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philstar.com - Health And Family

5 things you could do to manage stress

Sep 092014

MANILA, Philippines – We wear our eye bags like a badge of honor, complaining but slightly bragging about how large the effort and how little sleep we got last night because we were up finishing a major report due the next day, about how busy we are juggling things racing here and there to meet deadlines, and about how little time we have to just spend a day lying in bed all day. This lifestyle nowadays seems to be very common, but we should not let this routine burst into unwanted proportions. Stress stimulates hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol which get us pumped up and alert in critical situations. These hormones help our body and mind summon all the strength we needed to accomplish what is needed to be done. In some way, this rush can really be helpful. But things begin to go off beam when these hormones linger for too long in our system. Stress, if not managed properly, could turn into chronic stress, which may lead to long-term physical and mental problems, including depression, mental impairment, heart disease and weight gain. So whether you’re experiencing a minimal amount of perpetual stress or heightened levels of anxiety, these are some things you could do to keep your body and mind in control: Pay attention to your breathingDespite breathing as being one of the simplest thing and effortless task that we can do, many of us do not optimize it the way it should be, especially when we Read More …

What you need to know about Hepatitis B

Entertainment

Sep 012014

Councilor Charisse Abalos sits down with one of the attendees who is getting her blood taken during the launch of the B Positive movement in Mandaluyong City. The project aims to raise awareness of Hepatitis B and its impact on the lives of Filipinos. MANILA, Philippines – Last July 30, a few days after World Hepatitis Day, Mandaluyong became the first city in the Philippines to initiate the B Positive movement, an advocacy aimed at raising proactive awareness towards Hepatitis B. The launch, which was held in the Mandaluyong City hall executive building, included free testing of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen to some pre-registered and walk-in residents. The event also included free seminars on the prevention and management of Hepatitis B, as well as consultations on what to do in case you test positive for the disease. The Mandaluyong campaign was spearheaded by Councilor Charisse Abalos who said, “The Be In campaign is for societal infusion. We want to include those who tested positive and are being discriminated against – because they are still part of society. And since they are one of us, we are also one with them.” One in every eight Filipino adults has Hepatitis B and it kills more Filipinos faster than HIV and other diseases. It is usually caused by the complications from liver cancer or liver cirrhosis. It is the young who are most susceptible to Hepatitis B, affecting people ages 20 to 49. There are up to 12,000 Overseas Filipino Workers who are rejected from going abroad every year because they test positive. According to Dr. Ira Yu, a consultant with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, “Hepatitis does not only affect Filipinos. There are roughly four million people around the world Read More …

Study: Reading Fifty Shades of Grey poses dangerous health risks

General

Aug 242014

Study: Reading Fifty Shades of Grey poses dangerous health risks

MANILA, Philippines – A recent study at Michigan State University found out that reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ an erotic romantic novel by E.L. James, puts women at more risk of succumbing to eating disorders, binge drinking and abusive relationships. The findings of the scientists claim that they are not endorsing the ban for the novel, but are merely stating the risks of reading the book. There have been previous studies relating the effects of watching violent films to the behavior of the person who watches it, but this research is among the first to analyze the relationship between health risks and popular fiction depicting violence against women. Fifty Shades of Grey is about the deepening relationship between a literature graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business tycoon, Christian Grey. The predicament of the story lies on the extreme fondness of Christian Grey to sadism and masochism, resulting to physical violence and emotional torture of Anastasia Steele. Related: Quotes from Mr. Grey’s sexy mouth It should be noted that the study, which appears in the Journal of Women’s Health, was not able to prove causation. According to the lead researcher and family expert Professor Amy Bonomi, “it doesn’t show whether reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ causes the behaviors, or whether exhibiting the behaviors cause you to read ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.” The link is problematic either way. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: Bonomi said, “If women experienced adverse health behaviors such as disordered eating first, reading Fifty Read More …

Study: Eating noodles may lead to cardiometabolic syndrome

Entertainment

Aug 182014

Study: Eating noodles may lead to cardiometabolic syndrome

MANILA, Philippines – Everyone who loves ‘instant’ consumes at least a bowl or two of noodles once a week. From students who have a tight budget to foodies who love ramen. Because of this, noodles are one of the most popular staple foods today. But a recent study shows that a bowl of these delicious curly strands could send you to an early grave. Studies show that people who consume noodles two to three times a week is at risk of having cardiometabolic syndrome – a combination of maladaptive cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, prothrombotic, and inflammatory abnormalities, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. These cardiovascular and metabolic derangements individually and interdependently lead to a substantial increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality, making the cardiometabolic syndrome an established and strong risk factor for premature and severe CVD and stroke. The recent study published in Journal of Nutrition and lead by Dr. Hyun Joon Shin claims that the damage to health caused by noodles is particularly worse in women. Because one of the highest countries to consume noodles is South Korea, the study focused on people from South Korea. Moreover, heart disease is not an unfamiliar disease to South Koreans. Dr. Shin then tried to find if there is a correlation between the poor health and consumption of noodles. It was found out that the effect of noodles is worse in women than men, probably caused by a substance Bisphenol A (BPA) in the styrofoam containers of these noodles that Read More …

Studies say too much sitting leads to early death

General

Aug 122014

Studies say too much sitting leads to early death

MANILA, Philippines – For most of us, our daily routine consists of having a considerable time sitting, which leads us into getting caught into a serious fitness and health trap. Recent studies show that sitting all day leads to an early death. According to Selene Yeager of Bicycle magazine, “we now spend a full eight hours a day sitting, and that’s not good.” It puts us in a state of ‘inactivity physiology,’ which leads to health and metabolic problems. A research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine said that sitting all day may lead to having a serious heart disease. The more hours we spend sitting at work, driving, lying on the couch watching TV, or engaged in other leisurely pursuits, the greater their odds of dying early from all causes, including cancer. To make it even more serious, Dr. Joann Manson, one of the authors said, “even if you are doing the recommended amount of moderate to vigorous exercise, you will still have a higher risk of mortality if you’re spending too many hours sitting.” So even those who exercise daily is at risk if most of their hours are spent sitting. This just implies that an hour of vigorous exercise would not make up for the hours spent sitting. James A. Levine, a doctor conducting a research in Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota learned that people with obesity who lived in the same environment as people who are lean sit 2 hours and 15 minutes more a Read More …

Which food is healthier? (Food Battle Part 2)

General

Jul 142014

Which food is healthier? (Food Battle Part 2)

Continuing our head-to-head comparison of healthy foods, let’s find out which one among these foods comes out healthier. To recap, the results of Part 1 of this article are as follows, with the first item listed below coming out as healthier between the two: 1) clear soup over cream soup, 2) fresh fruits over dried fruits, 3) peanuts over shrimp crackers, 4) tomato sauce over fresh tomatoes, 5) hard-boiled egg over fried egg, 6) salad over soup, 7) several small meals a day over one big meal, 8) tea over coffee, 9) fish fat over pork fat, and 10) red wine over white wine. Now, let’s look at our second list of 10 pairs of food items. Can you guess the healthier (or less fatty) food between the pair? 1. Orange vs. apple. A study from the University of Nottingham finds that people who eat more than five apples a week have improved lung function and fewer asthma-like symptoms. Apples are rich in quercetin, a substance known to protect against many cancers. Studies show that people who eat an apple a day have lower chances of getting lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Even smokers who often eat apples can somehow minimize the adverse effects of cigarette smoking. Moreover, apples are lower in calories at around 92 calories per apple. However, this does not mean that oranges aren’t good for you. The high vitamin C content of an orange and the fiber found in its membranes are healthy, too. But if Read More …

UN: MERS deadly but most cases are preventable

Entertainment

Jul 032014

UN: MERS deadly but most cases are preventable

GENEVA — Infection rates for the Middle East respiratory syndrome are slowing and scientists are working to stop the dangerous coronavirus from spreading further internationally, a top U.N. health official says. Most of the 824 confirmed cases of MERS since 2013, including at least 286 deaths, could have been prevented, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization, told The Associated Press. About 40 percent of the people who became infected have died, he said, calling that “a much higher-than-normal fatality rate” for a virus. “I hope that within the next year or so we really have another significant level of understanding about the virus and how to stop it,” said Fukuda, a U.S.-trained physician and former U.N. special adviser on pandemic influenza. “If we take a look at all of the people that we know got infected (in hospitals), probably the vast majority of those people’s infections could have been prevented,” he added. On the other hand, Fukuda says WHO still doesn’t understand well enough how people are getting infected in their communities. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: Most of the cases have occurred in Saudi Arabia and the virus is thought to be primarily acquired through contact with camels, although he said scientists should do more to find out whether other animals might serve as a reservoir for the virus. Saudi Arabia has greatly improved its surveillance efforts since a surge of MERS cases in April, Fukuda said, but added more efforts Read More …

Volleyball fun and learning for kids

Entertainment

Jun 302014

Volleybelles: For over a decade now, the Best Center has been providing kids with the scientific method of volleyball training. MANILA, Philippines – This year, hundreds of kids signed up for a productive summer at BEST Center Volleyball Summer Clinic. With its focus on the scientific method of teaching, kids learn the fundamentals of volleyball in the best way for only BEST Center uses this kind of teaching method in the country. The pioneer scientific sports center in the Philippines, BEST Center fosters learning beyond the four walls of the classroom. For over a decade, it has been providing sports training in volleyball that enhances kids’ physical, mental, and social well-being. “Learning the basics and mastering these would help them take in the advanced skills easily, allowing them to adapt quickly,” explained Nic Jorge, founder of BEST Center. Just like 12-year-old active volleyball player Mevean Tominez who signed up for the summer clinic to improve her footwork, which is an important basic skill in volleyball. After the training, she was able to master the footwork and gained volleyball techniques that she could use when competing in school. BEST Center also brings together kids who have the same love for sports, and lets them discover friendship, cooperation and sportsmanship, which is true enough in Nicole Andres’ case for the summer clinic helped her gain new friends and overcome her shyness. The sports clinic also drives young ones to stay fit and healthy by engaging themselves in various physical activities included Read More …

So health-tea!

Entertainment

Jun 232014

Unlike the Philippines, tea has long been regarded in countries such as Britain, China, Japan, and Indonesia as an elixir of good health, and with good reason. Consumption of some teas may be protective against heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers; and it can boost immune function, improve mental alertness, and increase satiety, as some research suggests. So, Filipinos may need to start steeping and sipping more tea if we want to be healthier! “If there’s anything that can confidently be communicated to the public, it’s the strong association of tea drinking with a lower risk of common chronic diseases, particularly heart disease, and the demonstration of that benefit through clinical trials,” says Jeffrey B. Blumberg, PhD, director of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, and chair of the International Scientific Symposium on Tea and Human Health, held in Washington, DC recently. The symposium spotlighted new evidence of the health benefits of tea, ranging from preventing osteoporosis to improving digestion. Other new studies have recently linked tea consumption to lower incidence of some cancers and reduced risk of functional disability. Why is tea good for you? All types of tea made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, while varying in their nutritional profiles, contain antioxidant compounds called flavonoids. “About one-third of the weight of the tea leaf is flavonoid, which is high, especially when you consider that they are accompanied by virtually no calories,” Blumberg explains. “There are a lot of related Read More …

Learning starts with role playing

Entertainment

Jun 232014

Welcome to play city: KidZania is a child-proportioned metropolis with over 100 role-playing activities where kids can learn about the inner workings of a city and explore different career options. MANILA, Philippines – Parents might want to rethink the amount of time they let their children role-play as teachers and doctors in their make-believe worlds because these might actually be building the foundation of their future careers. Renowned child education expert and De La Salle University-Manila professor Maricar Gustilo-de Ocampo, PhD revealed that role-play, the most prevalent type of play among children, can help kids adapt better to the world around them. “Play is the seed of learning,” said Dr. Gustilo-de Ocampo in her presentation about the importance of play in a child’s development during the Bulong Pulungan media forum organized by KidZania Manila at Hotel Sofitel in Pasay City. “As the global leader in children’s edutainment, KidZania Manila is the ultimate role-play venue for kids, and come 2015, Filipino kids will have access to this innovative play corner,” said Maricel Pangilinan-Arenas, president and CEO of Play Innovations Inc., the local franchise owner of KidZania Manila. Dr. Gustilo-de Ocampo added that engaging in play reinforces the learning skills of children that they will find beneficial in the long run. “Kids build skills in essential development areas whenever they use their imagination during play,” said Dr. Gustilo-de Ocampo. She added that the cognitive, social, and academic abilities of the child are developed whenever they engage in pretend play or role-play. Lifestyle Read More …

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