EST. 2020

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Welcome to makan pray aloha, my personal passion project filled with reflections on the art of eating, the power of prayer, and the sheer joy of living abundantly—the healthy & abundantly Evidence-Based Lifestyle Medicine way.

Post ≠ Medical Advice.

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Makan literally translates to eat.

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"Makan" is more than a word; it's a cultural bridge in Singapore, my hometown. A common greeting, akin to asking someone if they've eaten or inviting them to share a meal. In Teochew or Hokkien dialects, makan echoes in the words "ziah" or "jiak."

I am dedicating this blog to my  婆婆 (Pópo, my grandmother), who departed in 2020 at the age of 104 years old. who passed away in 2020 at age of 104 years old..

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Whenever I used to call 婆婆 (Pópo) and greeted with a simple 'hello', she would immediately recognize my voice which led to her familiar query, 'Ziah bhuê?' (食未? Have you eaten?) I'd always answered 'Makan' or 'Ziah ho' (食好, Eaten) even if I hadn't eaten. Saying otherwise once prompted her to insist I hang up, eat, before calling back.

Now, let's talk about prayer.

Once, I sought Grandma's prayers for my studies, and her response was a simple but heartfelt, "Of course, I do."

That was when I discovered Grandma's daily prayer ritual for each and every one of us. 
Without fail, she recited the names of each family member every single day, ensuring each of us is enveloped in her prayers.

Her prayers covered each of us with God's protection, provision, peace, grace, mercy, and love. 

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Pray

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Prayer is one thing that cannot be shut down. Prayer cannot be confined or quarantined.

Borders may close but prayer is a force that transcends boundaries.

Even when borders closed, Our Abba Father will always welcome and greet us with open arms.

And what about "Aloha"?

I miss my  婆婆 (Pópo) dearly and anticipate the moment when we reunite in heaven. I envision sharing a heartfelt meal with her, savoring every Teochew specialty she would have tenderly and lovingly prepared. Through her culinary expressions of love, she showed an affection as boundless as God's love for each of us.

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Aloha is more than just a simple greeting. It is a way of living.

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To understand the true meaning of aloha, let's look at the root words: alo, oha and ha

Break it down:

Breaking it down:

Alo: Hawaiian for joy

Oha: Hawaiian for in the present and sharing

Ha: Hawaiian for life energy

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Aloha literally translates to "the presence of breath" or "the breath of life"— a unique way of living with the Aloha spirit. It means joyfully sharing life—the secret to an abundant life.

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Aloha means joyfully sharing life— the secret to an abundant life.

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Aloha embodies:

A- Akahai (kindness)

L- Lokahi (unity & harmony)

O- Olu'olu (pleasantness)

H- Ha'aha'a (humility)

A- Ahonui (patience expressed with perseverance)

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A quick note: This blog is not a substitute for medical advice.