Adult Self-Care for Colds and Flu III

Ease Digestive Problems
It's important to understand diarrhea, coughs, colds, etc as cleansers of the body. Vomiting and diarrhea help clean the body of irritants.

sip Sip SIP!
Your body's losing fruids, and you need to put them back into your body. Take clear liquids, such as water, ginger ale. Avoid milk producuts.

BRAT diet
As you begin to get better and your appetite returns, switch to the BRAT diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. Avoid fatty and spicy foods for the initial days after your symptoms.

What is fever?
Again, fever is a sign that your body is fighting infection.

Monitor it
Call your doctor if your temperature is more than 102F

Take it easy!
Relax, recline. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and just get OFF your feet (and rest).

When to call the Doctor

1. When you have the symptoms for more than 5-7 days
2. Fever > 102F for more than a day
3. Signs of dehydration including extreme thirst, dakr urine, infrequent urination
4. Spotted, red or very sore throat
5. Cough and chest pain

Supplies for Self-Care

• Thermomeneter to monitor fever
• Acetaminophen, ibuprofen to relieve headaches/muscle aches
• Decongestants and saline spray to open a stuffy nose
• Cough syrup to loosen mucus or suppress a dry cough
• Chicken soup, herbal tea, (ginger ale)
• Good books and magazines, comfortable clothes

---

Next: Successful Self-Care

Contemplating decisions

If we controlled our own lives, each decision would be quite easy to make. But it's a much more complicated web than that.
However, some decisions require an immense amount of mental preparation. They require renewal of intentions, and surrendering of the self. And then you leave your fate upto Allah (swt). I read a quote by someone today that an opportunity like this only materialises after a tremendous hardship.
I believe I'm going through tremendous hardship, so...
Will this decision come to pass? I really hope so.. I really pray so.

Adult Self-Care for Colds and Flu II

Cough and Sore Throat Soothers
Whether it's a swelling in the throat, hoarse voice or cough, a few simple measures and alleviate these symptoms greatly:

Reduce irritation by gargling

• Taking 1/2 cup warm water with 1/2 tsp salt, gargle every two hours
• Throat lozenges are great!
• Cough drops help moisten the throat

Cough that cough away

• An expectorant will help loosen the mucus
• Dry cough can be controlled by a cough suppressant

---

Next: Digestive problems

Adult Self-Care for Colds and Flu I

Too many people get sick with colds and flus, and too many don't take care of it the proper way. Not that there is a 'proper' way, or that I'm a doctor, but I believe there are some basic essentials that everyone should know.
I wont finish it all in one post, so here's the intro:

Colds and flus aren't treated with antibiotics- so what can you do? Help your body heal itself. Always always start with drinking 8 glasses of liquids/day- juices, water, soup, and get plenty of rest!

Be Kind with Your Nose!
A stuffed nose that starts running is a good sign- all that bad stuff needs to go out!

Wet heat
Inhalating steam by covering your head with a towel and forming an open tent over a pot of boiling water can help ease the nasal congestion. Alternatively, you can stand in a hot shower. You can burn yourself easily if you put your face too close to the boiling water- Be careful!

Medication

• Saline nasal sprays
• Decongestant tablets
• Antihistamines to dry up runny nose

---

Next: Sore Throat & Cough Soothers

Sunnah Etiquettes of Eating

1. When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (with the Name of Allah),’’ and he told people to say this when eating. He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allah at the beginning, let him say ‘Bismillaahi fee awwalihi wa aakhirihi,’ (with the name of Allah, at its beginning and at its end).” [2] The correct view is that it is obligatory to mention the name of Allah (say Bismillaah) when eating. The ahadith which state this are saheeh (authentic) and are clear, with no contradictions in them.
2. When he raised the food to his mouth, he would say, “Al-hamdu lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan feehi ghayri makfiyyin wa laa muwadda’ wa laa mustaghni ’anhu Rabbanaa ’azza wa jall (Allah be praised with an abundant, beautiful, blessed praise. He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds and is never fed, The One Who is longed for, along with that which is with Him, and the One Who is needed. He is Our Lord, may He be glorified). [3]
3. He never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything. [4] Or he would say, “I do not feel like eating this.” [5]
4. Sometimes he would praise the food, as when he asked his family for food, and they said, “We have nothing but vinegar.” He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, “What good food is vinegar.”[6]
5. He used to talk whilst he was eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar. And he said to his stepson ’Umar Ibn Abee Salamah (ra) when he was eating with him: “Say Bismillaah and eat from that which is in front of you in the dish.’’ [7]
6. He would repeatedly urge his guests to eat, as generous hosts do, and as is seen in the hadith of Aboo Hurayrah (ra), related by Al-Bukhari, about the story of drinking milk, where he repeatedly said to him, “Drink,” and he kept telling him to drink until he (the guest) said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have no more room for it!” [8]
7. When he ate with others, he would not leave until he had made du’aa (supplication) for them. He made du’aa in the house of ’Abdullaah Ibn Bishr, and said: “O Allah, bless for them that which You have provided for them, forgive them and have mercy on them.” [9]
8. He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The shaitan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” [10] This implies that eating with the left hand is haram (unlawful), and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a shaitan (devil), or he is imitating the shaitan. It was also reported in an authentic hadith that he told a man who was eating with his left hand in his presence, “Eat with your right hand!” The man said, “I cannot.” He said, “May you never be able to,” and the man never lifted his right hand to his mouth after that. [11] If it was permissible (to eat with the left hand), he would not have prayed against him for doing so. It was the man’s stubborn arrogance that made him refuse to obey the command, and this is the utmost disobedience which deserved this prayer against him.
9. He commanded those who complained that they never felt full to eat together and not separately, and to mention the name of Allah (say Bismillaah) over the food so that He might bless it for them. [12]
10. It was also reported that he said, “I do not eat reclining.” [13]
11. He used to eat using the first three fingers (of his right hand), which is the best way of eating.
    

The Prophet's Guidance Regarding Eating:

1. The Prophet (pbuh) used to know what he was eating.
2. He used to eat what was good for him.
3. He used to eat enough to keep him going, but no so much as to make him fat. Ibn ’Umar related that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the disbeliever eats in seven.” [14]
4. He taught his Ummah something to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking. He said, “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” [15]
   

---

Footnotes:

[1] Zaadul-Ma’aad (p. 2/397-406)
[2] Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (1859) and Aboo Daawood (3767)
[3] Al-Bukhari (5142)
[4] Al-Bukhari (3370) and Muslim (2064)
[5] Al-Bukhari (5076) and Muslim (1946)
[6] Muslim (5052)
[7] Al-Bukhari (5061) and Muslim (2022)
[8] Al-Bukhari (6087)
[9] Muslim (2042)
[10] Muslim (2020)
[11] Muslim (2021)
[12] Saheeh: Narrated by Abu Dawood (3764) and Ibn Maajah (3286)
[13] Al-Bukhari (5083)
[14] Al-Bukhari (5081) and Muslim (2060)
[15] Saheeh: at-Tirmidhi (1381)and Ibn Maajah (3349)

The Boy and the King- Surah Al Buruj

Imam Ahmad recorded from Suhayb that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Among the people who came before you, there was a king who had a sorcerer, and when that sorcerer became old, he said to the king, "I have become old and my time is nearly over, so please send me a boy whom I can teach magic.'' So, he sent him a boy and the sorcerer taught him magic. Whenever the boy went to the sorcerer, he sat with a monk who was on the way and listened to his speech and admired them. So, when he went to the sorcerer, he passed by the monk and sat there with him; and on visiting the sorcerer the latter would thrash him. So, the boy complained about this to the monk. The monk said to him, "Whenever you are afraid of the sorcerer, say to him: `My people kept me busy.' And whenever you are afraid of your people, say to them: `The sorcerer kept me busy.''' So the boy carried on like that (for some time). Then a huge terrible creature appeared on the road and the people were unable to pass by. The boy said, "Today I shall know whether the sorcerer is better or the monk is better.'' So, he took a stone and said, "O Allah! If the deeds and actions of the monk are liked by You better than those of the sorcerer, then kill this creature so that the people can cross (the road).'' Then he struck it with a stone killing it and the people passed by on the road.

The boy came to the monk and informed him about it. The monk said to him, "O my son! Today you are better than I, and you have achieved what I see! You will be put to trial. And in case you are put to trial, do not inform (them) about me.''The boy used to treat the people suffering from congenital blindness, leprosy, and other diseases. There was a courtier of the king who had become blind and he heard about the boy. He came and brought a number of gifts for the boy and said, "All these gifts are for you on the condition that you cure me.'' The boy said, "I do not cure anybody; it is only Allah who cures people. So, if you believe in Allah and supplicate to Him, He will cure you.'' So, he believed in and supplicated to Allah, and Allah cured him.

Later, the courtier came to the king and sat at the place where he used to sit before. The king said, "Who gave you back your sight''The courtier replied, "My Lord.'' The king then said, "I did'' The courtier said, "No, my Lord and your Lord - Allah'' The king said, "Do you have another Lord beside me'' The courtier said, "Yes, your Lord and my Lord is Allah.'' The king tortured him and did not stop until he told him about the boy. So, the boy was brought to the king and he said to him, "O boy! Has your magic reached to the extent that you cure congenital blindness, leprosy and other diseases''He said, " I do not cure anyone. Only Allah can cure.'' The king said, "Me'' The boy replied, "No.'' The king asked, "Do you have another Lord besides me''The boy answered, " My Lord and your Lord is Allah.'' So, he tortured him also until he told about the monk. Then the monk was brought to him and the king said to him, "Abandon your religion.'' The monk refused and so the king ordered a saw to be brought which was placed in the middle of his head and he fell, sawn in two. Then it was said to the man who used to be blind, "Abandon your religion.'' He refused to do so, and so a saw was brought and placed in the middle of his head and he fell, sawn in two. Then the boy was brought and it was said to him, "Abandon your religion.'' He refused and so the king sent him to the top of such and such mountain with some people. He told the people, "Ascend up the mountain with him till you reach its peak, then see if he abandons his religion; otherwise throw him from the top.'' They took him and when they ascended to the top, he said, " O Allah! Save me from them by any means that You wish.'' So, the mountain shook and they all fell down and the boy came back walking to the king. The king said, " What did your companions (the people I sent with you) do'' The boy said, "Allah saved me from them.'' So, the king ordered some people to take the boy on a boat to the middle of the sea, saying, "If he renounces his religion (well and good), but if he refuses, drown him.'' So, they took him out to sea and he said, "O Allah! Save me from them by any means that you wish.'' So they were all drowned in the sea.

Then the boy returned to the king and the king said, "What did your companions do'' The boy replied, "Allah, saved me from them.'' Then he said to the king, "You will not be able to kill me until you do as I order you. And if you do as I order you, you will be able to kill me.'' The king asked, "And what is that'' The boy said, "Gather the people in one elevated place and tie me to the trunk of a tree; then take an arrow from my quiver and say: `In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.' If you do this, you will be able to kill me.'' So he did this, and placing an arrow in the bow, he shot it, saying, "In the Name of Allah, the Lord of the boy.'' The arrow hit the boy in the temple, and the boy placed his hand over the arrow wound and died. The people proclaimed, "We believe in the Lord of the boy!'’ Then it was said to the king, "Do you see what has happened That which you feared has taken place. By Allah, all the people have believed (in the Lord of the boy).''So he ordered that ditches be dug at the entrances to the roads and it was done, and fires were kindled in them. Then the king said, "Whoever abandons his religion, let him go, and whoever does not, throw him into the fire.'' They were struggling and scuffling in the fire, until a woman and her baby whom she was breast feeding came and it was as if she was being somewhat hesitant of falling into the fire, so her baby said to her,"Be patient mother! For verily, you are following the truth!'')

Stories of the Qur'an, Ibn Kathir

Cigarette warnings

Physicians for a Smoke Free CanadaThis is a very cool website! The Australian ads are very graphic, compared to the others, but they're very informative!

Virtues

Some beautiful reminders in hadith:

Rahmah
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, Allah divided Mercy into one-hundred parts and He kept its ninety-nine parts with Him and sent down its one part on the earth, and because of that, its one single part, His creations are Merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up its hoofs away from its baby animal, lest it should trample on it."

[Volume 8, Book 73, Number 29]

Narrated Abu Hurairah:
The Prophet said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you!")

[Volume 8, Book 73, Number 90]

Sabr
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger."

[Volume 8, Book 73, Number 135]

Punctuality
Narrated Al-Walid bin 'Aizar:
I heard Abi Amr 'Ash-Shaibani saying, "The owner of this house." he pointed to 'Abdullah's house, "said, 'I asked the Prophet 'Which deed is loved most by Allah?" He replied, 'To offer prayers at their early (very first) stated times.' " 'Abdullah asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" The Prophet said, "To be good and dutiful to one's parents," 'Abdullah asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" The Prophet said, To participate in Jihad for Allah's Cause." 'Abdullah added, "The Prophet narrated to me these three things, and if I had asked more, he would have told me more."

[Volume 8, Book 73, Number 1]

Chocolate Rhapsody

So I'm not the best cake designer out there, but I tried.

This is what my chocolate rhapsody was supposed to look like:

And this is what I made for Jakub's 25th birthday:

Utopia

Yet utopia—a word that has come to represent a hope that the future could surpass the present—persists. "As long as necessity is socially dreamed," Guy Debord says in his 1973 film The Society of the Spectacle, "dreaming will remain a social necessity." Debord meant that in conditions of inequality and injustice, people will always imagine a better place. What constitutes "better" is, however, a matter of much dispute. We dream our fears as well as hopes, reflecting all the agonies and contradictions of the waking world; in dreams, demons rise from our darkest places. This is the dangerous element in utopian aspiration, the monster behind the smiling face. Utopias can embody the highest hopes of humankind and frameworks for continuous evolution, but they can also reflect our worst fears and sickest appetites—not to mention a mania for power and control that is latent in every person. "What a strange scene you describe and what strange prisoners," says Glaucon, Socrates' disciple, in Plato's Republic, the template for the stupid utopia. "They are just like us," answers the master. Read more...

Subhanallah

Yesterday I wanted to make chicken spinach soufflé, and I was working a couple of hours late, so I told my brother to get a packet of spinach from Kensington market.
Now, everytime I buy spinach, I do get the bag (washed, cut) and not the fresh ones.
I came home and said to my brother that I forgot to tell him to get the bag.
The news on the E Coli breakout has been splashed all over...
What miracle of Allah (swt) it was, that I forgot to tell my brother to get the bag, and he ended up getting regular spinach? Allah's signs are in the slightest of events aroun us.

Aromatherapy

I'm taking a very brief and short course on aromatherapy.

How Does Aromatherapy Work?
Essential oils stimulates the powerful sense of smell. It is known that odors we smell have a significant impact on how we feel. In dealing with patients who have lost the sense of smell, doctors have found that a life without fragrance can lead to high incidence of psychiatric problems such as anxiety and depression. We have the capability to distinguish 10,000 different smells. It is believed that smells enter through cilia (the fine hairs lining the nose) to the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls our moods, emotions, memory and learning.

Studies with brain wave frequency has shown that smelling lavender increases alpha waves in the back of the head, which are associated with relaxation. Fragrance of Jasmine increases beta waves in the front of the head, which are associated with a more alert state.

Scientific studies have also shown that essential oils contain chemical components that can exert specific effects on the mind and body. Their chemistry is complex, but generally includes alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, and terpenes. The effect of these chemical components are summarized in the accompanying table.

Each essential oil contains as much as 100 chemical components, which together exert a strong effect on the whole person. Depending on which component is predominating in an oil, the oils act differently. For example, some oils are relaxing, some soothes you down, some relieves your pain, etc. Then there are oils such as lemon and lavender, which adapt to what your body needs, and adapt to that situation. (These are called "adaptogenic"). The mechanism in which these essential oils act on us is not very well understood. What is understood is that they affect our mind and emotions. They leave no harmful residues. They enter into the body either by absorption or inhalation.

A fragrance company in Japan conducted studies to determine the effects of smell on people. They have pumped different fragrances in an area where a number of keyboard entry operators were stationed and monitored the number of mistakes made as a function of the smell in the air. The results were as follows:

• When exposed to lavender oil fragrance (a relaxant), the keyboard typing errors dropped 20 percent.
• When exposed to jasmine (an uplifting fragrance), the errors dropped 33 percent
• When exposed to lemon fragrance (a sharp, refreshing stimulant), the mistakes fell by a whopping 54 percent!

Aromatherapy is particularly effective for stress, anxiety, and psychosomatic induced problems, muscular and rheumatic pains, digestive disorders and women's problems, such as PMS, menopausal complaints and postnatal depression. Here is a summary of the results from clinical studies:

Aromatherapy for Behavior
Considerable evidence exists that fragrant compounds and aromatherapy have a profound effect on our mind and behavior. Animal studies have found that hyperexcited mice (as a result of consuming a large quantity of caffeine) was calmed by the aroma of lavender, sandalwood, and other oils sprayed into their cages. The same mice were found to become very irritable when exposed to the aroma of orange terpines, thymol, and some other substances. These oils were all detected in their bloodstream after about an hour.

Aromatherapy for Sleep
In a study reported in the British Medical Journal Lancet, elderly patients slept "like babies" when a lavender aroma was wafted into their bedrooms at night. These patients had complained of difficulty falling asleep and had to take sleeping pills to get sleep prior to the aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy for Postpartum discomfort
In a double blind study, 635 women applied lavender oil to their perineal area (part of the body between the vagina and the rectum) after child birth. The women reported a distinct improvement between the third and fifth day. (The discomfort is the worst during this time for patients in the control group.)

Aromatherapy for Colds
It has been well established that chicken soup is good for cold (both historically and scientifically). Studies were conducted to find out whether the effect was due to the action of the hot steam on the lining of the nostrils or whether the aroma of the chicken soup has anything to do with it. The results indicated that chicken soup was more effective than the steam indicating the effectiveness of the aroma.

Aromatherapy for Stress
In a study conducted at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York, patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reported 63 percent less claustrophobic after getting exposed to the aroma of vanilla. There was no change in their heart rate. Obviously, the aroma reduced their anxiety probably by the pleasant memories evoked by the vanilla aroma or by some other physiological response.

In another study, 122 patients who were in an intensive care unit, reported feeling much better when aromatherapy was administered with the oil of lavender (compared to when they were simply given a massage or allowed to rest.) No changes in the patients who were given aromatherapy was observed in the blood pressure, respiration, or heart rate. As we mentioned before, Japanese have reported less mistakes by keypunch operators when exposed to fragrance.

---

Taken from: Holistic Online

Mental Fitness Tips

Think about your emotional well-being. Assess your emotional health regularly. Consider the particular demands or stresses you are facing and how they are affecting you. Give yourself permission to take a break from your worries and concerns. Recognize that dedicating even a short time every day to your mental fitness will reap significant benefits in terms of feeling rejuvenated and more confident. Here are some simple ways to practice mental fitness: Daydream – Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a dream location. Breathe slowly and deeply. Whether it’s a beach, a mountaintop, a hushed forest or a favourite room from your past, let the comforting environment wrap you in a sensation of peace and tranquility. “Collect” positive emotional moments – Make it a point to recall times when you have experienced pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence, or other positive emotions. Learn ways to cope with negative thoughts – Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud. Learn to interrupt them. Don’t try to block them (that never works), but don’t let them take over. Try distracting yourself or comforting yourself, if you can’t solve the problem right away. Do one thing at a time – For example, when you are out for a walk or spending time with friends, turn off your cell phone and stop making that mental “to do” list. Take in all the sights, sounds and smells you encounter. Exercise – Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce depression and anxiety. Joining an exercise group or a gym can also reduce loneliness, since it connects you with a new set of people sharing a common goal. Enjoy hobbies – Taking up a hobby brings balance to your life by allowing you to do something you enjoy because you want to do it, free of the pressure of everyday tasks. It also keeps your brain active. Set personal goals – Goals don’t have to be ambitious. You might decide to finish that book you started three years ago; to take a walk around the block every day; to learn to knit or play bridge; to call your friends instead of waiting for the phone to ring. Whatever goal you set, reaching it will build confidence and a sense of satisfaction. Keep a journal (or even talk to the wall!) – Expressing yourself after a stressful day can help you gain perspective, release tension and even boost your body’s resistance to illness. Share humour – Life often gets too serious, so when you hear or see something that makes you smile or laugh, share it with someone you know. A little humour can go a long way to keeping us mentally fit! Volunteer – Volunteering is called the “win-win” activity because helping others makes us feel good about ourselves. At the same time, it widens our social network, provides us with new learning experiences and can bring balance to our lives. Treat yourself well – Cook yourself a good meal. Have a bubble bath. See a movie. Call a friend or relative you haven’t talked to in ages. Sit on a park bench and breathe in the fragrance of flowers and grass. Whatever it is, do it just for you.

---

From: Canadian Mental Health Association

Purolator pickup!

It's really not fun biking if you don't have a destination in mind. So today, Sawitri and I biked to 800 Kipling Ave to pick up an envelope that Purolator kindly asked me to pickup (Yonge and Adelaide location is next door, but no.. it had to be 800 Kipling!). Inshallah, tomorrow it's Thorncliffe (22 km total).
30 km! Our class was supposed to start @ 10:20, so we headed out @ 7:55, Alhamdulillah.

It was a quicker speed ride. We didn't get off and walk @ any of the hills. That's an accomplishment I'm extremely proud of. I'm glad we had water, although I ran out on the way back. We took Bloor all the way. It is pretty hilly crazy! We were also doing great timings. We reached @ 8:50, and waited for their office to open @ 9am.
We left around 9:07am, and I made the decision of biking on Queensway, which forks into Queen St and King St. But what a terrible decision! It was extremely windy on Queensway all the way. We felt the impact of the wind all the way upto Bathurst! It felt like an uphill ride all the way. I was quite breathless and my lungs were just screaming out for air. I continued to peddle hard, and kept telling myself to continue pushing.
Queensway is an okay street. It's location is quite interesting, as it's parallel to the Gardiner. Biking in the right lane meant that we had to get away from all the highway exits as fast as we could! That was something I hadn't thought of!
@ Kingsway, I saw the sign for a bike path, and without thinking, got excited and headed onto it, until Sawitri shouted from the back, 'it's not going to cross the water!' So we retracked a bit. As my bike jolted from the sidewalk onto the road, in attempt to get away from the highway ramp, my seat gave way and came off. How perfect. I wasn't carrying the wrenches either! Subhanallah. It happened because I hadn't tightened the screws tight enough the day before when aligning the seat. Sawitri just gave it a hard punch, and it seemed to settle in place. So, for half the distance back, I had to sit on the edge of my seat and an extremely wierd angle.
I hit home @ 10:08. Just enough time to change, and strap my laptop onto my bike before heading to class.

What is quite pathetic is our speed- 15km/hr. I doubt if I'm up for any more serious training than what I'm upto already! Today in class, as we dispersed, a sister remarked,
"Helmet?"
"Yea, I bike"
"What? I can give you a ride, seriously, it's raining!"
"Nope, we.. bike a lot. And we live close by"
"In those red heels?"
"Umm..yea.. it's not a problem"
"In a SKIRT???"
"hehe..."

Another high school girl, whenever she sees me, "hey, it's the bike girl!" I've had way too many comments on me biking, it's quite interesting. Sawitri was telling me how she biked to Victoria Park, and was passing by Madinah masjid around Maghrib time. 'Honestly Humairah, there were so many uncles, and I felt so wierd as if they were all staring @ me!'. yea, I know..

I was remarking to Sawitri how we've been blowing away a lot of the stereotypes in what we do.

Yes my dear sisters, it's possible to bike. It's also possible to bike in a skirt. And if you wear niqab and abaya, it's still doable, you'll just have to get the right material. I don't wear niqab, but I definitely intend to prove this. And you can go whitewater rafting in an abaya. And you can also train to be a fitness instructor in full clothes or a sports abaya. You absolutely don't need to take off all your clothes for swimming. Just get a stay on hijab.

I work @ Sick Kids, but I'm also the Muslim Chaplain Assistant. When we went to see a 17-yr old suffering with extreme spinal problems and other conditions, as we were leaving, she said..'you know girls, I was expecting some old women who're like big sheikhs, and they're going to tell me to pray and all'. Sawitri and I laughed. She said, 'we do give a lot of parents a bit of an..err, shock.' Alhamdulillah.