WOW Batangas » Health News

Why it’s Time for Pinoys to Ride a Bicycle

Dyan Hernandez — Tue, 17 May 2011 05:02:05 +0000

We’ve seen President Noynoy on a bicycle when he, together with the people from Department of Health, lead the “Ehersisyo Pangkalusugan Para Sa Lahat 2011″ last weekend at the Quezon City Memorial Circle. The event was filled with a series of physical activities all anchored on the promotion of wellness and healthier lifestyle for Filipinos.

The President rode on a bike and he seemed to enjoy the ride. Are you up for a bicycle ride? Riding a bike could bring numerous benefits for your body, for the environment, and for your pocket as well. See this.

(1) It’s good for your heart.

Biking is a good cardiovascular exercise. Well, it depends on how fast you can go.

(2) Tone those muscles.

Toned muscles is another way of interpreting beautiful shapes and curves of the body. You don’t make muscles big, you just toned them by making them firm, lean, and strong.

(3) Lose weight.

More and more people are getting involve in weight loss program. If you can’t get enough of all the calories you take each day, burn them by riding a bike at least thrice a week. Biking has been claimed to be an effective activity to lose weight.

(4) Stamina (mina, eh eh).

Biking helps you improve your stamina. Endurance is one of the vital factors of physical well-being. How long can you endure a physical activity is one way to measure your strength.

(5) Save Mother Earth.

Okay, it’s too much of a big thing. If it can be done in other parts of the world, why can’t it be implemented here in the Philippines? I’m talking about having bicycle as mode of transportation. And then you would say there should be biking lanes first. Tama.

(6) Save up.

Save the money you have allotted for gas on other important things. Bike if you’re just going around the village or if you can go to work with it. If you can actually do biking as alternative for driving your car but have lots of excuses (or kaartehan), stop complaining about oil price hike.

You see, biking will give you more benefits than these six mentioned here. Biking is more than just a physical activity. When you’re on your bike, you have a connection with the earth below the wheels, the things around you, the sky above, and more importantly, you can reconnect with the person inside you (not that you’re losing it).

Make biking a habit. If you don’t know how to ride a bike, it’s time you learn to do so. See the world, know yourself a little bit.

With notes from www.livestrong.com, blog.honestdietreviews.com.

How to Ward Off Early Signs of Colds and Throat Infections

Dyan Hernandez — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:54:34 +0000

Right after Christmas vacation, there are a lot of people here who suffered post-Christmas illness. Cough and colds, back pain, allergies do to very cold weather, etc. I’ve found a cheap way to ward off, at least the early signs of colds and throat infection.

Just a while ago as I was browsing the Healthy Living section of Yahoo! Shine, I ran over an article: “Feeling a Cold Coming on? The #1 Thing to Do, According to One Expert”.

I got curious why the image enclosed shows garlic bulbs. Yeah, as in bawang.

And so I clicked on the article and found out another way of preventing cold or even throat infection – chewing garlic. Now that kind of smells bad. Most of us hate how garlic could cause bad breathe but read on first why health experts say that this could actually help you stop cold from emerging.

Allium Sativum (garlic) has allicin, the antimicrobial agent that fights infection. Let’s make your imagination work this time. Imagine allicin as a great superhero. It shields and protects your tissues from the villain we call Cysteine proteinase enzymes. This enzyme allows infectious organisms to damage your tissues.

When the villain – Cysteine proteinase enzymes – weakens, the other super villain – Alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes – supports the metabolism of the infectious organisms, allowing them to survive and further harm your tissues.

And the only way to release allicin is to crush the garlic or directly chew it. Chew them in after crushing so as not to lose the beneficial properties of the allicin.

Remember, prevention is better than cure.

The Health Benefits of Laughing Out Loud

Dyan Hernandez — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 01:41:12 +0000

Have you heard of the laugh therapy?

I forgot the name of the yoga master who was featured a few weeks ago in an afternoon lifestyle TV program. But he was not the usual yoga master. He’s into the kind of yoga that injects laugh therapy. Yes, laugh therapy I repeat.

What you do with this yoga laugh therapy or laughter yoga. Well, for some this may seem ridiculous at first because you have to laugh a hearty laugh (as if you’re watching an extremely hilarious show) for a specified period of time. There’s a certain way of laughing though, to achieve the goal behind this funny yoga technique or branch.

For people who don’t do laughter yoga, you can get the same benefits if you laugh more often. Laughing can reduce high blood pressure, allow you more oxygen intake, prevents common cough and colds, and fights stress and depression. As the cliché goes, laughter is the best medicine.

Batangueños are happy people. We love laughing over cracked jokes, funny scenes on movies or TV, or even at life’s most unexpected subject of humor. Laugh and live longer. Who would opt for a gloomy world? If the sun still shines bright on the horizon, there’s still a reason to smile, to laugh, to live.

Have a great day folks!

Modern Blood Service Facility for PNRC-Batangas Chapter

Dyan Hernandez — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:48:32 +0000

Even the blood service facility needs to be modernized. And so the Philippine National Red Cross – Batangas Chapter will be upgrading it’s testing center and blood bank.

In the press release of Philippine Information Agency last Sunday, Aug. 8, it was told that this project is expected to strengthen the capabilities of PNRC-Batangas Chapter in cases of emergencies not only in the province but in the entire CALABARZON region as well. This was according to the statement of Engr. Vicente Ramos, PNRC Chairman for Infrastructure and Finance Committee.

This is certainly a good news for those who are benefiting greatly in blood donations as the PNRC-Batangas Chapter will be able to extend their medical assistance, hopefully, more efficiently and abruptly.

Meanwhile, 30 employees from the Batangas City government recently donated blood in the blood-letting activity done in cooperation with the Batangas Regional Hospital (BRH). Then, 100 policemen from different stations in the province have done their part to increase donations for the blood bank in the recent blood letting-activity at Camp Miguel Malvar.

Thank you to our dear blood donors. A little act of kindness goes a long way.

Quick Facts on Flu (the Influenza Virus)

Dyan Hernandez — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:07:04 +0000

When rainy days are here, our moms would frequently remind us to take care of our health even more than we should usually do. Because the wet season, aside from the heavy rains and the sudden change of temperature, also brings sickness such as cold, cough, and flu.

I overheard on the radio a while ago that July is Flu Awareness Month. I searched for it on the web but none has sufficed me with the result I was looking for. Anyways, flu awareness month or not, it’s a need for all of us to be aware of the symptoms, causes, and immediate remedies if you, or anyone close to you, would have a flu.

Quick facts on Flu

(thanks to flufacts.com for such helpful contents)

What is flu?
Flu, also known as influenza, is caused by the influenza virus which enters the body through our mouth, nose, or even the eyes. The influenza virus is highly contagious that when somebody inflicted with flu coughs or sneezes, the virus will then become airborne and will spread easier than you know.

As written on the site, symptoms of flu are:

Fever
Aches
Chills
Tiredness
Sudden symptoms

How do you know if it’s flu or just a cold?

Cold symptoms (stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, tiredness) are usually milder than flu symptoms. Flu symptoms are more severe and can be suddenly observed in just a few hours.

Common treatments for flu

Have a bed rest, take lots of fluid, take over-the-counter medicines to stop the flu from getting worse.

How to prevent flu?

You can have flu vaccine or antiviral medicines which are all, of course, under the prescription of medical experts.

Labana ang flu. Mahal magkasakit!

Tanauan City Declares Measles Outbreak (See Preventive Ways Against The Disease)

Dyan Hernandez — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:29:29 +0000

Measles outbreak was declared in Brgy. 1, Tanauan City when at least three cases of the said sickness was diagnosed in the area. Dr. Adel Bautista, Tanauan City Health Officer added that there are 15 other cases in Brgy.7 and said they are still waiting for the results of the blood tests of these children.

According to DOH, an outbreak could be declared if there are three or more cases of an illness in a single location. Dr. Bautista said that the city health office will conduct a vaccination drive and an information dissemination campaign to inform the public on ways to prevent the spread of the disease.

Symptoms of measles are fever, cough, loss of appetite, skin rashes, colds, and sore eyes. Children with measles should be given extra attention especially those with weak immune system as this sickness could lead to further complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, diarrhea, and corneal ulceration.

So how are we going to prevent measles especially when outbreaks are highly probable during these hot months? Well, I suppose all parents know that their children should have the MMR vaccine – a vaccine that provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella which should be received in two doses.

There are also practical ways on how to prevent measles from spreading. Do it by washing your hands and covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing. And since measles is known to have long-term effects, the way to keep up with it is to have plenty of sleep. Rest and try to sleep a little longer than the usual so your body could fight off the virus brought by this sickness.

If you suspect that you or your child is infected with measles, see a doctor for immediate prevention of measles’ long-term effects. You would also be given proper medication such as antiviral drugs and right treatment for this sickness.

Technorati Tags: measles outbreak in tanauan city batangas, how to prevent measles, how to cure measles, symptoms of measles, how to prevent measles, what is the vaccine for measles, treatment for measles, what are the effects of measles

Provincial Health Office Leads Public Information on the Fight Against HIV-AIDS

Dyan Hernandez — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:49:57 +0000

Weeks ago, the Department of Health reported that number of cases of HIV-AIDS victims went higher and again, began raising public awareness since then. Since the news of a possible epedemic, DOH pushed people to have themselves tested and targeted those in the call center industry, from which most of the victims are from.

Below are the details of the advocacy campaign in Batangas headed by the Provincial Health Office on its move to inform the public especially the younger generation on how to prevent and control HIV-AIDS cases in the country.

The Provincial Health Office, pursuant to Gov. Vilma Santos’ “Kalusugan mo, No. 1 sa puso ko,” hosted the first of a series of Advocacy on the Prevention and Control of Sexually-Transmissible Infections/HIV-AIDS for Batangas colleges and universities last March 1, 2010 at the provincial auditorium.


Participated in by students from the University of Batangas, Lyceum of the Philippines-Batangas, Golden Gate Colleges and Lipa City Colleges, the educational seminar was highlighted with the testimony of an HIV-positive patient, who openly talked about his condition.  
Humphrey Gorriceta, who tested positive in 2008, is among the first Filipinos infected with the still-incurable infection to fully come out in the open.  He said that he did it to help inform the public about the dreaded disease, and what to do to prevent its further spread.  He is currently an HIV-AIDS advocate and volunteer counsellor for the DoH’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Gov. Vilma Santos Recto, in her message, emphasized the importance of being responsible when it comes to sex, and that conscientious families should give importance to the matter. Santos Recto, who starred in the 1993 blockbuster movie, Dahil Mahal Kita (The Dolzura Cortez Story), about the first Filipino AIDS victim who came out in the open to tell about her life and how she acquired the AIDS virus, herself gave a short lecture on HIV-AIDS, underscoring her knowledge on the sensitive topic. She also asked the student-attendees to relay the things they learned to their families, friends and community members.

Prov. Health Officer, Dr. Rosvilinda Ozaeta, and Ms. Ana Liza Abrenica, a registered nurse of the provincial government and the STI/HIV-AIDS Program Manager, led the discussions on the subject matter. Vince Altar -OPG-PIO

Medical Tourism Park for Elderly Retirees to Rise in Nasugbu, Batangas

Dyan Hernandez — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:50:21 +0000

A 24-hectare medical tourism enterprise worth P12.5 billion is set to rise in Barangay Kayrilaw, Nasugbu, Batangas. This medical tourism project shall cater to the needs of elderly foreign retirees, particularly Japanese, and local retirees as well.

The facilities in this medical tourism park include a tertiary hospital with 100-bed in-patient suites, 8-bed intensive care units, 8-bed cardiac care units, 10-bed hemodialysis unit, 8-bed day care surgery unit, 3 fully functional operating rooms, a cardiac catheterization laboratory, and a lithotripsy unit.

Included in this project is a Telemedicine Institute expected to be a formal training ground for medical professionals such as doctors, nurses, and caregivers. Also part of the facilities in the medical park are healthcare and wellness spa, cosmetic surgery, condominium administrative housing, country club complex, pavilion complex, and satellite network hub facility.

The project is not only intended for patients and retirees who would seek for the services offered by the medical park. Visiting relatives and consulting clients would also be able to experience the comfort extended by the medical park in the five-star hotel to be built in the vicinity.

The proponent of the medical tourism park is the Global Village Mobile Network Corp. (GVMNC) and is being developed by another Filipino-owned corporation Camp David investment and Holdings, Inc. (CDIHI).

Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) approved this project proposed by GVMNC who expects an annual average sale of P5.358 billion once the facilities are fully operational.

CDIHI chair Ana Maria V. Mara said that the development will start next month and will last until three years. The company will have 2,177 direct employment and around 4,500 indirect workers.

Technorati Tags: medical tourism project, medical park, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Camp David Investment and Holdings Inc., Global Village Mobile Network Corporation, barangay Kayrilaw, Nasugbu, Batangas, medical park in Nasugbu, facilities of the medical park in Nasugbu, elderly foreign retirees, Japanese retirees, medical patients

Will the Philippines have safe drinking water by 2015?

Gerlie Katimbang — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:40:03 +0000

Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human need and therefore, a basic right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people and it is an affront to human dignity (WHO, 2003).

In one of my discussions yesterday in my Intro to Development Communication class, I mentioned about this drinking water problem encountered by Africans for decades now — that only forty six percent of the total population of Africa has access to safe drinking water which means that more than the half of the entire African population is deprived of safe and potable water. Sad reality right?

I also shared this even pathetic scenario in Asia in which seven hundred five million people have no access to safe drinking water, while 1.9 billion or 80 percent of the population has no access to sanitation not including the Philippines with more than 10 million Filipinos with no access to safe drinking water or 242 waterless communities outside Metro Manila.”

With all these screaming figures of people with no access to safe drinking water, I told my students that we are so lucky to have access to class “A” water. Lucky to the extent that we use potable water for washing our clothes, dishes, cars, cleaning our bathrooms and even on watering our plants at home.

Meanwhile, I probe into this problem and gladly I found out in the recent report from UN, that most Filipinos will have access to safe drinking water by 2015, the cut-off year set by the 2000 Millenium Declaration sponsored by the United Nations (UN) to alleviate poverty.

The report also stated that the country has a high probability of halving the population without access to safe drinking water. Data from the National Statistics Office showed that 80.2 percent of households in 2004 already had access to safe drinking water. To reach the country’s MDG commitment, the number of households should go up to at least 86.8 percent.

The Philippines is one of 189 country-signatories of the Millenium Declaration, which then came up with eight time-bound specific targets called Millenium Development Goals (MDG). Safe drinking water, one of 48 MDG indicators, is also part of the 10-point agenda set by President Macapagal-Arroyo in 2004 to integrate MDG with the country’s development plans.

To help the country meet its MDG target, Spain gave the Philippines early this year a US$5.3-million or P258-million grant to ensure the sustainable delivery of water to 122,000 households in 36 depressed communities in Cagayan, Bicol, and some areas of Mindanao. The Spanish grant was coursed through UNDP.

We are so blessed to have received help from other countries. I am really keeping my hopes high that this fund will be used accordingly for these water supply related problems in the country. Meanwhile, along with all the current political, social and environmental problems that our country is facing, let us all, as concerned individuals, do our contribution (even in little ways) in conserving and maintaining clean and safe water for all and for the generations to come.

By the way, regarding the question “Will the Philippines have safe drinking water by 2015?” I guess the answer is really all up to us.

Para sa mga kapwa ko Batangueno at Pilipino, pagtulungtulungan nating maging maganda, masaya at ligtas ang mundo para sa mga susunod pang salinlahi.

Technorati Tags: water supply, problems, clean water, drinking water, potable, MDG, UN, UNDP, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, water, conservation, problems, Africa, Asia, Philippines, batangas

Batangas to strengthen battle against HIV-AIDS

Gerlie Katimbang — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:38:28 +0000

Tropical Disease Foundation Inc (TDFI), a non government organization, in cooperation with Batangas City Health Office conducted a seminar workshop on HIV and AIDS Prevention Policy Development, held Aug. 20 at Batangas City.

The seminar focused on creating and implementing program on HIV AIDS prevention and treatment. According to TDFI, through effective and continuous local response system and by passing an ordinance on creating a council for Local AIDs prevention, time would come that this HIV-related problems will be eliminated.

Meanwhile, Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk.

This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.

AIDS is now a pandemic. In 2007, it was estimated that 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and that AIDS killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children. Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, retarding economic growth and destroying human capital.
Genetic research indicates that HIV originated in west-central Africa during the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified in the early 1980s.

Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries. Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS pandemic.

It was emphasized on the other hand, in the policy development seminar workshop that Republic Act 8504 or known as the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 should be implemented. This RA includes the role of LGUs in educating, informing and providing community-based prevention and care services.

Technorati Tags: Aids, HIV, Human Immuno Virus, Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, HIV_AIDS, World Heatlth Organization, Batangas City, Batangas, News, Statistics on AIDs, with, immunodeficiency, virus, AIDS

WOW Batangas » Health News

Why it’s Time for Pinoys to Ride a Bicycle

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How to Ward Off Early Signs of Colds and Throat Infections

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Labana ang flu. Mahal magkasakit!

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