My Jeepney Adventure

I was watching the Discovery channel last night and there was a show about how to have an environmentally friendly mega city and there were four different ideas on how to lower emmisions.  One of the developers were Pinay and a Pinoy who she commissioned to make a cleaner Jeepney to lower the emissions of CO2.

Anyhow, the show did state a statistic about Manila and how the air quality is so bad, that it's over 3x worse than the safety standard by the World Health Organization (W.H.O.).  They stated on the show that over 4000+ people die each year due to the really bad air in Manila.

Today, I had to ride the Jeepney to SM City Batangas because I had to take my Toyota in for a service and I didn't feel like waiting at Toyota.  I figured, why not?  I'm brave, I can ride the Jeepney (though, it was a bit scary because I've only rode a Jeepney once by myself and it was only one ride to my destination) and today was a whopping two!   Anyhow, I am here comfortably at the mall at Starbucks sipping on a Double Tall Latte the a little cinnamon on top.  MaArte no?

Going back to my Jeepney Adventure, I've come to realize first hand on how the air is so bad!  Sitting in the Jeepney especially idle was even worse.  The air is so bad, I knew that if I do this every day like most Filipinos do, I'd age so rapidly.  Aging of the skin and aging of my organs.  No wonder that people in Manila is having so much trouble just by breathing.

It is known that in Los Angeles, CA, if you run for 30 minutes, the oxidative stress is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes.  That is staggering.  Imaging how much oxidative stress Filipinos are going through each day.  It is horrific!

Though, in the health and wellness world, it says that we need more nutritional support today than our Lolo's and Lola's did when they were growing up.  Antioxidants help fight free radical damage which is basically oxidative stress.  Look, we live on a toxic planet and a very toxic country.  I hope our new incoming President Nonoy will promote a clean air act and an environmental act.  It needs to be done.

President Nonoy!  I hope you are reading this!  There is a big problem and Philippines needs a solution.  Political will in this situation is imperative.  Good Luck!  We Filipinos here in the Philippines and around the world are with you in this!

Filipinos cannot live without rice

 

Ok, it's true.  Even stateside Filipinos eat rice daily.  So to be healthy and slim, you don't really need to take all the rice away but keep it in moderation.  I know some of you guys (you know who you are) have your entire plate full of rice stacking 2-3 inches high with a side of adobo, with the adobo juice drizzled all over the steamy hot rice.  How about portioning your rice, and increasing your lean meats and your vegetables.  Have the rice as the side and your ulam full (not greasy ulam, but good lean ulam).

It's not about eating less, its about eating less calories.  You can actually eat more, while eating less calories.  The trick is the low glycemic diet.  Just google low glycemic diet.  For example, aside from rice which is known to be high glycemic (it turns to sugar right away in the body), cooked carrots is high glycemic, while raw carrots is low glycemic.

Increase your veggies, and increase your lean meats, and you'll naturally keep your rice intake in its right portion so you can slim up and look fab.

Good Nutrition Promotes Good Health for Filipinos

Nutrition provides the raw materials that each individual cells in our body needs to function optimally.  That is why good nutrition promotes good health. Nothing new right?  So more and more intelligent Filipinos like you is starting to eat right, exercise, take supplements to supplement what is missing in the green harvested fruits and vegetables we eat, and rest as much as we can.

Though, some of the things listed above might prove challenging because we all live hectic lifestyles, but many health concious Filipinos do it anyway.  We find the time and ways to keep as healthy as we can be so we can have more energy, vitality, and we do it to look great too!

Nutrition Can Save America!

This certainly holds so true!

Read this article.

Nutrition Can Save Philippines Too!

Supplements are food!

Well, they should be at least. The reason why we supplement to begin with is to put back the missing nutrients that is lacking in the foods that we eat every day.  I mean, let us all be honest, do you think that a Champ, Double Yumm or a Chicken Joy has all the nutrients we need to live well?  Do you honestly think adobo is that healthy?  Sure, it does offer carbs and protein but our bodies need much more to be truly well.  We're not talking about just good health, because health by definition is the absence of disease or symptoms.  We're talking vibrant wellness!  Wellness is looking good, feeling good and ultimately live very well.

Us pinoys, and pinays as well, are bombarded by many products that all claim to be the best. This is what you should look for in picking the type of supplements you need for your personal health and wellness!

#1. Is it all natural?  (I mean all-natural and bioactive?)  A good test is to take your all-natural supplements on an empty stomach, and if your tummy is upset, then your product is most probably synthetic.  Remember, they all say natural and they all say their the best.  No company or product will say their second best like Coke is #1, Pepsi #1 too, and how about RC?Also , bioactive means that our bodies when taking the product recognizes it as real food nutrients and can be absorbed by the body.

#2. Does the ingredients come from Real Food Ingredients?  Some companies will have magical berries and exotic fruits in their products, and although the berries and the exotic fruit may have high levels of nutrients, it doesn’t mean the product itself has those nutrients in them.  Stabilizing nutrition is quite difficult and costly.  It does hold true that more expensive supplements are better than the cheap ones when it comes to natural products that is.

#3. Are there real scientific validation regarding the  products?  You have to be careful with this because many companies will show you borrowed science and research about the fruit/veggie/nutrient, but there must be scientific validation behind their product.  Here’s one article called Pulp Fiction. You will find that article very interesting as it highlights what we are talking about today.

So do your diligent research before buying and swallowing the product.  It will be good for you and your body!

Philippines Is Becoming So Dirty.

The importance of Pinoy Health is to give awareness on what we need to do in the kind of environment that we live in. Philippines is so dirty, just look at Pasig River!!! The fact is we live in a toxic country and a toxic planet. Much of the information I am sharing is coming from the book, How To Survive On A Toxic Planet. Unfortunately, we do live in a toxic planet and that is really not new news.

Stress, Chemicals, Toxins, Pollutants. There have been over 75,000 chemicals that was introduced to the environment since 1930 yet only 8% of those chemicals was tested for the safety in humans. Another interesting fact is chemicals have been found in the fat tissues of penguins in Antarctica... Chemicals originating from Texas. It was said however, these chemicals never left Texas. So chemicals are everywhere, they can travel. So if the penguins have them in Antarctica, what do you think is inside you?

Our air quality is bad, over 60% of Americans live in cities where the air is so bad, it actually affects their health. One example is if you are running for 30 minutes in the city of Los Angeles, California, the oxidative stress is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes. Talk about premature aging... What kind of Healthy Living are you doing when you exercise and prematurely age at the same time... If that is the kind of statistics happening in the USA, imagine what kind of environmental stress our people are facing right here in the Philippines and in China.

The soil is bad. Over 50% of the United States farm land is virtually sterile, there are no nutrients to feed the plant so they have a huge problem in the food chain (this is due to the lack of soil rotation which also happens worldwide including Philippines). See, the way nature is designed, the plant takes up all the nutrients from healthy soil and delivers those nutrients to the fruit at the vine ripening stage. Nutrients are delivered especially to the skin of the fruit to protect it from the harsh rays of the sun. Then we eat the fruit. (That is how we get our nutrients, nutrients our bodies need: the tools so the body can heal, repair and rejuvenate itself).

Our tap water is bad also, traces of pharmaceutical drugs is found in our tap water. It's not there intentionally, but it's there. Yuck! Solution for better health is Filtered Water, but beware, some stuff can't be filtered out.

Then, our Food.. Yup, it's bad too. We have genetically modified fruits and veggies. One fact I learned in College is that strawberries has a fish gene in it. See, fish is susceptible to cold waters and in order to grow a crop longer into the season, through the process of gene splicing, they put a fish gene in our strawberries. Mango trees are fed hormones in the soil to produce mangos all year round. We have hormone filled milk and meat. Organic? Well, it just means no pesticides but it does have a slightly higher nutrient content because it is still green harvested. What is the solution? Stop eating!? No! Give our bodies support because ultimately, it is the human body that fixes itself, just feed it the tools, the nutrients.

For all of us Pinoy's and Pinay's, this information has given us some important truths and we can't escape this epidemic, however, there are ways through it. Support your body and your body will support you!

Generation Y

If you’re a Gen Y – born in 1981 or after – here’s how you can achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise and Activity

In today's world, Internet Cafe's are a boom especially in the Philippines.  Although most cafe's earn most of their money during school session, you all know Internet Cafe's is the place to go for fun.  Due to an intense interest in computers and video games, Generation Y can be prone to an inactive lifestyle.  What happened?  How come sitting in the computer is more fun than going out and about?  Perhaps making chikka chikka on facebook is fun while your taking care of your farm on farmville, diba?  I know many Gen Xers and Baby Boomers very guilty of this so you are not alone. So the solution is that you may have to make a conscious effort to get regular physical activity. Starting a regular exercise program with other Gen Yers who share your interests in being more active is a good idea.  They can help you stick with a regimen. Skateboarding, cycling and workouts at the gym are great.  You get to meet more Gen Yers, and Gen Xers as well as Baby Boomers.  I don't know if you really want to associate yourself with the oldies, but hey, we are all in the same boat young and old.  We got to exercise to look and feel our best.

Nutrition

You probably know that an inactive lifestyle often goes hand-in-hand with snacking and fast food. Who does not want to open a bag a chips or eat an American cheeseburger?  I personally love American cheeseburgers especially burgers from Carl's Jr., or the Quarter Pounder from McDonald's, so yummy.  The sad part is they are so unhealthy.  Anyhow,  be especially careful to avoid snacking on convenience foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as low-fat proteins like fish and chicken, will help fuel your brain and your body. An occasional treat like an American Cheeseburger is fine, but most of your diet should come from the fresh food.  Take supplements too!  Unfortunately, our fresh fruits and veggies don't have the nutrition our body loves.  So you got to take all natural dietary supplements.  Here's what to look for.

Generation X

If you’re a Gen Xer like me – born between 1965 and 1980 – here’s how you can achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise and Activity

Regardless of what age you are, this is so important.  Just like the Baby Boomers, you have to exercise. No way getting around that. If you want to be healthy, you got to exercise! But since you're a Genuine Gen Xer (this sounds so cool by the way) you’re probably already sold on staying healthy and physically active. Most of us Gen Xers are highly receptive to new products and concepts that can effectively support our lifestyle and keep us looking robust and attractive, Naks! ;)   We enjoy sports, whatever it is, walking, jogging, running, golfing, playing tennis, volleyball, biking, hiking is fun too!  We can do it all!

As with all generations you need a balanced, healthful diet. You should include 5 – 9 portions of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Basic vitamin and mineral supplementation will also help ensure you’re meeting your nutritional needs. Gen Xers should pay special attention to the ingredients in their sports supplements and drinks, to make sure you’re getting real nutrition rather than a sugar-based product that provides only quick energy bursts.  This is quite prevalent.  So, we have to be intelligent consumers to be healthy.

As Filipinos, we love to socialize.  However, socializing means drinking San Miguel Beer.  I know, I know, you can't really get rid of this.  So one solution, exercise more, drink plenty of water and take extra natural supplements to keep our bodies at its best.  Hey, we can splurge sometimes.  I promote health and wellness all day long.  But I personally know that there will be drinking, there will be pulutan and late nights.  So what do I personally do?  I work out, I keep in in check and in moderation and I take personal care products to keep me looking and feeling my best.

Baby Boomers

If you’re a Baby Boomer born between 1946 – 1964 or before here’s how you can achieve a healthy lifestyle.

First of all, you have to exercise.  No way getting around that.  If you want to be healthy, you got to exercise!  One form of exercise is taking walks, as little as 15-30 minutes 3 times a week.  Simple enough right?  Or, you can garden if you like that kind of stuff.  Basically, you do do what ever physical activity you like doing.  Exercise is in fact an activity.  Examples of some activities are golf, bowling, tennis.  NOT BINGO okay!  I'm not making fun, pero, bingo is not a physical activity and neither is mah-jong.   So do something active and have fun with it.

One guy lost a ton of weight just by taking walking laps around the local mall.  He started to smile at everyone while he did it and he enjoyed himself.

Second is nutrition.  Yogurt is great for the probiotics. Fresh fruits and vegetables for the nutrition, fiber, enzymes...  You know this already.  But don't be fooled.  It has been studied that the nutrition in our fruits and veggies wasn't the same as when you were growing up.  This applies anywhere in the world.  This is due to soil quality depletion and various environmental issues.  That is why the American Medical Association states you have to supplement now.

Dietary supplements basically supplement what is missing from the fruits & veggies and your modern diet the missing nutrients that your body needs.

A low glycemic diet also.  It's not about eating less, but eating less calories.  Basically the right kinds of foods.  I'll give examples later on.  But that is how you can achieve a healthy lifestyle by making great lifestyle choices.

Wellness Revolution

In today's world, more and more people are looking for ways to look younger, reverse the effects of aging and to simply perform better as we all age. Us Pinoys are no different.  We are all in this Wellness Revolution as economist and Wellness Guru Paul Zane Pilzer wrote in his book, The Wellness Revolution.

Gen Y – born in 1981 or after typically looks for increased performance. Gen Xer – born between 1965 and 1980 like me, typically looks for increase performance as well as to alleviate aches and pains.  And Baby Boomers, born between 1946 – 1964 want it all!  And, they want to restore youthful vitality and increase memory capacity too.  You know what?... during college, I hoped for increased memory capacity also.

Filipinos are really getting geared into taking a proactive approach into our own health as well as others.  We are starting to get information about wellness through blogs like this, seminars and a ton of reading material that gives us advice about health.  I do believe there  is already a Men's Health Pinoy version just for the Philippine Market (Women's Health also).

The Baby Boomers play a major role in this because they have the need and they have the want.  In the Wellness Revolution, us intelligent consumers, young and old are looking for great products that will help us age better, look younger, perform better as well as keeping it all natural and non-toxic.  Hey, natural is the way to go! So long that your All-Natural products work and if it is indeed all natural.  Proper exercise and diet is a must as well.  Can't do it with products alone.

This is what the Wellness Revolution is.  The recognizing the importantce of maintaining our vibrant and optimal health as well as taking proactive measures and focusing on prevention rather than just waiting...  Diba!?!  Eto ang healthcare reform natin!