The Barley Plant

The Barley plant is something referred to as barley grass or just plain barley. Barley’s latin name is Hordeum Vulgare, and it belongs to the graminae family, that includes wheat, rice and bamboo. While some healthcare practitioners, include the barley plant as member of the gluten grains group, which comprises wheat, oats and rye. Members of the graminae family are essentially free from toxic substances and are resistant against substances.

Barley can also be regarded as either “young barley” or just “barley”. The difference lies in the time of harvest of this plant. “Barley” leaves mature to a height of one meter and it contains about the same vitamins and minerals as that of green vegetables. The cause for this is the channeling of nutrients to across the entire length of the plant to the seed heads at this stage of its development. On the one hand, “young barley” leaves contain the most nutrients in the leaves itself as it grows to a height of 20-30 centimeters. This is because the nutrients are concentrated in the plant itself, before it enters the reproductive cycle of creating grain. Thus, this is the best period of its development to be harvested. This is type of barley leaf from which Green Power is created.

FIND MORE INFORMATION:

• The Products
• About Barley
• About Green Power
• What Does Green Power do and what you might expect with it?

Help for the House

Need help? Whatever your woe, I've got loads of handy helpful tips on managing your household better!

1. Keep your muffin tins, baking pans, and other rarely-used items in plastic bags when not in use, to protect them from dust.
2. Got an extra napkin holder? You can use it to hold mail.
3. For red stains on fabric, stretch the stain over a bowl and cover it with salt. Then pour boiling water over it and wash as usual.
4. Did you know that you can use old newspaper to get rid of the smell in food containers? Simply put a ball of newspaper into a lunch box or container, close it, and leave it overnight. The smell will be gone in the morning.
5. Stubborn crusts on pans? Just put a little baking soda on them and leave them for about 5 minutes, then scrub clean as usual.
6. Did you know you can use vinegar to remove messy gunk that price tags and stickers leave behind? Just brush the area a few times with vinegar, leave it for 5 minutes, and then wipe it off.
7. Adding a little salt to your cooking water when boiling eggs can prevent the eggshells from cracking.

Kitchen Secrets

Hey mom, not an expert in kitchen? Here's an idea for:

DEBONING A CHICKEN BREAST

1. Using a sharp knife, work only one side of the breast first. Start at the larger end of the rib bone and cut and scrape meat away from the bone and rib cage.
2. Gently pull back meat in one piece as you cut.
3. Repeat with remaining side of breast; discard bones.

COATING MEAT

1. Use a polyethylene or plastic bag to coat meat pieces. Put breadcrumbs or flour in the bag then add meat.
2. Seal plastic bag then shake well.
3. The meat will be evenly coated.

GRILLING MEAT

1. Brush the grill with oil or butter before heating to prevent meat from sticking to it.
2. Always pre-heat the grill/ pan for about 10 minutes. When the meat is placed on the grill it will be sealed quickly and retain its juices.

Do you enjoy cooking? Indulge in creative cooking with loads of "tried-and-tested" recipes for meals that are a snap to prepare. You can be sure every meal will be one to remember!

Click here to get free recipes of heathy and delicious foods.

Kitchen Secrets

Hey mom, not an expert in kitchen? Here's an idea for:

DEBONING A CHICKEN BREAST

1. Using a sharp knife, work only one side of the breast first. Start at the larger end of the rib bone and cut and scrape meat away from the bone and rib cage.
2. Gently pull back meat in one piece as you cut.
3. Repeat with remaining side of breast; discard bones.

COATING MEAT

1. Use a polyethylene or plastic bag to coat meat pieces. Put breadcrumbs or flour in the bag then add meat.
2. Seal plastic bag then shake well.
3. The meat will be evenly coated.

GRILLING MEAT

1. Brush the grill with oil or butter before heating to prevent meat from sticking to it.
2. Always pre-heat the grill/ pan for about 10 minutes. When the meat is placed on the grill it will be sealed quickly and retain its juices.

Do you enjoy cooking? Indulge in creative cooking with loads of "tried-and-tested" recipes for meals that are a snap to prepare. You can be sure every meal will be one to remember!

Click here to get free recipes of heathy and delicious foods.

Amazing Noni "Apatot" Plant

Apatot is a plant what we call in the Phillipines for Nonu, Nono, or Noni which has become popular for years ago in treating ailments and disorders of the body. People in our place who’ve been using it called it as a “miracle plant” as they testified that they have been cured from their illness. Back in year 2000, our superintendent Engr. Alan Villarias told us from vacation in Leyte that her mother who suffered from acute arthritis which she could hardly walk has been cured by the treatment of Noni or Apatot juice. He said Noni juice is very popular in their town because many were cured even without a doctor diagnosis or buying medicines from the drugstores. By that time here in South Cotabato, Apatot also became popular. In fact, it was sold in the market and grabbed by many- from barks, fruits and twigs. The barks were sold in pack and used as a tea by boiling it with water. The matured fruits were sold at P150.00 – P200.00 per kilo and even the young ones were sold out at a lower price. Matured fruits are ripened and smashed into a puree and the juice is extracted through a cloth. The young ones are boiled and also taken as a tea. The twigs were sold at P10.00 for planting or they make use of it anyhow. As a user of natural medicines, I became interested of the Apatot plant. I bought two twigs and hoped somehow it will survive. The twigs now became a big tree and it bears fruits everyday. I use to pick up the ripe fruits fallen on the ground and wash it clean and stock in a glass pitcher then refrigerate. When it produces juice I take a spoonful from it during bedtime. At first I tested it for myself observing how it affects my body glands. There was a frequent urinating, feeling of warmth and excessive perspiration. The first month I took it regularly, pimples and acnes spread out over my face and then gone. The muscle pain I was suffering in my leg also gone and there is a feeling of excitement in sex. I never have told this to anyone even to my husband until I am convinced that it really cures illness and is safe to use. I believe in the effectiveness of Noni or Apatot Juice- how it affects the glands of the body, giving them what they need to promote health. It’s really an incredible immune system builder and has strong anti-toxin properties. My husband didn’t believe it. He hates the smell of Apatot and he even warned me not to store the stock in the refrigerator. But when he suffered from painful rheumatism which his physician could hardly treat it, he secretly tried for a spoonful of the pure juice. When I caught him on the act I laughed at him because he swore not to try it when he confronted me before. His illness completely cured by just taking for a spoonful of pure juice during bedtime and morning. We both became a regular user of apatot juice. I also use to add it to juice drinks for my children. Clinics, hospitals and drugstores at that time lack patients and customers because people were only relying on the effectiveness of the Apatot. This maybe the reason why Apatot or Noni was banned claiming that it is dangerous to health and will possibly cause to death. I don’t believe it and I think they’re just making bad stories against it because as far as I know, according to the history, Apatot has been used as a food source of Polynesians and became a staple food choice in times of famine to sustain strength. So whatever people say or how they banned Apatot, we remain using it until now. I think eight years of using it is enough to prove to that it is safe.

Brain-Damaging Habits

I just got another health compilation about "brain damaging habits" which I think important for us to know.

The following "Brain-Damaging Habits" may be or may not be dangerous to our health but it is not bad if we take extra care for our body:

1. No Breakfast - because people who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.
2. Overeating - because it causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking - because it causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease. See also Brain Diseases and Disorders.
4. High Sugar consumption - because too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution - The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6. Sleep Deprivation - Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping - Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.
8. Working your brain during illness - Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts - Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely - Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

Source: News Info from Asian Health Association

Why We Sleep and Wake Up Early

As we all know, sleeping and waking up too late is one of the main causes of liver damage, and because:

Evening at 9 - 11pm: is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

Evening at 11pm - 1am: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3am: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5am: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am: detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9am: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH... Live Life Without Limits!

Source: News Info from Asian Health Association

The Cola Drinks We Love..

For those who love Coke and Pepsi, just when you thought you knew everything. This "real thing" does not only "adds life" (as they would say) to drinkers but also helpful to some other things:

Here's some other important usage of Cola Drinks:

1. You can use it in cleaning a toilet:

• Pour a can of cola drink into the toilet bowl.
• Let the "real thing" set for one hour, then flush clean.
• The citric acid in this thing removes stains from vitreous china.
• No scrubbing, no sweat - guaranteed.

2. You can use it to remove the spots from chrome car bumpers:

• Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of aluminum foils dipped in cola drink (much economical than the stuff from smart shop).

3. Use it to clean corrosion from car battery terminals:

• Pour a can of cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

4. Use it to loosen a rusted bolt:

• Applying a cloth soaked in this "thing" to the rusted bolt for several times.

5. Use it to remove grease from clothes:

• Empty a can of cola into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle.

6. This cola also helps loosening grease stains and cleaning the road haze from your windshield.

Hey, what do we have here? The world's first soft drink disguise as a multi-purpose cleaner? Or it be a multi-purpose cleaner disguise as a soft drink?

Besides that, if you pour Coke (yes, the soda) on a slab of pork, wait a little while, you will SEE WORMS crawl out of it!

Alarming Facts:

The average pH of soft drinks, e.g. Coke, Pepsi is pH3.4. This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones at around the age of 30. After that it'll be dissolving about 8-18% of the bone each year through the urine, depending on the acidity of the food intake (acidity does not depend on the taste of food, but on the ratio of potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc. to phosphorous).

All the dissolved calcium compounds accumulate in the arteries, veins, skin tissue, and organs. This affects the functioning of the kidney (kidney stones). Soft drinks do not have any nutritional value (in terms of vitamins and minerals) They have higher sugar content, higher acidity, more additives such as preservatives and colourings.

Some people like to take cold soft drinks after each meal, guess what's the impact? Our body has an optimum temperature of 37 degrees for the functioning of digestive enzymes. The temperature of cold soft drinks is much less than 37, sometimes quite close to 0. This will lower the effectiveness of the enzymes and put stress on the digestive system, digesting less food. In fact the food gets fermented. The fermented food produce bad smelling gases, decays and forms toxins, which are absorbed in the intestines, get circulated in the blood and is delivered to the whole body. This spread of toxins can lead to the development of various diseases.

Try to experiment:

If you have seen a broken tooth, try putting it in a bottle of Pepsi or Coke. Observe what happens within 10 days.

Teeth and bones are only human organs that stay intact for years after death. Imagine what the drink must be doing to your delicate soft intestines and stomach lining!

To all Coke and Pepsi lovers, think again the next time before you say"CHUP"!

How To Avoid Getting Phished

These are some ways by which you can protect yourself from phishing scams:

• 
  
  Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information; unless the email is digitally signed, you can't be sure it wasn't forged or "spoofed". Email headers can be easily spoofed.


• 
  
  Avoid filling out forms, especially forms that ask for confidential financial information, in email messages.


• 
  
  Don't click on the links in an email to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic. There are a lot of scam artists who forge legitimate companies' sites to defraud unsuspecting internet users.


• 
  
  Always sensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your web brower. To make sure you're on a secure web server, check the beginning of the web address in your web browser's address bar- it should be "https://" rather than just "http://". There should also be a lock at the bottom of the screen. Both are indicators that the site is secure.


• 
  
  Ensure that your browser is up to date and security patches are applied.

Earthquake Precautions and Advice

Are you aware of the July 18 Earthquake prediction in Philippines? Whether we believe in it or not, we must prepare for ourselves at all times just like preparing ourselves for the judgement of our Lord God to us.

Below are some precautions and advices on how to prepare and what to do during an earthquake. But before anything else, I hope and pray that people around us would have faith in their hearts that God is always with us to protect us from any disasters. I do believe that prayers are most powerful if we mean it. So please, don't forget your prayers everyday. Kindly help save us all through your faithful prayers to God.

How To Prepare For An Earthquake:

• 
  
  
  Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries at home.



• 
  
  
  Learn first aid.



• 
  
  
  Learn how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity.



• 
  
  
  Make up a plan of where to meet your family after an earthquake.



• 
  
  
  Don't leave heavy objects on shelves (they'll fall during a quake).



• 
  
  
  Anchor heavy furniture, cupboards, and appliances to the walls or floor.



• 
  
  
  Learn the earthquake plan at your school or workplace.

What to Do During an Earthquake:

• 
  
  
  Stay calm! If you're indoors, stay inside. If you're outside, stay outside.



• 
  
  
  If you're indoors, stand against a wall near the center of the building, stand in a doorway, or crawl under heavy furniture (a desk or table). Stay away from windows and outside doors.



• 
  
  
  If you're outdoors, stay in the open away from power lines or anything that might fall. Stay away from buildings (stuff might fall off the building or the building could fall on you).



• 
  
  
  Don't use matches, candles, or any flame. Broken gas lines and fire don't mix.



• 
  
  
  If you're in a car, stop the car and stay inside the car until the earthquake stops.



• 
  
  
  Don't use elevators (they'll probably get stuck anyway).

What to Do After an Earthquake:

• 
  
  
  Check yourself and others for injuries. Provide first aid for anyone who needs it.



• 
  
  
  Check water, gas, and electric lines for damage. If any are damaged, shut off the valves. Check for the smell of gas. If you smell it, open all the windows and doors, leave immediately, and report it to the authorities (use someone else's phone).



• 
  
  
  Turn on the radio. Don't use the phone unless it's an emergency.



• 
  
  
  Stay out of damaged buildings.



• 
  
  
  Be careful around broken glass and debris. Wear boots or sturdy shoes to keep from cutting your feet.



• 
  
  
  Be careful of chimneys (they may fall on you).



• 
  
  
  Stay away from beaches. Tsunamis and seiches sometimes hit after the ground has stopped shaking.



• 
  
  
  Stay away from damaged areas.



• 
  
  
  If you're at school or work, follow the emergency plan or the instructions of the person in charge.



• 
  
  
  Expect aftershocks

The Top "Cancer-Causing" Foods

Hi friends,

I am not warning you to stop eating your favorite foods but I just want to share a bit about some "cancer-causing" foods..

Well, a real friend is always be a true friend. That is why I am also dissiminating these to you, the top five "cancer-causing" foods which could be also a great help of staying healthy:

1. 
   
   
   Hot dogs - Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.



2. 
   
   
   Processed meats and bacon - Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.



3. 
   
   
   Doughnuts - Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.



4. 
   
   
   French fries - Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .



5. 
   
   
   Chips, crackers, and cookies - All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

The Main Causes of Liver Damage

Hi everyone, I hope you find this article more important to you. This time I want to share about "Liver-Damaging".

Main causes of liver damage:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

Source: News Info from Asian Health Association

Cancer Prevention

Here's some very useful and important information about cancer prevention:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.


2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation, the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections & complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it need to multiply.
    
    a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts.
    
    b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved. Milo, Ovaltine, Horlicks are made with milk and best avoided.
    
    c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat more vegetable & fruits rather than taking meat. Because meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones, parasites, etc, which are all harmful to people with cancer.
    
    d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits helps put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.
    
    e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have caffeine. Five-leaf ginseng which is caffeine free is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup & the calcium content in human body will be "destroyed" slowly.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements (must be wholesome, which means not going thru a chemical process to extract) build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements (Maitake e.g.) are known to cause cancer cells apoptosis, that is, induce cancer cells to commit. ABM Mushroom, Shatake Mushroom, Ling Zi, Yun Zi, are able to activate the natural killer cells of our body a few times active to combat with the cancer cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax, enjoy and trust God for healing.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.
17. Cancer can be reversed with nutrition, supplements and clinically proven complementary and alternative therapies.
18. Cancer can be healed by divine intervention of God the Healer...

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT INFO:

1. Sugar is a cancer feeder. Avoid sugar. Sugar substitutes like Equal, Spoonful, NutraSweet are made with Aspartame, a chemical that is harmful to the body. A better natural alternative is Manuka honey in small amounts.
2. Milk causes the body to produce mucus. Cancer thrives on mucus. A better calcium alternative is unsweetened soya milk.
3. Five-leaf ginseng has anti-cancer properties. It is a better substitute for coffee and tea, which have caffeine, bad for people with cancer.
4. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
5. Meat like pork, beef, chicken contain livestock, etc. antibiotics, growth hormones, parasites, etc, which are all harmful for people with cancer. It is better to eat Fresh vegetables, potatoes, oats, corns and more fruits. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build up. And have a higher chance to get Colon Cancer.
6. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
7. Water - best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
8. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, try to drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

A little effort at our part will yield great return in the long run...keep up the discipline and enjoy every single movement in life.

Source: News Info from Asian Health Association

Best Cure for Dengue

SOUP from Camote Tops (Talbos) - Best Cure for Dengue

There is hope that the dengue scourge will be obliterated. I was in a meeting in Manila recently with other Napolcom officials. While waiting for my flight back to Cebu, I happened to talk with friends. The conversation eventually turned to dengue. Some of their statements shocked me. I called up the persons concerned and they confirmed these revelations. Computer technician Wenceslao Salesale Jr., 27, was downed by dengue. His platelet count plunged from 180 to 80. He was rushed by ambulance from Novaliches to Manila. Inside the ambulance, a relative, acting upon the advice of a missionary priest, made him drink soup made from camote tops. The following day, his platelet count became normal.

Dengue attacked the 7-year-old daughter of engineers Mar and Lita Budlongan of Kaloocan City. Her platelet count read 80. The same treatment was used. The following day she was back to normal.

The 15-year-old daughter of businessman Nepomuceno Salaga of Sampaloc, Manila had a dangerous platelet count of 80 due to dengue. The same treatment was followed. The following day she was back in school.

I asked a doctor of medicine about herbal cures and he said that many, if not most, medicines come from plants. He also said that under the Hippocratic Oath, doctors are bound encourage anything that can cure a patient.

Research
We need not do research deep in the rainforests of the Amazon or venture into the ocean depths in search of the elusive cure for dengue. It is right there in the backyard.

The following information is from Wikipedia:
"In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato (NCSPC). Sweet potato tops are excellent sources of antioxidative compounds, mainly polyphenolics, which may protect the human body from oxidative stress that is associated with many diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Sweet potato greens have the highest content of total polyphenolics among other commercial vegetables studied.

"Sweet potatoes contain protein, dietary fiber, lipid, and essential minerals and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfur, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, aluminum and boron. Sweet potatoes are also important sources of vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid."

Camote
In the case of Salaga, he bought five sheaves (bugkos/bigkis) of camote cuttings. Each sheaf consists of about 12 cuttings. Each cutting measures about one foot. A sheaf costs about P5. Camote tops are boiled in water to extract the juice. The boiling lasts for about five minutes. A little salt is used to give flavor to it. The patient is made to drink slowly and gradually. The body’s immunity system is thus revived, making dengue helpless against the body’s natural defenses. Camote enables the body to heal itself.

Now you know why I earlier said that my friends’ revelations shocked me. They were shocking because people are needlessly dying all around us from dengue, while their very cure is also all around us.

In the past, many were fond of using the derogatory statement, "Go home and plant camote. " Now, camote is big news. It can save lives. What could be bigger than that?

So, to fortify your family against dengue, "Go home and plant camote!"

(Engr. Lita Budiongan and Mr. Nepomuceno Salaga personally related to me their experiences with their respective daughters. I asked their permission to use their names.)

---------------------------------------------------

Bernardo Rocha Calibo, Director, National Police Commission 7
Philippines

Live Healthy!

Hey Mom! If you’re feeling like there are too many things on your plate, here are some ideas on how you can get a little more focus. That way, you will be able to concentrate on the things that matter most, like your family.

Move It!

Exercise can help a great deal in helping you build concentration. When you work out, not only are you helping your body, you’re doing a great thing for your mind as well. Get moving – it will send blood flowing to your brain as well as the other parts of the body that need it.

Write It All Down

There is wisdom in a to-do list. When your mind feels like it’s being pulled in 15 different directions, write it down. Taking down notes will not only help you map everything out, it has also been proven to plan things in your mind. Once you have it all down in black and white, it will be easier for you to know how to go about completing your task list.

Brain Food

Your brain uses up 25 percent of the food energy you take in, so it will naturally slow down if you don’t eat. Every meal must be a balance of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates. In between, try complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which will help keep your blood sugar stable. Even if you’re on a diet, eat less, but never ever skip a meal.

Plan a “Me” Time

When you’re running from task to task, your focus is usually on other people. But what about you? You’ll benefit a lot if you schedule a specific part of the day just for you. Even 30 minutes daily to refocus and take time out can calm you down, energize you, and make you more ready to face whatever challenges will come your way

Cooking Time With Family

Cooking with children is a great way to spend some quality time with them while passing on your cooking expertise. Some reminders when starting your kids out:

Plan it

Before beginning, read the recipe together and prepare all the ingredients. Remind your kids to put away ingredients after using them so you can keep track of what you already put in!

Cook Wear

Remember to tell your kids not to wear anything they don’t want splattered with sauce! Make sure they put on aprons, tie their hair back and remove their jewelry and watches.

Be Patient

When starting your cooking lessons, remember to be patient. Your kids will learn even more if they try things for themselves, like handling vegetables or pouring batter into a pan.

Supervise them closely

Never leave your kids unattended. Keep an eye on them, especially when they’re using kitchen utensils, electric appliances and the stove.

Kitchen Safety

To be safe, tell your kids to always wear oven mitts when handling hot pans. Remind them to turn pot handles to the side (so they don’t get accidentally knocked over) and away from other burners (so they don't burn anyone). Lastly, make sure all appliances are turned off and unplugged before leaving the kitchen.