March to May is vacation time and fiesta season in the country. To avoid food poisoning, diarrhea, heat-associated ailments and recreation-associated injuries, the public is advised to take the following precautions.

Food and Water-borne Diseases

o Typhoid
o Cholera
o Hepatitis A
o Food Poisoning
o Other Diarrheas

Sore Eyes
Measles (Tigdas)
Mosquito-borne Diseases

o Dengue
o Malaria

Other Conditions

o Sunburn
o Prickly Heat

Health Tips

Food and drinks

• Cook food properly.
• Preferably, foods must be eaten immediately after cooking (while still hot).
• Left-over food should be refrigerated and reheated before being eaten.
• Food handlers should wash their hands before and after food preparation.
• If sick, you should avoid preparing food for others.
• Avoid drinking water and iced beverages of doubtful quality.
• If water quality is doubtful, boil your drinking water for at least 2 minutes.
• Peel and wash fruits / vegetables before eating.
• Wash hands before and after eating.

At the beach

• Do not allow children to swim without the company of an adult who can swim and is not drunk.
• Avoid staying under the sun with scanty clothes for more than 3 hours as this predisposes to sunburn, heat exhaustion and the worst, heat stroke.
• Should you want a tan, drink plenty of fluids so as not to dehydrate yourself.

While on the road

• Check your vehicle very well before going on a trip.
• Bring your repair kit with you.
• When drunk, never attempt to drive.

source: doh.gov.ph

March is “supposed” to be the Fire Prevention Month and yet, in reality, fire happens in numbers during this month.

The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention month is “Sustaining Fire Prevention Thru Active Community Participation.”

As a member of a community and being a parent, we should educate ourselves not only knowing the tips on how to prevent fire but always be on alert to save lives and properties as well.
According to Bureau of Fire Protection, “Every year, more than 100 Filipinos die in home fires. Thousands more suffer with the loss of house and valuables while hundreds are injured by fire.” It is also written on their website that:

If a fire occurs in your home, your chances of survival will depend on how quickly and safety you are able to get out. This site gives you advice on how to prevent a fire, and how to protect yourself should one occur.

As such, the Bureau of Fire Protection provided the following home and life-saving tips specifically for us parents:

• Put phone numbers of fire department near phone.
• Eliminate fire hazards through goods housekeeping. Dispose waste paper, rubbish, and other flammable materials regularly.
• Keep matches out of the children’s reach.
• Oil or gas lamps and candles should be placed away from curtains. Do not put them where the wind, children or pets may topple them. Put out the flame before going to bed.
• Do not keep flammable materials like gasoline, alcohol, and paint inside the house.
• Regularly check your electrical installations, and have all frayed wirings and electrical fixtures changed or repaired by a licensed electrician.
• Do not overload electrical circuits by putting additional lights and appliances.
• Blown fuses should not be replaced with coins, wires, or any metal.
• Never leave a lit cigarette/cigar/pipe unattended-it may fall on flammable materials which could start a fire.

Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

We can prevent fire by being alert and putting the fire prevention measures in place. Prevention and safety are concerns of everyone, not only firemen.

EXPO KID @the Rockwell Tent on March 6, 2010!

After getting postponed last October due to Ondoy, the very first EXPO KID will be held this March 6, Sunday from 10am to 8pm at the Rockwell Tent.

You may be asking:  What do this expo have store for you mommies this time?

A LOT, actually.  And as the title suggests, they’ve got a lot in store not only for mommies but for your kids this time!

The whole idea of EXPO KID is really to showcase the best that is out there for children these days- from the most fun and interesting products, the best kids activity providers today (the best source for ideas for summer activities for your children), entertainment for your kid/s’ parties, and so much more.

If you’re a mom who believes learning can be fun; If you give importance to harnessing your kids’ creativity, exposing them to as many different things as possible so they can discover their talents and passions in life; then troop over to the Rockwell tent on March 6 and come to Expo Kid with your family and prepare yourself for a day of discoveries.

Entrance to Expo Kid is 25 pesos which goes to  MomShare beneficiary- The Kids Ahoy Little Rescue Missions. Kids below 12 years of age get in free.  Donations of art materials, school supplies and books will be collected at the gate for our MomShare cause.

for more info: visit http://expomom.wordpress.com/

Photo of the author of the book

You may have heard (or, heh, realized), that it’s more difficult for women to lose fat than men. Immediately most people think it must be estrogen or hormonal issues. But perhaps the biggest factor is NOT hormones, but the simple fact that women are usually smaller and lighter than men.

When you have a smaller body, you have lower calorie needs. When you have lower calorie needs, your relative deficit (20%, 30% etc) gives you a smaller absolute deficit and therefore you lose fat more slowly than someone who is larger and can create a large deficit more easily.

For example, if my TDEE is 3300 calories a day (I’m 5′ 8″ and moderately to very active), then a 20% deficit is 660 calories, which brings me to 2640 calories a day. On paper, that will give me about 1.3 lbs of wt loss per week, rather painlessly, I might add.

If I bumped my calorie burn up or decreased my intake by another 340 a day, that’s enough to give me a 2 lbs per week wt loss.

That’s hardly a starvation diet (Ahhh, the joys of being a man). For smaller women, the math equation is very different.

If your total daily energy expenditure is only 1970 calories, even at a VERY high exercise level, then a 20% deficit for you is only 394 calories which would put you at 1576 calories a day for (on paper) only 8/10th of a lb of fat loss/wk.

If you pursued your plan to take a more aggressive calorie deficit of 30%, that puts you at a 591 calorie deficit which would now drop you down to only 1382 calories/day.

That’s starting to get fairly low in calories. However, you would still have a fairly small calorie deficit. In fact, I would get to eat almost twice as many calories as you and I’d still get almost twice the weekly rate of fat loss!

What this all means is that women who are petite or have a small body size are going to lose fat more slowly than larger women and much more slowly than men, so you cannot compare yourself to them.

It’s great to be inspired by our success stories, but if you’re looking for someone to model yourself after, choose one of our success stories of someone your body size and wt, rather than the folks who started 100 lbs overweight and were therefore easily dropping 3 lbs a week.

ONE POUND a week of fat loss is much more in line with a realistic goal for someone of a smaller body size. Overweight people can lose it faster. The best thing you can do is to be extremely consistent with your nutrition over time.

Suggestion #1: Weigh and measure all your food any time you feel you are stuck at a plateau, just to be sure. When your calorie expenditure is on the low side, you don’t have much margin for error.

Suggestion #2: Take your body comp measurements with a grain of salt, especially if you are using Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) scales (they are a bit wonky) and remember that body comp testing is seldom perfect. Pay attention to your circumference measurements, how your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror and in photos as well.

Suggestion #3: You might actually want to take fewer refeeds – once a week instead of every 4th day, or even just once every 10-14 days, so you can get a larger weekly deficit.

Suggestion #4: You may want to take 2 or 3 of your long cardio sessions on the treadmill and switch them to intense intervals or ANY other type of activity that has potential to burn more than 362 calories for an hour’s investment of time, or perhaps that equivalent calorie burn in less time. No need to add more days of cardio or more time – get the most out of the time you are already spending.

Suggestion #5: If you do intervals, don’t make the workout too brief (ignore the advertisements for those “4 minute miracle” workouts, etc.), or you may burn fewer calories than you were before! In fact, you might even try the method where you do HIIT
for 15-20 min, then continue for another 30-40 at slow to medium intensity. Increasing total calories burned should be your focus.

Dropping only ONE pound per week (or less) may seem excruciatingly slow, but it’s actually the same type of thing I do. As a bodybuilder, I go from lean to extremely lean when I diet and I don’t expect more than a pound a week during contest cuts.

You are in a similar situation, even if not competing. Even if you get a half a pound a week fat loss, if you get that progress every week, that’s what you’re looking for – steady progress – even if slow.

It’s entirely possible that you HAVE been making progress, only very slowly. With the way water weight and glycogen levels can fluctuate (and lean mass may increase), a half a pound or pound fat loss in a week could have been easily masked… and therefore, missed. That’s one of the drawbacks of going by the scale alone.

Understand the calorie math I explained above and be patient, watching for slow and steady progress, paying special attention to the trend over time on your progress chart.

Keep after it – the persistence will pay, I promise!

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle
http://www.BurnTheFat.com

PS. You can learn about more fat loss strategies (including the details about the carb cycling method) inside my e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. Learn more and see some of the inspiring before and after success stories at:
http://www.BurnThefat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

Bigger negosyo seminars and exhibits!

Brighter tips on health and wellness!

Better entertainment and games with celebrities!

Bolder business ideas and advice from experts!

Join us as the nation celebrate National Women’s Month by recognizing inspiring women, uplifting the country’s small entrepreneurs, and showcasing possible business opportunities for women (and men, too).

Women Entrepreneurship Summit

MARCH 8, 2010
9AM – 6PM
WORLD TRADE CENTER

FORUMS, BOOTHS, AND EXHIBITS ON BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND IDEAS
Visit over 200 booths and exhibits that showcase business ideas and opportunities in health & wellness, beauty & cosmetics, fashion & accessories, food & culinary business, technology, direct-selling, franchising, and so much more!

FREE SEMINARS ON STARTING A BUSINESS AND WOMEN’S ISSUES
Attend free seminars on the how-to’s of starting your own business: from knowing your strengths and your ambitions, to finding business opportunities, to marketing your products and finding  capital. Plus, talks on women’s health, education, good governance, and other issues and concerns facing women today.

GO NEGOSYO-PCW INSPIRING WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Get to know the Filipinas who have not only excelled in their fields but who also embody admirable traits of compassion, concern for others and care for community, and integrity.

LAUNCH OF THE GO NEGOSYO BOOK “100 INSPIRING STORIES OF SMALL ENTREPRENEURS: TAGUMPAY MULA SA KAHIRAPAN”

LAUNCH OF THE GO NEGOSYO BOOK “100 INSPIRING STORIES OF SMALL ENTREPRENEURS: TAGUMPAY MULA SA KAHIRAPAN”

Have your books signed by the women and men are featured in Go Negosyo’s fifth book “100 INSPIRING STORIES OF SMALL ENTREPRENEURS: TAGUMPAY MULA SA KAHIRAPAN”. Ask them how they started their business, how they overcame challenges, and how they grew their negosyo.

Plus, freebies, giveaways, games, and exciting performers and guests await!

Visit www.gonegosyo.net for more details.

Gifted candidate kids can be as young as 3 and should be given IQ and ability tests. Yet, there are experts who attest that IQ test results garnered prior to the age of 5 are vitally unstable, where a retesting can yield scores that are probable to fluctuate significantly up to when the kid reach the age of 5.

Before, kids bearing an IQ that is exceeding 130 were considered gifted and the average intelligence is only 85 to 115. On the other hand, these present times, an IQ is only one factor required to determine if a kid has giftedness. This now include the parents and teachers impressions of the gifted candidate kids. Then, the results will be correlated together with test data.

Check the giftedness guidelines below (appropriate for 2-4 years old):

• a SPECIAL TALENT is present in your kid like artistic ability or an extraordinary flair for mathematics.
• lead in DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES over peers.
• an ADVANCED LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT like an extensive vocabulary or the ability to pronounce sentences during the kid’s primary stages compared to the other kids of the same age.
• persistent on being CURIOUS and always ask INQUIRIES.
• not being hyperactive, but UNCOMMONLY ACTIVE. They focus on one task in a longer time with more passion on interests compared to hyperactive children who have a short attention span.
• shows a VIVID IMAGINATION with building a vast and intricate network of imaginary friends as part of their social acts.
• very good MEMORY SKILLS and FAST RECALL on arcane information gained from television shows, movies, or books.

My husband and my brother-in-law had a nice bike ride this morning. They told me that it was a good exercise ,and along the way they were discussing if we, me and my sister, – can tag along. They felt that most at-home moms doesn’t get the right kind of exercise. Aside from shopping we need exercise too!

Let’s face the facts. Many women have an extra challenge when dieting – Motherhood. We all know how difficult it is to stay in shape and find time to exercise — but most especially for women with babies or small kids. But there has to be a way to fit exercise into your motherhood routine if you want to lose weight, without losing your sanity. Below you’ll find some suggestions for calorie burning activities real moms can do to fit exercise into their lives.

Hit The Road

Once the school age kids have hit the bus, take a brisk walk for an hour. If you need to, bring your child along in a stroller. Pushing the stroller while taking a brisk walk will actually increase the calories burned, not to mention that your child would probably enjoy it.

Exercise Videos

When the younger kids go down for a nap, pop Barney out of the VCR and insert an aerobics or workout video. You can also try getting your kids involved. At a young age, kids are usually willing to do anything that mom finds interesting. If you have a step workout video, try setting your child up with their own step (child -sized of course) so they can do it with you.

Cut The Grass

Mowing your lawn with a non-riding mower can help you burn quite a few calories. If you normally pay a service to mow your lawn, try cutting back the frequency that they come to every other time, and pick up the extra mowing yourself. Raking your lawn is also a source of a good work out. Not only will you be exercising, but you’ll have a beautiful lawn as a bonus.

Get Your Dancing Shoes

Dancing is a great way to burn some calories. Pop in your favorite CD at home and dance with your kids for an hour. A night of dancing out with your spouse or partner could be a great source of exercise as well as a much needed stress reliever.

General Housework

Moderate everyday housework can also become a part of your official exercise program. Vacuuming, mopping and many other household chores burn calories. Lessen the use of electrical appliances when doing simple housework, if possible.

Calories You Burn When You:

• Stretching for 5 minutes: 21 calories
• Ironing for 15 minutes: 36 calories
• Washing dishes for 15 minutes: 36 calories
• Mopping for 10 minutes: 48 calories
• Making the Bed: 70 calories
• Sleeping for 60 minutes: 59 calories
• Walking/running/play with kids for 20 minutes: 84 calories
• Cooking for 30 minutes: 84 calories
• Jogging for 15 minutes: 111 calories
• Vacuuming for 15 minutes: 37 calories

Total Calories Burned: 478

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that everyone, including at home mothers, can find a way to fit exercise into their daily routine. It doesn’t have to be a 5-mile run or an hour in the gym.

There are no more excuses. Get busy, Mama!

Get inspired at this informative, fun half-day conference, with concurrent sessions for existing women entrepreneurs, business owners and those wanting to start a business.

First 100 people to register will receive a FREE gift from our sponsors!

There will be business counseling and networking opportunities at the event.The conference aims to give women and small and medium-business owners the tools to start or grow their businesses.

The conference will include topics on: building your business foundation, financial planning and funding, marketing/selling to get results, legal aspects of managing your business, social entrepreneurship and finding the right networking group.

Our guest speakers are Ms. Emily Abrera, Chairman Emeritus of McCann, Ms. Chit Juan of Echostore and other prominent entrepreneurs.

Participant fee is only Php 600.

Program Outline:

1. Keynote Address: Maintaining Motivation – Having the Right Entrepreneurial Mindset in times of Crisis by Emily Abrera, Chairman Emeritus of McCann
2. About NEW – Judith Cinco
3. How to Market Cost Effectively – Dr. Leonard Garcia
4. How to Promote Native Products to World Class – Ms. Alice Guerrero
5. From Profit-Seeking to Social Entrepreneurship – Chit Juan
6. Open Forum

RSVP: For reservations or further inquiries, you may contact 710-3711 / 754-8058 / 0917-5408697 or e-mail info@newomen.net. You may also register online at www.newomen.net.

6. In the romance department, flowers, plants, candy, or a special home-cooked meal never go out of favor. Many females love to receive beautiful fresh flowers or a box of delicious chocolate candy. Both husbands and wives can appreciate the efforts of a partner to put together an intimate, special home-cooked meal by candlelight with music playing and flowers on the table.

7. Surprise your spouse with a framed picture of the two of you in a setting that will bring back pleasant memories. Another option is to frame a picture of your spouse that shows him or her in a flattering way and let your partner know how much you love the photo. Keep it on your nightstand, computer, dresser, or desk and let your spouse see you looking at it admiringly.

8. Take the initiative to plan a surprise weekend outing. Call and make all the arrangements ahead of time. The outing doesn’t have to be expensive or complex. It might be as simple as planning a picnic at a nearby scenic spot. You might prepare the surprise picnic lunch when your spouse is in the shower. Or you might make arrangements for a restaurant to pack a gourmet lunch for the two of you that you could pick up on your way out of town.

9. Music that you and your spouse both like can set a romantic tone. If you see a movie that you both enjoyed a lot, you might consider buying the sound track as a surprise gift the following week. You could also select a song that you both like and decide to make it “your song.” Or you could pick a song and tell your spouse that it reminds you of him or her for some positive reason.

10. Celebrate every occasion you can think of—the anniversary of the day you met, when you became engaged, your marriage anniversary, your birthdays, seeing the full moon, and anything else you can come up with. You can toast with champagne (or a non-alcoholic beverage) and perhaps have a celebration meal. But it can be just as fun to make a big deal out of going out for an ice cream cone to celebrate.

One of the marital challenges many couples face is how to live together without losing that special romantic spark. It’s all-too-easy to lose the role of lover along the way. When this happens, spouses often start relating to each other as they would to a friend or a sibling. Parents can begin to feel they are only “business partners” joined together to raise their children and keep the household running.

How can you keep romance alive when your daily work schedule is grueling, you’re always short on time and energy, and you’re not sure what to do?

Sprinkle Romance into Your Marriage

Here are ten ideas to help you add a spark to your relationship:

1. Pay attention when your spouse mentions things he or she likes or expresses interest in something that could make a good gift, such as a new CD, a book, or theater/concert/sports tickets. Be on the lookout or ideas for birthday, holiday, and anniversary gifts, plus “no reason” surprise gifts. It’s very flattering to know that someone really tried to find a gift that was just what you wanted.

2. Frequently offer foot massages, shoulder massages, and full-body massages to your spouse. You’ll get plenty of romantic brownie points in your “relationship bank account” if you keep some great-smelling lotion handy and take ten minutes to massage your spouse’s tired feet at the end of a long work day. Note: If you expect to be rewarded for your e orts by sex, you won’t accumulate any points for being romantic. Your spouse will just think you have an ulterior motive when you o er a massage in the future.

3. Giving sweet cards and letters to your spouse can be romantic, as can emails and phone messages that share your feelings and passion. Handwritten letters sent through the mail are becoming more and more o a rarity. That’s good for you because that means your spouse will think you’re really romantic for taking the time to write a love letter by hand and mail it. That will make more of an impact than just sending an email if you want to get extra brownie points.

4. Another way to be romantic is to look for opportunities to pamper and spoil your spouse. That might be letting a spouse sleep in late while you watch the kids, or it could be telling your partner to sit down and relax while you clean up after dinner. The key is in the delivery of the offer. You might say, “Nothing’s too good for my sweetheart” or “You’re such a love. It’s fun to pamper you.” You can accompany your words with a hug or kiss.

5. Talking in front of your spouse to someone else about your partner’s good points is romantic. Take full advantage of opportunities to say, ‘I’m so lucky to have such a supportive wife (or husband)—she’s such a treasure. I’m a lucky man.” You can also do this when you’re talking on the phone and know that your spouse is within listening range. If you’re not sure your partner heard you, when you get o the phone ask, “Did you hear me telling my sister what a great husband you are? I was really bragging on you!”

Ten Ways to Add Romance to Your Marriage (By Nancy Wasson, Ph.D.) to be continued…