They Died With Their Boots On

I think that if one is to leave this world for whatever reason, it is always honorable to leave it while doing what you do best. Yesterday morning, five PHIVOLCS workers and three air force personnel died while doing their work.

Of the five, the most notable was Dr. Raymundo S. Punongbayan, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) from 1983 to 2002. The other PHIVOLCS and PAF staff who died were:

• Dr. Jessie A. Daligdig - 44 years old, Associate Scientist


• Dr. Norman M. Tungol - 40 years old, Chief of the Geology, Geophysics Research and Development Division, PHIVOLCS


• Mr. Dindo Javier - 41 years old, SR analyst


• Mr. Orlando S. Abengoza - 49 years old, SR assistant


• First Lt. Reynaldo Gerodias - pilot


• First Lt. Jason Salazar - co-pilot


• S/Sgt. Edgar Ramolete


• A1C Wilbert Tacata

It is always such a waste of life and talent when we lose people like these.

How did they die?

The Philippine Air Force Huey UH-1H chopper with tail number Stringer 324 crashed into Mt. Namat in Barangay Ligaya, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, instantly killing all those on board --- Punongbayan, four scientists and staff of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, which he headed until 2003, two PAF pilots and two soldiers.

The Huey stopped to refuel at Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija, and took off for Dingalan at around 8:41 a.m. The crash was reported to the PAF at 10:14 a.m.

[INQ7.net]

I remember Dr. Raymundo S. Punongbayan for his efforts in educating, informing and keeping thousands of Filipinos safe from the harm brought about by the July 16, 1990 Luzon earthquake and the equally devastating 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruptions. He was the one who put the words "lahar" and "ashfall" in the vocabulary of most concerned Filipinos. He was also credited for transforming PHIVOLCS from a gloomy and indistinct government department to a world-class institution and authority on volcanological and seismological phenomena.

I like him best for his untiring perseverance to educate people about the relevance of his work, and how he brought foresight into good use.

For his efforts, he was awarded the Sergei Soloviev Medal in 2003, and was the first Asian and Filipino to be accorded that honor by the European Geophysical Society based in Munich, Germany.

What makes his scientific papers interesting and worth reading is that he mixed passion with the technical terms. He was the first scientist I've encountered who does this. Here is a sample paper authored by him which I urge you to read. I've never seen such a passionately-written abstract and conclusion.

What was he and the others doing flying in Nueva Ecija?

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said Punongbayan and his team were on their way to Dingalan to check the condition of relocation sites, which were provided by the government to the victims of the landslide in Quezon last year.

[ABSCBN News]

What do you think was responsible for these senseless deaths?

These flying coffins, what else?

Lifting the Veil of Confusion

Days ago, my good friend Sassy Lawyer lamented in a post aptly titled Confuse Us Some More the "plethora of conflicting claims (about what to eat and what not to eat) that tends to confuse rather than help the common man."

I got no argument with that. It is really confusing. I'm sure almost everyone today echoes Tito Rolly's comments when he read my post about hotdogs, "It sure looks like we're running out of healthy food items to eat."

It sure looks that way. If you look at the advert on the left, you will even see some of the print ads they get in newspaper dailies in the US. Yesterday morning, I was able to catch Matt Lauer and Katie Couric of NBC's Today Show showing a video footage of the "Soup Nazi" weighing people and deciding who eats and who doesn't.

The ads might really seem outrageous and downright sarcastic, but the real feeling is confusion. Matters got worse last week when respected researchers from the CDC and the NIH reported in the April 20 issue of JAMA that "though 112,000 more obese people die each year compared with "normal weight" people, 86,000 fewer "overweight" people do."

The JAMA article challenged last year's CDC claim that almost 400,000 die each year due to obesity. The researchers say it's just 112,000. Nearly a 73 percent reduction! The New York Times even reacted with "Some Extra Heft Maybe Helpful..." and a witty editorial days later saying, "You Can Be Too Thin, After All." The awesome point raised by the study was that people classified as OVERWEIGHT but not obese (by BMI) had a LOWER DEATH RISK than people of normal weight.


Expectedly, critics of the obesity epidemic scare saw more than a dent in the armor of the CDC people, and like a hungry tiger cornering its prey, it launched a USD$600,000-media blitz counting the obesity advert image (and numerous tri-media ads) you see at the top.

Currently in the frontline of critics is Richard Berman, who is behind the Center for Consumer Freedom, a group founded "10 years ago with tobacco-company and restaurant money to fight smoking curbs in restaurants" but in 2001 "shifted its focus to food and beverage issues." For more of Mr. Berman's agenda, read this very insightful link from the Washington Post.

Another source of confusion and opportunity seen by critics is the food pyramid revision done by the USDA. If you go to their website, you will see that the new food pyramid is now customized, friendlier and more useful than the older one...provided you have a computer connection at home, because the usefulness of the new pyramid depends a lot on your inputs.

Weeks ago, in yet another example of conflicting health views, my blogger friend Bob of Raw Data emailed me this link from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to offer a different view regarding posts I made about Vitamin E supplementation last year (see here and here). My position regarding vitamins and minerals remain the same: the best sources of vitamins are not the pills we buy from pharmacies, but in the food items that we eat. You should know your daily requirement and get it daily from your diet.

All these conflicting news and study items give people more confusion than clarity on how they'd be able to remain healthy. My sound advice is to do the research yourself if you are really in doubt. It sure promises to be long, boring, and tedious, but at least you'd be able to trust whatever conclusion you'd get. Another alternative is to ask your personal physician what he thinks is best for you (let's pray he stays abreast with all these news items coming out).

I think the problem with obesity is with classification. Leading health agencies like the CDC and WHO rely heavily on the Body Mass Index (BMI) in classifying who is obese and who is overweight. But do you know that if we strictly adhere to the BMI classification, then, Governor Arnie (as you can see on the left), along with Kobe Bryant, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Pierce Brosnan, and even President Bush are all classified as "overweight" people?

If you took the BMI classification seriously, then you will also find that amazingly, "nearly half the players in the NBA qualify as overweight."

The BMI's limitation is that it does not take into account frame size, body fat percentage, or muscle mass. It works in the majority of cases, but the exceptions are also considerable (read this good link on BMI and be enlightened). Hence, it is not surprising that April 20 JAMA study found a huge discrepancy. Wrong premises will naturally result to wrong conclusions, and critics can always smell blood and will attack at every opportunity.

If the food pyramid can get a make-over, my opinion is that the BMI should also get a revision. We should get a classfication tool that measures fat as the main reason for obesity and being overweight. Bone and muscle mass shouldn't be part of the computation at all.

What many people don't realize is that the obesity issue is not merely a health subject, but also a battleground for politicians and businessmen who will do everything to advance their self-interests. The sad victim is always the common man who can't always say who's telling the truth.

Medical Apocalypse

How do you react when the current president of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) says that the Philippines is now in the middle of a "medical apocalypse" and that the "end of medical practice" is either coming soon or probably upon us now?

RP Running Out of Doctors
SOMETIME in the near future, the Philippines will run out of anesthesiologists. Obstetricians are also a dwindling breed, and pediatricians may not be far behind.

They are among eight million Filipinos -- nearly a 10th of the population -- working abroad, abandoning their poor homeland for better paid, but lesser skilled jobs overseas.

The brain drain is so huge it is threatening the very fabric of the nation.

Medical school enrollment plunged 20 percent last year and one school has already been forced to close. Ten medical schools and two provincial hospitals are threatening to close.

The local medical association says that thousands of doctors are going back to school --- nursing school --- so they can get nursing jobs in Europe, the United States or even the Middle East, to work in "dirty" or dangerous jobs like helping doctors deliver babies, inject sedatives and treat ailing tots.

"I call it medical apocalypse, the end of medical practice in the Philippines," says Dr. Bu Castro, president of the Philippine Medical Association.

He estimates that 2,000 doctors leave the country each year, while about 1,000 graduate from medical schools.

Even though they cannot practice medicine abroad, the specialists do not mind the downgrade as they still earn around $8,000 a month, 16 times the pay of doctors at government hospitals in the Philippines.

[PJI Journal Group, 23 Apr 2005]

A reflex follow-up question might be to ask if there is anybody here doing something about it.

If you read Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit's famous and lengthy "herculean speech," you will note that at the bottom of that speech, when you reach his "9th labor," the part where he discussed about "Developing Human Resources and Initial Steps to Deal with the Migration of Health Workers," he mentioned:

"... the DOH is working with UP National Institute of Health, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Commission for Higher Education, the nursing schools and the nursing associations to find strategic short and long-term solutions to this phenomenon.

"The problem is complex considering that the economy cannot absorb the number of graduates for the various health professions. Also radical adjustments need to be made in the compensation of health professionals here who are generally underpaid."

[Dayrit's Herculean Speech, 3rd UP Public Lecture Series]

Up to the time that speech was delivered until today, I do not know if the DOH is still baffled at this "complex" problem and still needs more time to figure out "strategic short and long-term solutions" to this problem.

My former mentor and now president of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP), Dr. Adrian Peña along with idealist cardiologist Dr. Willy Ong, had already pushed forth a covenant last year which sought to ask Filipino doctors "to stay in the Philippines for the next three years and serve our less fortunate countrymen for free."

I do not know how many doctors signed the covenant and how many were committed enough to follow its ideals.

In my opinion, I agree with the PMA president. There is really cause for alarm. For a long time already, most Filipino doctors have been overworked and underpaid. I have written about this many times already last year. Read my posts here and here and here. This post is my fourth on this problem. And I have no doubts that there will be a fifth, a sixth, and even more.

We cannot blame the doctors for leaving the country or for shifting into nursing. They cannot be called traitors for they will always be heroes in the eyes of their families.

Once in a blue moon, there are good doctors like Dr. Willy Ong and Dr. Jesus Canto who come along and make us smile. But they are rare and are never enough to put even a dent on the problem.

Truth is, our ship is sinking. The captain is either doing nothing or so little to save the ship's passengers. Take your pick what the real reason is. The reality is that doctors are leaving in droves each year. Our sick countrymen especially those in the rural and far-flung areas are getting less and less of the much-needed medical care they so rightly deserve.

I do not know how long before anyone considers this problem a true emergency.

Hotdogs and Processed Meats

I love hotdogs ever since I was a kid. When there was no daing (dried fish) or tapa (fried marinated beef or pork slices) that went long with sinangag (fried rice), hotdogs and bacon were always the ready alternatives.

Kids and adults were always tempted with delightful TV ads from this brand and its closest rival. On weekends and lazy Sunday afternoons, a trip to this eatery was a sure agenda. If you still love hotdogs and processed meats, here's some bad news for you...

Hot Dogs Raise
Risk of Pancreatic Cancer --- Study
LOS ANGELES --- A diet containing lots of processed meats, like hot dogs and sausages, raises the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a large multiethnic study unveiled on Wednesday.

The researchers found that heavy consumers of processed meats --- 40 grams a day or more --- were 67 percent more likely to develop cancer of the pancreas than study participants with the lowest intake.

In addition, a diet rich in pork and red meat --- 70 grams a day or more --- also increased pancreatic cancer risk by about 50 percent, according to the survey-based study.

[Reuters Health, 20 Apr 2005, 06:11 PM ET]

The Hawaiian researchers also noted that the "link could be the way meat is prepared, rather than its fat or cholesterol levels."

Easy on those hotdogs. And take this wise tip from Prof. Tim Key, the Deputy Director of Cancer Research UK's Epidemiology Unit:

"Smoking remains the only confirmed cause of pancreatic cancer.
A diet rich in cereals, fruits and vegetables has overall health benefits and probably has protective benefits for some common cancers, such as bowel cancer."

Want more information on pancreatic cancer? Click here.

Feeding on the First Week of Life

For future moms and dads, here's a new study you should consider:

First Week Critical in
Childhood Obesity --- U.S. Study
WASHINGTON --- What you feed a newborn baby during the first week of life could be critical in deciding whether that baby grows up to be obese, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

They found that formula-fed babies who gained weight rapidly during their first week of life were significantly more likely to be overweight decades later.

"It suggests that there may be a critical period in that first week during which the body's physiology may be programed to develop chronic disease throughout life," said Dr. Nicolas Stettler, a pediatric nutrition specialist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"Our findings also point toward new potential targets for preventing obesity," he added. "If these results are confirmed by other studies, they may lead to interventions in newborns to help prevent long-term development of obesity."

[Reuters Health, 18 Apr 2005, 04:27 PM ET]

Read the full text of the study here.

There has always been a prevailing mindset that fat babies are cute. Well, they may be cute but it does not mean it's healthy. As a matter of fact the new study says that "each additional 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of weight gained during the first eight days of life increased a baby's risk of becoming an overweight adult by about 10 percent."

The fact that the study demonstrated that "a significant increase in the risk of overweight status in adulthood (is) associated with increasing weight gain during the first week of life," should alert future parents and pediatricians (most especially) what infant formula and what preparation dosages should be instituted in order to prevent unhealthy obesity for these kids.

The study also emphasized that the best alternative is to breast-feed your babies.

"For a variety of health reasons, the American Association of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding during a baby's first six months of life," Stettler said.

Breast-fed babies are less likely to be overweight.

[Reuters Health, 18 Apr 2005, 04:27 PM ET]

There you go.

How Much Water Do You Need When You Run?

Just enough. And never too much.

A new study debunks the usual adage of marathon runners of the "drink-ahead-of-your-thirst" mindset to prevent dehydration. The study emphasizes its point by saying that drinking too much fluids might endanger the lives of runners.

Study Cautions Runners to Limit Their Water IntakeBy Gina Kolata, NYTimes
After years of telling athletes to drink as much liquid as possible to avoid dehydration, some doctors are now saying that drinking too much during intense exercise poses a far greater health risk.

An increasing number of athletes --- marathon runners, triathletes and even hikers in the Grand Canyon --- are severely diluting their blood by drinking too much water or too many sports drinks, with some falling gravely ill and even dying, the doctors say.

New research on runners in the Boston Marathon, published today in The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms the problem and shows how serious it is.

The research involved 488 runners in the 2002 marathon. The runners gave blood samples before and after the race. While most were fine, 13 percent of them --- or 62 --- drank so much that they had hyponatremia, or abnormally low blood sodium levels. Three had levels so low that they were in danger of dying.

The runners who developed the problem tended to be slower, taking more than four hours to finish the course. That gave them plenty of time to drink copious amounts of liquid. And drink they did, an average of three liters, or about 13 cups of water or of a sports drink, so much that they actually gained weight during the race.

The risks to athletes from drinking too much liquid have worried doctors and race directors for several years. As more slow runners entered long races, doctors began seeing athletes stumbling into medical tents, nauseated, groggy, barely coherent and with their blood severely diluted. Some died on the spot.

[NYtimes Health, 14 April 2005]

Read the full text of the study here.

Putting it simply, the authors of the study say that if you plan to run and drink too much, you are in effect diluting your body's electrolyte supply --- notably sodium --- and exposing yourself to a condition known as hyponatremia or low concentrations of sodium in your blood, which is harmful and can kill you.

How much should you drink then, if you plan to run?

Take this sound advice from expert doctors:

• Dr. Tim Noakes, a hyponatremia expert at the University of Cape Town -
  
  "For their part, runners can estimate how much they should drink by weighing themselves before and after long training runs to see how much they lose - and thus how much water they should replace."


• Dr. Marvin Adner, the medical director of the Boston Marathon -
  
  "Don't start chugging down water. Wait until (you) begin to urinate, (which is) a sign the body is no longer retaining water."


• Dr. Paul D. Thompson, a cardiologist at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut and a marathon runner -
  
  "Drink while you are moving. If you stop and drink a couple of cups, you are overdoing it."

Next time you run, remember that the real danger might not really be dehydration, but drinking too much water. Be careful, okay?

When Stress is Too Much, Death Becomes a Strong Option

My PrayerBy Teodoro Borlongan
"God asked me to wait; I endured. God asked me to do right; I struggled for what was right. I kept strong outside, but stood alone. My unbearable fear, burden and pain for the sake of others and my family, I shared only with God.

"O where is Justice? Where is Truth? Where is Compassion? It is Your face, Lord, I truly seek. If not now, then after this lifetime. If not here, then in Your kingdom.

"I finished my race; I fought my good fight. I did not give up; I kept my faith. Yet death may still bear meaning or purpose for others, if not our lives.

"Lord, look upon us with mercy and love in our last moments of human frailty. Let me sing Your praise and glory forever in Your house."

[Philippine Star, 12 April 2005]

This was the last email of Mr. Teodoro Borlongan, 49, former Urban Bank president, who shot himself on the left temple (he was left-handed) at about noon yesterday using a .45 Glock automatic pistol.

What drives a person to kill himself? In what instances do we begin entertaining suicidal thoughts? When does Death become the sole option and solution to our problems? Why do we even consider Death as an answer?

In suicide cases, we are often left with more questions than answers.

I do not know Teodoro Borlongan personally, but from news reports I've read, I'd say he was a good and intelligent man.

He was a "recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Men award for domestic banking in 1993," and he "graduated cum laude from the Ateneo de Manila University’s honors program with a bachelor’s degree in economics."

He was what many would describe as a successful man if career advancement and professional standards were the criteria used (which is often the case in our society).

But the emotional and psychological stress brought about by the closure of Urban Bank in April 2000 (5 years this month) and the pile of legal cases he unsuccessfully pursued might have been too much for him to handle.

In the August 2004 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, an article discussing suicidal risk factors said that suicidal behaviors are strongly associated with mood disorders. Here are excerpts:

The strongest predictors for future suicidal behavior were

• a history of a previous suicide attempt,
• a higher subjective rating of their depressive symptoms, and
• a history of cigarette smoking

In addition, both pessimism and aggression/impulsivity traits predicted future suicidal behavior.

It would be useful for clinicians to evaluate patients with mood disorders for a history of pessimism, aggressive and impulsive acts, and substance usage, including nicotine dependence. Patients with these risk factors may need to be more aggressively managed to help protect them from future suicidal behaviors.

[American Journal of Psychiatry, Aug 2004 (Vol.161, No.8)]

In the January 2005 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, there was an article that pointed to debts piling up, as well as economic depressions, as possible risk factors for committing suicide.

Useful links about suicide can be found here and here.

Cookie Monster Rehabilitated !

If you are as old as I am, you will probably be familiar with the blue and furry Cookie Monster of Sesame Street. I grew up watching Sesame Street and expectedly, just like most of my friends, I am very familiar with all its characters. I remember Cookie Monster's voracious appetite for almost anything that can be eaten, and of course, his special preference for cookies.

Who does not remember his catchy song --- C is for Cookie --- and how we used to sing it by heart when we were young?

Cookie Monster sings, then gobbles up all the cookies within sight! What a cool and funny monster!

So, imagine my surprise when I read this news that he is now "tossing his cookies" and going "on a diet." WHAT?!?!?

It seems Cookie M is being singled out as having a bad influence on the present generation of kids here and in the US, and contributing to the obesity epidemic in children.

Interviewed by the San Franscisco Chronicle, Sesame Street's vice president of research and education, Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio reasoned out why the change happened:

She (Dr. Truglio) said the show changes every year, focusing not just on teaching numbers and letters but also emotional and physical health. With the rise in childhood obesity, Truglio said "Sesame Street" is concentrating on the need to teach children about healthy foods and physical activity.

This season, each episode opens with a "health tip" about nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.

Truglio said "Sesame Street" also will introduce new characters, such as talking eggplants and carrots, and offer parodies, such as "American Fruit Stand." Even guest stars will address healthy activities, such as Alicia Keys talking and singing about the importance of physical activity.

Even politicians have gotten into the act, filming public service announcements with "Sesame Street" residents. In one taping, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist taught Elmo to exercise --- jumping up and down. In another, Sen. Hillary Clinton and the small red monster discuss the various textures and tastes of foods.

But what about their position on Cookiegate?

"Even Cookie Monster is learning to control his cookie cravings," Frist told me by e-mail. "His sage advice opened our eyes to the simple joys of a tasty cookie and now reminds us that moderation is the key to healthy living."

Cookie Monster was not available for comment. (I'm hoping he hasn't gone too Hollywood.)

[San Franscisco Chronicle]

While the San Franscisco Chronicle wasn't able to get a reply form Cookie M, the resourceful New York Post was able to get a comment. Click here to read Cookie M's witty replies.

I have no further objections to this development. Sesame Street characters wield a vast influence on kids' overall behavior especially when they are left to watch TV by their ever-busy-with-something-else parents. If this can help them become healthy, I welcome it.

Geeez....what's next? Will we see Oscar the Grouch reform and advise kids to take a bath everyday?

As a parting shot, here's my coverage of Cookie M's slow trek to reformation:

From this

To this surprising makeover

Should we now call him "Apple Monster" or "Salad Monster?"

Farewell to Lolek, Santo Subito!

The boy in the picture is Lolek. This picture was taken during his First Communion, when he was 9 years old. The inset is an undated photo taken when he was much younger.

What can you say about this boy?

He looked sturdy and athletic even at an early age. Later on in his life, he would really be leading an athletic life engaging in swimming, kayaking, skiiing, canoeing, and even mountain climbing. He would also be a talented theatre actor and had a flair for writing poems and plays.

You wouldn't think that kind of profile would give you Pope material? But Pope he did become on October 16, 1978. He became the Catholic church's third longest serving Pope at 26 years, second only to Saint Peter's 34 years and Pope Pius IX's 31 years.

Battered by Parkinson's Disease since being diagnosed in 1996, Lolek's body succumbed to a "urinary tract infection, followed by a brief heart stoppage, septic shock, and apparent multiple-organ failure."

Ask any neurologist about Parkinson's Disease, and he will tell you it is an incurable ailment characterized by loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Manifestations include trembling hands, a rigid gait, a stooped posture, poor muscle control, and memory/cognitive impairments.

If you look at his picture on the left with Mother Teresa, you will note that he still had an upright posture there. But over the years, he developed a stooped posture (see the succeeding photo and notice the curvature of the spine) which became instrumental in worsening his health condition.

The stooped posture compresses the Parkinson patient's lungs, making it difficult for him to breathe, and making him vulnerable to respiratory infections. Two months ago, in February, when the Pope was confined at the Gemelli Hospital in Italy, a tracheostomy operation was done on him so that he can be helped with his breathing and also to make it easy to suction off secretions from his respiratory tract.

The problem with tracheostomies is that with time, the tube inserted in the patient's throat can be a haven for infectious microorganisms and further add to the respiratory infection load. It also makes swallowing difficult and patients usually lose weight after some time. The Pope was reported to have lost 19 pounds of his weight from the time of his tracheostomy to the time of his grave illness 2 weeks ago. Poor nutrition is bad news from someone fighting off infections.

Last March 27, Easter Sunday, the Pope made a brief appearance but was unable to speak like he used to. Several days later, he was reported to have contracted a urinary tract infection (UTI), which gave him a high fever. The poor nutrition, the ravages of Parkinson's Disease aggravating both his respiratory and urinary bladder muscle control, did him in. He expired on April 2, 2005.

I have always wondered what Lolek meant and why he was called like that. Reports say that it was really "Lolek the Goalie," and that the reason was his fiery love for football. In my research for Lolek's meaning, I've come across Pub Lolek in Poland, and if you see the pub's logo, you will note an elephant there. I surmise that it was because of heft, strength, and might that he was given that monicker. No less than Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, his old mentor in Poland, called him as "my rugged mountaineer." But I could be wrong you know. Feel free to correct me if you are able to find better information about his Lolek nickname.

As I type this, it is nearly six in the evening here in Manila, and nearly twelve noon in the Vatican. The funeral mass is about to end. Almost all world leaders are in attendance: 4 kings, 5 queens, at least 70 presidents and prime ministers and more than 14 leaders of other religions. The crowd of various nationalities has been estimated to be more than 5 million.



I see the Pope's cypress coffin and the TV announcer said this symbolizes the Pope's humility even in death. Soon this will be brought under St. Peter's Basilica, and he will be "interred beneath a marble slab in the Vatican grottos, a low-ceilinged warren which lies between the new basilica, built in the 16th Century."

Godspeed, Lolek.

PARALLEL UNIVERSES in Manila Bulletin

Parallel Universes, now on its first year, has recently been featured in Manila Bulletin.

Click here to see the online version.

Let me express my gratitude to the lovely Ms. Annalyn Jusay and her pioneering column Blog-O-Rama, for featuring this weblog as its maiden feature on Filipino bloggers.

Here's looking forward to dynamic Philippine blogging and more quality posts in the days to come.

Peanuts and Garlic

Do you like eating peanuts and garlic?

For patients with gout or high blood uric acid levels, you probably have heard your doctor advising you to cut on peanuts and other food items which, when eaten, might further aggravate the gout condition.

As for garlic, I think many more people avoid it than eat it --- owing perhaps to its reputation to mess up and ruin one's breath.

There are now new findings about these two.

For peanuts:

Health Benefits Help Peanuts Shed Stigma
ALBANY, Ga. Apr 3, 2005 — Peanuts, a dietary outcast during the fat-phobic 1990s, have made a comeback, with consumption soaring to its highest level in nearly two decades and more doctors recommending nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet.

"Now we know that the type of fat found in peanuts is actually good for us," said Lona Sandon with the American Dietetic Association. "It doesn't clog our arteries like saturated fat. It helps keep the arteries clean."

But that's only if you don't overdo it, and that's the part that often trips up peanut lovers. There are 14 grams of fat in one serving of peanuts, which is only one ounce. A handful can have up to 200 calories.

"The problem is that the portions need to be low so you don't overconsume the calories that's where the public has a disconnect," said Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"It's a well-spent 200 calories if you can limit it to that. The problem is volume. It's very hard to have a small serving of peanuts, meaning a small handful."

[ABC News]

For garlic:

Garlic May Ward Off...a Lung Condition
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An ingredient in garlic appears to prevent a potentially deadly type of high blood pressure affecting the lungs, at least in rats, according to new research presented Saturday.

The garlic ingredient, called allicin, seems to ward off pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in the arteries that bring blood to the lungs. In humans, pulmonary hypertension can lead to potentially fatal complications in the heart and blood vessels.

"Garlic is very effective against pulmonary hypertension," researcher Dr. David D. Ku of the University of Alabama at Birmingham told Reuters Health.

Ku added that humans would need to eat two cloves of garlic every day to equal the rats' dose of allicin. He also cautioned that these findings are still very preliminary, and a lot more research is needed before doctors can recommend garlic in people who run the risk of developing pulmonary hypertension.

[Reuters Health]

Bottomlines for these two food items:

• Eat peanuts in moderation - a one ounce serving has 14 grams of fat and a handful can give you about 200 calories. The fat from peanuts is good for your arteries as long as you do not eat more than 1 ounce or a handful.


• Eat two cloves of garlic everyday - according to Dr. David D. Ku of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, this is the serving size needed for garlic to prevent pulmonary hypertension.

Preventing Colds

It was a terrible cold that put me out of commission last week. Runny nose, watery eyes, high fever, headaches, frequent sneezing, occasional coughing, and extreme lethargy kept me inside the house and in my bed most of the time. Since misery loves company, I felt I wasn't alone as I've heard news of friends and a fellow blogger who, I suspect, were also unsuspecting victims of the cold virus I got.

Occasional checking of this blog brought my attention to my tagboard (see the left panel of this webpage) which had a query from a certain reader calling himself "Cris," who asked why his 1-year old child continued to have cold symptoms in spite of being given "antibiotics."

Here's my answer: Cris, colds are caused by viruses. All viral illnesses are self-limiting, which means that given enough time, the body can mount a successful antibody response to thwart the viruses' ill effects. Antibiotics, therefore, are seldom needed, have little or no value in the treatment process, and should only be used when a bacterial infection has been diagnosed concurrently with the viral infection. This wanton use and and prescription of antibiotics had spawned nothing but bigger problems like antibiotic resistance and more bacterial mutation.

Be careful guys.

The sudden change in weather here is also contributing to the spread of more colds.

If you catch the cold, stay home, rest, and drink soup or orange juice.

Always remember to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly.

More ways to prevent the common cold here.