Food to Avoid

When was the last time that you had a hunger for Fish and Chips, Barbeque Chicken Wings, or even a Ham and Bacon sandwich? And do you also know that these foods are all hazardous to the human health?



In JNP, we have a “Wellness Department” formed by our leader, made up of advisers who are dedicated to organizing sports event and sharing health tips. They do this out of care and concern for our fellow colleagues; spending their personal time researching on health information and wellness tips for the good of not only our advisers, but also our clients.


In the most recent sharing, we learnt that there are 3 kinds of food that we should avoid. They are:
• Deep Fried Foods,
• Barbeque Foods, and
• Food preserved with nitrates.


The occasional deep fried meal never fills to satisfy our craving for sinful food. However, while cooking the food in hot oil, a series of harmful chemicals are released. Cancer causing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), and carcinogenic Acrylamide are released during the cooking process. Furthermore, the harm is not only limited to the consumer of deep-fried food. In 2006, Dr Rajasekhar Balasubramanian from the National University of Singapore published on the Journal of Environmental Monitoring, that the kitchen with the highest occurrences of deep frying also has a high concentration of PAH in the kitchen air.


This translates to a poor working environment for our loved ones who are preparing the meals for us. In contrast, a kitchen that mainly boils and simmers their food has a lower concentration of PAH in the kitchen air. Fats from the deep frying also has a high calorie content, which can increase the risk of gaining weight and also increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.


Barbequing of foods also exposes the food to high temperature. PAHs are also released during this grilling process. In addition, a 2-hour barbecue can also release the same level of toxic dioxins as up to 220,000 cigarettes.


The last food to avoid, are processed meats that contain Nitrates. These range from ham, sausages, bacons, to even luncheon meat. Nitrate is a preservative and is used to keep the color of processed meat from changing over time. Nitrate is harmless, but it can convert to nitrite, which can form nitrosamines, a powerful cancer-causing chemical, in your body. The FDA believes that small amounts do not pose a risk, but advises that pregnant women and infants do not consume foods containing this additive. In fact, the USDA does not allow foods marketed to babies, infants and toddlers to contain nitrates or nitrites. This is because the consumption of nitrates can lead to methemoglobinemia in babies, children, and even some adults.


In JNP we have always emphasized on the need to maintain our focus on Health, Relationship and Wealth. None of this tripartite pillar can exist without the other. Since a calculated selection of food can help us in maintaining our good health, let’s eat our way towards a healthier future.


Quoted from See, S W, S Karthikeyan, and R Balasubramanian, "Health risk assessment of occupational exposure to particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with Chinese, Malay, and Indian cooking". Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 8 (2006): 369-376.

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Power Up with a Power Nap!

Since the first day we stepped into JNP, we have been encouraged to take naps. While it may seem strange to you, it's actually encouraged by our boss. To Boss, taking naps are as essential as drinking water and eating rice, brown rice that is! To the uninitiated, welcome to Boss's wonderful world of healthy living. No matter how busy his day is, Boss still does his best to take a power nap daily. Let's explore deeper into this little discipline of his, which perhaps forms one of his secrets to success.

Research shows that we can make ourselves more alert, reduce stress and improve our cognitive functions with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a power nap, means more patience, less stress, quicker reflexes, increased learning, more efficiency and better health.

Taking an effective power nap is really an art in itself. Not only does the duration matter, the timing at which we take the naps also makes a big difference.

Studies on restorative naps have shown that the best time for a short siesta is at midday. Some people take it before lunch but some will wait until right after lunch. Based on our body's natural sleep rhythm, midday is the time where we will have a natural tendency to fall asleep. And this is what makes it the best time to nap. Interestingly, most people choose to nap after 4 or even 6pm when this may in fact disrupt or even reduce the quality of our sleep at night.

It is advisable to keep naps within 20 minutes at most. Stretching it to 30 or 40 minutes may cause us to enter into a deep sleep and create what is called, sleep inertia. We may wake up feeling drowsy, groggy and generally worse off.

When we nap (or sleep at night), it will also make a difference when we lie flat to allow our blood and oxygen to flow back to nourish our brains and eyes.

Under the care of our leader, we have learned to soak up life's 'five essential supplements' (五朴) in order to achieve a life of joy and prosperity. Namely, to sleep well (神朴), to eat well (食朴), to replenish our energy and oxygen intake (气朴), to be to take herbal supplements (药朴) and lastly, to be financially sound (钱朴). In order to enjoy joy and prosperity, these five supplements are all essential. Since a short 20-minute power nap can make a difference to our mental and physical well being, let's pick up this great habit and snooze our way towards longevity!

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The Next Time You Want to 'Blast' Away, Think Twice...

Have you ever walked out of a car in a hot day ending up with an unbearable headache? A scientific research explains this. According to studies, the car dashboard, sofa, even the air freshener, emits benzene, a cancer causing toxic. When baked under the hot sun, the benzene level escalates. This chemical reaction though invisible, ought not to be ignored.

Benzene is the main toxin in the hydrocarbon fraction of exhaust. Benzene and other less known hydrocarbons are produced in petroleum refining, and are widely used as solvents and as materials in the production of various industrial products and pesticides.

A car parked indoor with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. An acceptable level indoors is only 50 mg per square feet. When parked outdoors under the hot sun, the benzene level can exceed the acceptable level by 40 times!

Exposure to benzene can cause cancer, especially leukaemias and lymphomas. Benzene has a suppressive effect on bone marrow and it impairs blood cell maturation and amplification. In layman terms, benzene reduces your red blood cells over time.

Breathing very high levels of benzene can result in death, while high levels can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid heart rate, headaches, tremors, confusion, and unconsciousness.

How do you avoid inhaling benzene then?

Our boss Mr. Patrick Tan advises you to wind down two diagonal windows (if you unwind the driver seat's window, do the same to the diagonal passenger seat window), BEFORE you turn on your air con. This way, a passage is created for air-flow, and this can blow away the accumulated benzene fumes.

The next time you step in to a heated-up car and wish to blast your air con away immediately, think twice. Your life is certainly worth much more than that few more drops of perspiration!

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Sip Your Way to Greater Health!

Do you know that drinking green tea daily can improve your health significantly?

Green tea is known to be rich in anti-oxidant. This helps to prevent the growth of cancer cells, lower LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibit the abnormal formation of blood clots, the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Do other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties?

Green tea is unique because of the way is it being processed. Their leaves are steamed, which prevents its antioxidant compound from being oxidized. Black and oolong tea leaves on the other hand, are made from fermented leaves. This alters the antioxidant compound and as a result, they are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

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Drink to your health! But in moderation...

In just a few more weeks, most of us will be making merry, celebrating either Christmas or New Year; many of us both. We will be surrounded by good cheer, good company, good food, and very likely, copious amounts of alcohol.

While alcohol is a staple at many joyous events, we know that too much of a good thing can turn out to be deleterious to our health. Studies over the years have shown that alcohol can be a double-edged sword. While it appears to guard against certain cardiovascular diseases, over-consumption may lead to other health complications.

The good news first. Just last month, a Spanish study found that long-term moderate drinking decreased the risk of heart disease by up to one-third in men. Even better news: the type of alcohol – wine, spirits or beer – made no difference to the results. It turns out that men have greater reason to rejoice than women, for whom the study found alcohol consumption having far less health benefits.

The study found that the ideal amount to drink for men is less than two glasses of wine or a couple of beers a night. Men who drank this amount saw their risk fall by more than 50 percent in the 10 year study on 15,500 men.

Other experts warn however, that the findings should be treated with a circumspect, as they do not take into account illnesses from a range of other diseases caused by excessive or binge drinking.

UK experts said the findings should be treated with caution because they do not take into account ill-health from a range of other diseases caused by excess drinking. Whilst moderate alcohol intake can lower the risk of having a heart attack, coronary heart disease is just one type of heart disease. Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, is associated with high alcohol intake and can lead to a poor quality of life and premature death as well, according to the British Heart Foundation. The heart is just one of many organs in the body. While alcohol could offer limited protection to one organ, abuse of it can damage the heart and other organs such as the liver, pancreas and brain.

Stroke experts meanwhile also caution that people who drank a large amount of alcohol regularly appear to be at a three-fold risk of having a stroke.

The Stroke Association noted that overall, evidence indicated that people who regularly consumed a large amount of alcohol had a three-fold increased risk of stroke.

Meanwhile, the British Liver Association advises: “There have been several studies suggesting that small amounts of alcohol can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in men over the age of 40. But these are often misinterpreted by people looking for a health reason to consume alcohol. If you want to look after your health, stay within the limits of no more than 3-4 units a day for men or 2-3 for women and aim to give yourself at least two days off alcohol a week.”

However, it should be noted as well that these statistics were based on studies done on European subjects who generally have a larger body mass than Asians and may thus process alcohol differently than Asians.

So, with all the merrymaking that will be taking place in the coming weeks, it may be fine to protect your heart with a little alcohol, but be sure not to harm your other organs with too much of it either. And whatever alcohol’s benefits, remember that physical exercise is still the best way to stay healthy!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Chew On This!

The average person’s digestive system handles about 65 tons of food a lifetime. In order to effectively process and absorb the nutrients in our food, a healthy digestive system is required. While most people believe that the stomach is where most the of the digestive process takes place, food entering it is already pre-processed. How well your food is prepared for your tummy in your mouth contributes to the long-term health of your stomach as well.

An unhealthy stomach can result in indigestion, ulcers and more. A healthy stomach means our bodies absorb maximum amount of nutrients from our foods. Imagine only assimilating a small portion of the many healthy foods we eat. This is unfortunately the case for many people. That is why making sure that your stomach remains healthy is part of your overall health!

Digestion, as we were taught in school really begins in the mouth. But most of us habitually rush through our meals as though we had a plane to catch. We also tend to hold our breaths as we eat. This habit encourages incomplete chewing and hasty swallowing, forcing unprepared food into an unprepared stomach. Worse, many of us wash down our food before we even chew it and begin the amylase digestive process.

Drinking too much liquid while we eat makes the entire digestion process less effective as well. Our enzymes are diluted and the stomach must work harder to absorb the water. By diluting the enzymes, we slow down their ability to interact with the food and break them down. This in turn leads to less absorption and longer digestive times as the food passes through the intestines. So really, the occasional sip to rinse the palate is all that is required during meals.

Other ways to improve your chewing is to take some slow easy breaths while chewing; listen to your environment while chewing and talk after swallowing; and again, try not to wash our food down with a drink. Let our saliva and amylase liquefy the food. Swallow it only when it feels like runny mashed potatoes. That is the optimal state we want our food as it enters our stomachs.

Chewing well also makes the entire experience of a meal much more enjoyable. Learn to appreciate the finer things in life; even eating an ordinary meal can then become an extraordinary experience. Chewing properly also allows us to work out our jaw and face muscles. Furthermore, the mouth also contains several important glands, located in the jaw behind the ears. As we chew, these parotid glands are stimulated, producing T-cells into the blood and lymphatic system.

Chewing is really where good health begins, in more ways than one. So keep eating healthily and chew properly!

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The benefits of swimming

Visit the M Hotel pool on any given weekday morning, and chances are, you’ll see a familiar face doing his laps with both discipline and grace. Patrick Tan, the founder of JNP and avid proponent of holistic healthcare, has been a regular patron of the hotel’s Xth floor for the past few months. Previously an occasional swimmer, he has lately upped his regime to a daily, if not, alternate day affair.

The funny thing about Patrick however, is that despite his seemingly compulsive attraction to the pool, swimming does not rank among his favourite exercises. He would rather be on a basketball court with his colleagues or sparring with his fellow martial artistes. He admittedly enjoys those sports far more than swimming; yet he does his laps much more frequently than he slam dunks or throws controlled punches.

This, according to Patrick, is because of the advice he received from his TCM chiropractor after spraining his ankle a few months back. Temporarily curtailed from high-impact activities, swimming was the obvious and perfect alternative. And like everything else Patrick does, he has thrown himself into the pool with verve and enthusiasm. Swimming, as is well known, builds endurance, muscle strength and cardio-vascular health. It is thus a terrific all-rounded exercise that can be both therapeutic and efficient.

Swimming provides individuals with several physical, social and mental benefits. These include improved strength and flexibility, enhanced muscular stamina and balance, a stronger heart, and better physique or figure. Apart from this, swimming also works as a fast and effective remedy for healing muscles.

Swimming also helps in weight control and can relieve your mind from stress and tension, fueling your energy level to a large extent. This is will keep you in ideal shape, physically as well as mentally.

Regular laps in the pool can be very beneficial to your heart, lungs, and muscles, building up strength and stamina, and also improves posture and flexibility.

For individuals who are obese, or individuals suffering from leg or lower back problems, this activity offers some aerobic benefits and unlike other weight training programs, swimming does not put strain on connective tissues.

As for being a muscle-healing activity, swimming can gradually increase your heart rate and stimulate your muscle activity, improving blood circulation through your muscles to help them recover, and help you relax as you glide through the water.

Research also suggests that pregnant women benefit the most from swimming. It makes their abdominal muscles strong, which are most essential when carrying a baby. In addition, it strengthens the back and the muscles that help post-mastectomy women carry their weight more easily. According to experts, exercising in water can considerably reduce joint stiffness, high blood pressure, and discomfort, which is often associated with pregnancy.

Many swimmers even find an indirect benefit form swimming. They develop life skills such as sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and an increased sense of self-worth through their participation in the sport. A study has even shown that swimmers seem to do better in school, in general terms, than non-swimmers as a group.

So if you aren’t already a regular swimmer, take a cue from Patrick and take the plunge. You’ll be lapping up its remarkable health benefits with every lap you take!

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Manuka Honey and Your Health

Of all of nature's products, one of the most amazing - for its curative and nutritional properties - is undoubtedly honey.

People have known about the special uses of honey for millennia. Cave paintings in Spain suggest that people started hunting for honey as far back as 10,000 years ago. But with the advent of modern research into this miracle food, one variety stands out for its unique properties: Manuka.

A compound found only in Manuka honey is so special that scientists have given this ingredient the name “Unique Manuka Factor” or UMF. It is so complex that they have not been able to completely map its chemical profile. But they do know that it has an especially potent use as an anti-bacterial agent. In fact, it has proven to be effective against certain strains of bacteria that even conventional antibiotics cannot fight against.

Manuka honey is made from the flowers of the manuka bush which in indigenous to New Zealand. In fact several hospitals in New Zealand are even using the honey in its standard treatments of serious fungal infections and cancer-related surgeries in order to prevent and treat infections.

Interestingly, when diluted with water (about 10 - 14 parts the amount of honey), larger quantities of hydrogen peroxide is produced, which acts as an even stronger germicide.

Manuka honey is also a good digestive aid. Because it has been predigested by the worker bee, it contains the enzymes invertase, amylase and catalase in large quantities. These enzymes are especially helpful to people with weak digestive systems and has been proven to be able to treat stomach ulcers by killing the bacteria that causes it.

It should be noted however, that most of honey's nutritional and therapeutic properties can be eliminated by heat. Mixing honey with hot water destroys its enzymes and breaks up it sugar compounds, negating its uses as a germicide and digestive aid as previously mentioned. Therefore It would be best to mix honey with water at room temperature to preserve its properties the way nature intended them to be.

Another anecdotal cautionary tales involves metal spoons. Many people believe that because of honey’s slightly acidic pH value, it may accelerate corrosion of metal and transfer the byproduct to the honey itself. While the scientific evidence is still out, it may pay to avoid using metal utensils with honey. A simple wooden spoon is best.

Honey, in general, is a greatly-assimilable carbohydrate compound, capable of efficiently generating heat, creating and replacing energy in the human body, making it a particularly tasty and healthy pick-me-up as well.

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Health is wealth: walking the talk in JNP

It is no secret that a culture exists within JNP where advisers are constantly motivated to keep themselves in the pink of health. From the weekly group qigong sessions, emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine, and the

carefully-selected food and beverages on the cafe menu, healthcare is a way of life for JNP advisers.

From a practical perspective, the reason appears simple: a physically-fit adviser is one who is also more likely to be emotionally and mentally-balanced, and able to serve his or her clients optimally. Most corporate organizations adopt fitness programmes precisely with the objective of keeping their workforce productive. But for JNP, the emphasis on healthcare goes beyond the bottom-line.

Even though they are often seen as the ones who contribute most directly to the organization's revenue, advisers are not the only ones who benefit from this overarching emphasis on healthcare. Take Mdm Teo Chai Wat, who is in her forties, who works as a server in JNP's Red Olive cafe. Employed by JNP for just under a year, she has already been treated to several traditional Chinese therapeutic massage sessions, fully paid for by Patrick Tan, the Branch Head of JNP and Executive Director of IPP. In fact, it became a semi-official Branch policy shortly after the cafe started, for Patrick to send Mdm Teo and her cheerful group of Red Olive colleagues for monthly TCM massage sessions. These sessions are not merely seen as a work-related benefit, but an expression of genuine familial care.

The always affable Mdm Teo, who previously worked in a factory is, needless to say, deeply touched by it. Her soothed muscles are matched by the warmth of her gratitude. She feels Patrick - or "Boss," as he is addressed by advisers and employees alike - is a man of principle and graciousness. Such an approach to her well-being inspires her implicit trust in him and the organization.

The administrative and personal assistants of JNP have also seen their health improve ever as they immerse themselves in the JNP way of life. Twenty-five year old Siti Shyuhaila, assistant admin manager, recently reignited her desire to stay in shape after some introspection. As she reflected on her senior position among the personal assistants, she felt responsible to be a positive role model for her colleagues. Whereas in the past, she just made a mental effort to get in some weekly exercise, she has now decided to commit that desire it to paper for more compelling effect.

"Thinking alone is not enough. I wanted to be a role model and if I don't do it, people won't follow. Many people give the excuse that there is not enough time. But time is a human construct. We can make time. We have to write down our goals. Mental visions are not enough," said Siti.

Calina Chew, who is overall in-charge of the Branch's administrative affairs is another model of commitment to personal health. She makes an effort to go for aqua jogging sessions three to four times a week. She adopted the activity after Patrick advised her to replace her visits to the gym with a pool-based regime instead. It would be better for her weak knee-joints, he said.

So far so good. Not only is Calina managing to keep her weight under control, her improved physical health has translated into other benefits as well.

"I used to feel lethargic and temperamental. But ever since I started exercising more regularly, I have felt much better," Calina attests.

But she also advises others to keep the exercise regular. She adds: "If we fall sick, it's hard for us to build up a healthy momentum again."

Healthcare indeed permeates life in JNP. Everyone does his or her part to keep each other motivated. The managers and advisers who have personal assistants especially make it a point to remind and encourage them to keep a disciplined exercise schedule.

Perhaps the old adage that health is wealth can find a no-more-apt expression in a financial services organization as fit as JNP.

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GM crops might not Bee good for you

It’s not breaking news that global warming is affecting our world’s food supply. The rise in environmental temperature has made growing conditions worse for several important crops – many of them staple foods such as rice and wheat. While that is a serious-enough situation that will hit the economic stability of many poorer countries, richer nations that can afford the rise in prices relatively easily may also suffer from decreased crop yield in a more insidious way.

In order to counter the effect of climate change on their crop productivity, many farmers are now turning to genetically-modified (GM) seeds that can grow in temperature conditions that natural seeds otherwise cannot. While this may result in quantitative benefits and help stabilize crop yield levels, an unseen harm may be taking root with every GM seed that is being planted.

GM seeds are created by introducing new genetic regulatory information into the DNA of the organism. While this may change the way it reacts to the weather, making it more robust, studies have also shown that such genetic alteration may also result in increased allergenic tendencies (the ability to cause allergic reaction in humans), toxicity levels and altered nutritional values. Other unpredictable mutations may also occur.

A startling indication of just how potentially harmful consuming GM crops might be comes from bees, which farmers rely heavily on to pollinate their crops. Autopsies conducted on dead crop-pollinating bees show their digestive tracts severely infected with diseases scientists believe are linked to the genetic mutations in GM crop-related pollen. The image shows a diseased bee thorax on the left, compared with a healthy one on the right. The contrast is striking. Scientists have observed that the discolouration is comparable to that found in instances of human colon cancer. It has been noted that bees that have ingested GM pollen often contract digestive tract diseases so severe that it is usually terminal.

This does not bode well for humans who rely on a global crop industry facing critical challenges to their production and will understandably turn to quick-fix solutions to address their most urgent requirements. Indeed, the incidence of colon cancer among humans has been rising steadily over the years. While this has not yet been definitively and scientifically linked to the increasing prevalence of GM foods, the numbers suggest a strong correlation and likely causality. We can however, do something about it.

The most obvious action is to avoid buying GM products and consume only organically-grown produce whenever possible. Also, you may consider consuming more nutritional supplements and herbal brews to mitigate the effects of the sometimes-unavoidable genetically or chemically altered foods which are getting more and more common. Your JNP friend would be able to fill you in more specifically on the JNP approach to good digestive health maintenance. Do remember to ask him or her the next time you meet.

But in order to nip the problem in the bud, do your part to preserve the environment. It is after all, the root cause of the ongoing food shortage crisis and its implications on the genetic quality of the food we consume.

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It's OK to be negative!

Guests in our office might notice machines with vents at the top sitting inconspicuously by the walls. They are known as ionizers. And they are meant to produce negative ions. If you know anything about the JNP philosophy, you’ve probably already guessed that they are part of our holistic approach to healthcare.

Research shows that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, and consume 15kg of air a day (compared with about 1kg of food). Thus, the maintenance of indoor air quality is an important step in avoiding the accumulation of toxins in our bodies.)

Ions are integral elements in our air environment. They are essentially molecules that have either gained or lost an electrical charge. They are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, and moving air and water. Between the two, negative ions have been observed to have a significant positive effect on people while positive ions are undesirable to us.

Once they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy. Studies of people with chronic depression show that negative ion generators relieve depression as much as antidepressants.

Positive ions, on the other hand, affect us in the opposite manner. Research has shown that the presence of electrical appliances such as monitors, computers and television sets produce positive ions. Furthermore, air-conditioners remove existing negative ions from the environment. This makes most offices particularly unhealthy places, ion-wise. This contributes the general feeling of lethargy most people feel when they spend a prolonged period of time in their offices. That is why we have installed ionizers and humidifiers in the JNP office - so as to replenish the negative ions in the air.

Most plants are also a good source of negative ions through photosynthesis. In the process they release moisture and absorb carbon dioxide, at the same time negative ions are released. That is why people feel good and fresh around lush foliage. That is why those of us who are qigong practitioners - as most JNP members are - dawn is the best time to be out in the park, absorbing the positive goodness of negative ions. Some plants, such as the Boston fern, chrysanthemum and ivy, produce negative ions more than others, even twice more. These plants do their best work typically before 7am. However, for those of us who lead a hectic weekday lifestyle, a trip to the beach over the weekends may be useful too, as negative ions are also present in significant amounts near bodies of water.

So, while we encourage ourselves to think positive, when it comes to ions, that’s perhaps the only time when being negative is better!

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You’ll always receive a warm (water) welcome at JNP!

First-time guests at JNP’s in-house cafe, The Red Olive, might find it a little peculiar that we typically serve warm water instead of iced water, which is what other cafes and restaurants usually serve. Our regular guests understand that we do this because of our holistic approach to the welfare of our clients and loved ones - healthcare being an integral part of it.

In the Eastern medical school of thought, warm beverages are preferable to cold ones because of its effect on the internal constitution of the drinker. The body’s ideal temperature is around 37 degrees Celsius and our internal organs function optimally at that level. Consuming cold beverages when there is no physiological need to lower the body’s temperature presents an introduction of less-than-ideal thermal conditions for the organs to function optimally. Unnecessary organic stress is created when the body has to then exert more energy raising its temperature back to the ideal level.

Of course, on a warm day, drinking a moderately cool beverage would be beneficial in the converse manner, lowering the body’s temperature down to its optimal level. But when no such reduction is required, consuming water at a temperature commensurate with your body’s own – or at least at room temperature – is best.

For those who have a fondness for cold artificially-sweetened beverages such as soft-drinks, it is also worth bearing in mind that the body finds it more difficult to break down sugar proteins when it is introduced to the body as a cold solution than as a warm one.

JNP’s philosophy when it comes to water extends also to a study conducted by Dr Masaru Emoto of Japan in the 1990’s, which suggested that water crystals form more robust and aesthetically-pleasing molecular structures when the mood of the drinker was positive. Dr Emoto’s study indicated that when water was placed in the presence of positive thoughts, music and emotions, its crystalized molecular structure became more symmetrical and therefore “healthier”. While some scientists are of the opinion that more research needs to be done before Dr Emoto’s claim can be accepted as a fully-scientific fact, it is nonetheless a fascinating thought and, at the very least, a reminder to us that our thoughts and attitudes influence our surroundings in ways that are often unseen but not unappreciable.

Water crystal of water found in
Sanbu-ichi Yusui Spring Water, Japan

What is scientifically undeniable is that water is the source of life. And JNP’s approach to water presents a fundamental building block in our healthcare philosophy. So the next time we have the pleasure of hosting you in The Red Olive, you’ll understand why the warmth of our welcome extends to the temperature of the water we serve!

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Huiyi's story

It wasn’t a real problem, she thought. Backaches are common annoyances. After all, it was perhaps only a matter of time: she had been sitting upright, hours on end, preparing proposals and filling out countless forms for her clients. So Huiyi didn’t think much of it initially.

Then the trembling began.

Her hands quivered and their strength started to sap. Merely gripping a pen to write required a focused physical effort. Within a few weeks, her legs went limp as well. Painkillers were prescribed. So was a wheelchair.

Her doctors suspected a motor-neurological condition. Exactly what it is, they don’t know, yet. More blood tests will eventually identify it, they hope.

But even in a wheelchair, Huiyi stands tall as an inspiration and role model for her colleagues and friends. They often say of people who defy the limitations of their frailty that their spirit is willing, even though their body may be weak. But in Huiyi’s case, her spirit soars.

It may be hard to appreciate just how tough Huiyi’s spirit is, given her graceful and gentle demeanor. But spend a while talking to her; ask her about what her experience has taught her. Then listen to the unmistakable determination hidden behind her softly-sweet voice and watch for the eternal hope that dances in her eyes, then you’ll know. This is but a temporary episode, she asserts; it is only a matter of time before she recovers.

While her physical strength eludes her for now, Huiyi has found an abundance of spiritual strength in her JNP family. It is they - and Boss in particular - who serve as the preface, plot and prologue of her story.

When her condition made it tough for her to travel, a group of advisers was quickly formed and rostered to offer her rides from her home to the office and back. She was initially understandably worried about imposing on her colleagues who had busy business schedules of their own and confided in Boss. It was then that he helped her see that in allowing them to be of service to her, she was in fact giving them an opportunity to grow in virtue. There is no doubt that her JNP family has rallied around her, infusing her spirit with hope and determination, as well as nurturing within themselves a spirit of love and service.

And when she was contemplating whether to buy or rent a wheelchair, Boss told her to stop worrying and bought it for her himself.

Then there was the episode in the hospital. When she was warded after her condition deteriorated late last year, Boss and his family visited. Being the proponent of traditional Chinese medical therapies that he is, he asked his wife and two young sons to join him in giving Huiyi a therapeutic massage to help her regain her strength and spirits. She recounts vividly - and blushingly - how they even performed foot reflexology for her, even though she had not been able to shower for days!

The idea of JNP as a true extended family was also eloquently manifested recently when Boss, on behalf of his own father, passed her the business card of a chiropractor. His father had told him to give it to her after he learnt about Huiyi’s condition, saying a friend of his had sought treatment for a similar condition and was completely cured.

Huiyi’s story is one that is both touching and inspiring. Her experience has enabled her to see life in a new and wondrous light. She appreciates the little things as well as the great ones, knowing they both come from the same source of goodness. But Huiyi’s story is also JNP’s story. She has benefit from her JNP family’s love as much as they have benefited from the example of her indomitable spirit.

Like a true love story, their paths are interwoven, inextricably linked in promise, pain and prize. And like all good stories, it involves a great deal of character development.

Sun Huiyi has been an advisor with JNP for two years. She continues to serve her clients with passion and dedication despite her physical condition, and attends JNP functions and events when her health permits.

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