I Just Had Turtle Jelly...

I was having runny nose, blocked nose and sore throat since yesterday. It was so bad that I couldn't sleep until 5.30am cos my nose was blocked and runny at the same time and I just couldn't breathe comfortably. When I woke up at 11am this morning, I lost my voice. I can barely managed saying something without feeling like I had just shoved a sand paper into my throat...

Hubby left for a meeting with his client and I texted him to come back as early as he can cos' I'm feeling feverish and need to take a medical leave from being a full time mummy today. My joints and muscles are aching and I felt very tired, not to mention cold and the sore throat is not even getting any better.

When hubby returned home 2 hours later, he brought me this bowl of black jelly - what we Chinese called Guilinggao.

According to Wikipedia:

Guīlínggāo, also known as Tortoise Jelly or Turtle Jelly, is a jelly-like Chinese medicine, also sold as a dessert. It was traditionally made with the powdered plastron (shell) from the critically endangered turtle Cuora trifasciata^[1] and a variety of herbal products, in particular, China rootsSmilax glabra (土伏苓, Tu fu ling).^[2][3]
(commonly known as "three-lined box turtle", or "golden coin turtle", 金錢龜)

Although the golden coin turtle (Cuora trifasciata) is commercially farmed in modern China, it is extremely expensive;^[4] therefore, even when turtle-derived ingredients are used in commercially available guīlínggāo, they come from other, more commonly available, turtle species.^[1][5]

More often, commercially available guīlínggāo sold as a dessert does not contain turtle shell powder at all, despite the product name and the prominent turtle images on most brands' labels. They do, however, share the same herbal additives as the medicine and are similarly marketed as being good for skin complexion when ingested.

I just want to clarify that the one I had is definitely NOT from the critically endangered type, in fact,  judging by the price we got it for, it's definitely not even any turtle shell powder or anything of the real deal at all! I repeat "commercially available guīlínggāo sold as a dessert does not contain turtle shell powder at all, despite the product name and the prominent turtle images on most brands' labels."

I just want to say after eating the jelly, the sandpapery feel on my throat is gone. I feel so much better and my voice is more stable now, no more cracking up and out of pitch.

After having the turtle jelly (which is bitter by the way), hubby brought me to the clinic and doctor said I had flu, prescribed some flu medicines for me and I was back home chowing down a bun so that I can take the medicine and have my afternoon nap. Hubby passed Ben to MIL while I have my nap. I could barely remember seeing MIL and hubby in my room, MIL gently putting Ben next to me (he was asleep) and I continued on my sleep.

I also would like to thank my MIL and hubby for taking over the care of Ben - who is being such a good boy today for not giving any problems to his sick mummy. I do however, feel I still need some rest as I woke up from my afternoon nap when Ben wakes.

Have you tried any weird remedy to cure any of your sickness?


* Note: Please do not think this post is not in any way trying to encourage anyone to eat turtles or any parts of the turtles at all. Just because the name consists of the name turtle, doesn't mean it's made of them. We love turtles too! So to anyone who is trying to condemn me for this post, please don't get me wrong.