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Mushroom burrito for cancer patients

Mushroom burrito can be an easy dish for cancer patients. / Courtesy of CJ FreshwayRecipe for cancer patients: mushroom burrito Exotic dishes can spice things up for a cancer patient’s diet. A mushroom burrito is a fusion Mexican dish that combines chicken with ingredients known for their anticancer effects. Prepared in bite-sized pieces, it is a perfect healthy snack. Ingredients (serves two) You will need 80 grams of chicken, 40 grams of kidney beans, 40 grams of tomatoes, 40 grams of cucumber, 80 grams of oyster mushrooms, 20 grams of onion, 40 grams of head lettuce, 10 grams of lettuce leaves, 10 grams of tortilla, 20 grams of sour cream, cooking oil, apple vinegar, salt, pepper, oligosaccharides. For chicken seasoning sauce: 5 grams of cooking wine, salt and pepper. Step by step 1. Season the chicken meat in the sauce for about an hour. Dice it into 1 centimeter cubes and fry them on high heat with cooking oil. 2. Soak the kidney beans in water and cook in a pan until the moisture is gone. 3. Prepare tomato concasse. Put a cross mark on tomato with a knife, d

Jun 14, 2012

Organ donations bring families tighter

By Noh Hyun-gi As of Thursday, 29,317 people were on the waiting list for an organ donation according to the Korean Network for Organ Sharing. Yet the number of donors is shy of 3,400. The shortage plus the higher chance of finding a match with a family member make relatives the likely donor for someone fighting for their life. Donations from children, spouses and parents often bring the families closer as they overcome the disheartening situation together. The following are stories of three patients who got a second chance through ultimate acts of altruism from family members. — ED 1) Daughter’s story It started like any other working day for Lee Myeong-rok on Oct. 1, 2011. The 55-year sushi restaurant owner in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province was buying fish at a morning market in Incheon. Suddenly, he felt sharp pain just below his right chest and was gasping. Lee went home, half thinking that the pain would go away, if he got some rest. When it didn’t, he called his two daughters — Lee Ji-yoon, 29, and Lee Ji-yong, 28. The two rushed home and took

Jun 14, 2012

Who should pay on dates ― guy or girl?

By Jung Min-ho, Kim Bo-eun, Bahk Eun-ji Dinner is done, conversation dwindles and the date is about to end, when the check arrives, who should pay ― the guy, the girl or both? Until recently, the answer was easy. In a male-dominant Korean society, the money came out of the man’s wallet, regardless of who asked whom out. Though most may struggle to explain the legitimacy of the “rule,” this was the way things were. Although not set in stone, it was a general agreement that few gentlemen had the guts to overthrow. Basically viewed as an act of chivalry for men to pay for women, many men may feel embarrassed if they don’t. There is still the male ego to buoy and years of social conditioning to abide by. However, changing social norms and issues of gender equality have started muddying the water on who is strong enough to pick up the bill. Today an increasing number of women work, sometimes at better jobs than their male counterparts and this is changing gender rules. While some women still expect men to pay on dates, more are willing to chip in. As society moves to

Jun 13, 2012

Childcare holds key to higher birth rates

Increasing benefits at time of birth appears less effective By Noh Hyun-gi A policy shift to encourage more Koreans to have children is required, considering the overall birthrate is static despite increased welfare benefits given at the time of birth. Moreover, the number of women giving birth after the age of 35 has increased steadily. Putting the two factors together, it indicates that a lack of financial support for childcare, not childbirth, discourages people from having children. “That conclusion is considered the truth in the field,” said Lee Ho-young from the policy review division of National Health Insurance (NHI). In July, the cost of a cesarean delivery will be lowered by nearly 25 percent as part of the Diagnosis Related Group policy that will become effective. This is one of the many benefits offered by the government to parents after the birth of a child. Since 2005, national health insurance provides full coverage for normal deliveries as well as analgesia for vaginal delivery. The Seoul Metropolitan government launched an extra subsidy progr

Jun 11, 2012

Many ways to end misery of back pain

By Jang Su-hee People make trips to doctors with unexpected lower back pain regardless of gender and age. It is more common amongst men in their forties and fifties but age is not the only reason. A simple lower back muscle strain might be excruciating enough head straight to the emergency room. Patients with back pain express their problem as a “sudden immobile state of the lower torso” after sleeping in an awkward position or a weighed down feeling on the lower back as if something heavy is stuck to it. Three out-patients visited the hospital for lower back pain this week. One said, “The sunny weather called me out to do some gardening and I bent over to lift a heavy flower pot when I experienced sudden pain.” Another said, “I recently moved so I have been doing a lot of heavy lifting.” The third patient said, “I met my nephew and when I bent over to lift him up all of a sudden I felt acute pain in my lower back and fell to my knees.” The spine is like a pillar or the shaft of a building holding the body in an upright position. The lumbar vertebrae, the lower part of t

Jun 11, 2012

Korean woman to head Novartis Singapore

By Noh Hyun-gi On May 16, in a landmark designation, a female Korean employee was appointed the managing director at Novartis Singapore. It is the first time for a Korean employee to lead an overseas Novartis office. Refreshingly, the champion here as a woman, is eager to motivate young females to enter an industry that practices meritocracy. “In the 90’s, there weren’t many saleswomen in the pharmaceutical sector. I was lucky to have gotten my feet in the door at a global company,” Kim Eun-young told The Korea Times in an email interview. She stressed that her company awards employees based on achievements and relies on data for decision making, and her gender has not stopped her from serving in the most coveted posts during the past eight years. “I was attracted to the fair working environment, the continuous opportunities to learn and various chances for self-development.” Novartis offers international assignments strictly based on high performance in previous roles. “Recently, I was selected as one of 30 senior executive female leaders and participated in

Jun 11, 2012

Money-making feng shui

By Janet Shin Feng shui has gained global reputation for various reasons since it was first studied in the Orient. Some appreciate it for its value to energize our lives, while others look to it to improve fortunes. This, so-called Western feng shui has been re-imported to the East, especially Korea, as “feng shui interior.” Quite often, we watch television programs to show houses or stores renovated by employing feng shui and how it changed people’s luck. It may improve the physical and psychological health of people living there but more importantly, the changed feng shui brings fortune, as they put it. Many feng shui books provide various tips on making people rich. Apparently modern feng shui is more interested in living spaces including business sites rather than burial grounds which the past feng shui scholars studied in old days. Before I get further into this topic, I must make it clear that studying nature and apprehending the shapes and “qi,” or life energy, of an environment such as mountains, rivers and villages are still crucial parts of feng shui studies. Natur

Jun 7, 2012

Professional managers to run Buddhist temples

By Kwon Mee-yoo The Jogye Order will hand over the business of running temples to independent companies instead of entrusting it to monks, and be more transparent about how revenue from Buddhist donations is spent. These and other measures were announced by the largest Buddhist sect, Thursday, following a public outcry over a scandal involving gambling monks in May. "We have grown bigger fast with the rapid development of our society,” said Ven. Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order. Observing that the nonprofessional, unsystematic management of the Buddhist order contributed to trouble and conflict, the monk said, "Recent gambling scandals are closely related to such old-fashioned operating practices.” The gambling scandal broke in early May when a former monk disclosed a video clip of monks gambling with hundreds of millions of won at a hotel room near Baekyang Temple in Jangseong, South Jeolla Province. Since then, Jaseung has increasingly been under pressure to resign. The Jogye Order is the largest Buddhist sect here with more than 2,500 temples and 13,860 m

Jun 7, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Recipe for cancer patients: vegetable wraps

“Ssam” or vegetable wraps provide ample vitamins and minerals that stimulate our metabolism./ Courtesy of CJ Freshway“Ssam” or vegetable wraps provide ample vitamins and minerals that stimulate our metabolism. One can prepare wraps with raw or steamed vegetables. Wraps made with cooked greens could be good for a cancer patient who may have a sore mouth. Using seasonal vegetables such as lettuce, pumpkin leaves, or leaf beets, make bite-size wraps with multigrain rice. Adding shrimp or beef for protein can make it a complete meal. Ingredients (serves two) You will need 180 grams of rice, 20 grams of lettuce, 20 grams of kelp, 20 grams of curled mallow, 20 grams of leaf beets, sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt For “ssamjang” or dipping sauce: 15 grams of “doengjang” (soybean paste), 5 grams of “gochujang” (hot pepper paste), 10 grams of onion, red pepper powder, red pepper, chopped garlic, oligosaccharides. Step by step 1. Wash the rice and leave it in a sieve for half an hour and cook it dry. When the cooked rice c

Jun 7, 2012

Be cautious of Shift Work Syndrome medication

DEAR DR. P, I work early morning and late evening shifts teaching English to adults and I need some advice on the use of Provigil for Shift Work Syndrome. Is Provigil available in Korea? Who can prescribe this drug? What are the side effects? Are there any dangerous reactions with other anti-psychotics such as Abillify? (Sleepless in Seoul) DEAR SLEEPLESS IN SEOUL, It seems that you are very sleepy while you are teaching because you start work early in the morning. As you know Provigil is a strong CNS stimulant so it is effective in keeping you alert and awake. However, it should not be abused to tackle sleepiness. Provigil should only be used for narcolepsy. Some side effects are nervousness and anxiety attacks. There are differences between narcolepsy and the Shift Work Syndrome you may be suffering due to your work schedule. Narcolepsy means the condition of excessive sleepiness all of sudden for no reason. For example, a narcolepsy patient cannot help falling asleep even when he is eating, working, or after driving for about 10 to 20 minutes without explanation.

Jun 7, 2012
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