The Year that Was and Will Be

As another year unfolds, we shall bid goodbye to a year that was. A year full of excitement. A year full of realization.

I started the year with a huge decision. A wrong one. And I will forever regret it. I created a mess, which at first, should not be there. It was not part of the plan. A decision that is very impulsive.

Moving on. Yeah. I said I wanted to forget about it. Totally.

And as I close another chapter of my life, I will now officially write a chapter full of hopes and dreams. And that chapter is 2012.

It is yet another year to come but it is I who decides what will happen. It is with open arms that I welcome the challenges and hurdles waiting for me. It is with great courage that I face all the adversities in work and in personal life. And I will swear to accomplish the 23 great things that I plan to do this year of the Water Dragon.

1. Be on time every time. I have this tendency not to be sharp.
2. Follow what is planned. This one and the first one are connected. Haha!!
3. Do the best that you got every time. This one is a must.
4. Improve the Ultimate skills. :) Wooh! Throw some discs! Lezgo!
5. Save some for the future.
6. Pledge twice the amount that I give to Mama every month.
7. Attend mass every Sunday.
8. Hit the target. This is why I work.
9. RUN, RUN, RUN. Log more mileage.
10. Build some muscles. :)
11. Go to Boracay Open in Summer.
12. Spend quality time in Thailand.
13. Buy a Leica!! Must bring back love!!
14. 155lbs of 15% body fat!!
15. Read at least 20 books! That's a lot as for the moment being.
16. Blog everyday as possible. Make it a habit.
17. Juggle better. Just the time. :)
18. Widen the network. Be assertive.
19. Be the Lion. Find the courage in you.
20. Get a tattoo!! (I am now waiting for the violent reactions. Haha!)
21. Read the golden book everyday.
22. Bring something back to society. Reach out more often.
23. Be the better me.

Enjoy your New Year's Eve. Be ready for the year to come. Be the strong person. Be the BEST YOU!!

Constant change

As the old adage goes, change is the single most constant thing in this world.

I think you know what I am up to for writing this post. As of the moment, all I want to do is do something great, something way better than what I am doing now. It is not about doing different things. It is about doing something different with the things that you already have.

From now on, I swear to run and sweat it out every morning after waking up at 5am. Whip my ass out every working day. And do my best in every chance that I have and grab it. Do not just dream, make it happen. And make it happen now.

"If you want different results, do something different from what you are already doing." -Anonymous

Mas simple. Mas kaya.

Yes. It is rainy season once again at nagsimula na ang countdown ng Christmas. At madalas sa madalas, may malakas na bagyong tatama sa perlas ng silanganan bago magsimula ang kapaskuhan. Dati, si Ondoy ang nanalanta. Mahinang buhos ng ulan pero marami na pala iyon. Ngayon naman, si Pedring ang nagyayabang. Oo puro yabang dahil napakahangin. Hindi nga ganun kadami ang dalang ulan pero lintik naman humagupit. Sa bawat pagsbubok ay may aral na iniiwan. Sa bawat bagyo ay naghihintay ang magandang sikat ng araw sa susunod na araw. Anu ano ang naisip ko kung bakit ako nagsulat bigla Dalawa lang. At ang mga ito ay ang mga sumusunod:

1. Isa lang ang pinanggalingan ni Ondoy at Pedring – ang tao.

            Seryoso ba ako sa naisip ko? Oo. Nakatira ako sa Marilao, Bulacan. Subukan ninyonghanapin kung nasaan ang ilog naming baka hindi ninyo na makita dahil malamang sa malamang ay aakalain ninyo na itong isang tambakan ng basura. Noong dumating si Ondoy umapaw ito at ibinalik lahat sa tao ang mga plastic at iba pang basurang itinapon dito. Nagmistulang piyesta sa lahat ng aking madaanan. Nakasabit ang mga supot sa mga bakuran.

     Bukod sa aking tinuran, marami pang mga bagay na ginagawa ang tao na nakakaapekto sa ating kalikasan. Ang simpleng pagsindi ng sigarilyo, ang hindi pagtanggal sa saksakan ng kuryente kung hindi ginagamit at pagsusunog ng tuyong dahon sa ating bakuran ay nakakaapekto na sa ating kalikasan.

   Kaya itanong mo sa sarili mo kung ang mga simpleng bagay ay nagagawa mo upang hindi na makadagdag pa sa parusang natatanggap ng kalikasan. Hindi natin kailangang maging henyo para makabawas sa polusyon o makaisip ng solusyon. Mas simple mas maganda dahil mas kaya.

2. Maging patas sa lahat ng bagay.

           Kakaiba? Hindi kaugnay sa kalikasan? Oo pareho ang sagot ko. Bakit kasali? Simple lang.                 Tayong mga Pinoy ay kilala sa bayanihan sa oras ng pangangailangan lalo na sa sakuna. Masakit                 mang isipin, sa tuwing may sakuna lamang tayo nagdadamayan. Sa araw araw may mga taong                 may mga pangunahing pangangailan na wala sila tulad ng masisilungan, tubig at pagkain. Ilan                 lamang yan sa mga pagkukulang na dapat matugunan hindi lamang ng gobyerno pero ng buong                 bansa.

       Anong dapat gawin? Makiisa. Isipin mo kung anong prinsipyo mo sa buhay. Panindigan.                Maghanap ng grupo ng may kaparehong prinsipyo at lumahok sa mga gawain nito. Hindi laging                 pera ang sagot sa lahat. Minsan, mas nakakapagpagulo pa ang pera sa mga bagay bagay kung                 hindi nagagamit sa magandang bagay. Mas simple mas maganda dahil mas kaya.

                Hindi ko ito isinulat para lang mangaral. Isinulat ko ito upang ibahagi ang aking naiisip at pananaw sa buhay at mga nangyayari sa kasalukuyan. Hindi ko alam kung madali nga bang gawin ang naiisip ko. Pero ito lang ang sigurado ako. Mas simple mas maganda dahil mas kaya. Tayo pa!

15 Biggest Nutrition Myths

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding

May 20, 2011

Angelina’s jealous that Brad’s still secretly in love with Jennifer! Tom Cruise keeps Katie Holmes trapped in a crazed religious complex! And aliens are manning the toll booths on a Nevada freeway! How do I know these things are true? Because I read them in the tabloids at my local supermarket.

The supermarket is rife with less-than-accurate reporting, and not just in the checkout-lane newspaper racks. Walk the aisles scanning food labels and you'll see the fallout from millions of lobbying and advertising dollars spent to posit faulty claims about health and nutrition. You'll find row upon endless row of foods that promise—explicitly or not—to improve your life, flatten your belly, and make you a happier person. The fact is, many of these foods do just the opposite. Learn how to separate fact from fiction and you might finally shed the habits that are silently sabotaging your chances of losing weight. But I must warn you: The truth can hurt.

MYTH #1: High fructose corn syrup is worse than table sugar

Whether or not added sugar is bad for you has never been in dispute. The less sugar you eat, the better. But whether HFCS is worse than plain ol' table sugar has long been a contentious issue. Here’s what you need to know: Both HFCS and table sugar, or sucrose, are built with roughly a 50-50 blend of two sugars, fructose, and glucose. That means in all likelihood that your body can’t tell one from the other—they’re both just sugar. HFCS’s real sin is that it’s supercheap, and as a result, it’s added to everything from cereal to ketchup to salad dressing. Plus it may be affecting your health in ways not yet fully understood by the scientific community. Is it a good idea to minimize the HFCS in your diet? Absolutely. It’s best to cut out all unnecessary sugars. But HFCS’s role as nutritional enemy #1 has been exaggerated.

SPECIAL EAT THIS, NOT THAT! REPORT: Eating fiber- and protein-loaded snacks between meals can help you control hunger and avoid overeating at mealtime. Shed flab by checking out this essential list of the 50 Best Snack Foods in America.

MYTH #2: Sea salt is a healthier version of regular salt

Everyday table salt comes from a mine and contains roughly 2,300 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon. Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater, and it also contains roughly 2,300 milligrams of sodium. That makes them, well, roughly identical. Advocates point to the fact that sea salt also contains other compounds like magnesium and iron, but in truth, these minerals exist in trace amounts. To obtain a meaningful dose, you’d have to take in extremely high and potentially dangerous levels of sodium. What’s more, traditional table salt is regularly fortified with iodine, which plays an important role in regulating the hormones in your body. Sea salt, on the other hand, gives you virtually zero iodine. The bottom line is this: If switching from table salt to sea salt causes you to consume even one extra granule, then you’ve just completely snuffed out whatever elusive health boon you hope to receive. Plus you’ve wasted a few bucks.

MYTH #3: Energy drinks are less harmful than soda

Energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, and Full Throttle attempt to boost your energy with a cache of B vitamins, herbal extracts, and amino acids. But what your body’s going to remember most (especially around your waistline) is the sugar in these concoctions; a 16-ounce can delivers as much as 280 calories of pure sugar, which is about 80 calories more than you’d find in a 16-ounce cup of Pepsi. What’s more, a University of Maryland study found energy drinks to be 11 percent more corrosive to your teeth than regular soda. So here’s the secret that energy drink companies don’t want you to know: The only proven, significant energy boost comes from caffeine. If you want an energy boost, save yourself the sugar spike and drink a cup of coffee.

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MYTH #4: Diet soda is harmless

The obesity-research community is becoming increasingly aware that the artificial sweeteners used in diet soda—aspartame and sucralose, for instance—lead to hard-to-control food urges later in the day. One Purdue study discovered that rats took in more calories if they'd been fed artificial sweeteners prior to mealtime, and a University of Texas study found that people who consume just three diet sodas per week were more than 40 percent more likely to be obese. Try weaning yourself off by switching to carbonated water and flavoring with lemon, cucumber, and fresh herbs.

MYTH #5: Low-fat foods are better for you

As it applies to food marketing, the term “low fat” is synonymous with “loaded with salt and cheap carbohydrates.” For instance, look at Smucker’s Reduced Fat Peanut Butter. To replace the fat it skimmed out, Smucker’s added a fast-digesting carbohydrate called maltodextrin. That’s not going to help you lose weight. A 2008 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that over a 2-year span, people on low-carb diets lost 62 percent more body weight than those trying to cut fat. (Plus, the fat in peanut butter is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat—you’d be better off eating more of it, not less!)

MYTH #6: “Trans-fat free” foods are actually trans-fat free

The FDA’s guidelines allow companies to claim 0 grams of trans fat—even broadcast it on the front of their packages—as long as the food in question contains no more than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. But here’s the deal: Due to an inextricable link to heart disease, the World Health Organization advises people to keep trans fat intake as low as possible, maxing out at about 1 gram per 2,000 calories consumed. If your cupboard’s full of foods with almost half a gram per serving, you might be blowing past that number every single day. TheAmerican Journal of Health Promotion recently published an article urging the FDA to rethink its lax regulations, but until that happens, you should avoid all foods with “partially hydrogenated oil” (meaning, trans fats) on their ingredients statements.

MYTH #7: Foods labeled “natural” are healthier

The FDA makes no serious effort to control the use of the word "natural" on nutrition labels. Case in point: 7UP boasts that it’s made with “100% Natural Flavors” when, in fact, the soda is sweetened with a decidedly un-natural dose of high fructose corn syrup. “Corn” is natural, but “high fructose corn syrup” is produced using a centrifuge and a series of chemical reactions. Other "natural" abusers include Natural Cheetos, which are made with maltodextrin and disodium phosphate, and “natural advantage” Post Raisin Bran, which bathes its raisins in both sugar and corn syrup. The worst part is, you're likely paying a premium price for common junk food.

BONUS TIP: Beware: Mr. Salty is running loose at some of your favorite restaurants! Click here to check out our complete list of the 30 Saltiest Foods in America.

MYTH #8: Egg yolks raise your cholesterol

Egg yolks contain dietary cholesterol; this much is true. But research has proven that dietary cholesterol has almost nothing to do with serum cholesterol, the stuff in your blood. Wake Forest University researchers reviewed more than 30 egg studies and found no link between egg consumption and heart disease, and a study in Saint Louis found that eating eggs for breakfast could decrease your calorie intake for the remainder of the day.

MYTH #9: Eating junk food helps battle stress

You’ve been there: Stressed out and sprawled across your sofa with one arm elbow deep in a bag of cheese puffs. In the moment, it can be comforting, but a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that people who consumed the most highly processed foods were 58 percent more likely to be depressed than those who ate the least. Your move: Find a healthy stress snack. Peanut butter and Triscuits do the trick, or check out the next myth …

MYTH #10: Chocolate is bad for you

Cocoa is a plant-based food replete with flavonoids that increase blood flow and release feel-good endorphins. Plus, it contains a healthy kind of saturated fat called stearic acid, which research has shown can increase your good HDL cholesterol. But here’s the rub: When most people think of chocolate, their minds jump immediately to milk chocolate, which contains far more sugar than actual cocoa. Instead, look for dark chocolate, specifically those versions that tell you exactly how much cocoa they contain. A bar with 60% cocoa is good, but the more cocoa it contains, the greater the health effects.

Myth #11: Granola is good for you

Oats are good for you, and the same goes for oatmeal. But granola takes those good-for-you hunks of flattened oat, blankets them in sugar, and bakes them in oil to give them crunch. The amount of fat and sugar added to each oat is at the discretion of food processors, but you can bet your last cup of milk it’s going to far sweeter and more fatty than a bowl of regular cereal. Take this example: A single cup of Quaker Natural Granola, Nuts & Raisins has 420 calories, 30 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of fat. Switch to a humble cup of Kix and you drop down about 90 calories, 2.5 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of fat. Or better yet, find your favorite healthy cereal here: The 24 Best and Worst Cereals in America.

MYTH #12: Bananas are the best source of potassium

Your body uses potassium to keep your nerves and muscles firing efficiently, and an adequate intake can blunt sodium’s effect on blood pressure. One 2009 study found that a 2:1 ratio of potassium to sodium could halve your risk of heart disease, and since the average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day, your goal should be 6,800 milligrams of daily potassium. You’re extremely unlikely to ever reach that mark—and never with bananas alone. One medium banana has 422 milligrams and 105 calories. Here are the sources that earn you roughly the same amount of potassium in fewer calories:

• Potato, half a medium spud, 80 calories
• Apricots, 5 whole fruit, 80 calories
• Cantaloupe, 1 cup cubes, 55 calories
• Broccoli, 1 full stalk, 50 calories
• Sun-dried tomatoes, a quarter cup, 35 calories

MYTH #13: Oranges are the best source of vitamin C

Far more than a simple immune booster, vitamin C is an antioxidant that plays a host of important roles in your body. It strengthens skin by helping to build collagen, improves mood by increasing the flow of norepinephrine, and bolsters metabolic efficiency by helping transport fat cells into the body’s energy-burning mitochondria. But since your body can neither store nor create the wonder vitamin, you need to provide a constant supply. An orange is the most famous vitamin-C food, and although it’s a good source, it’s by no means the best. For 70 calories, one orange gives you about 70 micrograms of vitamin C. Here are five sources with just as much vitamin C and even fewer calories:

• Papaya, ¾ cup, 50 calories
• Brussel’s sprouts, 1 cup, 40 calories
• Strawberries, 7 large fruit, 40 calories
• Broccoli, ½ stalk, 25 calories
• Red Bell Pepper, ½ medium pepper, 20 calories

MYTH #14: Organic is always better

Often, but not in every case. Organic produce is almost nutritionally identical to its conventional counterpart. The issue is pesticide exposure—pesticides have been linked to an increased risk of obesity in some studies. But many conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are very low in pesticides. Take, for example, the conventional onion: It’s got the lowest pesticide load of 45 fruits and vegetables tested by the Environmental Working Group. Also in the safe-to-eat-conventional group are avocados, sweet corn, and pineapple. In general, fruits and vegetables with impermeable skins are safe to buy conventional, while produce like celery, peaches, apples, and blueberries are better purchased organic.

MYTH #15: Meat is bad for you

Pork, beef, and lamb are among the world’s best sources of complete protein, and a Danish study found that dieting with 25 percent of calories from protein can help you lose twice as much weight as dieting with 12 percent protein. Then there’s vitamin B12, which is prevalent only in animal-based foods. B12 is essential to your body’s ability to decode DNA and build red blood cells, and British researchers found that adequate intakes protect against age-related brain shrinkage. Now, if you’re worried that meat will increase your risk for heart disease, don’t be. A Harvard review last year looked at 20 studies and found that meat’s link to heart disease exists only with processed meats like bacon, sausage, and deli cuts. Unprocessed meats, those that hadn’t been smoked, cured, or chemically preserved, presented absolutely zero risk.

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Note:

This post is just a re-post from Yahoo and Men's Health U.S. :)

Someone who never fails

And so I'll make this an exemption. I just thought of keeping the ideas pour from my fatty tissues to my very complex group of muscles, bones and ligaments called hands straight to this blog that most of the time is being beaten by a thing called laziness.

An exemption to make simply because there is no single reason not to. An exemption to make because she's all I'll have when everyone turns their back on me. An exemption to make simply because she is that special to me that I would do the impossible just to make her feel that She simply is the most important person in the world to me.

To her, who never fails to make me laugh when she do her silly antics.

To her, who never fails to make me cry when we try to speak our hearts out.

To her, who never fails to make me realize how simple it is to live this life.

To her, who never fails to make me inspire to do things and be the best I can be.

To her, who never fails to make me think when she will be able to read this. :D

But to you, Mrs. Mary Lim - Garcia, thank you not only for taking care of me for nine long months inside your womb but most specially for making me see the things that you are seeing and live the life you are living.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, who just like my mother that in spite of being a human, ALWAYS try to never fail.

I love you mama!

Arch Nemesis: Plantar Fasciitis

Here I am and found myself telling stories and facts why I am sidelined for the next month or so. Generally, it is keeping me from doing activities that will involve running in any form. But looking on a brighter side, it taught me how to re-invent myself in so many ways. And yes, it is all because of a condition called Plantar fasciitis. If you heard this or if you are running, you better read this to prevent it from happening.

The bane of many runners, plantar fasciitis is often misunderstood. Although the suffix -itis means inflammation, this condition is more of a 'wear and tear" condition of a tendon in our foot called plantar fascia. The tendon serves as a tension band that runs from heel to toe. It maintains the foot's longitudinal arch and stores and releases energy during runs. While biomechanics and genetics play their part, the main cause of plantar fasciitis is running TOO far, TOO soon, leading to micro-tears to the fascia. And the most common sign and symptom is pain in the bottom of the heel, which is usually worse in the morning and may improve throughout the day. By the end of the day the pain may be replaced by a dull ache that improves with rest. The good news? You have several home remedies at hand.

EASY-TO-DO HOME REMEDIES:

• REST - Stop for a while and cross-train (which means do something that doesn't require you to run) instead.
• GET YOURSELF A DRUG - Painkillers such as paracetamol, acetaminophen or even diclofenac will surely be effective but be cautious not to take it before running for you won't be able to tell if you are making the injury worse.
• ICE ICE BABY - Ice-ing and massage-ing the foot will surely relieve the pain. How? Simple. Fill a plastic bottle with water, freeze it and roll it underfoot.
• SORT YOUR KIT - Make sure your shoes fit well; consider over-the-counter arch supports or orthotics. A night splint can also come in hand by preventing pain on your first step out of bed in the morning, caused by overnight contraction.
• STRETCH - It helps to stretch your arch before getting out of bed, since pain is often worse first thing in the morning. A pre-run and post run EFFECTIVE and EFFICIENT stretching of calves will surely be helpful.

Here are some images to help you familiarize with the condition.

Right now, I had my second session of therapy for the condition. Since I had this long time ago and just shrugged it off, I just can't rely on home remedies alone. A visit to the doctor and more frequent visits with your physical therapist will never hurt you.

When to see a doctor? Contact your health care provider as soon as you have symptoms of plantar fasciitis. And the best way yo prevent this? Maintaining good flexibility around the ankle, particularly the Achilles tendon and calf muscles, is probably the best way to prevent plantar fasciitis.

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~Washington Irving

Today, for me is the most important day of my life. I will not be known as Luther Ian Lim Garcia if it weren't for this day. This is the most important day simply because 51 years ago, Mary Gumpal Lim-Garcia, was born. I really don't know how her life started but all I know is that if it wasn't for her, my life won't.

taken during my 21st birthday
"I can fly higher than an eagle. 'Coz you are the wind beneath my wings"

I maybe a male version of her but she is far better than me. I've seen her doing almost everything for our family. If there will be a counterpart of Clark Kent in real life, I would proudly nominate her to be one. (And I know every good child will say the same thing. :D ) It is really hard for me to leave her on her most important day. It is really hard for me to leave her anytime of the day.

To you, the most important woman in my life. I do not when will you be able to read this. I do not know if there is a chance that your eyes will glance at this. But all I know is that I owe everything to you. You have been, for the past 51 years, and will always be a blessing to all the people that you've met and that you will meet soon. This is the first time that you will wake the next morning without your eldest. This will be the first time that I have left you while you're celebrating your natal day. And this is the first time that I made you sad during the most important day of your life. It is really hard for me to do this but believe it or not, this is all for you and papa. You may not be able to understand everything but soon you will. I will make everything clear for both of you soon. I know that you love me so much that is why you hate seeing me getting tired or even losing weight for the right purpose just because you feel that I am already undernourished. You will always be my inspiration. You will always be the fire that keeps my flame burning. And you will always be the most important woman of my life. Happy birthday! And always keep this in your heart, "You are the wind beneath my wings."