MyThoughts

My sweet Julia has been so funny and adorable lately… she’s trying to communicate (whether it’s by talking to us, talking on the phone or talking to herself). She’s only 1yr and 3mos so understandably, she’s struggling with words. Here are the words she speaks:

=> pa-pa (for daddy dear)
=> ba-ba (for byebye)
=> boo (for book, ball, toys and i mean, anything under the sun, hehe)
=> ma-ma (the sweetest word that she mumbles when she’s so hurt or she wants me badly)
=> ah-der (for up girl)
=> a-po (for apple)
=> uh-uh (when pointing to something)
=> deh (for there)
=> isss (as in yes with matching hand raise if she successfully jumps out of bed or takes a slightly inclined or challenging step)
=> and best of all, she speaks japanese if she really wants to talk but doesn’t know the right words to say…

Ooh, I can’t wait to hear her say “I LOVE YOU, MAMA!”….

In connection to my previous blog, here’s an article on how to strengthen our immune system… quite long but it’s worth a read. I’m glad to know that there’s no specific sleeping time, as long as I sleep 7-8hrs a day, hehe! Seriously, I think sleeping before 11pm is the best habit… I read that our liver starts rejuvenating at this time. So even if we sleep 10hrs straight if it’s past 11pm, it’s still not acceptable.

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At a time when people are exposed to more than 200 different cold viruses, several strains of the flu, and hosts of allergens, having a healthy immune system is more important than ever before. Still, modern life constantly challenges immune function, which is why public health officials offer this important advice: don’t take your immune system for granted.

What can you do to ensure that your immune system is healthy and ready to shield your body from infection? Here is what you need to know:

1. Find Ways to Relax

Because stress produces many different effects on the endocrine systems, including the well-known “fight or flight” response, scientists hypothesize that your immune system may become weakened after frequent activation of the autonomic nervous system in the case of chronic stresses. There are a number of techniques to help you relax, such as deep breathing or yoga, which can reduce mental and physical stress, tension and anxiety, promote good sleep, lower blood pressure and slow down your heart rate. Listening to music also reduces stress and relieves anxiety, as does relaxing in a hot bath.

2. Sleep Matters.

Besides leaving you feeling sluggish, irritable, and forgetful, not getting enough sleep can reduce the effectiveness of your immune system by up to 50 percent. This is because sleep time is when the body and immune system do most of its repairs and rejuvenation. Strive to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Remember rest and relaxation go hand in hand.

3. Feed Your Immune System Well.

According to a number of studies, not getting enough nutrients in the diet can weaken the immune system. That is why nutritionists recommend a -well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Of special importance are foods that are rich in antioxidants (like vitamins C, E, beta carotene and lycopene), omega-3 fatty acids, and folate. Antioxidants fight and neutralize free radicals, which are molecules that damage cells and cause heart disease, cancer and premature aging. Omega-3 fatty acids (a polyunsaturated fat) have anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular-enhancing and immune-regulating properties while folate prevents age-related cognitive decline, damage to blood vessels and brain cells.

4. Get Physically Active

Being physically active — which means walking, climbing stairs, dancing, and other activity that involves movement — strengthens your immune system, cardiovascular system, heart, muscles and bones. Being active also stimulates the release of endorphins, improves mental functioning, concentration/attention and cognitive performance, and lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, cortisol and other stress hormones.

5. Lose Weight in a Healthy Way

If you are overweight, losing weight is a healthy thing to do. But research finds that a rapid weight loss of more than 2 pounds a week can have negative immune effects. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), successful weight loss is typically losing about 10 percent of your body weight in six months. Towards this end, experts recommend losing about 3/4 to 2 pounds per week and not more than 3 pounds per week (weight loss may be faster at the start of a program). When it comes to successful weight loss and weight management, steady and slow is the way to go.

6. Wash Your Hands

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of microorganisms that cause infections is good hand hygiene. Washing your hands with soap and water several times per day and always before you eat greatly reduces your exposure to bacteria and viruses. In case you cannot wash with soap and water when you are away from home, carry some alcohol-based hand wipes with you to control microbial exposure and transmission.

7. Don’t Get Too Much Sun

Unprotected sun exposure is linked with immune suppression. That is why cold sores often appear following time spent in the sun. To protect your immune system, always wear a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.

8. Take Advantage of Immune-Supporting Supplementation

A balanced diet containing fruits, vegetables and whole grains is important to keep the immune system functioning effectively. But many Americans have nutritionally deficient diets, which is why it is now possible to take supplements containing herbs that have immunoactive properties. This means the herbs work in combination to naturally increase the body’s production of interferon, the protein that triggers the body’s immune system to mount an immune response.

Some of the botanicals with these immune-boosting properties are pumpkin seed extract, plantago seed, safflower flower, and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds.

I am one nocturnal creature… I can’t fall asleep easily. I’ve been trying to change my clock lately because my Julia seems to adjust to my pattern and I believe, it lowers our immunity. Last night, I did not watch tv (ok, just until 12mn), turned my notebook off and tried to sleep. Sadly, my mind kept wandering from one thought to another… what will be my itinerary tomorrow? What will be my menu for this week? What time will I wash Julia’s bottles, etc, etc. All of a sudden, I heard my hubby snoring and I remembered him asking me to record it so he can listen to it (sorry bunch, you’re secret is not safe anymore… don’t worry, a lot of men snore and besides, I find it adorable and it has become music to my ears! hehe…). Yes, my hubby’s snoring has been a delight to me… I know that’s strange but it’s because it assures me that he is completely asleep and rested. He’s as nocturnal as I am even if he works 15hrs a day on the average… can you imagine how he can manage?? His excuse: watching TV relaxes him… what?!

It led me wondering at 2am, why do men snore more than women do? I’ve done a little research and this is what I found out:

1- When men put on weight they tend to put it on around the neck area whereas women put on weight around the hips. The fatty tissue around the neck literally squeezes the airway closed so air can’t pass through smoothly. It tends to hit the structures within the throat and vibrate them which causes the noise we know as snoring.

2- Women have a slightly different airway anatomy to men. They have a wider airway (as in circumference) so if there is any obstruction there’s a chance the air passing through will not be as likely to hit the structures as it would in a man. Additionally, a woman’s airway is less prone to collapse than a man’s airway and it works in her favour as far as snoring is concerned.

3- In general, women tend not to smoke and drink as much as men and therefore don’t suffer the snoring consequences.

4- Pregnant women tend to snore because the blood flow around the nasal area can increase, which causes the lining of the nose and throat to swell. This makes breathing more difficult so there would be a tendency to sleep with the mouth open giving rise to snoring.

This clearly explains why women snore less, poor men… tsk, tsk!

See, sleeping late is not entirely that bad… my mind gets to think ; )

*** No photos for this blog, my hubby will kill me if I post his pix while he was asleep (though I would love to), hehe…

Just when I thought I was so patient and persistent in taking care of my dear Julia, a very good friend of mine (Maricar) who is in China with her family happened to tell me her recent experience with her son, Elisha Joey (EJ) and suddenly my self-perspective as a mom changed.

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Background of the story: Maricar is planning to enroll EJ in China as she will teach English for a few hours while her husband (Joey) is working fulltime.

And now the full story (copy-pasted from one of our skype conversations): at first when the head teacher knew that Elisha was only 22months, she was hesitant. But then maybe just to accommodate us, she showed us the book. She’s a chinese that knows how to speak English well…When she showed me the book, ABC ila topic for 4 year old kids. So I waited for her to finish then she asked, DO YOU THINK HE CAN ALREADY HANDLE THESE LESSONS? hihi..I was very very excited to show off EJ’s talent!!! So I told her, WATCH! So i started pointing the letters and the objects to Elisha and guess what?! HE PERFECTED EVERYTHING!!! even their school’s name nga all capital letters sa book,
PERFECT ANG SPELLING!!! pati ang colors and shapes!!! She got so impressed that she told me, OH PLS. WAIT, I’LL CALL MY HEAD MASTER SO SHE CAN DECIDE! haha…abi nila ha!

* Note- some terms are in our native dialect, Ilonggo…

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EJ might be gifted… but that did not strike me more than the thought of Maricar’s persistence and dedication in training her son despite her busy schedule as she used to be an english teacher to the koreans. I’ve shared this story with my hubby and I got the same reaction… “See, that’s because Maricar is persistent in teaching her son!”… he said I should be encouraged but truth is, I am pressured thinking that it is also possible for Julia to learn ABC’s at an early age. I assessed myself on how I train Julia… she never had a schedule. No learning time, no playtime, no sleep curfews, etc etc. Everything is done on HER time, what she wants to do at a certain period… am I wrong? We are not spoiling her, it’s just that I don’t want her to have a fixed schedule, hehe…

So, while I was preparing our lunch, the idea of seriously teaching her keeps nagging at me. I justified, “Julia never listens, she doesn’t want to be taught, she will just cry and get mad.” But then, my conscience asked me, “Is it really Julia you’re worried about? Or is it yourself, afraid that you might not have enough patience and persistence?” I hate admitting this but the answer is, I am afraid to take the challenge which I fully understand that I have to. It’s not the ABC’s or the shapes and colors that she learns but instilling in her the idea of excellence at an early age as the main objective.

I’m sure glad I have a friend who encourages me and reminds me on how my Julia should be raised up and who cares for her, too. I may never produce an EJ but I can try… besides, my Julia is just as perfect as she is = )

You have been a blessing to me, Car and I’m glad God has bound us together despite the distance, that’s true friendship. I miss you, dear… I’m sure, you miss me more ; )

P.S.: I still don’t agree on fixed marriage, hahaha…

I’ve been dying to write about who I think are the top 4 most desirable men… I am just delaying it for a while because I want to publish it on Father’s Day but I can’t contain my excitement any longer so tadaaaa… here goes!

My pick:

#4 Joseph Wong - He is my brother dearest… very handsome and a certified hunkie. In his teenage years, habulin sya ng chicks and a very happy go lucky lad… when I went to his school with him, everyone’s calling him “WONG!”, of course, I turned around too because I also carry the surname Wong that time, hihi… that is how known he was to his batch and to the girls but when he got married and had a beautiful daughter, KC, everything changed. HIs life turned upside down. And surprisingly, he became very responsible and mature, always prioritizing KC’s needs. This hunkie turned to be a cool dad and a loving husband, never embarassed of what he’ll do to meet his family’s needs. This made him my #4 pick. “Dear Bro, you’ve got a long way to go but I know you can handle everything well… Manang loves you, mwaah!”

#3 Ulysses Palacios - My dad-in-law… he’s an ilonggo like me so he must be sweet, too… hehe. I knew him better because of my hubby’s stories and most importantly, because of what my hubby has become. This man is a disciplinarian but a loving dad, manually extracting nose discharges from his children for them to sleep well when they’re sick… amazing, right? He may be strict during his children’s growing years but now, he is the kind of dad that never meddles with his children’s affairs, trusting them of their decisions and on rearing his grandchildren. He is indeed a good pick.

#2 Antonio Wong, Sr. - Needless to say, he’s my popsy… this man taught me to be a fighter for life, never to be a quitter… our family life has it’s ups and downs but he never gave up. We’ll, he actually dislikes family gatherings because he is more of a “barkadista” type, if he goes to a family affair, he tags along one or two of his buddies or he doesn’t attend at all. I used to hate him for this but as I mature, I learn to accept him as everyone has his flaws. The important thing is, he loves us so dearly and he is willing to compromise… one very unforgettable event was during my wedding… I thought we will have a hard time convincing him to wear his coat and tie and to go to the hotel prior to the wedding for pictorial but to my glee, he was there early and he was furious because my brothers were late!!! Up until the party ended, he stayed with us, his barkadas 20meters away. I love my dad, I may not show it consistently but he’s been my hero all along… gosh, I’m crying! I need to stop describing this awesome man…

#1 Immanuel Palacios - My Hubby… the hunk I chose to marry and live with for the rest of my life, for better or worse, in sickness and in health. He is a man of principles and convictions… a good provider… to some, he may appear meek and yes, that’s true in the sense that he is full of self control, patience and a gentle spirit but not true in the sense that a NO is never a YES or a CAN BE to him. In short, he is decisive and strong-willed. He means what he says and says what he means. Ooh, but he sometimes cave in to Julia’s cravings… he can’t resist his sweet little girl who looks exactly like him, to the bones = ( Unlike any other typical guy, he helps me with my household chores and he is NEVER ashamed of this as he is not a stereotype. See, it takes a REAL MAN to go beyond what is expected of him. By the way, I should say this… he is gwapo with breeding… you should see his muscles na walang ka-effort effort, hehe… the main reason I married him, haha… of course not! I married him because I love him but I know he loves me more ; ) I salute you, bunch… you are the man!!!! I love you beyond words = )

Happy Father’s Day… we only live once so let’s make this day extra special. God bless us!

The idea of being a working mom is lurking within me lately… I miss having responsillities, challenges and even the stress that a job may give me. Not to mention of course, the added compensation that we will benefit from. I’m NEVER ever a careerwoman and it was my dream to be a full time mom but there comes a point that I want a temporary career shift. Of course, my husband wouldn’t want me to because he wants us to be together as a family and besides, when Julia goes to school, he says I can work if I want to, provided of course, we have another child to justify the need for extra income. The additional child, I have no qualms because I love children.

Anyway, I thought about my purpose of working and the main reason is NOT so valid… extra income + self-fulfillment < child-rearing + complete family. Simple equation that I had come up with which I am happy to discover. Furthermore, my friend’s blog has validated this equation… it’s not anymore about me but God’s will for me and my family. I would want Julia to be a God-fearing woman and a loving daughter so what better way but to be a hands on mom… I want my marriage to last, free from temptations so needless to say, we have to be together as much as possible.

Therefore, the hidden desire vanished… I am once again a contented homemaker… and a working mom with an even greater responsibility = ) Besides, I work 24/7… who’s tougher than that?