text: [Themes: edutainment, historical]
  
  "Da-Rung, come help me! I cannot seem to carry my bicycle back up!' yelled Taevy, your best friend since childhood. You smiled and immediately run towards Taevy to carry her fallen bicycle. You have been observing this friend of yours and since the war had started, she seems to look very pale and weak. You felt like you really need to be around her or she might just faint anytime.
  
  "Taevy." You said after carrying her bicycle up and allowing her to push the bike along with you as both of you walk. "I realised that you seem very tired nowadays. Have you been sleeping and eating well?"
  
  Taevy looked did not look surprised at all when she heard the question.
  
  "Ask me when was the last time I had meat in my diet? Probably last year. All I have been eating is tapioca and sweet potato. I am so sick of it!"
  
  > Informed her gently about the nutritional aspects of tapioca and its importance for both you in this situation.
  +2
  
  "Taevy, do you not know, tapioca and sweet potato has a high amount of carbohydrate." You told Taevy with a smile.
  
  "Carbohydrate has a provide us with the energy to support with our everyday activities. Without carbohydrate, we would feel very weak and would not have the strength to provide us with the energy that we need."
  
  Taevy, upon hearing that, asked, "But I eat tapioca and sweet potato everyday. But I still feel weak and get tired easily. Why?"
  
  > Told Taevy to eat more tapiocas and sweet potato.
  -1
  
  Hmm, maybe you should eat more tapiocas and sweet potato. That's all we have anyway." And then you remembered.
  
  "Oh I know! I think you should include other types of vegetabes in your diet.!" You said loudly.
  
  Taevy looked at you in confusion. "What is the difference? Isn't tapioca considered a type of vegetables too?"
  
  By now, both of you had reached your home and you sat down on the your front steps with her.
  
  "Yes tapioca is a type of vegetables from the tuber group. Tuber vegetables provides mainly carbohydrates. You should include more dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kangkong.
  
  "Why?" asked Taevy.
  
  "Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kangkong is a source of an important mineral called iron. Iron will be able to provides resistance to diseases and prevents us from being tired easily."
  
  "Also, these types of vegetables are considered to be quite cheap and can easily be found as compared to meat."
  
  Taevy agreed at this new-found information and both of you of decided to cooked stir-fried spinach for dinner tomorrow.
  
  As both of you continue talking, your little brother came in complaining about having trouble with his bowel movements.
  
  > Showed concern on his health.
  + 2
  
  " Ding-yang, are you alright? You seemed to be in discomfort." You asked and signal for him to come sit next to you.
  
  Your little brother slowly went over and sat next to you, still complaining about his uncomfortable stomach. "My tummy has really been uncomfortable to last few days. I cannot seem to remove my waste over these few days."
  
  Again, you questioned his diet throughout these period.
  
  "I eat normal things such as porridge and salted fish. Why?" He answered curiously.
  
  > tell him to continue eating as usual.
  - 2
  
  "No, just continue eating like this. Its not as if we have a choice. The only alternative is to go without food. And honestly, I rather be eating tapioca, sweet potatoes and yams everyday as compare to dying of starvation." You said in a rude tone.
  
  Both Taevy and Ding-yang just sat silently beside you. You know, at this point, you had hurt their feelings. Regretfully, you start to think of ways to compensate for your tone of voice.
  
  Suddenly, you have a brilliant plan.
  
  + 2
  
  " Ding-yang, are you alright? You seemed to be in discomfort." You asked and signal for him to come sit next to you.
  
  Your little brother slowly went over and sat next to you, still complaining about his uncomfortable stomach. "My tummy has really been uncomfortable to last few days. I cannot seem to remove my waste over these few days."
  
  Again, you questioned his diet throughout these period.
  
  "I eat normal things such as porridge and salted fish. Why?" He answered curiously.
  
  > advice him to add in more fruits and vegetables in his diet.
  +2
  
  "You are probably lacking in dietary fibre, that's why you seem to have constipation. Porridge gives you energy but hardly any dietary fibre. Salted fish does not provide any dietary fibre at all.Try adding more fruits in your diet."
  
  "But fruits are expensive!" your brother complained. True enough, since the war started, you hardly see any fruits and even if there is, they would be sold in extremely high amount. Imagine $200 just for a bunch of bananas. You don't even have $5 in your pockets. But then you remembered something.
  
  > say "Well, there are mango and dragonfruit trees in the jungle behind Bukit Merah, shall we go?"
  -1
  
  Immediately after you suggested the idea to go fruit-hunting in the jungle, both Taevy and Ding-Yan faces lit up. 'YES!" they said enthusiastically . "How about going now? While the sun is still up?" Taevy says excitedly.
  
  Both you and Ding-Yan agreed. You were so thrilled with the idea that you can almost feel the sweet and tangy taste of mangoes. The three of you happily set off to go to the jungle ahead, without taking any precautions on what may happen.
  
  +2
  
  "You are probably lacking in dietary fibre, that's why you seem to have constipation. Porridge gives you energy but hardly any dietary fibre. Salted fish does not provide any dietary fibre at all.Try adding more fruits in your diet."
  
  "But fruits are expensive!" your brother complained. True enough, since the war started, you hardly see any fruits and even if there is, they would be sold in extremely high amount. Imagine $200 just for a bunch of bananas. You don't even have $5 in your pockets. But then you remembered something.
  
  > say "Well, we could plant some banana trees?!"
  +2
  
  "Hmm , sounds interesting." Taeyu said. "But honestly, where banana trees will only bear fruits after 28 weeks after harvesting. Isn't that abit too long to wait?" Both Ding-Yang and you, amused at Taevy's sudden general knowledge started laughing. With a smirk, you asked, "Well, what do you suggest then?"
  
  "Hmm, ok then. Other plants may take longer to bear fruits anyway." Taevy says reluctantly.
  
  "Ok, I know Mr Lee, my father's friends still maintained a small banana farm. We could ask him to teach us how to cultivate banana plants!"
  
  Both Taevy and Ding-Yang agreed enthusiastically.
  
  "Till then, Ding-Yang, do include other types of leafy vegetables in your diet. Even a cup of green leafy vegetables each day, would make a difference." You advised your little brother.
  
  "Ok! Shall we go meet Mr Lee now?" asked Taevy.
  
  "Yes, but Ding-Yang, I don't think you should follow. There are roadblocks and soldiers everywhere now. Its still very unsafe for you to go out. But don't worry, we'll tell you everything that we've learnt from Mr Lee once we returned." You told Ding-Yang assuringly.
  
  Ding-Yang, though very disappointed, agreed and watched both you and Taevy leave off to go Mr Lee's house.
  
  > Both you and Taevy moved off to Mr Lee's house.
  "Hi Mr Lee! Are you at home?" You knocked on Mr Lee's front door fro the second time. Again, there was no answer."Maybe, he's at the farm?" Said Taevy. You agreed and just as both of you wanted to walked away, the door opened.
  
  "Da-Rung!" Exclaimed a perky otherwise tired-looking Mr Lee. "What are you doing here? Come in!" Both you and Taevy accepted the invitation and entered the house.
  
  "Well, actually the reason for our visit is that both us were thinking of planting bananas and we were wondering if you would be able to help us..." You asked the friendly middle-aged man hopefully.Immediately, Mr Lee agreed with a delighted smile. "Of course, I will help you. Not today though, I'm feeling quite unwell lately."
  
  "Oh dear, Mr Lee, are you feeling fine? You do look sickly and pale." Observed Taevy "I'm not sure, Taevy, latey I've been feeling quite sickly and feverish..My eyesight has been worsening too, especially when in the dark." Mr Lee explained sadly.
  
  You felt sorry for Mr Lee. His wife had died due to food poisoning, a few months after the breakout of war and since then, there was no one to take care of his health and meals.
  
  > advice Mr Lee to maintain a proper diet.
  "Mr Lee, I'm not a doctor but it seems to me, you are lacking highly in Vitamin A. What type of food do you consume everyday?" You asked curiously.
  
  "I usually eat foods that I plant myself. Some examples are sweet potatoes, yams and bananas. I am currently growing mangoes too and I just managed to harvest the fruits this morning." Mr Lee answered.
  
  > Explained the benefits of Vitamin A in mangoes.
  +2
  
  "It's good to hear that you are planting mangoes, Mr Lee! Mangoes contain a high amount of vitamin A that will help in strengthening you immune system! That way, by eating more mangoes, you won't feel so sickly. Also vitamin A helps in promoting good eyesight, especially in the dark. I'm sure you'll feel so much better when you start eating the mangoes." You said happily.
  
  "Also," Taevy continued, " Mangoes do contain B-group vitamin that helps in breaking down the carbohydrate that you eat from the food into energy. That way, you'll feel more energetic and spirited to do your daily farming activities."
  
  Mr Lee was so impressed at both yours and Taevy's nutritional knowledge that he offered 2 bags of mangoes to both of you which you took gratefully.
  
  "Thank you, for sharing your knowledge with me. Do accept these bananas for you and your family." Mr Lee happily said.
  
  In return for sharing his harvesting knowledge and giving the mangoes, you and Taevy offered to help out in his plantation the day after.
  
  > Returned home to your family with the fruits in your hands.
  You and Taevy walked home excitedly, almost running back. You cannot wait to show the mangoes that you had received from Mr Lee. You know that your family will be so delighted by the fruit gift.
  
  "Taevy, I hope you'll get healthier too. Remember what I said, eat more green leafy vegetables! We'll look for kailan or kangkong together tomorrow, ok?" You told Taevy, just as both of you reached your houses. She said a quick 'yes' and quickly ran off to her home. You knew she too was very excited to share the mango gifts with the rest of her family.
  
  You quickly sprinted to your house and dashed into the living room where you find your little brother, mother and father sitting down having dinner with boiled potato and fried tapioca chips. Immediately, you rushed to them and proudly placed the bunch of mangoes. "Mr Lee gave it to me. He enjoyed our company so much that he gave us some mangoes."
  
  Your parents smiled proudly at you and thanked you for sharing the mangoes with the family. You happily urged your mum to help you cut the mangoes for the family. At the moment, though it was just mangoes, it had added variety to your meals, added sweetness to your meals and adds in more happiness to your family even through this war.
  
  -The End -