Away with the Negative - SUPER TYPHOON Haiyan/Yolanda

After the devastation and tragedy Super Typhoon Yolanda ( international name "Haiyan") left in the Philippines. A great number of people have an opinion. Unfortunately about the government's "inefficiency".

There aren't enough relief goods, medical aid, financial aid, etc. We all were affected by this at some point in the event of the storm. 

We were all informed in advance that it will come, yes, we know were it's path would be, yes, and we were warned that it's not going to be like the other typhoons we've experienced in our lifetime. It was "labeled" as the biggest typhoon the world has ever seen in history.

Let me just marinade on that fact. It is the "biggest typhoon the world has ever seen". The world is not prepared for this kind of category super storm. We've only seen these storms in the movies - science-fiction movies about what type of environmental Karma will we suffer for abusing our planet.

I am just a bit frustrated with people who have the nerve to criticize the way the government is supposedly "handling" the situation in the typhoon stricken-areas. Any government in the world is not prepared for this kind of catastrophe. Let me remind everyone that we are "labeled" as a third world country.  Incapable of responding to simple needs of our people, expected to have uneducated, unskilled people, famous for our boxing and housemaids. Please don't misunderstand my point. A superpower like the United States, failed to act quickly with hurricane Katrina's victims and their own government had their own share of "criticism" with the way they've responded to the situation. 

We are a small country in this big old world, trying to make our way to recovering from our own political and cultural wounds for more than a hundred years!  I don't understand why we need to be too critical about how the government is handling the relief and recovery operations. I am sure they are doing their best. They are under surveillance by every vigilant Filipino who "cares"   They have enough eyes on them already, not to mention the world! I am just saying, let us do our own little share of helping out. Old clothes, canned goods, water, emotional and spiritual support. Whatever we can. Let us be one as a nation as this symbol in Facebook says so. 

Be one to support the government for once with it's efforts. The non government agencies and organizations and the private groups and citizens that are now losing sleep, sacrificing their time to help others. Let us forget our pride, shut up and "nut up". Do our share my brothers and sisters, for our own sanity and peace of mind. 

Here is a link to Philippine Red Cross on how you can help.  Donate to Philippine Red Cross

Let us all pray for our brothers and sisters in Tacloban, Samar, the Visayas region and all of the affected areas of the super typhoon. Let us all hope that everyone will recover from this, let us show the world that we will rise from this adversity and be the Filipinos we are really known for. A nation of people who love being Filipinos, who love life and love each other where ever we are in the world. 

Make this year count not just in your Facebook and social media pages picture adventures but in our hearts and minds.

#heven7

Healthy Thoughts+ Positive Attitude = Healing

All of us have at one point or another have said a prayer or told ourselves "we can do this" in a dire situation. We all have heard that quote or phrase "if you think you can and if you think you can't, either way you are right!"  Depending on how you your mood is when you wake up, your whole day's overall feel is the residual of your mood in the first few hours from getting out of bed.

I believe in this phenomenon. There is a book and a movie that claims that the power of the mind and positive attitude, may help you make your dreams into reality. I've read and and watched the movie. It is actually very inspiring.

I have first hand experience. In 2009 I've had surgery to remove a malignant tumor on the backside of my left thigh. It probably weighed 2 lbs. The doctor's told me to have chemotherapy or radiation, but at that time I was still traumatized by both my mom and my brother going through both but had unfavorable results, so I have decided against it and try the natural way of healing. The tumor recurred and grow even bigger. Every doctor I spoke to told me, that I need a stress free environment to recover and give my body a chance to heal itself.  It took me 4 years to see some kind of positive result from all the natural and healthy options I've tried on the road to recovery. 

I was not positively progressing because I was in a situation where I was always in extreme stress. I always worried about bills, I was utterly frustrated that the man I thought was my partner had no real intention of supporting me in my ordeal. No financial, emotional or spiritual assistance from him. The resentment I felt made me even sicker. So I've decided to "get out" of that situation. To make a long story short, the man in my life at that time left. And what do you know? I started feeling much better about my health and my self esteem! In just 5 months since he left, it looks like I am in remission! 

The reason being, ( I think) is because I didn't worry anymore, I didn't see him to remind me of my frustration, I have freedom to do and say what I want. I even had more people helping me move towards recovery! When you don't have negative feelings present in your life, it's easier to start thinking positive! 

I've had a hard time trying to "think positive" in a situation where I was in a very negative environment. So I the first step is to eliminate the negative environment. By doing this, your mind has more room to get used to and accommodate positive thoughts. 

It's a big step I know, but if you want peace of mind,body and spirit, this has to be done! You can ask your friends, family or spiritual leaders to help you with eliminating the negative environment. This is crucial and I think this is the turning point, the first step  towards recovery! 

Once you rid of the negativity, you will feel free, relaxed and maybe for the first time, happy. As the Good Book says, "...a happy heart is better than medicine"

I truly believe that healthy thoughts and a healthy well-being increases the chance of your body heading towards recovery and regenerating itself to a new one! Yes, there is scientific proof that our body regenerates itself every 7 years or so, so you have a new liver, spleen, lungs etc in that span of time! A new you on the inside and probably on the outside too! 

Even spiritual leaders, ministers all agree that if you believe that you already have what you desire, with the positive feelings, the actual feeling that desire generates.. is the answer to all our prayers.

Here are some tips to help you develop the power of positive thinking: 

1. Always use only positive words while thinking and while talking. Use words such as, 'I can', 'I am able', 'it is possible', 'it can be done', 'I am healed', etc. Allow into your awareness only feelings of happiness, strength and success. Try to disregard and ignore negative thoughts. Refuse to think such thoughts, and substitute them with constructive happy thoughts. In your conversation use words that evoke feelings and mental images of strength, happiness and success. 
2. Before starting with any plan or action, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome. Visualize you are fully recovered, you are successful, If you visualize with concentration and faith, you will be amazed at the results. Read at least one page of inspiring book every day. 
3. Watch movies that make you feel happy. Minimize the time you listen to the news and read the papers. 
4. Associate yourself with people who think positively. 
5. Always sit and walk with your back straight. This will strengthen your confidence and inner strength. 
6. Walk, swim or engage in some other physical activity. This helps to develop a more positive attitude.

Think positive and expect only positive results and situations, even if your current situation is not what you want them to be. After a while, of doing this, your attitude will affect your life and circumstances and change them accordingly.

Read articles about positive things, health and success! So take the next step and start NOW! :) 

#heven7

Do you need a fitness pal?

It's hard to work out as it is when you are starting again, much more if you are by yourself! Having to motivate yourself maybe a struggle to start with but if you put your mind to it, it is possible! I have done it for 2 days now. But I have to admit stumbling across this website helped me a whole lot! I was just trying to figure out how much calories "Chicken Tinola" (Filipino chiken stew) has and lo and behold! I saw a site that had most Filipino dishes in it! - with their calorie content and nutritional facts! Whether its junk food or just plain cookies, regardless of which country you are in? most likely the site has the data you are looking for! I even was so arrogant enough to challenge to look for the caloric content of "Champorado" (Filipino Chocolate porridge) and OMG it does have the info!

To my surprise, its also a social networking site for people who need support in their attempt to change their lifestyle to a more desirable and healthy one. Yes, its the "Facebook" for the fitness challenged! www.myfitnesspal.com has everything you need to start your "change", tips, tools and even daily journals of your progress!

So if you are planning to start a workout or healthy lifestyle choice, you don't have to be by yourself, you have a whole social network to cheer you on! See you there!

-myraygs

MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

I am 35 years old but my body is an old woman

Most people ignore this but 78% of people from age 21 to 45 do not match their metabolic age (your body's age)

There may now be some credence to that saying "You're only as old as you feel." "Metabolic age" is a new buzzword in the fields of health and fitness. Is it a fad, or is there something to this idea that you could be younger or older than your chronological age?

Metabolic age versus chronological age. What is metabolic age and how does it differ from chronological age? Chronological age is your age in calendar years. Metabolic age is a number that comes from comparing your Basal Metabolic Rate with the Basal Metabolic Rate average of your chronological age group. Depending on how you compare you are assigned a metabolic age number that can be lower or higher than your chronological age. A metabolic age number younger than your chronological age generally means that you are fitter and in better health than the average, the lower the age the better in shape you are. An older metabolic age points towards being less healthy and fit than your peers and if it’s much older than your chronological age, this should be considered a wake-up call.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)Your BMR is a measurement of your body’s use of energy and is usually interpreted as the minimum level of calories your body needs in it’s resting state (including sleeping) each day. The generic formula for figuring out BMR is based on gender, age, height, and weight.

It is preferable, though, to use a formula that also takes into account activity level and amount of body fat versus lean mass. Using them in the equation will help give you a more accurate picture as they can dramatically decrease or increase the number of calories needed each day and play a large role in overall health.

Find out about your chronological age versus your metabolic age for FREE this Saturday by dropping by WELLNESS DAY at Easy Pha Max 10th floor Cityland Herrera Bldg, corner Valero and Rufino street, Makati or reserve a slot by calling 890 -1111. Take their wheatgrass challenge!

They will have FREE Live Blood Analysis (LBA) which will tell you if your blood is swarmed with uric acid, cholesterol, damaged cells.. etc! They also have free Inner Body Scan where you will learn if you have enough water in your body, know your body's true age and catch a live speaker to tell you about weight loss, weight management and overall wellness. The speaker is a regular speaker also in UP-PGH school of medicine.
See you there!

Healthy Options to Eating - Vegan is not the province up north!

Vegan or Vegetarian? what to do? what to do?

Before we go any further with your decision as to what kind of eating habit or lifestyle you would like to commit to... I would like to "school" you on the differences in the terms people use now:

Let’s take a look at some of these groups:

VEGETARIAN:Vegetarian is a blanket term used to describe a person who does not consume meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.

This grouping includes vegans and the various sub- categories of vegetarian; however, it generally implies someone who has less dietary restrictions than a vegan.

SEMI-VEGETARIAN:The term semi-vegetarian is usually used to describe someone who is a vegetarian who consumes dairy products, eggs, chicken, and fish, but does not consume other animal flesh.
OVO-LACTO-VEGETARIAN:Ovo-lacto vegetarians are vegetarians who do not consume meat, poultry, fish, and seafood, but do consume eggs and milk. This is the largest group of vegetarians.

OVO-VEGETARIAN:Ovo-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who would be a vegan if they did not consume eggs.

LACTO-VEGETARIAN:Lacto-vegetarian is a term used to describe someone who would be a vegan if they did not consume milk.

VEGAN:Vegan is the strictest sub-category of vegetarians. Vegans do not consume any animal products or by-products. Some go as far as not even consuming honey and yeast. Others do not wear any clothing made from animal products.

Important:Take some time to figure out for yourself, what group you will belong to when you become a vegetarian. You will want to consider both dietary and ethical reasons for choosing this lifestyle.

So whenever you decide to change your eating habits, you have these options. Just make sure that you are comfortable to the change and and that you are fully committed to it. Chickening out is not an option when its preventive health. Its a matter of mistakes in the diet that can lead to some kind of dreaded disease. Be a smart shopper/eater! Enjoy!

-stmye

Count Your Calories!

Count my calories?? Who wants to do that? I always thought it was tedious and just ain't worth my time.

Well if you value your health and want to manage your weight, the same amount you put in marching down the nearest Mc Donald's walking in the heat, sitting through traffic and waiting in line at the counter... Yes you can count your calories!

I found this website that helps you count the calories and nutritional value of any kind of food in the market. Just type it in in the search bar and it gives you a selection of the specific amount, size or brand of the food you are trying to find. The website's name is http://caloriecount.about.com/ you can sign up and keep a log of all of the food you consumed in a day and the site helps you calculate if you exceeded the standard 2000 calorie diet.

If you have the patience to do it. Involve your kids in the calorie counting, or maybe your husband/wife, partner.

I tried to "school" the yaya (filipino for baby sitter) about being careful of which choice of food she should give my kids. She is so traditional that to her as long as the kid likes it and is eating, that's all that matters. Well NO! I disagree. I would've been thankful if my mom was more creative with the food she served when I was a kid. All I remember is.. vegetables tastes yucky! And since I was an only child for the first 10 years I got what I wanted. Not a good thing. I had to learn how to eat right thank God! But my point is you should start looking at the nutritional value of the kind of food you eat in the home especially what you feed your kids otherwise, it will become a habit. Be it bad or good. Start now visit the website and count your calories!

-st.mye

Eating Healthy this Christmas

Christmas is always a wonderful holiday that we think of fondly. But most of us dread this holiday because of the unhealthy food we "have to eat". Because your family will take it against you if you don't touch tita's famous Christmas Caldereta, or your mom's scrumptious Morcon!
But don't fret! We have ways to eat holiday delights our family prepared without taking its toll on our body the next week. Here are some tips:
1. Eat small portions.
I know this is going to be a challenge but try to control yourself by eating smaller portions and savoring the taste instead of gobbling it all up. Show some class :)
2. Cut down the sugar.
If you have a sweet tooth then this is going to be a huge leap for you. Try to drink about 350 ml of water (preferably with wheat grass powder) before you go to a function. This will lessen your cravings for sweets and other "eye candy" food for you.
3. Switch up.
If you are a fan of red meat or pork, try eating chicken, fish, seafood or veggies this next Christmas gathering. If you can manage, try making your own version of spaghetti. Instead of beef use tuna. I've tried it the kids love it!

Also try this new recipe!

Its easier with wheatgrass powder. I use Easy Pha-Max Wheatgrass Pure or with honey.

You can add different types of fruit like banana, apple, orange, grapes, cherries, strawberries, or whatever type of fruit that you would like.Chop the fruit into one inch squares and then put the fruit and the wheatgrass juice into a blender. Add a tablespoon or two of your favorite yogurt, preferable low fat yogurt if you have it handy. If you would like to add a little fiber or grain to your smoothie, then you can throw in a cup of oatmeal or granola, whatever you prefer. Top it all off with a little milk or even your favorite juice such as cranberry, apple, grape, or orange juice to give it a bit more of a smooth texture. Blend it all together until you have a great tasting smoothie that is loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals and plenty of wholesome goodness.

Have healthy happy holiday with your loved ones!

-st. mye


Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/how-to-make-a-great-tasting-wheatgrass-smoothie-2256440.html#ixzz18hqkjTRM Under Creative Commons License: Attribution