read this page first, then I will tell you how I make umeboshi.


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PS: ayuk, since you mention it, insert yr email add. in the comment box (will not publish).

Dip in Beauty tyme

Foreign people or as the law in Japan called them The Aliens, should never missed the chance to have a bath in the BathHouse or the Communal Bath. I am not afraid to swear that communal bathing is a very unique experience.
Of course, there are rules to follow before dipping your bare body in the bubbly, hot water and if you ignore those rules, for sure another fellow bather would tell you off or let you know the rules with exact precision.
You'll see from the picture, all the gadgets I use in the grooming process.

You will have to leave your shoes before entering the changing room. Once inside the changing room, you will be allocated a locker. Everything goes in. Normally, I wrapped myself with the brown, soft material. I would carry my gadget in a small container into the communal bath area.

Usually, shampoo and body soap is provided at every shower point. You used your own thing from home if you fancy those they provided is not to your liking.

Wet your hair and shampoo, use the hair srubber if you don't have long nails to scratch your head. Shower off and apply hair conditioner.

Here is what I normally do, while the conditioner do the work, I would sit in the sauna, letting the heat seep in the hair, 10 minutes is more than I can bear in there.

From the sauna, I would sit under the shoulder-beater. Shoulder-beater is water that falls off from the top in heavy beating movement on both the shoulder. I would repeat the trip from sauna to the shoulder-beater about 4 rounds. I really need the shoulder-beater, all these writings on the keyboard makes my shoulder cry.

Wash off the conditioner and I am on the body grooming stage now.

First of, brush my teeth. Then, with a stone-scrub, both feet goes under the gruelling srubbing.

Finish that, goes the elbow and knee scrub. You know sometimes those areas are rough, so a little scrub will make them smile. I have the razor ready but I don't need to disclose how I use it. Some things need to be kept private.

Out ooze the body soap from BodyShop. Long, brush goes behind my back. Pulling on the string on each side, up and down the whole trunk. But for the front, I used softer materials that need softer rubbing, here I used body wash-clothe.

You noticed all this time, I have not soak in any hot tub yet. Yes, that is the BIG rule.

YOU HAVE TO WASH HEAD TO TOE BEFORE THE DIP!

After all these rubbing and scrubbing, only now I can soak in any of the hot water pools. Of course, there are various functions the water can do for you. There is the jacuzzi that beat your painful backs, there is the message attack that do your shoulder, there is the bubble trip that bring you all the way to the clouds and of course there is the perfume bath that fills with lavender scent or cherry-blossom. Scents of flowers that are in the season.

I would finish my rounds with a dip in the scented pool and come out feeling really flowery and blossomy.

With a clean and dry towel, I go for the second, grooming round in the changing room. I called this the after-bath groom and this will take another 45 minutes.

Shortest time I take from the start point till I walk away from there would be like 4 hours.

Hey, that is the shortest time. When my mood run away, I would be there like 5 hours and my skin would beg for mercy.

Girlfriends and female-bloggers closed to me, come have a dip with me.

Dates

(see my own dates palm at my fotopages

The Benefits of dates.

1 Treatment of constipation, as dates have high content of fruit sugars ie. fructose/laevulose.

2 It has anti-allergy properties due to its zince content.

3. It stimulates the reproductive system functions through its content of vitamins, minerals and phosphorous.

4. Treatment of heart diseases due to its iron contents.

5. It can be used as prophylatics treatment of renal failure due to its contents of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and sugar.

6. Treatment of anemia due to its contents of many mineral, the most important of which is iron.

7. Stops bleeding during pregnancy due to its content of vitamin K and tannine - an astringent agent.

8. Stop multiplication and reproduction of cancer cells due to its contents of magnesium, calcium and sulfur.

9. Relieves acidity and heart burn as it contains alkaline salts.

10. Prevents dizziness as contains some agents such as carotene.

11. Dried dated flour can treat asthma and pertussis.

12. Palm pith is used for treatment of asthma and pertussis.


Rahsia Kurma

Kurma telah disebutkan di Al-Quran sebagi kurniaan Allah kepada manusia.
Kurma mempunyai banyak khasiat termasuk vitamin dan mineral namum tidak mengandungi kandungan sodium.
Ia juga mempunyai banyak kandungan potassium.
Kandungannya mempunyai 2.5 kali ganda lebih daripada pisang.
Ia amat sesuai bagi kanak-kanak dan juga orang dewasa.

Memakan kurma sewaktu berbuka di bulan ramadan adalah sunnah Rasulullah.

Setelah sehari kita berpuasa, perut kita tidak menerima apa-apa makanan pun. Dengan memakan kurma dahulu, perut tidak akan terasa terkejut dengan menerima makanan secara mendadak.

Ia juga memberikan tambahan tenaga.

Kurma boleh memperbaiki akhlaq budak-budak yang degil untuk menjadi budak-budak yang bersopan santun. Ia juga boleh mempertajamkan penglihatan, pendengaran dan pancaindra.

Panduan kurma

Kurma Ajwa'
Sabdu Rasulullah SAW: Barangsiapa makan kurma Ajwa' setiap pagi tujuh biji boleh tahan racun dan sihir pada hari itu. Kurma Ajwa' diriwayatkan sebagai kurma tanaman Nabi Muhammad SAW.
Kurma Ajwa' adalah yang termahal kalau dibandingkan dengan kurma lain. Ia mempunyai tiga jenis.
Yang termahal sekali berharga sehingga $120 riyal dan yang termurah berharga $60 riyal (mengikut harga pasaran tahun 2006).

Kurma Anbarah
-dikenali sebagi kurma Ambar. Kurma ini besar bentuknya dan yang kedua termahal dibanding dengan Ajwa'.

Kurma Sukkary
-Kurma Sukery mempunyai rasa yang amat manis sekali dan biasa dimakan bila seseorang memerlukan tenaga dan stamina.

Kurma Mabroom
Rasanya seakan gula melaka. Warnanya seperti coklat tua.

Kurma Sofry
Mengandungi banyak kandungan serat (fibre). Warnanya coklat muda.

Women are WEAK.

Every month, I go through the same biological pains since I was in my 20s.

A day before the big "M", I get this bloated feelings, this heaviness. The day when "M" comes, my back is torned into 2 separated parts, something is pulling my top and another pulls from the opposite direction. My stomach has cramps that moves in every directions, pulling, pinching and punching. I feel like going to the toilet and I would sit and wait but the cramps would only built up. I can feel my blood agitating and my neck pump with wild hormone. I see myself as a volcano, cooking fuel of hot, burning lava deep inside and this lava would burst anytime with violence. This would go on for a couple of days. On such occasion, I try not to engage in heavy work or unnecessary shoppings. I would cancel any appointments and just stay home and endure the pains.

My poor husband keeps himself away from me during this dangerous "M" days. I try to be calm and stable but many times I get carried away, I lost my fight with this devil hormones in me. I would snap at him, say horrible things to him and just behave plain rude mostly.
Sometimes, I would tell him its the time of the month and I am feeling bad and not to bother me. He understands when I tell him that I am having these pains and cramps all over my stomach, and how would he feel having to endure this every month of his whole life?
I love to be a women, to feel like a women minus this monster monthly, of course.

But come to think again, there must be some kind of "hikmah" to all the pains that I am going through.

I can't wait for menopause, yahoo...when I will not have pains and cramps, will not be like Mr. Jykell and Dr. Hyde. The day will come when I can continue fasting all days in Ramadan and do sholat uninterrupted, inshaAllah.

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Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "O women folk! You should give charity and be diligent in seeking Allah's forgiveness because I have seen (i.e., on the Night of the Ascension to the highest heavens) that dwellers of the Hell are women.'' A woman amongst them said: "Why is it that the majority of the dwellers of Hell are women?'' The Prophet (PBUH) replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. In spite of your lacking in wisdom and failing in religion, you are depriving the wisest of men of their intelligence.'' Upon this the woman asked: "What is the deficiency in our wisdom and in our religion?'' He (PBUH) replied, "Your lack of wisdom can be well judged from the fact that the evidence of two women is equal to that one man. You do not offer Salat (prayer) for some days and you do not fast (the whole of) Ramadan sometimes, it is a deficiency in religion.''
[Muslim].

Commentary:
1. In this narration, certain weaknesses of the female sex have been pointed out, which are natural and pertain to the woman's biology, psychology and embryology.

According to biologists, during and before menstruation, a female's thought process is affected. Similarly, her pulse and blood pressure are also altered. Females are also more prone to hysteria. For these reasons, the Qur'an has declared that when you have to appoint or choose witnesses among women, you should choose two in place of one man. Modern researches have proved this rule to be correct on the basis of biology, psychology and embryology.

Again we know that physically speaking, the female has been named as the weaker sex. For these reasons, females have been excused from earning their livelihood. For earning livelihood, one may have to go out and work hard. Women have been exempted from this duty because of their biological differences and other considerations of Shari`ah. Present-day women who are ignorant of Islam and modern researches are not prepared to accept these scientifically and religiously proved facts. The West claims equality between the sexes. But this equality has not been established so far. Today all the important posts are occupied by males and all the international policies are framed by them alone. Even matters pertaining to women are decided by them. They have mostly relegated them to the posts of workers, secretaries and stenographers for their sexual satisfaction and enjoyment. After a struggle for hundred years, their condition today proves that they are the weaker sex.

So, it is both beneficial and more respectful for her to limit herself to the sphere of action suggested for her by Islam. If she oversteps her sphere, she will certainly lose her female dignity and prestige, as has happened in the West. Her state and condition there is an eyeopener for all.

2. Women should request forgiveness from Allah very often and be generous in charity. They should not show ungratefulness to their husbands and should avoid backbiting and cursing others so that they may save themselves from Hell.

Taken from http://www.masmn.org/Hadith/Riyad_Us_Saliheen/19_0371.htm

Makanan Jepun.

Orang Jepun amat pentingkan kesihatan. Adakah kerana nak rasa duit pencen semua jaga kesihatan. Kak Lela..tolong komen sikit!!!! Kawan blogger, Inai, yang tinggal di Niigata hampir 3 tahun, minta penjelasan.

Wujudnya sistem pencen ini baru saja dalam era perindustrian Jepun. Baru tertakluk dalam undang-undang kementerian. Ugama orang Jepun asalnya dari negara Cina, Buddist. Ugama ini tidak makan segala macam daging. Lembu asalnya diimpot dalam tahun 1800 dan daging lembu bukan makanan asli orang Jepun.

Sumber pertama makanan asli orang Jepun ialah dari laut. Ikan, kerang, ketam dan sayuran laut.
Konbu, seaweed, nori, hijiki dan wakame, semua ini sayur-sayur dari laut.

Khasiat sayur laut menambah mineral badan, melawan kanser, membuang tosik badan.

"Research shows that algin in these underwater treasures have anticancer properties and remove radioactive substances and heavy metals from the body. If you live or work in a polluted environment, eating sea vegetables daily is common sense prevention. It normalises the level of cholesterol, prevents high blood pressure and normalises the level of sugar in the blood."

Orang Jepun mempraktikan memakan secara "Eating with the Seasons".
"Wherever you live in the world, the influences of your climate, daily cycles of lightness and darkness, and what fresh foods you eat affect your body's natural rhythms; and these rhythms are influenced by the change of seasons."

Sayuran yang mengikut musim lobak putih (daikon), lobak merah (ninjin), akar teratai (renkon)=Lotus root, ubi udo, ubi kledek, ubi keladi, ubi kentang, akar gobo, ubi konnyaku dan rebong.

Orang Okinawa terkenal dengan panjang umur mereka berbanding dari lain-lain daerah di Jepun. Salah satu sayur yang ditanam di merata sini ialah goya=peria pahit..
Bila musim panas, nak katakan hari-hari makan goya...tak jelak-jelak!
Tauhu, natto, air kacang soya, miso (sejenis taucu buat sop) dan segala yang diperoleh dari kacang soya.

Bermula musim panas banyak orang Jepun menanam sayur-sayur walaupun mereka tidak ada tanah. Dalam pasu, pagar-pagar, di veranda, depan rumah, celah dapur...terung, tomato, piman (green peppers). Yang ada tanah pula akan menanam lebeh dari itu timun, jagung, kacang boncis, bende, peria, petula, lada merah, sayur sawi, bayam, kledek, kentang, lobak putih dan merah.

Kalau cendawan atau mushroom pula ada 14 macam jenis. Musim cendawan dan musim anak rebung, orang Jepun pergi ke bukit untuk mencari cendawan dan rebung.

Minuman tradisenal mereka ialah teh hijau.
Khasiat teh hijau jauh lebeh tinggi dari kopi.

"Green tea is especially helpful in reducing cancer risks. It contains powerful antioxidants which counteract the free radicals that are believed to cause cancer. Many other tea varieties can prevent or treat the following:

high cholesterol and heart attack
rheumatoid arthritis
cardiovascular disease
impaired immune system functioning
infections."

Bukan nak kata makanan orang Melayu tidak ada khasiatnya, bukankah tiap-tiap rezeki yang halal ada nikmatnya diberi Allah?
Tapi bandingkanlah "main dish" orang Jepun ialah sayur. Daging hanya membuat tumis atau perasa saja.
Contoh makanan tengahari...sop wakame dengan tauhu berkicap, peria goreng dengan tauhu, lobak merah goreng dengan telur atau natto (kacang soya) dengan hijiki (sayur laut).

Kebetulan umur mereka panjang sebab cara pemakanan mereka baik.