VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2015
A SLICE OF ORANGE Refreshing Your Health
PREPPING FOR SUMMER • Add a tropical twist • Get Down and Dirty • Go out and get moving • Look cool • Take a vacay • Keep your spirit light
Prepping for summer
• Sleep the summer away
WITH ADVANCED PLANNING, GET THE BEST (AND HEALTHIEST) SUMMER YET With summer just around the corner, we won’t wait ‘til next month to release our summer issue. This year, summer comes early so you can prepare to enjoy your best and healthiest summer ever.
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Summer has been synonymous with fun and frolic. We dare you to use this laid-back vibe to jumpstart your health. While most people may want to indulge in booze and bask, how about truly maximizing this summer with a more al fresco approach?
A SLICE OF ORANGE
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2015
In this issue, instead of partying ‘til you
sidewalk pushups. Replace your lat machine
drop, how about embracing your fresh side
with monkey bars or a tree branch. Replace
(think lazy walks on the beach in a white sa-
the treadmill with the pavement.
rong or linen shorts)? Go for fresh living and
a positive disposition to strip off all the stress
outs with a challenging outdoor activity such
you accumulated the rest of the year.
as sports. Try hiking, nature trails, swimming,
cycling, or other outdoor sport such as soc-
Here are our top suggestions to a health-
ier, livelier, more invigorating summer.
The second way is to replace your work-
cer or Frisbee. 2. Get Down and Dirty Scientists have long discovered that touching the earth is very stress relieving. The mere act of touching soil literally and figuratively grounds a persons. Make the most of the summer sun by starting your own garden. If you don’t have space in a garden, make
Why inconvenience yourself when you can enjoy the comforts of an air-conditioned gym? Going outside provides two important mood-enhancing factors: sunlight, and wide open spaces. Both have been proven to charge our brains with mood-elevating hormones that almost instantly reduces stress.
indoor gardens, hanging gardens, and vertical gardens.
Avoid the scorching
Planting any kind of plant is, in itself,
summer sun. Do your
1. Add a tropical twist
healthy by battling stress. However, add
During summer, many tropical fruits be-
more health benefits from your summer
outdoor workouts
come in season. These include mangoes,
garden by planting herbs with medicinal
early in the morning, or
dragon fruit, passion fruit, star fruit (balimb-
properties. Ampalaya vines give you leaves
ing or carambola), lychee, mangosteen, and
(used as a salad) and fruits which help con-
late in the afternoon.
custard apple (atis). Add these to your diet
trol blood sugar. Ginger can be turned into
for a refreshing, high-fiber treat. Many of us
a tea or ale that can relieve nausea and an
have tried mango or lychee shake, but how
upset stomach. Aloe vera leaves have a gel
mer sun. Do your outdoor workouts early in
about a dragon fruit, passion fruit, or atis
that can be used to soothe burns and rashes.
the morning, or late in the afternoon. Always
shake? These fruits are sweet enough that
Garlic can be used to help lower cholesterol
wear sunblock. And rehydrate (drink 500 mL
you only need to add a small amount of milk
and improve circulation: just crush and swal-
of water before, and sip another 500 mL
to add body and flavor. Shakes can also
low with honey.
throughout your workout).
serve as meal replacements, in case you’re
trying to keep your weight or blood sugar
hands with soap and water (especially un-
4. Look cool.
down. For an additional twist, use yogurt
der the nails) after gardening to avoid ingest-
instead of milk.
ing germs and parasites.
very obvious benefit. It protects your eyes
Just a reminder: avoid the scorching sum-
Always remember though to wash your
And while many Filipinos eat fruits at
Wearing shades during summer has one
from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) ra-
room temp, how about serving whole fruits
3. Go out and get moving
diation from the sun. UV rays can cause all
chilled to help beat the summer sun? Balimb-
Take an al fresco approach even in your
sorts of problems, including cataracts, glare,
ing is loaded with potassium, vitamin C and
workouts. Now is the time to break free from
and wrinkles around your eyes. When out-
antioxidant phytochemicals. Mangosteen is
the gym and take your workout outdoors.
doors, wear dark sunglasses that have been
rich in fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. Both
There are two ways to approach this.
tested to block off at least 99% of UV A
fruits, together with all the other fruits on our
The first way is to literally take your work-
and UV B rays (sunglasses are required to
list, can be served chilled to make a cool
out outdoors. Replace squats and lunges
be labelled of their UV protection, so check
fruit bowl.
with sprints. Replace bench presses with
the label).
A SLICE OF ORANGE
VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2015
However, shades also have a second
of chilled champagne and orange juice.
benefit. It makes you look cool. Use this add-
Drink it over brunch, or together with a light
ed hip factor to boost your self-confidence
meal. Other options are sangria (table wine
and elevate your mood. Mix it up with lively
diluted with juice) or light beer. And stay
music to complete the effect.
within the recommended limits of one drink for women, and two drinks for men. 7. Sleep the summer away.
For many people, vacations mean crazy
I remember growing up in the province,
adventures out of town. However, to reap
and farmers would sleep in the afternoons
the most health benefits from a vacation,
to avoid the scorching sun. Sleeping is a
something relaxing and stress-free is the
great way to de-stress and at the same time
way to go. Avoid long drives; take public
stay cool.
transport instead. Choose nature trips over
5. Take a vacay.
party places. Visits to relatives you love
in the rest of the year. This means that your
(and not those you hate). And don’t bring
body clock may slowly adjust, making you
work along.
sleep a bit later, and wake you up a bit ear-
When I was younger, I thought vacations
were for the lazy. As I closed in on midlife, I realized physical and emotional burnout has
Note that summer days are longer than
lier. Notice these changes, and adjust your
crept in, with all the fatigue and aches/pain
6. Keep your spirit light.
sleeping hours earlier so that you still get 7
it brings.
or 8 hours of sound sleep.
But taking vacations is one way to pre-
ing into one huge drinking party. However,
vent burnout, and has other health benefits:
keep your spirits light by choosing light,
sleep, so stay cool. Make sure your bed-
it lowers your blood pressure, heart rate,
chilled alcoholic beverage instead of hard-
room is well ventilated.
and stress hormones that lead to a wayward
core liquors. One such light drink that needs
appetite, weight gain, and increased risk of
to become more popular during Philippine
the rest of the year will be a breeze.
heart disease.
summers is the mimosa, which is a 1:1 mix
Summer in the Philippines is slowly turn-
Warm temperature has a bad effect on
With these 7 ways to a healthy summer,
ActiveLink is an employee benefits management firm focused on corporate healthcare benefits. Our thrusts are to deliver a cost-efficient HMO plan and to ensure successful implementation through excellent customer service support and the use of our benefits portal (www.benefitsmadebetter.com). CONTACT US TODAY! Email us at inquiries@activelinkbenefits.com or call us at 8174606, and let us know when we can share our strategy. Let us help you make your benefits better!
Looking to enhance your corporate healthcare benefits? E-mail us at benefits@activelinkbenefits.com. The information in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a doctor for all matters relating to your health, particularly for symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. © 2015 ActiveLink
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A Slice of Orange
is a newsletter designed to help clarify basic health information and offer juicy tips on uplifting your health.
Editorial team Alvin Delfin Christine Llenes-Delfin Ivan Olegario, MD