Help your Teens manage stress

Adults are not the only one who experience stress, kids too. My eldest daughter is now a freshman in high school. Her school starts at six o'clock in the morning, so she has to wake up by 4:00 am, then the class ends at three in the afternoon. Whenever she comes home she'll just eat snack then start her homework like research for their science investigatory project, Math problems, prepare visual aids for their reporting and even drawings for their story telling. Then review lesson for the next day. She goes to bed by 10 pm. School is really demanding, she's enrolled in a Science Oriented Class, a special curriculum of DepED for public schools.

As a Mom I'm really worried that it might affect her health. I always plan activities for our weekends so she can relaxed. Like going to the mall, at the park, playing badminton, or jogging. Also during weekends I allow her to play online or chat with her friends in Facebook, but it should be after doing her homework for Monday.

I noticed that she has a high level tolerance for stress, she never complains. Always her comfort zone is her anime drawings. She feels good whenever she's with her Manga book.

For more information I read books and searched online about fighting stress at school. I learned some tips like:
-Listen to your child. Ask what’s wrong let the child express his/her feelings.
-Commend your child for doing a great job on his/her exams or class reporting.
-Support involvement in sports and other prosocial activities
-Keep a positive atmosphere at home.
-Tell your child you will always be there.
-Teach the child to eat healthy food.

I always prepare foods with high nutritional value. Aside from drinking 2 glasses of milk everyday I serve them meals with fruits and vegetables.

What are your Marriage Habits?

I heard from one of the afternoon TV show that 'marriage is a very complicated business'. Two people live together with different personality, different life experience and different expectations.

While growing up I always encounter this quotation "love is patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It does not hold grudges and hardly even notices when others do it wrong".

I got a friend who's also married and I ask him about his marriage. He said that from the start they set house rules and put it in writing and even framed it. Funny right, but it worked for them. Whenever one of them violates they go back to it and talk.

While reading online I got this page 'Seven Habits of Successful Couples'. I really really liked it.
-Give each other pleasure do not cause pain
-Create love and friendship rituals
-Create a safe space for open and honest sharing
-Work together to resolve conflict and crisis
-Turn toward each other, rather than away
-Schedule time for love
-Create meaning in your relationship

Writing down and exchanging each others expectations is really effective. You don't have to guess anymore. Constant communication is important, let's try to know our spouse deeper,know his/her thoughts, feelings, desires, and dreams.Share it with each other and dream together. By these, you two create and share the meaning of life together.

I am not a perfect wife, this 'Seven Habits of Successful Couples' I will give it a try.

The Power of First Vitaplus Natural Health drink

First Vitaplus is not only an everyday health juice it can also help protect us from diabetes,anemia, heart problem, leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, cough and colds, psoriasis, fever, UTI, insomnia, hypertension, goiter, kidney problem, dysmenorrhea, diarrhea, rheumatism, arthritis, hyperacidity and hemorrhoid.

The malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) has antibiotic property, it can lower blood sugar level at the same time normalize the blood pressure. It boosts energy when eaten regularly because of iron, we all know that iron helps fight stress or over fatigue.

Dahon ng sili (Chili leaves) improves metabolism and can help menstrual problem to women. It also lowers blood sugar level and cholesterol. Chili leaves has capsaicin which is a cardio vascular stimulant. When it's in our body there is fibrinolytic activity and that prevents formation of blood clot.

Saluyot (Jute leaf) it is rich in fiber thus it prevents constipation. The most important benefit of the leaf is their high antioxidant property, primarily in the form of Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps protect our body from cell damage that can lead to cancer, chronic heart disease and eye cataract. Jute leaf contains anti-tumor promoters, Phytol and Monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol, that can reduce risk of cancer.

Kulitis or Uray (Amaranthus leaf) it is also rich in fiber and has astringent property that helps skin problems like excema, psoriasis, and hives. The leaf is high in folate, iron, calcium and zinc.

Talbos ng kamote (Sweet potato leaves) it has iodine. This is a beneficial food for diabetics, studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.

It's hard to commit to ourselves that we are going to eat this five vegetables everyday. But, having this health drink everyday and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an investment. I will not be worried 5 or 10 years from now because I already have what my body needs. Me and my family has been drinking Vitaplus for 5 months and no one from us got sick we have enough to fight stress.

So many testimonies from Filipino patients that First Vitaplus saved them from their sickness.To my readers, if you know someone who's been sick for a long period of time you can leave a message to me, our company, First Vitaplus can help.

Do your kids eat vegetables? How about a health drink that's made of vegetables?

As a Mom we all want our kids to be healthy and we use the food Pyramid as a guide for a healthy food choices. The pyramid says that we need 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. I never had problem letting my kids eat fruits but with vegetables it's still under negotiation.

Just recently I discovered a natural health drink called Vitaplus. It's made of 5 different vegetables that can be found anywhere here in the Philippines. These are MALUNGGAY (Moringa Oleifera), SALUYOT(Corchorus Olitorius), DAHON NG SILI (Capsicum Frutescens), KULITIS OR URAY (Amaranthus), TALBOS NG KAMOTE (Ipomoea Batatas). It's flavored with Dalandan (Sweet Orange) so everyone can enjoy especially the kids.

MALUNGGAY (Moringa Oleifera) has vitamin A and C, calcium, iron, and potassium. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and nourish breastfed babies. Ounce per ounce, it has the calcium of four glasses of milk, the vitamin C of seven oranges and the potassium of three bananas.

SALUYOT(Corchorus Olitorius) has vitamin A, B, C, iron, calcium, phosporus, protein and fiber. Reported to be demulcent, deobstruent, diuretic, lactagogue, purgative and tonic, it may also be a remedy for aches and pains, dysentery, enteritis, fever and pectoral pains.

DAHON NG SILI (Capsicum Frutescens) is an excellent source of calcium and iron, a good source of phosphorus and vitamins A and B. It is an important gastrointestinal deoxidant and a remedy for Intestinal Inflammation, Menstrual Cramps, Ulcer, and Varicose Veins

KULITIS OR URAY (Amaranthus) is a very good expectorant and an effective astringent especially in stopping liquid bowels. It has been reported that a decoction of the root relieve ones breathing from acute bronchitis. the dried leaves contains iron, calcium, fiber, beta carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid.

TALBOS NG KAMOTE (Ipomoea Batatas) Its roots are high in calories and vitamin A and the leafy tops are eaten as vegetables. The tops, especially purplish ones are used for diabetes and the crushed leaves are applied to boils and acne.

To all Moms like me we can now end our worries for the kids not eating vegetables because they can now drink it with Vitaplus. Instead of buying sodas, flavored powdered juice, artificial fruit shake why not choose Vitaplus. It's affordable and really a healthy drink.

Want more..the more the merrier

My 2 kids are both girls and hubby wants a boy. My eldest daughter is now 12 years old and the youngest daughter is turning 6 this coming February 4. Me and hubby are thinking if its about time to have a new baby at the same time if we are ready financially. Is it really true that "the more the merrier".

Right now we are considering factors like children's needs, financial concerns, my health, and career stability.

Having a baby requires extra care and attention. But I guess it won't be a big problem to us since my youngest daughter is turning 6 years old. Getting pregnant and having a baby is sure punch a hole in our pocket. We asked ourselves if we are ready financially, we have savings but we are preparing for my youngest daughter's third eye operation next year. With regards to my health, I have not experienced any serious illness for the past 6 years. But I have talked to a pediatrician and she advised me that incase I plan to have another baby I need to have a Rubella vaccine months before getting pregnant. This is to protect the baby from congenital cataract like what happened to my youngest daughter.

I guess more conversation between me and hubby before we can finally decide. We need to carefully plan everything.

One weekend at The Manila Ocean Park

My kids unlike other children does not enjoy going to the mall. They prefer going to the park, museums or to the beach. So one weekend, we decided to go to the Manila Ocean Park. The Manila Ocean Park is an oceanariumin in Manila behind Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park.

The oceanarium was divided into different sections:

Agos (Flow) - freshwater fishes can be found

Bahura (The Reef) - features the very colorful Philippine underwater rainforest

Laot (Fishing ground) - big fish and Eagle-spotted rays can be found

Buhay n Karagatan (Living Ocean) - is a 25-meter long walkway tunnel with 220-degree curved acrylic walls. It is where we see how marine animals interact with each other in their natural habitat.

Pagi and Pating (Stingray and Shark) - variety of rays and several species of sharks

We all enjoyed because this is the first state-of-the-art oceanarium in the Philippines. It's really educational, kids were able to see different kinds of sea creatures in different aquarium. Each aquarium has a label of its english and tagalog name. We were amazed of the sharks and stingrays, before we only see them in movies. We also enjoyed the Mermaid show, mermaids dance while stingrays and sharks swim in the water.

The kids also had fun with there Fish Spa where spectacular species of fish commonly known as Doctor Fish, named for the wonders they have been known to do for people with skin related diseases, nibble away only affected and dead areas of the skin leaving your healthy skin to grow.

What is Pterygium?

Many things happened to me this past few weeks, I never had a chance to blog. Had a problem with my work, health, and with my Nanny. But everything is back to normal now and I just hope that it will continue to be ok.

Last month, a redddish pimple-like grew in my left eye. I thought it's because of stress so I made sure I had enough rest.I also appplied an eye drop to lessen the rednness but one week after I noticed that the size increased. I went to the ophthalmologist and had my eyes checked. The doctor said it's because of stress he gave me a sterile ophthalmic drops,he also checked my eye pressure and it's within the normal range. I was impatient because I've been using the drops for two weeks but I haven't seen any improvement. I went back to him and he just said not to worry then just finish the bottle. Since he is the expert I followed what he said. After a week the reddish pimple-like grew bigger and it's already near my iris. I was impatient again so I visited another ophthalmologist and I was advised that it's called pterygium.

Pterygium is a raised, wedge-shaped growth of the conjunctiva. It is most common among those who live in tropical climates or spend a lot of time in the sun. Symptoms may include irritation, redness, and tearing. Pterygiums are nourished by tiny capillaries that supply blood to the tissue.

The second ophthalmologist advised me to stop the eye drops I'm using since it didn't help, I used it for four weeks. He said to wait for another week if it's still red then I have to undergo surgery because it may affect my vision since it's already near the iris. He also advised to avoid too much exposure to the sunlight and use shades with uv protection.