Home Remedies That Work

While our first - aid cabinet may be handy with all the packs and tabs of over - the - counter medicines for some common illnesses, they may come short or none when we need one.

So, rummage through your kitchen and you may find one or two alternatives to address your discomfort or issue. However, these remedies only alleviate your pain and the need to see your doctor for chronic problems should not be ignored. Further, make sure to confirm with your doctor before any use of these home remedies.


1. GINGER

Doctors claim that ginger has natural components to remedy pain and inflammation. And this is typically used for tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis. When I was younger, my mom had to crush some ginger and apply it on my knee whenever I had my knee pains from my bone problems, and they quite work.

2. GARLIC


While garlic seems to be an ordinary kitchen spice, this wonder herb has medicinal benefits. According to MedicinePlus, garlic can reduce the high blood pressure of individuals with normal pressure. Further, the garlic gel can quite correct and/or treat skin infection like ringworm, athlete's foot, and jock itch.

3. PEPPER

When my kid was younger, he would throw tantrums from bloated tummy. Not knowing what to do, we could only endure with him. But, my mother in - law had pounded some black pepper, enclosed them in a cloth and wrap it around my baby's tummy, presto! He was all relieved and we could all go back to sleep.

Another useful variation of pepper is cayenne hot pepper that its pharmacological action includes treatment of alcoholism, regulation of blood circulation, anti - flu action, and strengthening of heart, nerves and arteries.

Family: Invest for Your Future

In one national news, it hurts that only a small percentage of retirees has assured their future through insurance and investments to sustain their living after years of employment. And, the greater part of these retirees have to rely on their family's support. While families in the Philippines are close - knit, it is somehow difficult to sustain two families at the same time.

So, while we are able to work and able to save, we just have to start investing. This investment plan may include having a time deposit or saving account that grows with higher interest, buying real estate from local areas assisted through real estate software among others or starting a business based on your interest or passion.

When we save for our future, we make our retirement more comfortable and that includes making life easy as well for our loved ones.

Valentine's Day Family Treat

my family

Last February 14 was a beautiful day and there is no other explanation to this other than the fact that it is LOVE DAY!

So, we managed to greet our loved ones and my husband and my son had a great deal of persistence when they had to surprise me with flowers and cake.

We were able to find a good pair of couple shirts and commenced the day with a dinner and movie dates with friends.

Why We Should Donate Blood

Donating 450cc of AB blood to Red Cross

It was in 2008 that I first donated my blood and the feeling of possible helping others in times of need was so overwhelming that I wish to donate regularly. However, my sedimentary lifestyle and stressful work among others had made my wish vain.

So, I was quite consumed that I finally had my 2nd donation when my passion for running required me to take iron supplements allowing me to donate.

Why do we need to donate blood? Let me cite the following reasons:

1. You get to do a mini - physical check up on your blood pressure, hemoglobin, pulse, body temperature;
2. You get to help and save others;
3. You can be priority recipients should you or your loved ones need blood;
4. You reduce your heart risk.

Consider donating blood as your insurance to saving your life and others. The future is unpredictable, so, we need to invest on something worthwhile and this may include investing on the right education, business like when you buy gold bullion among others.

So, go to your nearest Red Cross Center and help save lives.

Cultivate a Culture of Family Among Friends

with my school colleagues

with my running mates

Friends make the day lighter and happier and from the toils of work and pressures from home, somehow, they motivate us to be better.

While the roles of family among us is undeniable, it is as equally healthy if we have good set of friends who help us have a happy, active and healthy lifestyle.

So, learn to bond with your colleagues, neighbors and even to strangers if you must because you never know that they can bring delight to our glum days.

Academic Honors for My Kid

with my kid and his winning cupcake

I may be bias but my kid's IQ is good, however, his old academic performance from school tells something else. So, to keep him motivated, we made a deal that if he ever makes it to the top 3, he gets to play with his PSP even on weekdays.

And, surprisingly, he made it with 3rd academic honors. So, his day from culinary competition where he and his group won 1st prize from the cup cake decorating contest made even happier.

So, congrats, Yuri for a job well done!

How Important is Saving for Your Family's Future?

Unfortunately, not all retirees have their future secured. In fact, most retirees have to be at the burden of their children just to live through. While some kids would love to have their parents at home, these retirees have special needs to be attended to and to not have any retirement insurance means a more inconvenient retirement.

So, while we are young and able to earn a living, we have to at least save for our future. We can apply for retirement insurances or do investments like if we buy morgan silver dollars for assured tomorrow.

We want our children to have future - free days but we can only do that we attend to our own future too.

Family Camping

with my kid in our beaten tent

We were expecting a power interruption for 20 hours starting at 10pm, so, to avoid the hassle from inconvenient sleep, we set up our tent at our own backyard to sleep through the night.

However, since the wasn't any power interruption in our area, we may be having it then in one of the coming days until February 23. So, this camp - out sleep seems the thing for 2 weeks.

My kid, however, is simply excited to have fun sleeping outside our home.

SOCOTECO II Power Outages' Schedules

Our last undesirable and very inconvenient experience of long power outages at the height of El Nino but unexpectedly, the Sout Cotabato locals are to hurdle another 18- 20 hour of power interruption to start February 10 until February 23 to hold their annual diagnostic and preventive maintenance.

The power interruption is set to happen once in every area, however, some locals are still lost including me when we basically don't know what feeder sustains our area.

If you happen to know which feeder caters to your area, go check this SOCOTECO II schedule and have all your tech gadgets all charged and laundry made.

How to Teach Your Kids to Love Reading

Reading is not so popular among a good number of kids compared to playing their computers, PSP or WII and while this old conventional hobby seems getting unpopular among the youth, parents, teachers and other book - lovers can enforce a passion for reading among our kids.

You can buy or loan children books of short texts but rich with pictures to invite them visually. There are a good number of local bookstores including online bookstores that offer barnes & noble coupons where cheap but quality books are sold.

You can also further motivate your kids if you, as an adult, love also to read. You can read to your kids or read with them an hour or two just before bedtime sleep. Further, you can encourage your kids to read with other kids of their age, so, they can be more motivated.

Reading is fun and beneficial and if we help cultivate a culture for reading, our kids can be well - educated.

Sports Enforce Family Bonding

one running family in our most recent 12km trail run

We use our passion for running to spend time as family and while my kid could not last more than 3km, the fact that his parents are with him in promoting healthy life style and in having fun bonding time.

So, be closer with your family and kin and you can choose any sports of your liking as means.

Philhealth Run: Helping the Cancer - Afflicted Children

I once ran in Zamboanga City to help the cancer children under Zamboanga City General Hospital and what can be better means to exercise my passion for running than to help communities including the sick.

So, I have to run again but this time it shall be a simultaneous run among 6 cities specifically Koronadal, Zamboanga, Davao, Butuan, Marawi and Cagayan de Oro. This simultaneous run is initiated to help cancer - afflicted children under the care of Kids of Hope.

With more than 7000 expected runners, this 1st Mindanao Run shall highly create an impact and bring hope to the sick kids. See you then on February 5 on Philhealth Run.

Enforce Your Kid's Learning through Technology

With technology that simply overwhelm the market, parents, kids and professionals among others can enjoy technology to help their works and school requirements.

Technology before was limited to the elite and big institutions but with the volume of technology produced, the price simply decreased exuberantly. In fact, you can buy any brand new or used laptop or used notebook including cameras, cellphones among others.

With proper guidance from the guardian and/or parents, technology can be used to help the kids in answering their home works/research projects or in reviewing for their exams and simply in having safe fun through online games.

Technology can be of help if properly used, so, we, as parents, can use this technology to this advantage.

The GenSan Run Club Supports Families Plus More

With more than 120 members, this young club is getting bigger and with runners from all ages and industries and background, the runners convene during fun runs, practice runs or any activity that shall aid the runners including other entities.

Last December 2011 was a productive month when GenSan Run Club along with Kreativ Boutique and SOCCSKSARGEN bloggers had pooled resources to help 250 children of Sitio Pao Pao of Barangay Sinawal.

GenSan Run Club shall hold its first major project of fun run this February 26 in celebration of General Santos City's Kalilangan Festival. The proceeds shall help the families of San Jose and Sitio Pao Pao including the renovation and construction of health and sanitation facilities of PNP Regional Training School.

View the video below to know our cause.

Inviting Families to Run

My passion for running has been institutionalized when I joined the GenSan Run Club, a non - profit organization of running enthusiasts.

So, February 26 is Dagan sa Kalilangan 2012 and the GenSan Run Club is the official host of this first fun run that aims to raise more than 1000 runners.

To promote healthy lifestyle and to aid the children of Barangay Sinawal and Barangay San Jose and the health and sanitation facilities of PNP Regional Training School, join us in this big Fun Run event in partnership with General Santos City Police Office.

The following are the Registration details:

Category: 2KM (for parent and child 12 years old or below)

Fee: 400.00 (with singlets and food item for 2)

Fee: 200.00 (with food item but without singlet)

Category: 5KM(open) and 3KM (open)

Fee: 300.00 (with singlet and food item) or 200.00 (with food item but without singlet)

Category: 10KM and 21KM (open)

Fee: 500.00 (with singlet and food item)

Special Registration Fee for all elementary, high school and college students and PNP trainees: 100.00 (with food item but without singlet)

Registration fee includes a singlet, race bib, water rations, and Jollibee meals and other freebies from the race sponsors. The RACE KIT shall be redeemed only at the offsite authorized centers.

All Registrants may register at GenSan Run Club official website or may have the option to pay offsite through our Registration Centers at all GenSan Jollibee stores, Kreativ Boutique - Gaisano, General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO).