You Can & You Will: A campaign that gives women the power over cervical cancer

Did you know that...

* Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipinas?

* 7 Filipino women die DAILY of cervical cancer?

* 2 out of 3 Filipinas diagnosed with cervical cancer may die within 5 years?

While that may sound like a death sentence, IT ISN'T.....if we know how to harness our power over cervical cancer.

Meeting DOH Secretary Janette Garin up close

Knowing how busy Cabinet secretaries are, I accepted an invitation to be one of the bloggers to meet and greet Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Janette Garin. It was probably one of her last acts under the Aquino administration but it was good to know what health programs were carried out under her watch and which ones she will be endorsing to the incoming administration.

GSK launches its Asthmalaya campaign for World Asthma Day

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

BlueWater Day Spa launches new brand ambassadors as well as their Balinese Four-Hand Massage

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

GlaxoSmithKline announces the new winners in its Search for the Winners Against Asthma (SWAA)

Back in February 2015, I attended a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) event where they announced that they were launching a Search for the Winners Against Asthma (SWAA). This nationwide search meant to find young achievers 30 years old and below who were outstanding in their respective fields despite suffering from asthma. The search was meant to portray hope that asthma, although a chronic disease, could be overcome in different ways.

Here is my February post covering the search's launch.

Meet the winners!

GSK continues the fight by launching the Search for Winners Against Asthma 2015

The battle to win against asthma will never end. In the Philippines, over 10 million cases have been documented of people with asthma and it remains the most common chronic childhood disease. Children who suffer from asthma are oftentimes over-protected by parents and their activities are curtailed so as not to trigger an asthma episode.

I grew up with asthma in the family. My own asthma was not very bad but my sister's was worse. All my kids also had childhood asthma. An aunt on my husband's side died from an asthma attack. Asthma cannot be taken lightly as it can be fatal. But the good news is that it can be controlled.

Last year, GSK went on an all-out campaign to fight asthma.

Read my post on how one can still lead a great life even with asthma.

Aside from their brand ambassadors, Arnel Pineda of Journey and actress Kim Chiu, GSK now has a new brand ambassador -- Olympic figure skater Michael Christian Martinez.

I had been following Michael's journey all the way to the Olympics and knew that he indeed was an asthmatic. In past interviews, I remember Michael saying that the cold skating rink actually helped improve his health. His mom, who would accompany him to all his trainings and competition, was fully supportive of his sport and told Michael that she would rather "spend the money on skating than in the hospital".


The Search for Winners Against Asthma

This year, GSK is taking the fight against asthma further by launching the Win Against Asthma Today advocacy campaign aimed at increasing awareness and amplifying efforts to spread information about the risks of asthma and how it can be controlled.

This time, they are looking for young asthmatic achievers who can show that one can live and pursue one's passions in life despite having asthma.

Championing the Fight Against Prematurity

It is such a tragedy for any couple about to welcome their baby into their lives to lose that baby so soon after it is born because of prematurity. And yet here in the Philippines, statistics show that we rank 2nd in the number of premature births in Southeast Asia, 8th worldwide, and 17th in deaths arising from preterm birth complications. This, even after the United Nations, through the Millennium Summit in 2000, launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which included as one of its goals the reduction of child mortality.

Complications plaguing preterm babies have also been on the rise at an alarming rate. Complications are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age and is responsible for almost 1 million deaths in 2013. Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is the 2nd leading cause of death among premature infants in the Philippines and the leading verifiable one.

WOW! As a Mom, that hits me really hard knowing these statistics. I count myself blessed that giving birth to my 4 children was not too complicated and they were all born full term. But many other Filipino mothers have not been as lucky and have had to bury their babies after nurturing them for many months in their wombs.

This is a large part of our population known as the silent ones. These babies cannot defend themselves. Others will have to speak up for them.

Protect your liver against Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a silent killer. Many Filipinos may be carriers of this virus without manifesting any symptoms. In the Philippines, Hepatitis B affects about 16.7% of adult Filipinos. That translates to approximately 8 million people! If not treated, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can develop into chronic liver disease leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. In more than two-thirds of all liver cancer cases in the Philippines, the cause is Hepatitis B, making it the second leading cancer killer here.

Young mothers should be especially vigilant against HBV because the most common way of being infected is through the passing of the virus from mother to child. This is not something many mothers know because HBV is more known for being contracted via blood transfusion.

For this reason, the Hepatology Society of the Philippines launched the B Aware Campaign which aims "to inform and holistically educate Filipinos about the disease so they can gain sufficient knowledge regarding this very common infection, and take action" says Dr. Eternity Labio, President of the Hepatology Society of the Philippines.

GSK takes up the fight against dengue with Calpol's fever management

I've had dengue. Two of my kids have had dengue. And one of them (and me) had to have blood plasma transfusions. I can still remember the feeling of having absolutely no energy and no appetite. And when my kids had it, it was doubly difficult for me to watch them, praying that the virus would just run its course without anything worse happening to them. I actually had friends who lost their child to dengue.

Although known to be a tropical country disease, dengue is surprisingly making its way into colder countries. Japan, just recently, was reported to have found cases of dengue among their citizens. Climate change is now spreading the risk of this mosquito-borne disease far and wide, beyond tropical boundaries. At the moment there is no dengue vaccine that is commercially available although recent news talk about one that is being developed.

Dengue is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease in the world and is more rampant in tropical countries such as the Philippines. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, usually seen in the early hours of the morning and early evening, and has white stripes on its legs, affects more children than adults. Those at higher risk are children aged one to nine years old.

Goodbye, Pangingilo! (Tooth Sensitivity)

I'm NGILO-phobic. ('Ngilo' is Filipino for tooth sensitivity)

Anyone who has drank cold water, eaten ice cream or chomped down on frozen desserts knows fully well what ngilo feels like. A sharp pain hits you as the nerves around your teeth react to the cold. I used to be one of those poor souls. And for someone who loves ice cream, this was just awful. Often, I'd wait for the ice cream to melt a bit so that I could spoon the liquid into my mouth with less chances of ngilo. And did you know that 9 out of 10 Filipinos (that's a whopping 88M Pinoys) suffer to some degree from tooth sensitivity? That's the majority of the populace!

Luis Manzano, Sensodyne's brand ambassador, shares my horrible experience because he, too suffers from tooth sensitivity. According to him, times like meetings and enjoyable social events are cut short because of pangingilo. "I just endure the pain so it doesn't ruin my day or my night out", he said during the event.

Lead a great life in spite of asthma

I come from a family with a history of asthma. I myself had childhood asthma though not too severe and during a couple of pregnancies, it came back even if I had already outgrown it. I also had to deal with asthma during the growing years of all my kids and I have to tell you that it is no joke.

Asthma is what I call "traydor na sakit" (traitor disease). It doesn't look too alarming but in reality, it has been the cause of many deaths even among young people. The triggers can happen any time and anywhere -- something you eat, something in the air -- and suddenly your airways start to constrict. You start having difficulty breathing and it creates panic and pressure on the heart as well. Several celebrities in the past died young just because of an asthma episode, including a young model.

At a recent GSK event, I listened to one of the GSK doctors, Dr. Bernadette Arcilla, talk about asthma. It affects about 10.7M people in the Philippines now. 250,000 annual deaths worldwide are attributed to asthma. Of those deaths, majority are 45 years old and older. With children, asthma is the most frequent cause of absenteeism from school, emergency visits and hospitalization. Scary stats. I can remember so many instances when we'd rush to the emergency room of the hospital because one of our kids could not breathe well and would be wheezing. We always had a nebulizer with us at home and on trips. When they were older, they had to be taught to use an inhaler and carry this with them all the time.

But asthmatics are fighting back. And, hopefully, winning the war against asthma. That is a very important inspirational message for so many Pinoys who are similarly affected by asthma. Your life is not curtailed by it. You can still live a meaningful life and engage even in sports in spite of your condition.

At the event, two local celebrities, who were asthmatics, shared about their own battles against asthma  -- Kim Chiu and Arnel Pineda of Journey.

Brush, brush, brush your teeth...and stay healthy!

If you think that brushing one's teeth is simply for beauty and fresh breath, here's one more piece of info you'll surely appreciate. It will actually keep you more healthy!

Why is it that when we wake in the morning, our breath is so eeeewy??? That's because our mouths were closed all night, allowing bacteria to accumulate and multiply. Because these bacteria are able to feed on some food sediments left, their waste products which are sulfur-based, emit a pungent smell.

Can you imagine if you start your day by taking breakfast immediately and drinking water or coffee? All that bacteria that multiplied overnight go right back into your system. Very unhealthy! Get rid of all that bacteria by brushing upon waking up.

Just recently tried Pepsodent toothpaste.
The blue paste has Perlite, a whitening ingredient.
The white paste has fluoride and calcium for stronger, healthier teeth.

Be confident with Swish Breath Spray

A few weeks back, I got samples of a new breath freshener in town. Made by Unilab, it's called Swish Breath Spray and comes in two variants - Arctic Chill and Peppermint Fresh.

The 2 variants came in a box when I got it

Up close: Peppermint Fresh on top, Arctic Chill at the bottom

Swish Breath Spray beside my Apple mouse

I've been testing it out over the past weeks. In the past, I used to carry around this brand of breath fresheners in the form of tiny mint candies. While those kinds did have the peppermint-y taste, it still felt like candy to me. In fact, I'd hate to pop one into my mouth after I brushed my teeth because it left a candy aftertaste on my tongue.

Because the Swish Breath Spray is, yes, a spray, that candy aftertaste issue is moot. All I have to do nowadays is aim the nozzle into the back of my mouth, spray, and I'm done.

This is what I like about Swish Breath Spray.

* It's alcohol-free and sugar-free.

* It's handy and tiny (something we ladies always like for small purses) but good for about 100 sprays

* It effectively kills germs and bacteria that cause bad breath

The variant in my everyday bag right now is the Arctic Chill. It's packs a wallop so even if the instructions say I can pump 1-2 sprays, just 1 is enough for me. Can't wait to try the Peppermint one. I saved it for last because Peppermint is my favorite flavor. Haha...

Swish Breath Spray is available in supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores nationwide. It retails at PhP 105.

Human Nature now has a flagship store!

My family is slowly but surely moving out of a chemical-filled lifestyle into one that incorporates organic and natural products and this includes the consumer products we use. We're not at 100%, maybe not even at 50%, but my kids and I are becoming more conscious about the choices we make.

One brand that is very much present at home is Human Nature. My daughters and I have been using Human Nature products in place of some of our usual cosmetics. Recently, my daughter and I got the chance to visit the Human Nature Flagship Store - their very first concept store - in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

Anna Meloto-Wilk, President of Human Nature, welcomed us and gave a brief background on how Human Nature came about.

Designed by two young and talented Filipina architects (Mau Adraneda and Joyce Angara), the interiors were made to look like an enchanted forest in the midst of a concrete jungle.

Forest ambience, beautiful layout, warm lights

Products laid out around the trunk of the "tree"

Nice idea! Products arranged in heart shapes!

DiabetaMil: Healthy Food Choices Not Just for Diabetics

Diabetes is one of the top causes of death worldwide. A study done by the World Health Organization in August 2011 showed that in the Philippines, more than 2.7 million deaths in 2000 were diabetes-related. And most of the time, people do not die of diabetes. They die of complications arising from diabetes, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, amputation, kidney disease and nerve problems. My own dad was a diabetic who died 10 years ago from heart complications.

Because diabetes is in our family history, I have to be conscious about what I eat. Thankfully, my sugar level does not seem to show any signs of diabetes but I still had to learn to tame my once sweet tooth. I also try to teach my kids to choose healthier meal and snack alternatives since diabetes can oftentimes skip a generation and manifest in their generation.

I recently got a sample of a cookie snack item drink made specifically for diabetics as well as for those who just want to have healthier food choices.

DiabetaMil Nutritious Drink can be a meal substitute for diabetics. It comes in two flavors: vanilla and chocolate. Cereal and oat flakes in the drink give that feeling of fullness and curb appetite. Each box contains 6 sachets and based on directions, each serving involves mixing 2 sachets of the drink with warm water. One serving is 250 calories.

The DiabetaMil Cookies come in Nutty Chocolate and Vanilla Dried Fruit variants. I got the dried fruit variant and liked the dried raisins that were embedded in the cookies. Each box contains 5 sachets, two cookies per sachet. One serving (2 cookies) contains 100 calories. I ate the cookies in one sachet and they taste good.

Both the drink and cookies are sugar-free. They are flavored using Tropicana Slim Sweetener, a sugar-free sweetener known for a low glycemic index (GI) which helps to control blood sugar. (Note: I had no chance to test the exact effect on the GI so I am relying on the representations made)

All variants of DiabetaMil are said to contain a higher amount of chromium polynicotinate, which is believed to help keep blood sugar levels in check by improving the way the body uses insulin.

If you have diabetes, this could be something you may want to add to your list of food choices. But, as it is with any medical condition, I recommend you check first with your dietitian.

DiabetaMil is available in major drugstores and supermarkets. They also have a Facebook page at www.facebook/DiabetaMil Philippines.

The Reflex Zone - Rwo Shur health method of reflexology

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

 

 

Add a PLUS to life with Enercal Plus

Do you find your days so busy that you hardly notice what you are putting into your mouth? Busyness and stress make a deadly combination for those of us in the urban jungle. We skip meals or eat unhealthy fast foods. We sleep late and wake up early. Stress constantly bombards and attacks our immune system, filling up our bodies with toxins that eventually manifest as illnesses.

Is that what living life to the fullest means? Of course not! And well, I can be guilty of forgetting to take care of myself at times too due to the things I have to do not just as a Mom but as a blogger too.

So it was interesting to find that there is a new adult nutritional supplement in town - Enercal Plus.

If you're a label reader (and I hope you are because the label never lies), then you'll be interested in seeing exactly what's inside Enercal Plus.

It's got antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C and E; zinc and beta carotene to combat oxidative damage by boosting and strengthening one's immune system; and macronutrients to support the body's energy needs. It's also high in Vitamin D which helps the body utilize calcium and phosphorus, which are important in bone maintenance. It also contains whey protein, a good source of essential amino acids needed by the body, is easily absorbed to provide quicker muscle repair. Enercal Plus has no transfat and its cholesterol content meets the criteria prescribed by the American Heart Association.

You can take a glass of Enercal with your meals or in between meals. We were made to sample it at the event and it tastes like soya milk, one of my favorite beverages.

A Second Look at Osteoporosis

Last January, I wrote a post about why the issue of osteoporosis is close to my heart. I'm osteopenic -- and all these years I have been trying to keep my body condition from deteriorating to the point where I would be at high risk of osteoporosis.


The background on why I think I became osteopenic and what I'm doing about it can be read HERE.


We really don't think of it. I know I fail at that many times too. But we tend to overlook the health of our bones. We take in too much caffeine, sleep late, eat unhealthy and take in too little calcium. Many of us lead sedentary lives and hardly ever go out in the sun. I have to keep reminding myself that if I want to stay active well into my senior years, I just cannot afford to get a fracture - anywhere. A bad fall, a twisted limb, or any other sudden movement in the wrong way could really injure me if my bones are weak. And I really cannot imagine how my present active life can suddenly be curtailed if I can no longer be mobile due to fracture or worse, broken bones.

At a recent intimate gathering with the people behind Anlene, I learned more about osteoporosis and how it is affecting people worldwide as well as close to home - how many Filipinos are going about their daily lives without realizing they're already at risk of becoming osteoporotic. From the pics below, what's really important when it comes to bones is DENSITY. The denser the bones, the stronger these are. When bones have lots of gaping spaces, that is when fractures are more likely.

Once bones lose density, nothing can gain this back. At the very least, you can just arrest and delay its further deterioration. That is why once you know where you stand in the spectrum of osteoporotic risk, intervention is needed for those at risk while those still at low risk can also take supplements to ensure they stay in that category.

Left photos show healthy bones. Right ones show osteoporotic bones.

Vote for the best Unilab Ideas Positive video and help make an idea a reality

Have you ever had an idea that would improve the quality of life and health of communities but you didn't know how to make it a reality?

Unilab is trying to do just that. Now on its second year, Unilab once again sponsored a contest among university students that encourages them to come up with innovative ideas to address community concerns related to hygiene and sanitation, nutrition, disease prevention and intervention, and environment care and protection. From over 60 entries, the list was whittled down to 11 semi-finalists. This will be shortlisted again down to 3 finalists with the grand winner taking home a prize of PhP250,000 which will then serve as seed money for the winner's project.

You can help one of these bright ideas take form and become a reality. By doing so, you are helping a health-related project grow and hopefully, bear fruit in the community where it will be implemented.

All you need to do is vote for the project of your choice. Your votes count towards one of the criteria for judging the winner - impact. Voting is done using your Facebook account. All you will need to do is authorize the Unilab app to recognize your account.

To learn all about Ideas Positive, click HERE.

To view the videos and vote, click HERE.


The 11 semi-finalists are the following:

1. The Cloud ++ Project - an integrated ecological waste management system sustained by water supply augmentation from its rainwater catching feature.
2. End Malnutrition: Be Healthy for You and Me - a feeding project directed at Bagong Silangan Elementary School where there are 2,600 malnourished kids.
3. Ecobiz Inc. for Sustainability - Baseco Compound project that aims to improve living conditions via garbage segregation, composting, greenhouse, medical and herbal plants, business incubator, entrepreneurial seminar
4. Maboteng Bahay, Mabuting Bahay - a project for Sitio Sto. Nino, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal involving the creation of a greenhouse made of plastic bottles
5. Hawak Kamay Sabay-Sabay 3B Laban sa TB - aims to fight TB in the GK-Ateneo Payatas Site in Quezon
6. Hitong Buhay, Hitong Buhay - aims to build a community fish pond in Brgy. Ibayo Tipas which will raise African catfish (hito)
7. Juan Community Uniting Values Realizing Hopes - a Payatas project that aims to empower the community through a rag doll making livelihood
8. KKK: Kalat, Kapaligiran, Kalusugan, Rebolusyon sa Malinis at Malusog na Kinabukasan - Philhealth sponsorship by letting Brgy 668 pay for their Philhealth through segregated waste
9. Deofer Solution (animal manure deodorizer & fertilizer in one) - for Batangas piggeries and poultry
10. Balsang Bulaklakan - Brgy. Sto. Rosario Kanluran in Pateros - use of water lilies tied together to provide place for holding soil and eventually, a planting area.
11. Pradyek Pa-sibol - a clean-up project for Sitio F. Carlos

Please do take some time out to vote for one of these videos. It takes very little time but can do a lot for a community in need.

A!life Nurtures the Nurturing Woman

Been there, done that!

I've led a very busy and fast-paced life as an IT auditor, IT consultant and banking executive for close to 20 years while trying to raise 4 kids. I almost lost our youngest child due to a threatened abortion while in the midst of a very stressful joint venture negotiation. When I quit working cold turkey to become a full-time homemaker, my busy day just shifted from work to home. I became busy attending to the needs of the children, making myself very visible as class officer, then parent council member.

My life is similar to those of other women out there who pursue a second career while still trying to be as nurturing as possible to children and to spouse. Our days are not over when we come home. We just exchange our corporate hat for our homemaker hat. This life can get very stressful when children and spouse get sick because we have a third hat - that of a caregiver.

The woman who takes care of everyone has to have someone (or something) take care of her as well so she can continue functioning the way she wants to. I know what it is like to be so busy that sometimes I forego a meal or forget to take my vitamins. And when I get sick, my family seems at a loss as to how to take care of me because I normally take care of them!

This is what Pascual Laboratories was thinking of when it created the A!life line just for women. The people behind Pascual Laboratories came up with 6 different supplements, with each one addressing a particular health concern of a woman to nurture the woman's needs so she can continue to nurture her loved ones.

The products that they presented to us during the launch are the following:

a!life Protect - for healthy, radiant skin

Free radicals pose a health risk to people, making them ill, overweight and lethargic. These are released into the body by stress, pollution, poor diet, radiation, pesticides, etc. Constant sun exposure of skin to UV light also generates oxygen radicals which damage skin cells and connective tissues. a!life Protect is said to contain Pynogenol, a super antioxidant that helps to protect the immune system against the free radicals while inhibiting inflammation caused by UV exposure.