Suspend-It

Last night my aunt called. Apparently she was crying over the phone because my uncle got into an accident. He was doing his jogging routine along their neighborhood when a drunk driver suddenly hit him.

Although my uncle was now stable my aunt still couldn’t get over the whole accident. My mom suggested that they get a Chicago injury lawyer so they can sue the drunk driver and pay for my uncle’s bill. The phone call lasted for almost three hours. After a while my aunt got calm. She said she’ll constantly call in the next few weeks for the updates about their situation.

I hope my uncle recovers soon.

Oh! I never had that kind of sleep in months. I nearly forgot that I still have to work today. Haha. I had a spa session yesterday evening. The venue was great with a “secret garden-like” atmosphere with wall fountains and dim lights everywhere. Thanks to the free massage coupon my boss gave me, I did not have to worry about the price tag.

It’s good to have a relaxing massage every now and then. Massage relaxes our tight muscles and improves our range of motion. It promotes blood circulation in our organs and increases our pain tolerance by making our body release endorphins – amino acids that are natural pain killers. Best of all, it promotes better sleep, makes us feel invigorated the next morning.

Good thing the coupon was already expiring in a week. If not for that, my boss wouldn’t even consider giving it for me. I just hope that “free coupon” is really for free and not deducted from my salary! Peace boss!

I often ask my doctors about the pros and cons of generics and branded drugs. Doctors usually say that apart from the packaging and the impact on my cash drawer, these drugs are just the same. Getting a generic 500 milligram ascorbic acid for instance will have the same effect as a 500 milligram Cecon™. From the point of view of manufacturers however, Branded medicines are safer and more effective than their generic counterparts.

Branded medicines are patented in a few years. Generic medicines are manufactured when the patent expires. Generics then are tested for “BIOEQUIVALENCE” – term used to describe if the medicines have the same formula and amount. Manufacturers of branded medicines do strict testing of their products before they release it to the market. Generics however, just do bioequivalence testing because the branded meds are already proven to be effective. Experts say, bioequivalence is not enough to ensure that the drug will be as potent and as safe as the original. This is because there are a lot more to drugs than just formula; fillers, packaging, coatings, diluents, surfactants, lubricants, and binders also have a huge effect on the drug’s performance. Take for example two brands or “warfarin”. One cannot be substituted for the other because they have different effects.

In summary, generics and branded drugs are generally the same. But just to be safe, always ask the doctor or the pharmacist when substituting branded drugs for generics.

Is it safe to breastfeed when you have colds and fever? We asked this to my friend’s doctor yesterday as I assisted her in the clinic. You see, my friend just had her baby and she was worried that if she breastfeeds the baby might get the colds. I was surprised to hear that the doctor suggested that she must double her efforts to breastfeed when she is sick. The doctor explained that breast milk contains more than just milk but also antibodies. When the mother is sick, her body produces antibodies to fight the infection. These antibodies will be passed to the baby making her immune to her mother’s colds. As long as you are not taking antibiotics or diet pills, you can breastfeed without worrying. I was amazed to hear that from the doctor. Now I know. ^_^

Last Sunday, I paid my old grandma a visit. We haven’t seen each other for a while because I was so busy with work. She baked for me her best tasting cookies and showed me the improvements she made in her garden. It was pretty nice. I used to live at my grandparents’ when my parents worked abroad. Even ‘till now, grandma kept my old things safe and she still has the medals and softball trophies I got in elementary. Going back to my grandparents’ house is always a blast from the past.

Anyhow, it’s always fun bonding with our grandparents. We get to talk to them and share our new experiences in life. In turn they give us wise advice based from their experiences and point of view. Almost always, we learn new things from them, making us even wiser. I always make it a point to visit my grandparents. After all, they took care of me when I was a child and I owe my life to them.

“I’m so stressed out, I don’t know what to do anymore!”

Sounds familiar? I bet you’ve uttered that sentence more than once in this lifetime.

Funny thing is, you actually know what to do but you’re way to busy stressing out to really do it - relax. Yep, that’s it, pure and simple. You just need some time off everything to be able to rejuvenate and get your focus straight once again.

You don’t really need to go out on expensive out-of-towns like some Vegas vacations to achieve that state of relaxation. A simple walk in the park or treating yourself to a full body massage could help organize your current muddled state.

You should try it sometime. In fact, I order you to do it NOW. Don’t postpone it, lest you become more deranged with more stress coming your way. Trust me, stress may sometimes be inevitable, but you CAN do something about it. It’s all a matter of choice.

Heya guys! I’m planning to buy a watch to replace my old one. You see, it’s already rusted and kind of out of style. The glass has some light scratches from my everyday use. I thought of getting it repaired. I tried going to some watch stores to see if they could restore it but they said the rust already burrowed deep into its mechanical parts. It was the first watch I bought from my first salary so I guess it had sentimental value for me.

Anyhow, have anyone tried Jaeger watches? My friend told me they’re very fashionable yet robust enough for everyday use. I had a Swatch before but I’m already bored with their new styles. If you can suggest other watches which you think are great, feel free to comment on my post. I’ll really appreciate your remarks.

Yesterday I was cleaning my room when I found a roach behind my stereo cabinet. I literally jumped off the stool at the sight of it! Thank goodness I didn’t break anything (this time). Hahaha. I’m terrified when it comes to insects especially when they are bigger than two centimeters. Anyway, I have heard that for every roach you see, a thousand more are hidden. So, OC as I am about cleanliness, I called for a fumigation schedule.

I really hate roaches! It just freaks me out when they crawl on me and leave an awful smell! I think this phobia started when I was a child, I used to hide inside kitchen cabinets until I found several roaches doing the same thing. Eeek… Even just talking about them gives me goose bumps!

Hmm… I wonder how they got to the 25th floor -  elevator or the stairs?

Are you bloated? Often having an upset stomach? Or worse, passing awful smelling gas? You may need to clean up that dirt in your digestive system. Food rich in fibers (fruits, vegetables, cereals) are great for cleansing the digestive system especially the intestines.
One of the richest sources of insoluble fiber is the famous oatmeal. Studies prove that frequent regular intake of oatmeal can help clean the intestines by regulating the movement of bowels. Not only that, it also absorbs excess fat in the intestines and lower cholesterol levels.

I personally have tried having the oatmeal diet (that’s oatmeal breakfast for thirty days). It really gave me best results. I no longer feel the bloating or even the heavy feeling in the stomach. It also aided my weight loss program because after eating oats for breakfast, I don’t get hungry that much. I suggest you try it too. It’s healthy plus it’s a good and easier way to get rid of that surplus weight.

It’s lean machine time with our team captain Gil. We all woke up at 5am to jog, do a couple of running laps, sit-ups, bench press and finally row. We were all getting ready for the time trials so they can determine the team for the dragon boat competition. We rowed 200 meters for the first round then 2 kilometers to finish the morning off. Tired and beat after rowing at the bay we had to go and swim 1 kilometer to build stamina. By noon, we all wanted to chill. We decided to convince gil to have us do some bonding time at his house and maybe catch a couple of movies while we were at it with his home theater furniture that he got a few months back. Hungry as hell, we still couldn’t eat anything that wasn’t prescribed by our nutritionist. So we got ourselves some salad and fruit shakes to finish the day off. Over all it was fun! Can’t wait till we all train next.