Category: Health is Wealth

Posted on

Loving Kenny Roger’s Frozen Yoghurt

My love affair with frozen yogurt or fro-yo started after I had learned of its healthy goodness. Not only does yogurt taste good, it’s also low in fat (some yogurt shops sell non-fat, too), rich in nutrients and has the digestive benefits of probiotics. I love that it’s a great replacement alternative to ice cream and available any time of the day, what with the mushrooming of yogurt shops here in Manila in the last two years.

fro-yo

But, did you know that yogurts are not only confined to yogurt shops or the supermarket? Now even restaurants have them on their menu. Take Kenny Roger’s Roasters, for instance. This quick-service, casual dining restaurant that serves deliciously healthy American favorites, now offers Frozen Yoghurt. Yes, that’s yogurt with an “H.” I had a taste of it during a recent bloggers’ night at Kenny Roger’s Katipunan and since then, I have been hooked.

Continue reading “Loving Kenny Roger’s Frozen Yoghurt”

Posted on

The Need for Health Insurance

My parents are not getting any younger and as time passes by, the pressure to provide them with health insurance is building up on me. Actually, it’s not just them who need it. We all do. Right now, we only have PhilHealth to depend on in case we get sick. That’s why I”m looking for cheap but comprehensive health insurance for all of us. Is there such as thing as cheap but comprehensive health insurance? I hope so.

Speaking of health insurance, I wonder if our OFWs have one. I mean, it’s not easy getting sick in a foreign land, away from your loved ones who could provide you the care you need. While getting sick can be prevented through exercise and eating healthily, getting caught in an accident while working abroad isn’t. Accidents happen without prior notice. Which makes health insurance of the good kind a must for them.

Continue reading “The Need for Health Insurance”

Posted on

Forced Leave Friday

I am on a “forced leave” today. It’s a type of leave available in our office which is actually part of our vacation leave credits. I have not been forced to take this leave, though. I am on a forced leave today because I needed to do some errands for myself, for my family and for the boyfriend. Actually, the boyfriend took the day off with me. He’s that sweet. And dependable.

Our first stop was UST Hospital where I got my pap smear results. There were a lot of patients who came before me so the boyfriend and I had to wait for almost an hour to be accommodated by the doctor. We people-watched to kill time. We also talked about a lot of things so it ended up much like a bonding moment for us. The keen observer in me even noticed how UST Hospital continues to upgrade its facilities to better serve its growing clientele. The metal chairs provided for the patients waiting for their turn in the clinic were still in very good condition and the white-painted walls looked neat and clean. The marbled flooring was well-polished, too. I wonder if these would still be the case had they used laminate floors instead? I don’t think so because such type of flooring though more earth friendly sounds high-maintenance to me.

Continue reading “Forced Leave Friday”

Posted on

UST Hospital Doctors Directory

My ob-gyne is from the UST Hospital. I go there every April for annual check up. She’s kind and friendly. I think she’s in her late 50’s already. I like that she’s soft-spoken and explains complex medical terms to me in a smart manner. I can be a makulit patient at times. I ask a lot of questions and I’m happy she always answers them with a smile. I can even engage her in a little chitchat and our conversation can go from the best feminine wash to how small business phone systems here in Manila suck.

If UST is your choice of hospital for you and your family, getting the services of a doctor there is easy as ABC because their website has this directory of UST Hospital doctors that you could browse thru anytime. Each doctor has a brief profile and contact information there, including their clinic hours. Whenever I have to go back there, I always visit on a Saturday because that’s the time I don’t have work in the office.

Continue reading “UST Hospital Doctors Directory”

Posted on

What to Expect from an Ob-Gyne Check Up

I have a love-hate relationship with doctors. While I can’t stand spending time with them for long for fear that they would tell me shocking things about my health, I acknowledge the fact that they more often than not, the health updates I get from them give me peace of mind. I am seeing my ob-gyne tomorrow for my annual check-up. I still remember the first time I went to her, I was very afraid she’ll tell me something dreadful that would scare the hell out of me. Fortunately, nothing like that happened. I learned my reproductive system is okay.

If this is your first time to have a check up with an ob-gyne, I suggest you take it easy and remain calm as possible. Most, if not all, of them, don’t bite. Haha. Based on my experience, she’d ask you first to communicate your reproductive health concerns (irregular menstruation, low progesterone symptoms, possibility of infection, etc.) with her. She’d answer each of them based on her knowledge as doctor. Then she’ll ask you questions regarding your menstrual period, sexual activity and the likes. Next would be the physical exam. She’d discuss its results with you and ask if you have more questions. After all this, getting a pap smear test is optional but is highly recommended. Here in Manila, the price of a pap smear test can go anywhere from P700 to P1,000.

Continue reading “What to Expect from an Ob-Gyne Check Up”

Posted on

Hives Attack

For two consecutive days last week, I experienced hives attack. When I got up on the first day, I noticed red patches on my arms, elbows, legs, back shoulders, and even butt. I haven’t experienced any allergies before so I got a bit alarmed. I thought maybe I ate something that caused it. I didn’t mind it much and thought it would just go away on its own.

When I got awakened early morning of the second day, around 4:00 a.m., I felt freezing cold. When I checked my body I saw swollen, red patches all over. As in, all over. That was when it dawned on me the culprit could be the extreme cold. We left the windows opened and the electric fan turned on, too. I immediately closed the windows and switched the fan off. I also got a blanket from my closet and wrapped it around my body, with only my face showing while I was lying down. When I woke up again at 7:00 a.m., the red patches were all gone like I didn’t have them earlier.

Continue reading “Hives Attack”