Suspend-It

Okay, fine, cigarettes do not fall under the new weight loss pill category. Then again, did you know that in spite of the ads and laws being implemented on why smoking is bad for your health, smoking cigarettes actually do have benefits?

Yep. Because Nicotine is an appetite suppressant, one of the beneficial aspects of smoking is that it keeps the weight down. Cigarettes do this by:

• Keeping food in your stomach longer
• Suppressing your appetite
• Artificially speeding up your metabolism

Smoking burns up an extra 200-300 calories each day in a heavy smoker. Consequently, when you quit smoking, it’s normal to experience a gain of between 5 and 10 pounds during the first few months. However, if your eating habits have remained the same as when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with simple daily exercise such as a brisk, 30-minute walk.

So yeah, for those who want to quit smoking, you do not have “weight gain” as an excuse for not being able to. 0:p After all, knowing this benefit of smoking allows you replace the good side of smoking with things that are safer and healthier for you, while achieving similar results.

A friend of mine was currently having problems about her mother having diabetes. Diabetes can result to even more complications like vision problems and urinary tract infection. My friend said that her mother already took several kinds of strong antibiotics but nothing seems to work. He was a little desperate and was thinking of using alternative medicines.I remembered my brother also had UTI problems but is now doing well because of cranberry juice. His doctor advised a three day cranberry juice diet along with the medications. It was pretty effective for him so I recommended this to my friend.Cranberry is one of the best tasting fruit juices. It is very sour yet it has this natural sweet taste without the bitterness. Cranberries have been widely used as a remedy for kidney and stomach infections because of its natural acids that breaks down toxins in the body. Newer research shows that cranberry is already being used as a part of cancer treatment & prescriptions. And because it is natural, you won’t have to worry about side effects. Just be sure to get the “100% juice” and not the artificial ones.

Have anyone tried using CMD before? CMD stands for Concentrated Mineral Drops. A friend of mine gave it to me as a sample. It is a mineral supplement that came from salt lakes, at least that’s what she told me. I have been a fan of alternative medicine since I got hospitalized due to side effects from Ventolin. I prefer natural food supplements over OTC drugs when I have a choice. The CMD is new to me so I just tried it once, although my friend is using it regularly at home.

CMD claims to contain 72 trace minerals which the body needs to maintain health. It even claims to have weight loss effects similar to ephedra diet pill. The odd thing about CMD is that, when you add a few drops to a liter of water, the water will taste similar to mineral water. So this kept me thinking if the bottled mineral water sold in stores is just plain tap water with drops of CMD. Feel free to comment guys.

I was browsing over a jewelry store last night with my college friend Hazel and was surprised to hear the saleslady promote their amber collection. According to her, amber has therapeutic properties and the use of amber for healing purposes dates back to its discovery in the Baltic shores.

The saleslady furthered that it can help with thyroid and asthma problems when worn around the neck and ease rheumatic and arthritis pain when worn as a bracelet. This belief originated from the perception that the amber has within it the energy and power of the sun. Thus, it imbues the wearer with therapeutic properties.

It’s still quite dubious of course. Then again, when you look at its enthralling color, think about its formation process and the amount of time it has been part of the earth, it is not difficult to understand its charisma. Oh well, health benefits or not, amber IS an alluring stone.

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.

To all you soon to be moms out there who are conscious about your figure, here’s something for you. Since all women gain weight during pregnancy, many worry that they might never have their old slim figure again. A friend of mine became so fat when she was pregnant, she doubled in weight in her sixth month. When the baby came out, her doctor suggested that she feed her baby the natural way – breastfeeding. In three weeks she lost so much weight and her body returned to its slim figure. The doctor explained that breastfeeding has effects similar to a weight loss pill. Breastfeeding also releases the hormone Oxytocin (the love hormone) which has a “feel good” effect to the mother. The same hormone said to be released when having sex. Amazing huh! So don’t worry about your figure! It will only take a while and you’ll get your sexy body again.

Last time I was mumbling about my sinusitis problem. I think it was caused by the cold weather and much stress after several weeks of retrieving data from our damn company tape drives. Good thing I finished the job and I got the week off.

After 2 days of rest and medication, the symptoms started to subside. Probably the most uncomfortable symptom about sinusitis is the nasal congestion. It’s hard to sleep, breathe, and even talk clearly when you have it. It’s because of the thick mucous is blocking your airways. You can’t smell, you can’t even taste what you’re eating, which makes you lose your appetite (which is what you don’t want to happen unless you’re in a diet). I was advised to do steam therapy while taking the medication. I poured hot water in a glass pot, covered my head with a towel (so the steam won’t escape) and slowly breathe in. After a few minutes of doing so, you will feel the thick mucous slowly dripping down and clearing your nasal cavity. The therapy really gave me quite a relief. Do try it even if you’re just having colds. It will greatly help.

“Freak weather”, as the Dutch call it, really hit us this time. It’s insanely cold, and it gets even colder everyday. In this kind of weather, flu and colds are common.

I had been having headaches and colds since last week so I consulted with a doctor. A friend of mine who gives auto insurance quotes referred me to this specialist. It turns out that my sinuses are infected. I was a bit surprised to know that I have sinusitis because no one in the family has it – I thought it was hereditary at first ^_^.

Sinuses are cavities behind the nose and forehead region. When infected, the sinus walls excrete large amounts of mucous which can trigger headaches, difficulty in breathing, and in some cases, asthma attacks. This is a bacterial infection usually triggered by stress, allergens, or cold weather.

I was asked about the color of the mucous excreted from my nose. Clear means allergic reaction, yellow to green means infection. The doctor gave me some antibiotics to fight the infection. I was also advised to do steam therapy (breathing in steam to clear the nasal passages) and take the week off.

Because sinusitis can be easily mistaken as flu or colds, many will just take over the counter drugs. It is advisable that you don’t self medicate for it can only worsen your condition.

Now what’s the hype about magnets curing illnesses anyway? I have seen so many stores selling magnetic bracelets, magnetic necklaces, and even magnetic panty liners! I wonder what they’ll think of next. Magnetic engagement rings?

Anyhow, doing some research, magnets are said to have charged ions that help relieve certain aches and pains in the body. I tried one of their products (bracelet) but it doesn’t seem to do anything for me. A friend of mine who used the “anion panty liner” for a month claimed that she was relieved of dysmenorrhea.

There’s still much debate if these products are effective or not. I guess it’s safe to use them since they are just plain accessories. Just don’t rely on them to cure your illnesses since there are currently no clinically approved claims. As always, it’s best to consult your doctor first.

My bestfriend Mark and I went to a Water Therapy Spa last October 25 for an unconventional four-hour water massage experience. I have been dreaming of going to a place like that after watching an episode of Honey & Clover wherein Miwako dragged Yamada to a health spa to cheer her up.

The Water Spa concept basically makes use of Hydrotherapy or “water therapy” – the treatment of disease through the use of water. The Spa Pool alone, with 25 different hydrotherapy massage systems which are push button & soft touch activated, is already a relaxing treat. Add the Bubble Pool, Bubble Massage, Spa Pool, Water Fall Bath, 6 Hot Herbal Pool (Lavender, Jasmine and Mint herbs added to the hot pool with back and foot massage)… The 3,000 square-meter indoor all-weather spa facility is really a water haven.

To cap it off, their high-tech security systems and discreet and warm staff adds up to the cozy, relaxed ambiance at the spa. Mark and I loved it there so much, especially the bubble pool, that we’re planning to save up for another round at the Water Spa this coming holiday season. ^_^