Ibanag's Health and Wellness Mantra

Cory Aquino's Prayer Before Death

2009-08-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

I am respectfully borrowing Tita Cory's prayer, which I think she wrote after finding out that she was sick of colon cancer.

Almighty God, most merciful Father

You alone know the time
You alone know the hour
You alone know the moment
When I shall breathe my last.

So, remind me each day, most loving Father
To be the best that I can be.
To be humble, to be kind,
To be patient, to be true.
To embrace what is good,
To reject what is evil,
To adore only You.

When the final moment does come
Let not my loved ones grieve for long.
Let them comfort each other
And let them know how much happiness
They brought into my life.
Let them pray for me,
As I will continue to pray for them,
Hoping that they will always pray for each other.

Let them know that they made possible
Whatever good I offered to our world.
And let them realize that our separation
Is just for a short while
As we prepare for our reunion in eternity.

Our Father in heaven,
You alone are my hope.
You alone are my salvation.
Thank you for your unconditional love, Amen.

- Pres. Cory Aquino (1933-2009)

Happy Anniversary to my partner and me

2009-07-27T01:13:00.000-07:00

Your Relationship is Still Building Strength

You're relationship is fairly strong, but you're still working on making things solid.

Make sure you're both treating each other with kindness and respect, even when things aren't going well.

Your relationship isn't in danger, but it could be if a crisis hits. You need more strength to get through the bad times.

Remember what attracted you to each other, and try to bring some of that fire back. It's not too late!

How Strong is Your Relationship?

Of lies

2009-03-08T01:21:00.000-08:00

A Poem written on International Women's Day

Another day, another story
What more can I say?
Something like this happened already
Need I watch my tongue away?

So what is it this time?
Or Perhaps, who?
Of lies sublime.
Maybe equivalent to a poo.

Tell me. Now. Give me dignity.
Does it matter when it did start
Give my soul and mind the liberty
You owe me that, you old fart.

What my birth month means

2009-02-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

I just need to talk about good things today to neutralize the negative and this means talking insignificant about myself for a change:-)

Your Birth Month Says You're Selfless

Tolerant and inspirational, you are wise beyond your years.
You are universally sympathetic and a great humanitarian.
Your soul reflects: Compassion, friendship, and secret love
Your gemstone: Citrine
Your flower: Chrysanthemum
Your colors: Dark blue, red, and yellow

What Does Your Birth Month Mean?

Life Path Number?

2009-02-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

So very true!!!

Your Life Path Number is 6

Your purpose in life is to help others
You are very compassionate, and you offer comfort to those around you.
It pains you to see other people hurting, and you do all in your power to help them.
You take on responsibility, and you don't mind personal sacrifice. You are the ultimate giver.
In love, you offer warmth and protection to your partner.
You often give too much of yourself, and you rarely put your own needs first.
Emotions tend to rule your decisions too much, especially when it comes to love.
And while taking care of people is great, make sure to give them room to grow on their own.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

What is My Temperament?

2009-02-12T02:18:00.000-08:00

There's a 55% Chance That You Need Therapy

If you think you need therapy, you probably do. But there's a good chance you don't.

Like everyone else, you have your fair share of problems. And unlike most people, you're fairly good at solving them yourself.

Do You Need Therapy?

I was a Swan?

2009-02-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

I used to read Edgar Cayce a lot. That's back when I had extraordinarily vivid dreams that were often psychic. Honest!

You Were a Swan

You are a spiritual soul who sees into the future.

You are also good at interpreting dreams - those of yourself and others.

What Animal Were You In a Past Life?

Who is Edgar Cayce? See here and here.

Anger is normal but what about rage?

2009-02-10T01:58:00.000-08:00

I am slow to anger. As long as the other party is being honest with me. Without truth on both sides, it would not be possible to communicate on an equal footing. I think, unexpressed anger turns into rage. But what is rage?

"There is research available that suggests that suppressed anger is an underlying ingredient both of anxiety and of depression. Anger that is not expressed can kindle and erupt in a manner that disrupts relationships and can lead to a variety of medical problems. Frequently the underlying anger is related to a perceived loss of control over factors affecting our integrity—our beliefs and how we feel about ourselves".

"In some cases, the anger has to do with the inability to meet unrealistic expectations (our own or those who have expectations of us). Rage is a shame-based expression of that anger. Rage is the accumulation of unexpressed anger and perceived disrespectful transactions that after multiple 'stuffings' finally flow to the surface. When we become enraged, usually there is the belief that someone is deliberately attempting to incite us to become angry. Within this ego-bruised state, we are onvinced that trying to be reasonable will prove to be ineffective, and therefore we will need to “even the score” or methodically disarm the offending party".

While expressing anger is all about the controlled notification that one feels threatened in some way, rage has little to do with control. Rage denotes a loss of control and is characterized by shouting, engaging in violence (including the destruction of property or threats of violence), manipulating through emotional blackmail, or punishing through social withdrawal (e.g., “shaming”).

"Raging offers a false sense of empowerment to an individual who feels inadequate and in turn uses the rage to shut down the other individual. From time to time, anyone can have a bad day. However, a persistent pattern of controlling through bullying can leave scars that may never heal".

"If you question your ability to self-assess whether your anger has crossed the line to rage, just look directly into the eyes of the other person—you will know the answer to your question. By simply asking, “Has my anger offended you?”, one could offer the most responsible and effective strategy to fully assess the impact, while simultaneously signaling a commitment to improve one’s communication style".

To Think Constantly is to Live

2009-01-21T01:46:00.000-08:00

Your Word is "Think"

You see life as an amazing mix of possibilities, ideas, and fascinations.

And sometimes you feel like you don't have enough time to take it all in.

You love learning. Whether you're in school or not, you're probably immersed in several subjects right now.

When you're not learning, you're busy reflecting. You think a lot about the people you know and the things you've experienced.

What's Your Word?

A Film Writer, Me?

2009-01-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

According to blogthings I could be a

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind.

You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life.

Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling.

And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Google Alerts about health

2009-01-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

Something very informative provided to me by Google Alerts is found here.

Some of the posts include topics about reducing hypertension medication intake, tips to avoid anxiety and other useful tips that's written plain, simple and I believe workable.

My first mantra for 2009

2009-01-09T19:40:00.001-08:00

Borrowed lines from somewhere:

"To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment and an intensity of consciousness we did not know were possible before."

All good wishes to everyone who's happen to be passers-by of this blog.

Counting our blessings this Christmas

2008-12-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

Ailments and all, each one deserves a merry Christmas. Forget all the physical pain, the worries and the anxieties. Think only of what's good in our life and the hope for a new beginning. To me these are the keys to joy and happiness during this season.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Cheers!

Me, depressed during this merry season?

2008-12-16T17:14:00.000-08:00

I didn't know that depression can be characterized in so very many ways. Somehow, I have forgotten my Psychology 11, which I took many, many, years ago.

Wikipedia says that depression could be be melancholic. It is characterized by a loss of pleasure (anhedonia) in most or all activities, a failure of reactivity to pleasurable stimuli, a quality of depressed mood more pronounced than that of grief or loss, a worsening of symptoms in the morning hours, early morning waking, psychomotor retardation, excessive weight loss (not to be confused with anorexia nervosa), or excessive guilt.

I wonder, do I have it? Periodically, I suffer from some or even most of the symptoms described. Even if I try hard to rise above the condition, it just won't go away.

I have always wanted to go to a health professional, but the cost of getting "help" might even depress me more :-)

To learn more of depression, see here and here.

Cheat sheets for the ladies

2008-12-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

I found this interesting post from barumbadha. It really made me smile, becuase I have seen all of these before.

If any of you single girls out there see these signs from men you date, leave now before it is too late. This is an advice from a someone who's been there :-)

Cheers!

Another Personality Test

2008-11-23T03:59:00.000-08:00

You Are A Thoughtful Idealist

You are a bit tentative when it comes to new experiences. You have to push yourself to try new things, but once you do, you love the adventure.

You like to think that people see you as intellectual and wise. You consider yourself to be very smart.You are a very romantic person. You can't help but see the world as it should be.

Right now, you feel like the whole world is open to you. You see lots of possibilities. Overall, your life is well managed and fulfilling. You enjoy every day, even if nothing out of the ordinary happens.

You are extremely optimistic about the future. You feel like things are always getting better.

The Castle Personality Test

The Ibanag is an "oddball"

2008-11-22T16:42:00.000-08:00

Sure I am

You Are an Oddball

You tend to be understated and under appreciated.
You have a hidden force to do amazing things, doing them your own way.
People may see you as strange and shy, but they know little.
Your unconventional ways have more power than they (and even you) know.
Your strength: Standing up for what you know is true
Your weakness: You tend to be picky and rigid
Your power color: Silver
Your power symbol: Square
Your power month: April

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

If I were a Yoga Position

2008-11-19T22:47:00.000-08:00

You Are the Crow Pose

You have an amazing amount of strength. You don't need anyone but yourself in the world.
You are able to life yourself up when times get tough. You know how to persevere.
You are disciplined. You don't let pain or struggle be an issue for you.
Even though you are very independent, you also have the makings of a great leader.

What Yoga Pose Are You?

Documenting Drug side effects

2008-09-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my earlier post I am now on a anti-cholesterol drug. This very short post is just about documenting what seems to be different about how I feel physically after taking this drug for over 5 days now.

I couldn't exactly say I have never experienced this before, but I have these muscle cramps around my thighs and legs including my arms every time I wake up in the morning.

Maybe lack of exercise? I have not gone anywhere outside my house in the last three days. Maybe I need to shake a leg a little.

Let me plan that out.

Statin and me

2008-09-02T23:32:00.000-07:00

I am back in the blogging world. After almost two months of absence I can finally say I am on my way to be blogging healthy again.

And talking about health, I am slowly regaining my weight. It had been a very stressful two months. It started when we began planning our move to a different place. There were so many concerns that needed to be tackled, and issues that required refinement. I was on the verge of complete exhaustion. This affected my health, my health plunged.

But today, as I write this very first post here since my hiatus, I feel better. I am starting to gain some pounds. I am not sure if this is about the statin drug I have started to take. My cholesterol count was starting to seriously worry me. You see, I postponed taking my doctor-prescribed statin medication against the advice of my doctor. I thought I could bring down my cholesterol levels through a better diet.

The kind of hypertension I have is not really affected so much by the food I eat. Realizing this, I began taking statin however, much delayed. I am just on my fourth day and I already can feel the difference.

One thing I also discovered is that if a person is on statin, you can not eat grapefruit. Wikipedia says, "Consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice inhibits the metabolism of statins—furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice inhibit the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4, which is involved in the metabolism of most statins (however it is a major inhibitor of only atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin) and some other medications[20] (it had been thought that flavonoids were responsible).

This increases the levels of the statin, increasing the risk of dose-related adverse effects (including myopathy/rhabdomyolysis). Consequently, consumption of grapefruit juice is not recommended in patients undergoing therapy with most statins. An alternative, somewhat risky, approach is that some users take grapefruit juice to enhance the effect of lower (hence cheaper) doses of statins. This is not recommended as a result of the increased risk and potential for statin toxicity".

And to think that I was initially planning to buy some grapefruit or oranges to test my newly purchased juicer. Hah! :-)

Avoid stress -- do what is right

2008-07-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter that you try to eat and live healthy, but if you are stressed -- there's a risk you'll still get sick. I should know. Stress came to me early. My life had been on a continuous spin since I began doing what I wasn't supposed to do. I had choices. But they were too difficult to make. Cowardice or just plain stupidity. Who knows? There were too many ominous signs but I chose to ignore all of them.

Regrets?

I am just glad discernment has started to make me fully understand who I am as a person. If only for that I got no regrets.

Growing fruits may well be served by virtue

2008-07-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what fruit has 60 mg of Lysine, 22 g of Protein, 30 mg of Calcium and a whole lot more of vitamins and minerals that can be useful for the body's well-being but at the same time looks yukky when over-ripe and doesn't look as good as other pretty looking fruits like strawberries and mangoes but perhaps equal if not better in nutritional benefit?

Yup,yup, yup. I could not have guessed it either. The answer is sweet sop or sugar apple or locally known over this part of the globe as atis.

"The Atis tree is easy to grow. Just plant a seed on almost any soil and atis will grow. However, it requires tropical or near tropical weather. When planted, Atis will begin to bear fruit in about a year's time. It will bear fruit about 3 times a year and the sweetest fruits are those borne during the summer months."

Ours just bore once last year and it was the first time. We started growing it three years ago and the delay was caused by lack of sun. The neighbor's 'useless' mango tree had its massive foliage towering all over our atis. Aarrgghh.

Good, they trimmed it recently.

Look at what we have in our backyard. Last year, our atis tree started bearing its fruits. Sweet but just a couple:-)

This year, after the nearby mango tree (neighbor's) was pruned the fruits are all over the place waiting to ripen. If only there's ten to harvets all at once, then I can do an atis shake. Cold, and so refreshing atis is one fruit that tastes so much better when over-riped. Ahhh for now that is too much to ask.

As they say, patience is a virtue. It works well when you garden. It is not just an act. Plant the seed, care, cultivate, nourish and then wait. So relevant in cultivating a very simple wellness strategy for everyday living in this slowly growing toxic world.

Herb-ing and loving our livers

2008-07-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

In the past I have posted bits and pieces on one of my favorite food topics, herbs. And though what I had researched and written is very far from being comprehensive and mostly executed through my food blog, I feel it would also be good to take it up here as well to seguey into a health and wellness post.

And while we are into promoting wellness, why not choose to talk about our liver. Our liver is a glandular body organ that:

Manufacture (synthesize) proteins, including albumin (to help maintain the volume of blood) and blood clotting factors
Synthesize, store, and process (metabolize) fats, including fatty acids (used for energy) and cholesterol
Metabolize and store carbohydrates, which are used as the source for the sugar (glucose) in blood that red blood cells and the brain use
Form and secrete bile that contains bile acids to aid in the intestinal absorption (taking in) of fats and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Eliminate, by metabolizing and/or secreting, the potentially harmful biochemical products produced by the body, such as bilirubin from the breakdown of old red blood cells and ammonia from the breakdown of proteins
Detoxify, by metabolizing and/or secreting, drugs, alcohol, and environmental toxins

Such complex functions right? So what can we do to protect our liver and its normal functions. Something I read says and I quote:

Avoid liver cleanses. Herbal and other products and regimes which claim to cleanse the liver can damage and destroy cells. The liver cannot be dirty; and it does not need to be cleansed.

Eat well and regularly. Fasting reduces liver efficiency quickly.

Eat cooked food. Raw food may contain bacterial, viral, and enzymatic substances that create more work for, and may even cause an infection in, the liver. Fruits and vegetables need to be well cooked; steaming may not be enough to kill pathogens.

Avoid ingesting chemicals. Remember that chemicals are stored in fat and excreted in milk, eggs, and sperm. To avoid chemicals in your food, focus your organic expenditures on organic butter, oil, cheese, full-fat milk, eggs, meat, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains. The amount of agricultural chemicals in one pound of non-organic butter is equivalent to eating non-organic produce for ten years. With the exception of apricots, cherries, peaches, strawberries, melons, cucumbers, green beans, and bell peppers - the most heavily "dosed" produce - I often buy locally-grown non-organic produce since the cost is usually far less.

Get angry. The liver is the storehouse of unexpressed rage. And, yes, we are all angry about "life as it is" as one of my teachers puts it. My mentor, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, favored a Manhattan phone book and a rubber radiator hose as a way to "wake up and work out" anger. A rolled-up newspaper and a cushion, a tennis racket and a bed, or even boxing gloves and a "heavy bag" will also work. Don't wait until you are angry. Make it a part of your routine, just like brushing your teeth. Set aside at least thirty minutes a week to bring your anger to the surface. You will be shocked at the rapid benefits this brings your liver and your health.

Avoid essential oil. Even natural essential oils can impair liver function. Look for them hidden in natural and organic products such as soaps, toothpaste, mouthwash, skin lotions, deodorants and antiperspirants, and candles. And avoid anti-bacterial soaps too.

Judging from what I had seen from friends and relatives which at one time or another experienced some liver issues, here are my simple reminders:

1. Avoid alcohol. If you can't, always drink in moderation.

2. Do not smoke. Liver issues are almost always exacerbated with smoking.

3. Do not use drugs even for 'recreational?' purposes only. Even prescription drugs, including over the counter medications can be harmful to the liver. Take it from me. Been there, done that. Always ask your GP for clarification. And do not self-medicate.

4. Watch your weight. Always maintain it at normal numbers. Excess bodyfat had been found to be strenuous to the liver's fat metabolizing function.

5. Avoid getting exposed to environmental pollutants, icluding household items like air fresheners, paints, solvents even insect killers. The liver not only is in charge of detoxifying the body with what we eat, drink, medicate and breathe.

6. You can never be wrong with a balanced diet. Always include herbs to nourish the liver. Herbs such as milk thistle, ginseng, turmeric, and dandelion.

Thistle contains silymarin which is said to help regenerate liver cells; ginseng for energy, though ask your doctor if you are hypertensive; dandelion serves as a natural diuretic that also help repair or rebuild the liver; and turmeric, a most common kitchen herb is used essentially to fight arthritis but considered good as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Blogging Personality

2008-06-30T23:32:00.000-07:00

So here I am blogging away time.

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful

You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog.

Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights.

A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time.

You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Sleepy Me

2008-06-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

What's your sleeping position?

What Your Sleeping Position Says

You are calm and rational person with a good deal of balance in your life.

Friends consider you to be kind, caring, and truly loyal.

You are easy going and trusting. However, you are too sensible to fall for mind games.

Open to the world, you are not afraid to be yourself.

If you don't get enough sleep, you are: Able to cope

It's hard to sleep next to you because: You're a bed hog

What Does Your Sleeping Position Say About You?