CONTENTS
January-February 2018
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28
12
31
Sprain, Strain, and Other Pains: Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries
14
32
Information is part of prevention
18
A Sister’s Strokes Speak in Silence
Of Shifting and Sifting
By Pamela Joy C. De Castro and Janet R. Tolete
By Rubelyn D.P. Gaa
A young painter’s dream
The mobile life of a minister’s wife
Good Enough Is Not Good Enough
Growing and Changing
22
By Deo Jordan A. Conopio
By Marlo Schalesky
By Matthew Bryce E. Galve
Three teen issues, one teen’s solutions Unlocking Giftedness in Children: Timing Is Everything
By Ike C. Dela Peña
Raising a polyglot, a pitch-perfect kid, or an elite athlete All Coffee Is Harmful
Even decaf?
19
To My Daughter With Down Syndrome
By Paul Daugherty
What I have to say on your wedding day
By Lucile B. Tañalas
Smashing, dribbling, spiking for health
34
Fun Fitness
By Nathanlie M. Baldoza
36
Quick-Dry Clothes
By Pamela Grace B. Tañalas
Fast solutions to student problems
38
Kundol Is Cool
By Arlene May G. Corpus
The gourd called “winter melon”
Rambling in Romblon By Jethrude F. Hipolito
Marvelous beyond marble
26
Sports: A Fun Way to Exercise
To be healthy, play
By Sue Radd
20
Your bag of chips or God’s buffet
Teachers and the Homework Debate: To Give or Not to Give
By Teofilo C. Esguerra, Jr.
And when is it too much or too little?
40
Is Your Brain in Love?
42
Personalized Keys
46
A New Way of Thinking
By Rowena R. Antemano
How does the brain work then? Or, does it? By Czarina V. Budayao
Two ways to uniqueness By John T. Baldwin, L. James Gibson, and Jerry D. Thomas
The Beyond Imagination series ends
6
FQ: An Important 21st Century Skill By Rose Fres Fausto
How to teach kids to create and manage wealth
Coming up… Dr. Hans Diehl and Lifestyle Medicine • My Kuya, Now My Bana • Jetlag and Sleep • Technology and Teaching • Kitchen Tipid Tips • School vs. Student’s Facebook • A Clan’s Breadwinner
SUBSCRIBERS SECTION By Ryan J. Martinez
COLUMNS 3 Subscribers Section
A Good Teacher
By Ryan J. Martinez
A Good Teacher
4 Passion and Purpose By Lucile B. Tañalas
Exercising Without Exercising?
5 iContact 9 Consult Your Lawyer By Atty. Silvino L. Sumagaysay, Jr.
Marital Disqualification
24 Echoes of Life By Nomer M. Benavidez
The Games Millennials Play
25 Dear Doctor By Linda L. Varona
Painful Urination and STI
30 Personal Answers By Arnold C. Serra
When It’s Time to Let Go
37 Food for the Family By Miriam R. Estrada
Famealy Planning
43 Word for the World By Mark Jubilee M. Matira
Fake News and Good News
44 Children’s Corner By Janet R. Tolete
Are There Roads in the Sky?
ABOUT THE COVER
Fun Way to Be Fit. Exercise is never boring when with friends you’re running and shouting, playing and laughing. Photos in this issue are by rogeRGSabio unless credited otherwise. Cover photo from 123rf.com
G
uests from Zambales recently came to visit the Editorial Department. One of them was Efren B. Fiao-ag, 62, a retired teacher and a Health & Home subscriber for more than 20 years. Eager to meet the staff of the magazine he has been reading, Teacher Efren admitted to being a fan of our Photo Editor, Rogelio G. Sabio. He came along with Joseph Paule, the Health & Home sales representative who introduced the magazine while Teacher Efren was teaching at Subic National High School in the same year that Mt. Pinatubo erupted (1991). “Health & Home is one of a kind,” he answered quickly when asked about what he thought of the magazine. “Every article, trivial or not, has substance. It feels like all articles are especially written for me.” As a former English teacher, he extended the inputs he got from Health & Home to his class. He particularly likes family and teenage-life features. He would
take time to write on the board every thought he gleaned from his readings for his students to see and comment on in class. “Look at this, what is the impact of this one in your life?” He would usually begin. “What about this thought? Do you think it is true? What can you say about it?” Thus he created an atmosphere of critical thinking and open discussion among his students. “I hope and pray that my students will always make the right choices in life and become successful,” he related. Having formed the habit of reading every page of the magazine, Teacher Efren shared his assessment: “I just feel satisfied. I like Health & Home the way it is. But if you can do more to make it better, good. I cannot think of anything negative to say. That’s why I remain a subscriber for two decades now. I am with you all the way.” He then suggested a few possible topics for future issues such as surviving internet addiction and the effect of parents using gadgets as virtual babysitters for their children. Most importantly, Teacher Efren believes that Health & Home helped him know God more, especially when he had a stroke in 2015. His life experiences have taught him that God provides. He further appreciates the spiritual aspect of the magazine as it reminds him that the Lord is taking good care of him. “God is in Health & Home,” he said smiling. Ryan Jabalon Martinez is an editorial assistant of Health & Home.
Health & Home January-February 2018
3
Grace
in the Act
Of Shifting and Sifting By RUBELYN D.P. GAA
From church school
“There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book,” a saying goes. In my case, I opt to turn the pages and wait for more stories to be written. My life as a working mom went on with three kids to attend to and a workaholic husband to consider, until I felt a sense of dissatisfaction with my career. I was supposed to be a high school teacher, but there I was teaching elementary in a church-run school. After nine years of teaching, I bade our school goodbye.
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To state university
It was not an easy decision, but I knew God was with me. That same year He opened a new door for me when I got accepted as a teacher in a state university, in the area where my husband was assigned. Wow! I couldn’t believe that was happening! Since it’s a secular environment, my prayer was that I could shine for Jesus no matter what. (I’d like to believe I did.) That was the peak of my career, so to say. Being a high school and college instructor fulfilled my need for self-actualization.
photo/123rf.com
B
eing married to a minister was not something I had on my wish list. Yet, here I am, at a young age, embracing the life of the bravest. Why bravest? Because who would dare give birth to her eldest child without a husband, because he’s attending to a more important appointment? Who would dare endure the pain of labor with her second child, again without a husband, because he chose to assist his team of literature evangelists with their book deliveries? Who would dare rush her sick kid to a hospital alone, because her minister-husband was in the middle of a very important meeting? Yes, those were just but some of the many struggles I faced in our early years of marriage. Back then, I didn’t understand my husband’s work. Later, I realized that I do not own his time. Had it not been for my mother’s advice and God’s constant guidance, I could have called it quits.
Teen Life
Growing and Changing By MATTHEW BRYCE E. GALVE
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January-February 2018
I will try to address three problems that have affected me the most, giving my own views on why and how I deal with them.
Peer pressure
I believe that everyone has been involved in this in more ways than one. I can’t even recall how many spur-of-the-moment decisions I’ve made just so I can please my peers, against my better judgment. There are times when I become overly conscious about how others see me. Sometimes I think that by imitating others I will fit into society. But no matter how similar my friends and I are, we always have differences. It took me quite awhile to realize that. When conflict arises, I find some teens choose to compromise their own beliefs and identity just to be accepted by their temporal peers. I see how this could potentially serve as a bridge to smoking and the use of alcohol or even illegal drugs in the name of friendship. This is not to mention
the woeful effects to academic performance. I tried to make everyone happy but only to my dismay. My future can only be secured through my own choices and definitely not through others’. When I feel alone, I turn to my family and to God. They are the best source of strength I need. They are always there for me.
Music
I love music so much. I’m speaking as a native of it. But then I began to ask myself, “How would I know the music I listen to is good for me or not?” Music is commonly used in entertainment in the same way it is used to enhance church worship experience. It can soothe me when I am feeling down. So music is good, but it can also be bad. As I’ve personally experienced, music triggers a wide spectrum of emotions—from happiness to sadness and everything else in
photo/123rf.com
I
’m 16. Whether I like it or not, I’m changing. I used to be a toddler, when life was so much fun and easier. Now, I have to deal with mood shifts and different kinds of pressure. One moment I feel like talking, the next I prefer to be left alone. Some folks question most of my “actions.” Some say they understand, but I know they never will. I have met several adults who have had varied opinions and perspectives on their own teen years. Some said those were the best and finest years of their lives; others opined with negativity. Despite all the differences in opinion as to what adolescence is, everyone agrees that we, teenagers, are heavily influenced by our hormones. These changes can be confusing, which I am trying to cope with. I admit I have underestimated these effects to my whole person, and because of that I have faced many problems, most of which resulted from wrong decisions.
Rambling in Romblon Text and photos by JETHRUDE F. HIPOLITO
W
ho doesn’t want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life? Who isn’t tired of the crowd, noise, pollution, and traffic? Well, Metro Manila didn’t rank third among cities in Asia that had been slowed down by traffic congestion for nothing! That’s why my family and I looked forward to going on vacation in Odiongan, which is located in the mid-western part of Tablas Island in Romblon. In case you didn’t know, Tablas is the largest and one of the major islands in Romblon, the Marble Capital of the Philippines.
Island mommas
In October last year, Mom Weng, Tita Si, cousin Shey, and I boarded a ferry from Batangas to Odiongan for our much-anticipated family vacation. We opted to travel via boat through the Roll-on/ Roll-off system (RORO) even if it would take us eight hours at sea. Yeah, it felt like an eternity for cousin Shey and me. Actually, there are regular airline trips from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Tugdan Airport, which is just an hour away from our ancestral house in Odiongan. But being proud island girls themselves, Mom and Tita just loved the boat ride, the gusts of wind, and the blue water.
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Sky, sand, and sea
During that vacation, I met the coolest kiteboarding instructor ever—Kuya Cocoy of Yalla Adventure. He taught me the basics of kiteboarding, especially the safety procedures one needs to know before riding the board. Since it was not yet “kiteboarding season” at that time, we explored the entire Odiongan like
A Sister’s Strokes Speak in Silence By PROMISE JOY C. DE CASTRO and JANET R. TOLETE
W
hat can a loving 8-year-old sister do to help her 4-year-old brother who has difficulty hearing? Paint? For Yonah Francheska de Castro Toledo, why not? Little Chek is the oldest of three children born to Mommy Louraffy, a nurse, and Daddy Francisco Jr., an architect. Four years after she was born came Rafaelo Franco or Buboy, and two years after him, Ava Franchesi or Ava.
The singer
Chek’s family knew she’d be a good singer someday. When she was still a (cry) baby, she could stage a whole-day concert once she lost sight of her mom. At 3, she started singing solo at church. Later, she became part of “Advent Kids,” a children’s chorale at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Legazpi City. Showing interest in music, she was enrolled in piano lessons. Now she can play with both hands.
The talker
At 4, Chek went to a Smart Reader class, finished at the top, and recited a five-minute valedictory speech. Knowing Bicol, Tagalog, and English, the young girl can be a glib talker. Delivering punch lines from television shows she has watched is a regular part of her everyday antics. Chek can talk to people of all ages and seems to know how to be a part of any conversation.
The painter
The girl’s first love, however, is painting. At the same time that she started singing, she also began tracing pictures
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on pillowcases. Her first recognizable drawing: a ball gown. Despite her graceful strokes, Chek initially felt hesitant to show her art pieces to others outside the family. When her mom tried posting one on Facebook, she objected at once. She mentioned that she only got a grade of 76 in her Art class at Albay Elementary School–Special Science Elementary School. Yet every time she completed something, her proud mom posted it right away. Chek would always remind Mom not to do so, because her classmates paint better than she does. Her reservations disappeared, however, when the family met a crisis.
The brother
Buboy silently watched Ate Chek, amazed at every height she reached. The family waited for him to utter a word of appreciation but to no avail. He wouldn’t say a word—until earlier this year. He was diagnosed with “profound hearing loss.”
Sports:
A Fun Way to Exercise By LUCILE B. TAÑALAS
Y
ou like to exercise but you find situps, lunges, and crunches boring. Why not get into sports? It’s a fun way to sweat and burn calories, besides being packed with health benefits—physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. The running, jumping, and other physical movements provide great body workout. The laughter, cheers, and camaraderie, on the other hand, are good for the heart. In fact, Hippocrates said, “Sports is the preserver of health.” So, put on your sportswear and sweat your way to health.
Basketball
Cardio workout
Basketball gets your heart pumping and forces your body to use its lungs to full capacity. It causes your heart to pump blood out to the arteries, delivering nutrients such as oxygen to your body’s working muscles and cells. Playing regularly will make your heart more efficient in delivering a more ample supply of nourishment to working muscles and tissue with less stress.—https://healthfully.com
Badminton Agility
The shuttlecock has a top speed of 201 mph [323 kph]. You have to be physically swift to reach the shuttlecock and mentally agile to work out where to move to return it and how to hit it to win. The combined agility of mind and body breeds fantastic body reflexes and advances the ability to process thoughts and accurately develop a plan of action both on and off court.—http://
active.sweatband.com/fitness
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Cycling Pure fun
When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.—Arthur Conan Doyle, British writer
Are There Roads in the Sky? By JANET R. TOLETE
Cars drive through roads and follow traffic rules. Do planes do the same? How do pilots know where to go? Are there also stoplights and traffic aides in the sky?
Safe skies
When planes were first invented, they could almost freely fly anywhere. A pilot then used his eyes, maps, watch, landmarks, and math skills to know how to go to his destination. But as more and more people rode airplanes to go from one place to another, there were also more and more chances of accidents happening. So for safety, authorities around the world decided to be stricter in controlling and supporting air travel. They also keep finding ways to make flying safer.
High ways
Believe it or not, there are air routes or highways in the sky. These are usually the shortest, cheapest, and safest routes from one airport to another. Often these paths are straight lines on a map when they cover short distances. The lines look curved, however, for longer routes because the Earth is round. Thousands of airplanes take these air routes every day around the globe. Some of them are from one country to another (international), while others are just within one country (domestic). The busiest international air route, based on a survey done in July 2017, was between Hong Kong and Taipei with an average of 80 flights per day. For domestic routes, Korea holds the record as flights between Seoul and Jeju Island logged at about 200 every day.
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Signals as signs
Car drivers have street signs to guide them along the way. They can also hit gutters when they wander off the road. This is not the case for airplanes, though. It is easier for planes to get lost in the empty sky. Getting lost is very dangerous for airplanes because they may run out of fuel, hit another object, or enter a danger zone. Because of this, pilots need to check their position against their flight path frequently. For the longest time, aircraft have been using radio signals coming from beacons or towers scattered across their route as their guide.
Point to point
Planes have receivers that indicate their distance and position from the nearest radio tower. Before they leave the scope of one tower, they start receiving radio signals from the next one. They do this until they land. These signals help them determine how they are moving compared to waypoints or coordinates (invisible points) in the sky.
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