Moronic Wisdom Tooth » Odontectomy and Forced Penitence

Everyone’s got to have one vanity. Mine is my complete set of permanent teeth with two wisdom teeth that popped up in my early 20’s. They say you are so lucky if you end up having great teeth that are permanent without the help of a dentist. Well I guess I’m lucky or maybe I got this from my father who also has perfectly aligned teeth. Another way to have great teeth is of course if you have so much money and you can spare some for what we consider as celebrity’s vanity. Though imagining I’m a celebrity is sometimes included on my hot afternoon daydreaming sessions (and I know you did too), I am not spending a fortune on my teeth. My vanity only includes a regular whitening toothpaste, nice toothbrush, floss and annual prophylaxis.

I thought my complete set of teeth is already perfect and I never used to give wisdom teeth any thought at all, I mean why would I? But last week, before the Holy Week vacation, I started feeling something weird on my right jaw. I thought I’m just having tooth sensitivity problem but it became too painful on the second night I have to cancel my trip to Mindoro. My dentist is on vacation so I just took pain reliever for four days and ate only soft foods – forced penitence for a sinner like me eh?

The lost wisdom of my wisdom tooth

The penitence week was over and everybody was celebrating the Easter Sunday but me, I’m still serving my forced panata. My dental periapical x-ray showed that my right wisdom tooth has no wisdom after all. It lost its mind and decided to grow sideways pushing my second molar, which is really painful so I have no choice but to have it extracted.

Panoramic xray of my teeth. You can see my wisdom tooth (lower left side) is pushing the other teeth causing me extreme pain.  

I undergo the costly odontectomy, or the surgical removal of the tooth. The dentist said I have really strong teeth and it took him 2 painful hours to extract my moronic wisdom tooth. I have high pain tolerance but odontectomy is really painful. To distract myself on the pain I just hummed “Ain't about the (ha) cha-ching cha-ching, aint about the (yeah) ba-bling ba-bling” chorus of the song Price Tag by Jessie J. I don’t know why this particular song got stuck on my mind but it helped.

Well that explains my absence in the blogosphere for almost two weeks now and I just want to insert this post to let you know that no, I didn’t abandoned this blog.

The wisdom of knowing your wisdom tooth

Forgive me for my useless I’m-in-pain-hu-hu-hu rants but what I intended here is to pull together some information and useful resources to help you if you are suffering with or just curious about your wisdom teeth, because I myself is curious.

Here’s what I gathered:

1. By the age of 13, most people have 28 permanent teeth, including two sets of molars, then, at 18 or later, a third set of molars begins to come in which are called wisdom teeth, because they appear later in a person’s life, when he is “supposedly” wiser.
2. Generally, there is no need for wisdom teeth. They usually come out impacted and cause infection, resulting in pain on one or both sides of the mouth.
3. But in 2008, Japanese researchers found that stem cells can be extracted from extracted wisdom teeth. You can opt to have the stem cells from those teeth isolated and saved, in case you should ever need the cells.
4. It is advisable for these teeth to be extracted to avoid further complication. The question remains although whether or not this is a essential method for most people. Dentists don’t all agree about the answer. There may be clear reasons to opt for extraction.
5. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, it is estimated that around 85% of wisdom teeth will eventually need to be removed. The latest data suggest that as many as 80 percent of people will develop problems with their wisdom teeth.
6. Our ancestors had larger jaws, so there was room in the human mouth for 32 permanent teeth, including third molars—wisdom teeth. But now our jaws are smaller. The result: There’s no longer room in most of our mouths to house 32 teeth. So the last teeth we develop—our wisdom teeth—often become impacted, or blocked from erupting.

Wisdom Tooth Surgery Post Operative Instructions

These are the instructions of my dentist. Disclaimer: I have no authority over this matter and if you recently had odontectomy, always consult your dentist.

1. Don not rinse or spit for 24 hours after surgery.
2. Keep fingers and tongue away from socket or surgical area.
3. Use ice packs on surgical area (side of face) for first 24 hours, apply ice 20 minutes on – 10 minutes off. Bags of frozen peas work well.
4. Drink plenty of fluids but do not use straw.
5. If the muscle of the jaw become stiff, chewing gum at the intervals will help relax the muscles, as well as the use of warm water, moist heat to the outside of your face over these muscles.
6. After the first post-operative day, use a warm salt-water rinse following meals for the first week to flush out particles of food and debris, which may lodge in the surgical area. (1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Mouthwash can be added for a better taste.)
7. Diet may consist of soft food, which can be chewed or swallowed. No seeds, nuts, rice, popcorn, chips, etc.
8. A certain amount of bledding is to be expected following surgery. Bleeding is controlled by applying pressure to the surgical area using small rolled gauze for 90 minutes. After that time remove the gauze and then you may eat or drink.
9. Do not smoke for at least 5 days after surgery. Nicotine may break down the blood clot and cause a “dry-socket,” which is an undesirable side effect.
10. Expect swelling for 3-5 days and a slight fever.
11. 24 hours after surgery, rinse mouth gently with a solution of one-half teaspoonful of salt dissolved in a glass of water. Repeat after every meal or snack for seven days. Rinsing is important because it removes food particles and debris from the socket area and thus helps prevent infection and promotes healing.
12. After 24 hours, brush tongue with a dry toothbrush to keep bacteria growth down, but be careful not to touch the extraction site. Resume your regular tooth brishing, but avoid disturbing the surgical site as not to loosen or remove the blood clot.

Origin of the wisdom tooth moniker

• The origin of the wisdom moniker may come from the Dutch, where they are called verstandskies, which would literally translate to wisdomtooth. However, verstand may have been intended to mean “standing far away”, as in, in the far back of the mouth.
• Turkish people call them the 20th Year Tooth, while Spanish refers to them as the Molars of Judgement (as 18 is the age at which the law applies).
• In Japan they are Oyashirazu, literally meaning “unknown to the parents”. Apparently, children have moved away from home by the time these teeth come in.
• In Thailand they call it the huddling tooth, for it’s pesky reputation for crowding your other teeth.
• The most unique term comes from Korea, where they are called Sa-rang-nee, which means love teeth. It refers to the pain of a first love, commonly experienced around that age.

I don’t’ know the Filipino/Tagalog word for wisdom tooth. If you know kindly share it on my comments section. Or you can take a guess - it could be fun.

Final Note

As of posting this article, my right face is still slightly swelling but I’m feeling much better now. If you have had the wisdom tooth operation and would be willing to share your experiences here with anything that may help others kindly share it on my comments section.

Thanks to: Dr. Jun of 

Da Vinci Dental Center

De Los Santos - STI Megaclinic

Building A, 5/F SM Megamall

Origas Center, Pasig City 

Telefax: 638-6814, Contact No.: 637-9661 loc. 121

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Sources of Facts and Citations:

» Lyon, Lindsay.The Wisdom on Wisdom Teeth. Surgeons favor pre-emptive action; others might wait and see Posted: February 14, 2008. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2008/02/14/the-wisdom-on-wisdom-teeth [Retrieved: 29 April 2011]

» Dental news. Stem cells from wisdom teeth. Posted 26th Aug 2008 http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=1442# [Retrieved: 29 April 2011]

» Ebbert, S. and Sangiorgio, M., 1991. Facing the dreaded third molar. Prevention, 43(7):108–110.

» Bergman, Jerry. December 1998. Are wisdom teeth (third molars) vestiges of human evolution? First published: TJ (now Journal of Creation) 12(3):297–304 http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v12/i3/wisdomteeth.asp [29 April 2011]

» Pilling, Ryan. December 20, 2010 The wisdom of teeth http://lsned.com/facts/wisdom-tooth/ [29 April 2011]

» Wikipedia. Article “Wisdom Tooth” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_tooth [29 April 2011]

» Image Source: Beinart International Surreal Art Forum.Posted by Suzzan http://beinart.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3041&start=0 [29 April 2011] 

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Eating Microwaved Foods Can Cause Cancer, Infertility and Loss of Memory » Debunking the Microwave Oven Myth

What? Microwaved foods can cause cancer, brain damage, immune system deficiencies, loss of memory, emotional instability, and decrease of intelligence?

We always use microwave oven in our office for our “baon” and I’m sure you too in your own home, and if this is true then it is totally, totally scary.

Who wants to become an emotionally unstable moron with tumor because of eating microwaved food? So when Ms. Ching M. Alano, a reputable columnist in The Philippine Star suggested that it’s better to throw out those microwave ovens, I agree.

The proven dangers?

Probably you also read this article last week entitled “A burning warning on microwave ovens” [1] written (or most probably copy-pasted from the internet) by columnist Ms. Ching M. Alano in The Philippine Star, one of the leading English broadsheets in the country. Yes, it’s a reputable broadsheet, not a Tiktik tabloid. Probably the facts are checked and verified before publishing (that’s the ideal), therefore there’s a valid reason to be alarmed.

According to Ms. Alano there is a latest scientific clinical studies done by Swiss, Russian, and German experts about the dangers of microwave oven and added that there are Russian research documents written by Drs. Luria and Perov specifying their clinical experiments in this area. She mentioned Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website as the source of the information and also posted the top 10 reasons why you should throw away those microwave ovens. I posted it here for reference:

According to the article:

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long-term permanent brain damage by “shorting out” electrical impulses in the brain (de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue).

2. The human body cannot metabolize (or break down) the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

4. The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual (long term, permanent) within the human body.

5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food are reduced or altered, so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths (or tumors).

8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

Wait something is wrong with that article!

My habitual impulse to alarming information like these is naturally to share it on this blog so that others may know. However, before posting, there is one factor that is a must, which is indicating clear references with respect to the reliability of who says them. That means we should not just believe in anything even if it’s from a reputable newspaper.

Naturally, I began checking the supposed sources using Google, an extraordinarily research tool, as most of us do these days. The Internet of course has its black holes – because anybody can post anything and everything on it. The challenge is to differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources.

Then to my disappointment, I found this microwaved food myth posted everywhere on the Internet like a hoax perpetrating “scare tactics” which Ms. Alano just probably copy-pasted and published on her column.

Where does this myth really came from?

The article mentioned Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website as the source so I checked it out.

According to Dr. Mercola, the Nazis are credited with inventing the first microwave-cooking device then after the World War II, the Russians retrieved some of these microwave ovens and conducted thorough research on their biological effects. Dr. Mercola concluded that the twenty-year Russian research (and German studies as far back as 1942 in Berlin) make a strong argument against the safety of microwave cooking. [2]

However, Dr. Mercola admitted that he can’t attest to the methodology or conclusions of the said research because the documents are difficult to track down. No researchers have tried to reproduce said research, and said papers were never peer-reviewed or published in any scientific journal.

My question is, why nobody, on this more-high tech world validated, repeated or conducted the said research? This is a serious claim and food and health regulatory board of every country should verify it!

The claim that giant corporations making microwave ovens are blocking the information to protect their business is absurd!

The Great Doctor against the authorities

After reading many additional articles, I found out the following information from verifiable and authoritative sources:

• » Dr. Joseph Mercola, is a Chicago-area osteopath, selling health-care products and services, relying on slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics. [3]

• » In 2005, the FDA ordered Mercola and his Optimal Wellness Center to stop making illegal claims for products sold through his Web site. A second warning was sent in 2006 for violation of the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act [4] [5]

Well I guess a professional direct marketer knows how to tap into people's fears, and in the health-care arena that isn't difficult to do.

Killing the myth : Notes from a more reliable sources

Image Source: cspinet

This is where we kill this myth. There are many organizations and individuals that provide unbiased, free of business interest and fact-based information to us, so it is always good to do extra digging. In the case of microwave ovens, I personally trust the following conclusions:

1. When a microwave oven cooks or heats up food, it does so mainly by energizing — which is to say, heating up — water molecules, and the water energizes its molecular neighbors. So, as a general proposition, cooking with a microwave probably does a better job of preserving the nutrient content of foods because the cooking times are shorter. [6] {The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide}
2. Microwave ovens generally do not destroy nutrients in food. [7] {The New York Times}
3. “There is nothing solid evidence that microwaved foods cause cancer. I can honestly tell you that I have never seen a valid scientific study—and I pay attention to most of the cooking research out there—that has given us reason to test whether microwaving food could cause cancer,” says Lawrence Livermore’s Jim Felton, who is also associate director for cancer control at the Cancer Center at the University of California. [8]  That may explain why scientists haven’t spent time and money looking for a link.
4. Accidental exposure to high levels of microwave energy can alter or kill sperm, producing temporary sterility. But these types of injuries - burns, cataracts, temporary sterility - can only be caused by exposure to large amounts of microwave radiation, much more than the 5mW limit for microwave oven leakage. [9]   

That means you have to put your testicles inside the microwave oven, turn the dials to the highest settings and leave it there for few hours.

So now what?

Unfortunately, as in all areas in life, those with no integrity mess it up for everyone else. That’s why the world needs all the millions of rules and regulations to stop the unscrupulous from harming the innocent. When the people who make the rules have no integrity, we’re really in trouble.

Instead of throwing out that microwave oven, we should just take certain COMMON SENSE precautions.

And by the way, columnists should be more careful in perpetuating myth like this on respectable broadsheets.

Hit my comments section, I need your thoughts on this.

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References:

• » [1] Alano, Ching M. “A burning warning on microwave ovens” CONSUMERLINE The Philippine Health  and Family. 25 January 2011. Section E4     Online version: {http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=651022&publicationSubCategoryId=80) (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [2] Mercola, Joseph “Why did the Russians Ban an Appliance Found in 90% of American Homes?” 18 May 2010 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [3] Gumpert, David E. “Old-Time Sales Tricks on the Net Should a popular alternative-doctor's Web site be allowed to blur the lines between business and medicine?” 23 May006 http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2006/sb20060523_063274.htm (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [4] Barrett, Stephen, M.D. “FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims” 23 December 2010 http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/mercola.html (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [5] Albietz, Joseph. “9 Reasons to Completely Ignore Joseph Mercola” 16 October 2009 http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2116 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [6] The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide “Microwave cooking and nutrition” June 2008 http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Microwave-cooking-and-nutrition.shtml (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [7] O’Connor, Anahad “The Claim: Microwave Ovens Kill Nutrients in Food The New York Times” 17 October 2006 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/health/17real.html?_r=1 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [8] Schardt, David “Microwave Myth” Nutrition Action Health Letter 5 April 2000 http://www.cspinet.org/nah/04_05/microwavemyths.pdf (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [9] FDA US Food & Drug Admin “MICROWAVE OVEN RADIATION” http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/ResourcesforYouRadiationEmittingProducts/Consumers/ucm142616.htm (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• Image Source:  Persson Carl "Lunch Monkey" 2008, Oil on Canvas. Traditional Art / Paintings / Surreal http://karlpersson.deviantart.com/art/Lunch-Monkey-80229617 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

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Bottled Drink With No Preservatives? » Minute Maid's Wonderful Pulpy Reality

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... it's just another ad campaign trick  in the market, which we all know is already exploding with lots of ad gimmicks such as beverages that promises weight loss, fruit juices that can make your skin whiter or aerated drinks that can boost your energy. And now, a bottled drink with no preservatives added? That is really clever.  

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added.  So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED!  That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens!  Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I...  must say this is a wonderful pulpy reality that deserves to be patronized. I was looking for a refreshing drink which had no fizz in it; and Minute Maid Pulpy is exactly what I want. If I didn’t got it in a bottle I would’ve thought it was freshly squeezed. Totally amazing!

So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right?  Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... gone are the days that I still need to squeeze the orange to make it a yummy fruit juice - great for always-on-the-go guy like me. This is really a drink with a new twist... Hooray!

So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna gonna buy a dozen Mango-Orange Minute Maid Pulpy for my sister who, a few weeks ago, gave birth to her first son. Of course I'm also  gonna stack our fridge with a week's supply of this health drink so that I can enjoy a refreshing juice drink every meal. It's always good to know that this pulpy juice I  enjoy is not harmful to my body.    

Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)

Love,

Yodz

Wensha Spa Body Massage: Affordable Way to Reduce Stress and Bring Back Your Sanity

That last week of November still lingers. Tasks piled up and work deadlines gave me stressing thoughts even while having my morning shower – totally toxic week. Sunday comes with our annual Family Day at SMX-Mall of Asia Convention Center, which I was tasked to do the emceeing. That gig becomes a disaster due to some badly prepared program. It was totally energy draining.

Hell week

I badly need a break. This is one of those hell weeks when stress becomes too much, days when I feel like crawling down the floor or just want to melt. Now, more than ever I need to find something to diffuse this stress, to defizzle it. Hence, we decided to try Wensha’s full body massage.
 
It is a good thing Wensha Spa has a branch in Manila that happens to be the first 24 hour Spa in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) area, just a few minutes ride from SM Mall of Asia. We decided to try the Wensha Body Massage for only 680.00 Pesos with unlimited food and drinks for 6 hours stay, a totally inexpensive way to relax and re-charge.   

A relaxing body massage is not always a luxury

Wensha poster at male reception

I noticed that Spa establishments are growing like mushrooms in Manila and other major cities nowadays. If the number of spa goers and spa establishment in Manila mirrors the amount of stress that people is experiencing, then I think it is safe to say that this is a stressful city to live in.

Spa and body massage has become synonymous with peace and serenity, which many believed to be a luxury in this stress-driven world. With the pressure of deadlines and the strain of dealing with irresponsible managers and co-employees, there is no denying that being stress-free is a state of mind that we have to master.

But I must say that body massages and a few hour of relaxation and of emptying the mind is a must to keep me sane.

What to expect at Wensha – Pasay Branch

A nice Thai temple-like entrance to the facilities welcomes us so we immediately took pictures before checking in. After the quick camwhoring, we excitedly checked out the packages and promos posted at the lobby. We choose the Wensha Full Body Massage with six hours stay.

Me and my Wensha Yakuza buddies

You have to remove and check-in your footwear and use rubber slippers before entering the locker room that connects the wet area and the dining. A  cool bracelet with a locker number was distributed to us after we paid then we proceed to the locker room to deposit our clothes and other stuff. The lockers have a sensor type locking mechanism, which are being unlocked by the magnetic part of the bracelet that is pretty convenient and secure.

1. Prepare to get TOTALLY NAKED at the wet area: After we settled our belongings in the locker room, we then proceed to the wet area for a quick shower. It was a common room where the shower cubicles with frosted glass doors, steam room and sauna is located. After the quick shower, we tried the steam room and sauna which gives me a magically detoxified feeling. The room also has a large TV screen with lounging chairs to entertain you while relaxing

Shower cubicles at the wet area

After sauna, we tried the Jacuzzi. You can only use a towel while in the wet room and you have to be totally naked if you want to use the public Jacuzzi. The wide hot and cold Jacuzzi is at the center with lots of naked people, mostly working men relaxing after a tiring day together with lots of foreigners. At first, I was hesitant to use the Jacuzzi because it was my first time there, and getting naked while swimming with other people and friends seems unusual for me. Our culture mold us to be modest, however, everybody is doing it, and I think it would be immodest if you use the Jacuzzi with your towel. Besides, the crowd all seemed oblivious to the rest of the people in the room so I tried it and it was really relaxing.

We can’t help but wonder and imagine what it would be like in the girl’s wet room.

2. Eat-All-You-Can buffet and drinks: Wensha is not your traditional massage and spa center. What makes it unique is that all massage treatments are inclusive of unlimited buffet and juice drinks and the accommodation would be that you can chose to stay for as long as 12 hours. So you can lazily eat and stay at the cozy dining area while cooking shabu-shabu style. This dining place also has TV screens projected on corner walls where you can watch news or other programs together with other guests.

Buffet and shabu-shabu before & after the body massage

 Like most eat-all-you-can resto, you have to pay a certain amount if you have left-overs. So don’t take more than you can eat.  

3. Professional body massage and a nice sleep: I learned that their therapists came from their own Wensha training institute to maintain their standard massage. They have what they called the wensha style body massage, which is a combination of Shiatsu and Swedish. Choosing to sleep after the massage would be ok and no one would wake you up if they are not fully booked, or until your time ends.

4. Convenient Body Massage rooms: They have private rooms that can accommodate two or four people. On our way to the massage area, we were greeted by a brightly-lit hallway with bamboo trees and white pebbles along the path. Massage rooms also has controlled lights. The massage beds are comfortable and nice to sleep at, which also gives me a more relaxing feel while being massaged. The whole place has Zen like ambiance, soft lighting and circular doors.

 Planning our next yakuza boy's night out

 Wensha compared to The Spa Wellness

My first luxury spa experience was when I won the 5K worth of gift certificates at The Spa Wellness in Trinoma for the Nuffnang-Enervon Hapontukin blog contest. It was an amazing treat but after our Wensha gig, I can’t help but compare the services of the two establishments. I can say that Wensha is more affordable with equal services and better facilities. But Wensha is crowded and more public unlike The Spa, which is exclusive and private, and services are done by appointment only.

Final Note:
More than anything, when stressed, I think it is a must to take time for ourselves. I’m sure my undiffused stress will result in friction with others and makes me unproductive at work — as often when I fail to have internal peace and relaxation, I manifest this outwards.

I am glad that I had the chance enjoying some relaxation and even more, that I’m able to push myself to be comfortable in yet another new experience to relax. Modesty aside, the Wensha experience certainly made me excited for my next body massage trip. This nostalgic experience at Wensha really gives me a relaxing time without hurting my wallet. It reordered and cleared my thoughts thus bringing back my sanity.

Ready for battle for the coming weeks again!!!

To my readers: How about you, any thoughts or personal tips on how you diffuse stress? Any spa experience you might want to share? Are you also anxious to be naked in front of total strangers?

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Related Information and Links
Wensha Branches Address and Contact Information:

Pasay Branch

Location: Boom na Boom Grounds, CCP Complex Roxas Blvd
Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pasay City
Contact numbers: +63 (02) 833-98-78 | +63 (02) 832-05-15 | +63 (02) 832-58-77
Fax:   +63 (02) 833-98-79

Timog Branch
Location: 1st and 2nd Level Pasda Mansion Bldg.
#4 Timog Ave. Cor Panay Ave, Quezon City
Contact Numbers: +63 (02) 375-13-98 | +63 (02) 372-58-22
Fax: +63 (02) 373-06-17
Both branches (Quezon City and Pasay) operates 24 hours.

Related Links:

» The Wensha Spa Center
» Wensha Spa Packages and Promos
» Wensha Spa Services and Rates
» Complaints, Problems and Suggestions and Appreciation Page 

The Rise and Fall of the Hapontukin » 7 ½ Tips on How to Avoid Snoozing on the Job

One rainy afternoon, I finally decided to finish the report my boss was asking a few months ago. I started typing, then suddenly stopped, and gave a big powerful tornado-forming yawn. Then I find myself staring at the cursor like a snake in trance. I didn’t move while the vertical cursor blinked a million times. I suspect Microsof Word is doing something evil to me – the cursor was hypnotizing me. The cool air-con breeze touched my skin. I blinked and then blinked again. The blinking becomes slow and slower and slower like that slow motion scene in the movies. I felt my eyelids turned into leather with my eyes as heavy as bowling balls.

The computer monitor is calling me, whispering “Come inside, they are waiting for you…come my child..forget the report…come..”

The Fight with the Cursor

I can’t help it, my head was slowly leaning forward - slowly slowly. I’m fighting it and managed to sit up straight, but then it happened again. This time the cursor was blinking faster and the monitor was eerily glowing, magnetizing my head. Again, my head slowly lean forward to the monitor, I fight it again but the fight lasted only for a minute. The cursor won. I closed my eyes, and collapsed into the keyboard, ready for a short journey to eternity.

I felt a hand touching my shoulder pulling me back to reality. Like a startled wide-eyed tarsier, I came back to reality. At my back is the most terrifying warlord I ever known – the person I call Boss.

“What are you doing? Where is the report?” the towering Mr. Boss growled.

I checked the computer monitor and I magically saw that I already produced 5,6987 pages. But it was filled with unintelligible characters like Russian codes or an Egyptian ancient curse, because my head hits the @!$%*&))==_  keyboard keys.  

The Attack of the Absent-minded Hapontukin

Lost for words I thought of saying, “Oh, hi Boss, I was trying to pick up my contact lens without my hands."

But I saw my left hand holding my eyeglasses, so I just continue staring. Mr. Boss saw what’s on the screen and took a very deep breath, gathering all his magical powers to blow me into pieces. My mind rummaged for some magical spell to counter my impending doom.

While my off-white phlegmatic saliva was still slowly falling down the side of my mouth, I thought I whispered “Boss, I was testing the keyboard for drool resistance."

Mr. Boss just gave a deep-frustrated sigh and left.

I succeeded in sending the warlord away, but I know deep down in my pitiful slave heart that the battle has just began.

Are you a Hapontukin Too?

I am a certified Hapontukin (palaging inaantok tuwing hapon) or always sleepy in the afternoon. It’s a condition where you don’t have enough energy to last you through the day. Maybe you are also experiencing it once in a while.

The most obvious reason for afternoon drowsiness is lack of sleep, which can have a variety of causes. In my case, it is because of too much Facebooking or late night blogging or a mild hang-over. I know that’s bad for health, so I’m trying to limit those activities in the evening. However, sometimes we really need to stay awake late at night to finish some important stuff, which causes a terrible Hapontukin moment the following day. 

In the corporate world, we always have Mr. Boss who always have their noses smoking with rage if they see a Hapontukin employee because, of course it’s a business and they didn’t want to pay the price of our on-the-job-snoozing in the form of lost productivity. Also, it will badly affect our performance evaluation, hence we have to do something to stay awake and finish our deliverable. We also know that sleeping on the job can be risky to the point that it can cost us our job.

Therefore, it is a must for us to do something to help us get a steady energy and avoid Hapontukin moments.

7 and ½ Tips on How to Avoid Snoozing on the Job

Here are my personal tips on how to beat Hapontukin Moments:

When hapontukin sets in, I take funny pictures with my co-worker, make a quick video clip, do some clean-up, engage in a quick chat – the spiderman style, and take a magic pill.

1. Grab your camera and take funny pictures – Pretend you need graphics for the company brochure, newsletter, company website or a powerpoint presentation and ask co-employees to take a pose for you. Of course lots of them will be more than willing to help you. Here are some of our samples.

Yodz babysitting an emo accountant

May the best girl win

Where have you been slave dwarf?

Arrrgg!!! I'm giving birth to a witch!

2.  Create your own version of  “Sadako Movie” or “The Matrix” - or whatever movie or painting you like. Be creative. A quick brainstorming about it will definitely make your hanpontukin moment go away. 

Where is Sadako?

The Matrix

3. Help the cleaning lady - A little courtesy help in sweeping the floor would not hurt your pride. If you can’t do it, at least clean up your cubicle. 

The Matrix superstar turned janitor

4. Quick chat “The Spiderman” style - Prefer quick chatting and gossiping face to face, do not do it via e- mail, phone, SMS or Yahoo Messenger when you can easily jump up to your co-workers. 

Hey buddy what's the new chismis?

5. Photocopy yourself – Well, yeah, you can do it once in while but I’m actually not recommending it. But it’s fun – give it a try. 

Can you please make 500 copies of me?

6. Create a quick video clip using your phone camera – Ask your co-workers (who are sleepy too) to join you in making a dance clip. Some caution: shoot it in a place where others will not be distracted, such as the elevator or in the office pantry.

Please watch our short video clip entitled “Ang mga pokpok na lumilipad, minamahal ni Yodz”

7½. Take a magic pill - Most of these previous tips are just temporary solutions to afternoon Hapontukin. Nothing beats regular exercise and a balanced, nutritious diet in keeping our body healthy and lively. Also, taking multivitamins has always provided us with essential vitamins we need to help maintain good health and energy. But not all vitamins are alike, what we need is a Multivitamins with special combination of vitamins called Steadi-Energy Complex which can provide us with lasting energy (tuluy-tuloy na energy) throughout the day. This steadi-energy is important most especially if there are so many things to do at work. By the way, that 1/2 is for extra energy.

If we treat our body properly, it will work like a well-oiled machine whether day, night, or afternoon. It may even help us in our early promotion.

I definitely agree with Enervon’s campaign “More Energy, Mas Happy.” In this stressful and fast-paced city life, I definitely need Multivitamins Enervon – of course because of its Steadi-Energy Complex vitamin combination. It’s truly a magic energy pill for me. 

Hapontukin bad,
Steady energy – Good!

Sleeping With Wet Hair Can Cause Blindness and Other Absurdities

My grandmother has this funny and bizarre collection of health ideas that I do not know whether some of it is true – but I’m sure most of it are just local absurdities. Maybe it is because of information deficiency and the belief in albularyo or local quack doctor.

These health beliefs always remind me what it was like to grow up in the province, fascinated and horrified by the adult world. Right now, it is really reassuring that the things I used to believe weren't so strange after all because I discovered that, somehow, most provinces across the Philippines, and even other countries, also have their own or same health legends. And the most common – sleeping with wet hair can cause blindness.

Then again, even communities in Metro Manila and other cities, especially urban poor communities, still believe on these health legends. Although city people have access to electricity and the mass media, much of their health information can be misleading inaccurate or distorted.

These beliefs are really amusing so I take time on finding little facts about it by doing a little research to satisfy my itchy curiosity. I’m not an expert in medicine and my notes are still subject to medical scrutiny.

Here are some of the popular health-beliefs in our town in Mindoro and my personal notes:  

1. Sleeping with wet hair can cause blindness - In our province, it is said that if you sleep with wet hair, first you will be cross-eyed, then you will go blind. Meaning, if you happen to wake up in the middle of your sleep with your wet hair, you will only be crossed eyed – and you know what, you are considered lucky -- because if you sleep longer you will be blind.

• My Notes: According to John C Hagan III, MD, an Ophthalmologist affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, that belief is totally untrue. There is no connection what-so-ever between wet hair and eye problems. Why would you want to sleep with wet hair anyway? 

2. Urine of frogs causes warts or kulugo – Kokak Kokak! No way. I love playing with frogs when I was a kid, what I got are bruises from chasing them – not warts. 

• My Notes: The cause of the typical wart is not a frog. It happens because the wart virus finds a body with a weak immune system.

3. Eating too much magoes can cause bungang-araw or prickly heat rashes – I’m not really sure about this one. What I personally experience is that I got itchy lips and throat when I accidentally ate a portion of that pico mango fruit rind. Despite the fact that mango can be allergic to a few people, it is still a healthy fruit and I cannot help myself eating this fruit – especially those overripe big kinalabaw mangoes, hmm yummy.

• My Notes: Well, the problem is that mango tree sap, and the rind of the fruit, contains urushiol, the same chemical the poison ivy plant produces. Some people experience skin rashes especially in the lips upon contact with the sap or the skins of the fruit. Well, you can’t be that hungry that you want to eat even the mango skin – that’s reserved for the backyard pigs you know.    

4. Eating grilled lizard can cure asthma - The usual practice is to grill a lizard until it turned to charcoal black, grind it then mix it to some juice or coffee so you can't taste what a lizard really taste like. Others just add a whole lizard when cooking rice. Yaikks!

• My Notes: Some experts say that asthma can not be cured. Of course eating lizard is not based on a prescription or medical advice, but at least they believe in alternative medicine. We just really don’t know its medicinal effects though. In the meantime, I suggest we should require all lizards to have them labeled with “No approved therapeutic claims.” - until such time that a proper study was conducted. Any objections, Godzilla?   

5. Washing hands after ironing clothes can cause pasma - Pasma refers to a folk illness unique to the Filipino culture with symptoms of hand tremors, sweaty palms, numbness and pains attributed to an interaction of "init" (heat) and "lamig" (cold).

A rather amusing variation on this belief is the idea that condoms cause "pasma" allegedly because the rubber aggravates the body’s heat. Ha ha ha, Maybe an impotent Catholic priest, who is fighting against contraceptives and the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, started this rumor. LOL  

• My Notes: Pasma is not described in medical textbooks, discussed in medical schools, or generally recognized by contemporary medical science.

6. A lady eating twin bananas will give birth to twins - Eating twin fruits like double almonds and bananas were thought to increase the likelihood of twins.

• My Notes: None – I don’t bother googling this one, because obviously, this is ridiculous. Just consult your local manghihilot to explain this to you in detail or perhaps try visiting the psychic readers in Quiapo if you want more information.

7. Brushing hair 100 times before bedtime can make it softer and shiny - This is the old tale, which claims that brushing your hair a lot, 100 to 200 strokes a day, is good for the hair.

• My Notes: According to the basic hair care article posted in Mercury Drug Website, we have about 100,000 strands of hairs on our head. Each grows for two to six years. It's normal to shed some 50 to 100 hair strands a day. When hair falls out, a new strand eventually replaces it.
• Their Advise: Don't put strain on your hair strands by brushing too much or too vigorously. The story about brushing your hair 100 times a night is not true. Overbrushing the hair simply makes it brittle and may cause the scalp to produce excess oil.

8. Eating ants can improve singing - So finally, Celine Dion and Charice Pempemco’s secret is finally out. Sautéed ants are behind their angelic singing voice? Well, if it’s true, Willie Revillame and Paris Hilton should’ve done that two decades ago so that they wouldn’t have to be a trying hard singer.

• My Notes: Maybe an old lunatic singer, during one of her epileptic seizures, started sharing her secret about eating ants to improve her voice, her die-hard fans heard her – and from there, the legend goes. Z and Princess Bala will not love this. 

9. Drinking seawater can cure cough/colds - In our province in Mindoro, whenever we got cough, my mother will let us have our sea swimming early in the morning and would encourage us to take a gulp of seawater to cure our cough. Of course seawater in our small town is really clear and clean unlike the yukkiiee toxic Manila Bay.

But wait, based on my fact finding spree, this one, which I thought was also an absurd belief is amazingly has some truth in it. Well at least I found out that not all beliefs in my list are just absurdities.

• My Notes: According to a Czech research [Efficacy of Isotonic Nasal Wash (Seawater) in the Treatment and Prevention of Rhinitis in Children], seawater spray cures kids colds. It may be that the salt water has a simple mechanical effect of clearing mucus, or it could be that trace elements in the water play some more significant role, though the exact reason why such a solution works is not known, said Dr. Ivo Slapak and colleagues at the Teaching Hospital of Brno in the Czech Republic.   

I’m sure you also know of some health myths – like jumping on New Year’s eve to make you taller?

Hmmm, what else…
Please share what you have in mind in the comments section below.  

_____________________________

Sources: Retrieved 16 April 2010 by YODZ INSIGNE

» Hagan, John C. III, MD, “Eye Care” 
»Tichenal Allan, Dobbs Joannie “How to Avoid Mangoes Itch”
»Suvamita Ghosh “Mango Allergy”
»Tan, Michael. Philippine Daily Inquirer “Pasma”
»Conlon, Michael Seawater spray cures kids colds-Czech researchers Jan 21 (Reuters) 
»Ivo Slapak et. al., Efficacy of Isotonic Nasal Wash (Seawater) in the Treatment and Prevention of Rhinitis in Children
»Mercury Drug. Basic Hair Care

Appreciating Nature: The Health Benefits of Honey

My mom sent me bottles of pure honey yesterday together with packs of cashew nuts from our province. That’s typical of mothers I guess – always sending something to their children to show affection. It’s really heartwarming whenever I got packages from my mom via door-to-door delivery. I remember during my college days, when I’m striving to finish college and living in a boarding house all by myself, my mom used to send almost anything from our town in Occidental Mindoro– onions, sampaloc, pastillas, dried fish, cashew fruits, vegetables etc. It was always carefully and meticulously wrapped, and you will always find a handwritten note, always reminding me to take care of myself especially my health.


By the way, I am writing this post about the health benefits of honey. Although my mom, during our growing up years used to give us a few spoonfuls of honey with calamansi before bedtime, many of my town folks are ignorant of honey’s health and beauty benefits. It’s one of the luxuries of our town but often unappreciated and overlooked. I say luxury because when I’m checking out bottles of commercial honey in a grocery store, I can’t believe it cost that much. In our town, our Mangyan brothers are harvesting honey in the wild forest of Mindoro, then cheaply sell it in town or most of the time in exchange for used clothes or rice.

Our town is blessed by nature with this wonderful product, so I want to share this especially to all Mindoreños. Lets appreciate what nature is giving us and take extra measures to protect our forests.

The health benefits of honey:

1. Energy booster–Honey gives you that extra rush of energy when needed, the same way energy drinks affect the body. The glucose in it is quickly absorbed by the body for an instant spike in energy level while the fructose takes it time to be absorbed in order for the energy to be sustained for prolonged periods of time.

2. Detoxifying agent–Honey is actually a cleansing tonic that improves the health of the digestive system, making it easier for the body to fight diseases. Its antioxidant and antibacterial components help boost the immune system while clearing the passages of harmful toxins and microbes.

3. Antioxidant–Honey contains powerful compounds that fight free radicals and aid in slowing down and reversing the effects of aging. Generally, antioxidants neutralize free radicals and heal tissues on the cellular level, therefore, protecting the body from aging from the inside out. A study published by the University of California concluded that honey contains antioxidants comparable to spinach, apples, oranges and strawberries.

4. Skin protectant–Honey has been historically linked to protecting the skin against irritants. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that disinfects and promotes the healing of wounds and burns. The University of Sydney stated in a study that honey should be used as a “first choice” in dressing wounds instead of it being the “last resort” because of its superior antimicrobial properties.

5. Natural skincare product–Honey also helps in achieving smooth, soft, nourished skin due to its rich mineral, vitamin and amino acid content. Further, a University of Amsterdam study found it to be “a promising topical antimicrobial agent for prevention or treatment of infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria.” This means that honey may actually be used to treat acne and pimples.

6. Weight loss aid–Honey has high calorie and sugar contents, but curiously, it doesn’t seem to affect the body in a negative way. According to the USDA Agriculture Research Service, the body tolerates honey better than table sugar and doesn’t gain weight from it. The University of California published a study reporting that consuming buckwheat honey on a daily basis for a month does not cause weight gain. This proves that honey can be a table sugar-substitute for individuals aiming to lose weight.

7. Hangover remedy–Honey contains the natural sugar, fructose, which helps the liver in speedily oxidizing alcohol. The Web site www.benefits-of-honey.com recommends drinking 15ml honey with 80ml orange juice and 70ml natural yogurt to minimize the effects of a hangover.

8. Cough remedy–Honey has soothing qualities that relieves minor sore throats and coughs. The Pennsylvania State College of Medicine found honey to be more effective in curing nighttime coughs in children than over-the-counter cough medicines.

9. Sleeping aid–Honey is suggested to promote better sleeping patterns with regular consumption. Although no study has directly linked it to curing insomnia or improved bedtime habits, the classic combination of warm milk and honey has been traditionally used to relieve sleep problems. This can be attributed to the presence of tryptophan, a natural relaxant that reduces anxiety and aids in regulating cholesterol levels.

10. Dietary supplement–Honey can be used as a regular dietary supplement, with or without the need for any specific function like those mentioned above. Fruits and vegetables lose large amounts of their vitamins as early as 24 hours after being harvested. Honey, on the other hand, retains all its benefits without an expiration date. The vitamin and mineral content of honey varies depending on the flower used to cultivate it. But most variants contain high levels of vitamins C and B-complex, essential minerals and at least half a dozen of amino acids.

Additional info: Honey may aid conception - Known as the Nectar of the Gods, honey has long been held in esteem for its medicinal and antiviral properties but, according to at least one beekeeper and several researchers around the world, it is also of great benefit for people struggling to conceive. Ayurveda has been advising honey as a medication for men with problems of impotence and women with problems related to infertility

Sources:

• Biado Ed, "Health benefits of honey" [ http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideLifestyle.htm?f=2010/february/10/lifestyle4.isx&d=2010/february/10 ] 29 March 2010

• Babyworld, "Honey may aid conception",  [ http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/trying/getting_body_ready/honey_helps_conception.asp ], 29 March 2010

• Ayurveda and Yoga Blog, "Honey treatment for Arthritis, Cholestrol and Infertility" [ http://www.ayurvedictalk.com/honey-treatment-for-arthritis-cholestrol-and-infertility/222/ ] , 29 March 2010