GoodTree — Causes » Health and Wellness

by Maria kisset Mangabat

I have been a huge fan of beauty. Although beauty, almost always, is in the eyes of the beholder, I love to look at things that are lovely. I believe that everything around me is fine looking and that even a smile can light up my day.

But beauty nowadays defined by many is too shallow. The boom in the medical business of Cosmetic Surgery had increased worldwide. Resident surgeons shell out money to go around the world to train for nose-lift, breast augmentation and liposuction techniques. I believe it is a breakthrough in medicine! My passion in the medical planet has developed and I am exposed to the idea that caring for our body should always be the forefront in our priority list. Grabbing the numerous best medical techniques must always be our main concern. But, listen carefully; sometimes our goal in bringing out the best in us physically has a bad foundation. These medical breakthroughs have a purpose, but they shouldn’t be overrated or underestimated.

First is the liposuction fad. What is liposuction? Dividing the words, lipo and suction, to suck out fat (lipo is from lipids which means fatty substances). There is the Laser Assisted Tumescent Liposuction. It is a three dimensional procedure, where it allows the body to be contoured, creating a more shapely figure. It uses a tumescent solution, infused into the area to be treated and it breaks the fatty layer. Anaesthesia is provided and it uses laser to “suck out the fat”.

Different kinds of liposuction techniques are being introduced now here in our country and it has helped a lot to lower down the obesity rates. Obesity is too much fat in the body, can result to a number of cardiovascular diseases that can lead to Cerebral Infarction or even death. Liposuction is the innovation to help take away the unwanted fat. What is the disadvantage? There are no disadvantages in having a liposuction, but it all depends on the goal of the person having it. If you are not obese, don’t do liposuction. There are thousands of ways to help in reducing fat such as the ever reliable, exercise and diet method. You are obese when your weight is far above your ideal BMI (Body Mass Index) and if you experience fatigue from just eating. Advising liposuction to a patient or a friend that is just fat and not obese will not only be a financial hindrance to the person, it will also create a low self-confidence. Liposuction is a treatment; it is never a beauty ritual. Unnecessary fats, which were produced from pregnancy or from taking steroids, can be removed through proper exercise and a healthy diet. Nothing beats a good nutrition and the joy of a moving body to release sweat.

Secondly, the birth of Breast Augmentation or Breast Lift procedure. It is cosmetic in nature. It makes use of silicon-gel prosthesis or implants. It is placed under the breast, near the armpits or around the areola. What is the advantage? Just beauty and ego-boosting scheme. Studies around the globe had proven of the bad effects of augmented breasts and it can be one of the causes of breast cancer, which is the leading cause of mortality rates in women. It may generate a boost in self-confidence when one lady can wear two-piece swimsuits and make men swoon as they pass by. It gives pleasure to couples during intercourse since women equated of having large breasts are sexy. But health is wealth and risks of these were not as good as it’s benefits. If you’re not a model, then don’t have one.

Another is the Sclerotherapy. It is the TREATMENT for varicose veins who happens to be painful and are creating a disturbance in your lower extremities. There is a solution injected to your veins causing the varicosities to disappear. Varicosities are caused by long-standing jobs or even pregnancy and sclerotherapy is a good way to treat it. Along with it is another method in removal of stretchmarks and lines in the face. There is also a breakthrough in eyebag removal for more sparkling eyes in spite of sleepless nights.

The peeling system in the world of Dermatology had found its way as the new treatment procedure in removal of acne, acne causing pimples and acne scars. I am a fan of these because I have been a victim of acne for years. The latest method done is the powerpeel treatment. My facialist requires me to have it once in a while with facial cleaning (or pricking, ouch!). Also termed as “microdermabrasion”, powerpeel leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean, with no scars left but it comes with a ritual of facial solutions and peeling creams that can actually cost you to disburse thousands of bucks for that acne kit only. The advantage is the treatment of acne causing pimples. It also prevents one from having infections that this acne can produce. Financially, it is disadvantageous (not to mention the name that goes along with it, hehehehe) because it is divided into sessions and once started, it should be religiously done however you would like to have it made.

To name a few of the procedures, I have mentioned some popular ones which I know had benefited a lot of people, but only to find out that some were doing it with all the wrong reasons. These techniques of self-rejuvenation are made to treat and to prevent but it comes with a responsibility of knowing when, how and why you should use or have it. It’s not just for beauty enhancement. Doctors trained on these should have frequent communication with their patients on the effects of these procedures. Beauty nowadays costs you a lot…a lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of control and a lot of rituals. It pays to have a great beauty regimen but in the end what matters most is the beauty that brings out the best in you. What matters is the genuine smile you show for others and the power of healing words to make your life worthwhile. What matters is not only the person who touches your skin but also the person who touches your heart.

+1

— Get the first word in... – Reply

Dengue

by Mnklymarirose Pdimataga

I'm sharing this with all of you. Shared by a friend by the name of Cleofe Cortes... This is great! Enjoy reading...

This is very interesting. I didn't know this. You might not too. Please read this information it might save a lot of Filipino lives specially our family members and relatives.

Appreciate also, if one day you share with us, your experience in fighting this KILLER DENGUE.

bob tibay.

Speak out: Cure for dengue?
By Bernardo Rocha Calibo
Director, National Police Commission 7

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 was 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 ad 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 immune 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.)

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.