Got Hooked: Crochet your way out of stress; a thread

PLANTS

AS THE PERFECT

PANDEMIC PALS. Louie Margarette Milla I Writer

With everyone trying to find ways to cope in these trying times, people have discovered a new friend that will fill the voids in not just our social lives, but also our homes. Nesproves mood and reduces anxiety. interacting with plants can also relieve physical and emotional stress through the cardiovascular system lowering blood pressure while fostering calming and comforting feelings. It’s been long confirmed by science that connecting with indoor or outdoor plants can help to ease depressive symptoms. tled into little pots are our newest companion, houseplants. The influx of engagement in in-house gardening has resulted in new jargon that you may see every day. “Plantito” for males and “Plantita” for females, clever nicknames that combine the word plants with tito (uncle) and tita (aunt) that are used to address plant parents in the time of the pandemic. And being a plantito or plantita comes with several benefits. Aside from the beautification it gives your space, having plants to take care of inside your home has been proven to bring significant benefits to your physical, emotional, and mental health. Having indoor plants doesn’t just fill your house with a therapeutic feel, but also quite literally improves the air quality you and your family consume in your space. Scientists have detected over 300 pollutants known as volatile organic compounds that indoor plants can help eliminate. There are various plants to choose from. a lot of plants to choose from. The most famous ones include Pothos plants, which are also called air purifiers. Known best for removing toxins and pollutants from the air in your home. With its reputation as the easiest pot plant to grow, photos plants are highly recommended for rookie Plantito or

Plantita. Mayana is also a pandemic favorite, known not only for its colorful but also for its medicinal effects. The leaves of this therapeutic herb can be used to relieve headaches, disinfect wounds, and reduce swelling. Also, one common plant is Aloe vera, a succulent that can treat skin wounds by cutting off its leaves and cleansing the air at the same time. They are durable and easy to care for. Snake plants are low maintenance plants known for providing a strong protective aura in your home. One unique thing about this plant is it can convert PANDEMIC PANDEMIC What’s better than a hug? … Hugging your

PANDEMIC PETS NOT ALL HEROES fur best carbon dioxide into oxygen even at nighttime. Therefore, even if you live in an enclosed space that has no air flow, snake plants can purify the oxygen you consume. WEAR CAPES, Regardless of how plants vary from the aesthetic appeal it provides, medicinal gain and level of maintenance it requires, all plants grant their cultivator psychological benefits. A study has discovered a bacterium called Mycobacterium vaccae in plant soil that stimulates the secretion of serotonin, a chemical messenger that imOTHERS HAVE PAWS Due to the travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic, we have little to no opportunity to see nature and feel the relaxing ambience of the mountains, forests, and ocean. Having plants inside your homes has served as an alternative way to be closer to nature. It can also act as a reminder of T he pandemic hit us hard in our social life, thus, many people resolved this gap by owning a pet with cats and dogs being the most common domesticated animals that also have the positive experiences and emotions we used to freely experience in pub- the highest rate of adoption, particularly, this panlic green spaces, giving us that sense of normalcy we’ve been desperate for. demic. Numerous shelters from around the world have been emptied for the first time! Moreover, the Being trapped inside your dwellings makes it so Philippines was recorded as the highest in Southeasy to feel lonely. Fortunately, these household east Asia in terms of interest in owning a pet. Are plants have served as our new friends to lessen you one of them, too? Whether you already have one the feeling of being isolated. One of the things or are still deciding to be an official paw-parent, let’s that is special about being a plantito or plantita look further on how our pets play their roles, not is that, unlike the other pandemic trends, taking just during the pandemic, but, in our personal lives.care of plants is more than just a fad. It needs investment, effort, and commitment for the long Multiple problems brought by the pandemic and lockdowns, plus, term. It is something that you should be con- working/ studying at home are our major challenges these days. sistent about. Plants require connections with Many people could vouch that a simple cuddle from their pet is a them, and we all know how being connected to time-out well spent. Based on surveys conducted by American Pet others is one of the necessities we currently seek. Products Association (APPA), 72% of pet owners agree that spending time with their pet helps reduce their stress and increase their sense Nowadays where we feel stuck in this seem- of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, but, ‘why’ and ‘how’ you ingly incessant demotivating cycle, cultivating ask? Well, simply petting your pet, lowers the stress hormone—corour little green friends has become something tisol while increasing the level of feel-good hormone—oxytocin. This that we look forward to every day. Simple ges- also results in lower or healthier blood pressure. Another survey also tures like watering and tending to the plants can showed that 84% of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients be our motivator on getting up day by day. Car- paired with a service dog exhibited a significant drop in symptoms ing for another living entity can give us a true and 40% were able to decrease their medication. It’s also evident that sense of purpose and feel better about ourselves. owning a pet eases loneliness and depression. Studies show that These plants, as small as they may be, can con- pet owners tend to have better self-esteem and pets show greater tribute to a huge improvement in one’s well-being. social support than humans in combatting depression, in addition,

Cybel Ranan I Writer raising and caring for a pet provides a sense of responsibility and purpose to its paw-parent. Not to mention, animal lovers have a huge community! So, it’s a great way to meet new people with the same interests as yours. Not all heroes wear capes, indeed, some of them have paws and fur waiting to be petted. In the Philippines, interest in owning a pet also rose dramatically during the pandemic which topped the list among the countries in Southeast Asia (SEA) on the most frequent searches on where and how to adopt animals with an increase of 118% according to a study conducted by iPrice. While owning a pet is fun, as we can see, there’s a lot more to it. They’re your responsibility and multiple years of commitment. Fortunately, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASCPA) released data that shows a vast majority of households in America alone, that owned a pet during the pandemic, still have those pets and has no intentions of returning them to the shelters – 90% for dogs and 85% for cats. Still, the latter percentages show that there are numbers of pets being surrendered again to the shelters for some reason. This is why considering your decisions in adopting a pet should be seen as a long-term choice and goal. https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/10/

Lastly, let’s highlight adopting animals from the shelters other than buying one. They could be the sweetest and the ones that crave a new home and a family considering the situations that got them there. Adopting also is cheaper but helps the animal welfare organizations a lot in providing a safe and loving environment for our fur-friends without homes yet. So, guess what? Chances are, there’s someone waiting for you in one of the shelters nearby to be picked and loved with you—as its forever home.