Abs Workout

I am not fat-fat but I'm bulging in the wrong places particularly the belly area. I love rice so much that my consumption of it dictates my weight gain or weight loss. Family members always remind me to gain more weight if they see me skinny.If I eat  less of it I'd definitely lose weight but I don't look good when I'm skinny.
I can't live without rice even just for a day, I'm telling you I get REALLY weak. I'm weird that way.

Here comes abs workout. When it comes to tightening the core, I like Core Rhythm better but I get lazy if I do it every single time so I vary it with other waist workouts like taebo, yoga and cardio exercises. Don't mistake me as someone hardcore or a fitness buff, all my copies are for beginners and I've the slightest idea as to when will I ever advance. So I tried this 10 minute Abs Workout from Fitness Blender's YouTube page and what really enticed me with this workout is that I only needed 10 minutes to complete it. I didn't know I'd DIE after. Haha. It was effing hard for a (always a) beginner like me but I had to tell myself to NEVER SAY NEVER. If things don't go as planned I can always Just Dance. :)

how to Never get sick

image source: http://www.top10homeremedies.com/

2 months ago I wasn't quite feeling well. I had been urinating frequently (balisawsaw), was having chills in the afternoon or evening, having low back pains and, the last straw that made me pay a visit to an internal medicine specialist is a drop of blood I saw while urinating. I admit it was scary. Research told me I maybe having problems with my kidneys, that I couldn't reconcile when I was trying my best to be consciously healthy. What were the possible culprits, Japanese cup noodles I couldn't just resist? low intake of water? The thought of a possible kidney problem made me think that if that's going to be the case my adventurous tummy will not be entirely happy. Come to think of it, having limits to what you like doing best is scary. It's just a question of when.

I was asked for a urinalysis after a battery of questions from my doctor and the result said it was urinary tract infection (uti), I was under medication (antibiotic) for 7 days and had to consume 2 liters of water every day. After 7 days, I was cleared of uti. Thank God. It was a crazy and scary journey, what with the thought of not getting well for more than a week, if that happens to you don't self medicate it's better to know right away than hear from the doctor that it's gotten too late. I thought I'd share these tips to never get sick. Don't forget the STAY HYDRATED part. :)

Lose Weight All Day Long

I've read an article on How to Lose Weight All Day Long by the Editors of Prevention which teaches people on how to increase energy, vanquish cravings and drop pounds by working on your body's natural rhythm. Nowadays our eat and sleep clock have been out of whack so by tuning in on our bod's natural eat/sleep schedule, we can finally control our hunger hormones. Now it's not the losing weight that interests me here, it's the bidding sayonara to belly flabs. Also since it's timed or by schedule it's a lot easier to follow. If and when it doesn't work with your day to day scheds, at least the idea of when's the right time to do this and that makes us well informed. Here's the gist.

6 TO 8 AM: GET MOVING
do 20mins of cardio before breakfast. research says that exercising before breakfast helps you burn fat efficiently.

6:55 TO 8:55 AM: DRINK UP
before every meal, drink two 8-ounce glasses of water. Research shows that people who drank this amount lost 5 pounds more than nonguzzlers.

7 TO 9 AM: EAT BREAKFAST
Eat complex carbs and protein like egg and whole toast within an hour of waking.

10 TO 11 AM: MUNCH MIDMORNING
Have a small combo snack like blueberries and yogurt.

12 TO 1 PM: HAVE YOUR MIDDAY MEAL
Again fill up with complex carbs and protein.

2 TO 3 PM: TAKE A NAP
Find a quiet place and take a nap for only 15 to 20 minutes which is enough to energize you and to also not affect your ability to sleep later at night.

3:30 PM: LAST CALL FOR CAFFEINE
drinking coffee after 4pm disturbs circadian rhythms and can keep you from falling asleep at night.

4 TO 8 PM: TRIM AND TONE
this is the time when your body temp is highest so now's the time for strength training and any additional cardio.

5 TO 7 PM: TIME TO DINE
To ensure you don't wake up hungry in the middle of the night, add a serving of healthy fats, such as flaxseed or fish oil, to your meal. If you're a wine drinker, pour a glass now. Drinking later can delay dream (REM) sleep, waking you frequently during the night.

9 TO 10 PM: HAVE A PRE-SLEEP SNACK
Nighttime carbs create tryptophan, which helps your brain produce serotonin. This feel-good chemical triggers your body to make melatonin, the sleep hormone. Enjoy a carb-based bedtime snack, such as a serving of low-fat frozen yogurt.

9 TO 10:30 PM: POWER DOWN
Step away from digital devices including TV. Do something calming— read, take a bath —in dim light so you're ready to nod off when you hit the sheets.

9:30 TO 11 PM: GO TO SLEEP.
Crawl under the covers at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends. Having a regular sleep-and-wake schedule helps you fall asleep faster over time.

Source: The Body Clock Reset Diet is adapted from The Belly Melt Diet, by the editors of Prevention. To find out more, go to thebellymeltdiet.com.

Warm Water with Lemon

I have recently been drinking warm water with lemon or ginger tea in the mornings. I still prefer my rich hot chocolate though but I know I'd reap the benefits if I'd be diligent about this healthy living goal. I've read in ph.she.yahoo.com that this morning cup's benefits can only be optimized by knowing the do's and dont's. And all this while I thought just taking a cup will suffice. Let me share....

Add spice to your coffee. Cinnamon is said to help control blood sugar and nutmeg to regulate digestive tract. So instead of sugar which adds calories, spices are a better option to reap its benefits.

Add lemon to your tea. Adding a little citrus to your tea brings out the antioxidant power more in tea. If I have no lemon I substitute it with calamansi.

Tea should only be steeped for 3-5 minutes for optimum benefits. Overbrewing it will lower the amount of it's antioxidant power.

Don't take vitamins with coffee. Research says that the effect of coffee on your digestive tract may make it harder for your body to absorb all nutrients from your vitamins, so better to wait at least 10-15 minutes after drinking your coffee before popping your vitamins.

Don't add milk to your tea. Mixing both will decrease health properties of the tea. So avoid dairy if you want that cancer-fighting powers.

how to have a HEALTHY DIGESTION

When we're younger we eat whatever we please whether it's another cup of extra rice, another round of beer, another slice of our favorite cheesecake or another stick of that exotic street food. Suddenly, something's amiss, we feel bloated and uneasy. We now have the same sentiment as our folks when they used to say they were having a hard time digesting food ("mahina na panunaw") that's why they eat slowly now. Oh well, life happens...

10 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY DIGESTION by Willie Ong MD

1) Eat more slowly. Take your time and don’t rush.

2) Chew your food. For the elderly, you can cut your food into little pieces.

3) Eat more fiber, like vegetables, fruits, and cereals. Vegetables and fruits contain healthy fiber, which is good for digestion. Fiber promotes bowel movement and helps prevent bowel cancer. A common bowel disease called diverticulosis results from eating too little fiber. Vegetables like okra, kangkong, and cabbage are rich in fiber. Fruits rich in fiber are apples with the skin, and oranges with the membrane in between.

4) Eat five or six small meals a day. Eat regularly and on time.

5) Sit down when eating. Eat in a relaxed and peaceful environment.

6) Don’t believe in fad diets and avoid binge eating. Choose healthy foods over junk foods.

7) Drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day. The correct way to drink water is to sip it little by little throughout the day. Don’t gulp down two glasses at once.

8) Take a stroll after eating. It’s good for your digestion. After a full meal, take a 15-minute leisurely walk. By staying upright and helping gravity push the food down, you are helping in your digestion. You’ll also avoid becoming a victim of the bangungot syndrome, which is probably due to acute pancreatitis.

9) Do regular exercise to help promote the movement of food in the digestive system.

10) Finally, be careful with what you eat. Know who prepared your food and check whether it’s clean or not.

(Source: http://www.philstar.com/author/Willie%20T.%20Ong,%20MD)

This Is What High Heels Can Do To Our Feet

Please take time to read this article by the Washington Post especially if you've been wearing heels for too long.

how to be Healthy

NUGGETS OF WISDOM I LEARNED FROM BUM D. TENORIO, JR.

1.    Fast facts on gallstones: 90 percent of people have them, 80 percent of the people don’t know they have gallstones.
2.   Too much toxin buildup can disrupt the body’s pH balance, lower the immune system and increase the chances of diseases to set in. The liver/gallbladder flush helps eliminate years of unprocessed fats, particularly gallstones, caused by bad cholesterol.
3.    “You become what you eat.”
4.    If one has acid reflux or indigestion, it is best to give one an ounce of raw cabbage juice.
5.    Muscovado or stevia is the best sugar, especially for diabetic patients.
6.    Lagundi and banaba herb are tops for urinary tract infection.
7.    Eat less meat to lessen the arthritis pain.
8.    The best way to lose weight is to take complex carbs, e.g. wheat bread, potato, camote, saba, gabi.
9.  What causes hypertension? Consider these: stress, dried fish, table salt or iodized salt. (the first hypertensive attack of Mr. Tenorio’s father was caused by sautéed bagoong na pula.)
10.  Cancer thrives in acidic and sweet environment.
11.  It’s not only the lungs and heart that get affected when one smokes. The mouth, gallbladder and liver, too, are at risk.
12.  Monosodium glutamate (MSG) contains excitotoxin that lifts your mood while eating then kills your brain cells from over excitation.
13.  The methanol in aspartame is grouped in the same class of drugs as cyanide and arsenic.
14.  You need 32 glasses of alkaline water to neutralize one can of soda drink. And alkaline water can be very expensive when bought. But don’t worry; it can also be very cheap. “Put three drops of calamansi in clean water and there you have alkaline water”
15.  Cucumber and avocado are alkaline-high. (And you should always have cucumber every time you eat inihaw or grilled food.)
16.   What menopause is to women, andropause is to men. Here are some of the symptoms according to Dr. Gonzales and Dr. Peneranda: decrease in sex drive, decrease in bone mass, increase in body fats, erectile dysfunction, low energy, loss of lean muscle, thinning hair.
17.   The bangus belly contains one of the best sources of fatty acids. It contains Omega 3 and Omega 6. But those good acids are destroyed once you fry the bangus.
18.   The lowly malunggay is tops among vegetables. Malunggay has three times more calcium than milk. It has four times more potassium than banana. It has seven times more Vitamin C than orange.
19.   Chances are, the perfect fruits have the most pesticides.
20.   Bitter is better when it comes to chocolate.
21.   Mongo beans and other legumes are sources of uric acid, soak the beans in cold water for three hours then rinse twice before cooking.
22.   The best healer on earth is you. (aside of course from God) Because you are the only one who really knows what you put inside your mouth, who really knows what pains you, who really knows yourself.

The road to wellness is easy. All we have to do is to choose well.

(Source: Bum Tenorio’s New Beginnings. 27 January 2008. The Philstar – Allure Section)

Otomycosis

Definition from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com:

 
o·to·my·co·sis (ō'tō-mī-kō'sis) An infection due to a fungus in the external auditory canal, usually unilateral, with scaling, itching, and pain as the primary symptoms. 

this was the mold found inside my ear! ewww!

It all started with me profusely cleaning my right ear because I've felt there was just too much ear wax for the last 3 consecutive days. On the 4th day I knew something was wrong and I made it all the worse when I steamed my face with warm water and salt. Few days came by when my right ear was just painful I couldn't even touch it, it felt like I had the worst tooth ache and my gums were swelling terribly bad. I was scared it might have affected my ear drums which would have been the worst. I went to an ENT doctor and I learned that there's mold or "amag" growing inside my ear. I asked him the cause and he said it was just how I cleaned it. He prescribed me a solution to be dropped inside the infected ear thrice a day for a week and had to be back for follow-up check-up. I didn't get back because for one I got hurt when he was cleaning or scraping my ear and for another he wasn't explaining much about the things I wanted to know. So I changed doctor that week and I was just lucky and happy I've consulted with someone who not only has "magaan na kamay" but someone who answered every question I have in mind. These are what I learned from him:

Earwax isn't really that bad at all. They are actually antiseptic and antimicrobial. The wax is there for a reason and the moment they're totally gone nothing will protect your ear from foreign intrusions like water. The moment it got wet and didn't dry up, mold will start to build up and I tell you it is very uncomfortable and painful. Anyways earwax will naturally fall off so just let it be.

Do not use cotton buds to clean your ear, it will just push back the earwax inside. Use clean cloth and your pinky finger to clean it instead. Whatever that little finger of yours reaches that's where it's meant and safe to be cleaned.

When the ENT doctor requested for auditory cleaning because it was full of mold, it felt like he pumped water inside, so hard that I felt dizzy or I felt my brain were shaken when in actuality the molds were just being vacuumed out to totally free it. It's better that the doctor tells you what's going on instead of just putting any instrument you don't know what it's even called. My doctor got me involved in every step that's why I'm at ease with him.

After putting ear solutions to your ear, let it stand for a few minutes then just let the liquid get out. I mistakenly put cotton inside my ear so as to hold the solution inside when a few minutes is already enough and then have to air it out. One night I woke up to a wet pillow because I slept on the right side (where the infected ear was) and the cotton I placed inside my ear got all soaked up. My bad. It just aggravated it.

If your ear is under medication resist the urge to self-clean it. That's why I have to get back for check up every week because the doctor should be the one cleaning it.

Otomycosis will take 2-5 weeks of treatment. It actually depends. And while it's going on, I had to make sure the infected ear's dry all the time. My treatment took 4 weeks and it happened summer time so you've an idea how swimming/outing went out for me.

After I graduated from the treatment I was just happy everything went back to normal and all the more in glee when I felt there's earwax again inside my right ear. Ah earwax, I never thought I'd miss and welcome you this much. :)

how to Cleanse Your Kidneys

Our kidneys perform the essential function of removing waste products from the blood and regulating the water fluid levels so it’s best for you and me to start taking care of it while we still can and while still controllable, not when some awful symptoms start to show up and become noticeable to realize something has gone wrong with our body. Be conscious. We all hope for a longer life especially when we have children we want to see grow up and live their dreams to witness. I remember one superior who was admonishing a co-worker to start eating consciously even when she’s still in her 20’s because she says by the time we turn 30, our body will take a toll on what we’ve been feeding it all along. True.

This drink doesn’t actually tastes good, I pinch my nose when I gobble up a glass but I know it’s good for my kidneys so that’s enough to encourage me.Google search gave me this how-to..

Parsley Juice

Take a bunch of parsley, wash it clean

Cut in small pieces

Put in a pot and pour clean water

Boil for 10 minutes and let it cool down

Filler it and pour in a clean bottle

Keep inside ref to cool

Drink 1 glass daily

Detox Diet

Should you go on a detox diet?

What I know is consulting a specialist, is still the best option here. Not all diets are suited for everyone. Some try dieting without asking a doctor first, but I guess when you're in the middle of it and something just doesn't feel right then STOP. Your body is telling you something so better listen.

Detox is not a good idea for me

I just came across this quiz that tells you whether you should start doing detox or not. There are less than 10 questions to answer and at the end advises you whether you should go on or not. For whatever it's worth here's the link to at least give you an idea..Should you go on a detox diet?

Yoga Poses

I’ve been busying myself by engaging my stressed and tensed body with yoga. I’m doing it at home with a dvd tape to guide me baby steps at a time. It’s the dummies series tape. At first I was looking for a dummier version :) as I was really struggling to death. It wasn’t easy at first.

But I was determined, I thought I nailed it right. Because right after every session, if I may call it that, I always feel recharged. I didn’t even notice that I was already spending an hour trying to complete the poses. I must have been trying hard to reap the benefits.:)

Anyhow, as I am still seeking my progress, I’d like to share the poses I’m super enjoying. Some I’ve learned can help ease frayed nerves and tensed muscles. My upper back aches a lot of times and I’m happy I’ve found the yoga pose to help me deal with it.

So now let’s start breathing in and breathing out. Go Sara Ivanhoe...

 Cobra pose

 Child's pose

 Seated Spinal twist

 Standing slide stretch pose

 Downward facing dog

 Final Relaxation pose