What happened

Today, I learned more about the common bruise.

A particularly big one covering almost half of my lower left leg from a fall during my recent trip caused me enough concern to drop by the nearest hospital from where I work to get it checked by a doctor.

After a few interviews, an x-ray, and a couple of hours waiting for results, I discovered that another term for bruise is contusion... and that the one I have on the anterior muscles near my shin is particularly deep. Although that may be the case, the doctor calmly assured me that x-ray results didn't show anything severe and that she'd only be recommending me painkillers if I needed any. She advised me to rest and elevate my leg as much as possible and put warm compress on it every now and then. Praise God!

The accident happened midday Sunday; the check-up came after a couple of days. Thank heavens nothing terrible happened in that span of time. My bodily functions concerning my lower extremity is still intact.

On that fateful day, I was thankfully able to apply ice on it as soon as I could. Although it didn't discolor much into purple, it got really swollen. The first thing I did was ask my friend (who happened to have a Nursing background) was if the bone was hit. She said it didn't seem so. From all the excitement of our helmet diving in the middle of the sea and my own adrenaline rush, the seriousness of the condition didn't seem to register to me at the time. A loud alarm turned on in my head only when I heard one of my co-teacher's panicked words when she saw my leg: "You're like a car, friend. There's a dent on your leg."

A lot of other things could have happened but I don't want to bring myself to think about them anymore. God definitely had my back. I know it's Him who was watching over me. He's always looking out for me.

More than ever, I know now that I have to take better care of myself.

Have a break

Two more days until my Davao trip. I can't wait!

On the other hand, I also can't wait to have a nice, long, and deep sleep to make up for the unbelievable sleep debt I have incurred in the past five days. My sleep debt from college and its accompanying compounding interest has already taken its toll on me (and perhaps is continuing to); I don't want to add to it anymore. Health is wealth. I couldn't agree more. Don't desire to learn it the hard way (the way I did).

So... Davao, don't let me down! :)

Condura Run for the Dolphins 2010

After only one hour of sleep (It's a long story!), my friend and co-teacher, Ammy, and I got ready for our first race of the year: the Condura Run for the Dolphins 2010.

We woke up almost unwillingly when our alarm clocks shattered the silence at the unholy hour of 4:00 AM. On our way to Global City, we passed by a runner who was steadily moving along the highway. Wow. The guy made running look as easy as simply breathing. Without much preparation for the run except for a few jogging hours in the past weeks and walking in between daily commutes, we prayed to God that we'll be able to make it through our own races.

When Ammy and I arrived at the assembly area, we were amazed by the large number of people already gathered there. The public address system boomed to life the moment we stepped off the taxi. "Five minutes to gunshot for the ten kilometer race!" We quickened our pace and discussed on how we were to meet each other after completing our runs. Ammy was running 3K; I was going for 10K. While we hurried through the crowd, we bumped into our HR officer from the center where we work. She was also running 3K with her friends. I greeted them but had to go right away because it was almost time for the 10K race to begin.

They all wished me well before I weaved through the throng of people to stand somewhere near the starting line. As the 60-second countdown began, fireworks shot up into the black sky, which fired up the enthusiastic runners who couldn't seem to calm their nerves and tense muscles any longer.

Bang! It was time to go!

It is hard to describe what went on in my mind as I steadily ran the first five kilometers and half ran, half walked the last five. At first I was like, "Oh yeah! I can do this!" and then next I was, "What have I gotten myself into? Why did I sign up for 10K? I should have ran for just 5K." Although my head was somewhat throbbing because of lack of sleep before I even reached the halfway mark, I silently encouraged myself that I can finish this race.

I stopped several times for water break and walked when I needed to especially during the last five kilometers of the run. By now I knew well enough to listen to my body.

The part I didn't like the most about the race though was seeing plastic cups strewn all over the road near the water stations. I mean, does it cost more effort to drink water and put the cup back on the table where it belongs than to gulp water and splash the remaining contents of the cup before throwing it haphazardly on the ground? Seriously. It was contradicting to think that people would run for the dolphins, yet throw plastic cups on a whim. Yes, volunteers and organizers would pick up the trash when the event is over and maybe everyone's just trying to maintain their pace... but still. Bring your own water containers and tie them around your waist next time or hold the plastic cup until you run past a garbage bin or something.

Anyway, a more positive moment replaced the disappointment I felt with the water incident. The best memory I have of the 10K race was when I fell into step beside a man who was pushing a younger man on a three-wheel contraption that worked like a modified wheelchair. Part of our conversation went something like this:

Me: "Hi! Are you running with your friend?"

Man: "Hi! No, I'm running with my son."

Me: "How old is he?"

Man: "18."

Me: "Wow! It's great that you run with him. Congratulations in joining the race together."

Man: "Thank you! Congratulations to you, too."

Me: "Well, I probably shouldn't talk to much so we can conserve our energy. See you later."

Man: (laughs) "Okay, see you later."

Me: "See you at the finish line."

As he went ahead with his son, I noticed they wore the same white shirt that bore the words "Never Run Alone" at the back in red letters.

At that moment, I was inspired like I was never inspired before. I realized I was not running alone either. Someone else was running with me. God was running with me, cheering me on and helping me move forward when I needed a little push.

My unofficial time for the ten kilometer run is 1 hour, 15 minutes and 30 seconds.

I was the 1236th runner to reach the finish line out of 2110. Ammy also finished her race with flying colors. Praise the Lord! :) I am tremendously happy with the race results! It was a big personal achievement. (I mentioned that the time is unofficial because the marshals were not able to punch in our stubs right away. There was a five minute delay more or less because we had to wait in line after reaching the finish.)

When I ran for the five kilometer category in Race and Shine in 2009, I clocked in at 43 minutes and 14 seconds. This record time became my baseline time for the Condura Run. I figured that if I double the time of my 5K finish, that will be 1:26:28 - the time I need to beat for the 10K stretch... and beat the time I did.

But more than setting a new time record for myself, this year's Condura Run for the Dolphins proved to be an even better experience of discovering the many blessings of God.

To eat or not to eat

I started going to the gym last October 5 in an attempt to be more pro-active in my health and well-being.

Although I walk a lot in the morning and afternoon during my commute to work and on my way back home, it feels more like the obligatory physical movement that it is and on most days it's a distress. Don't get me wrong though - it is wonderful to be always on the move. However, being cramped in a vehicle like sardines with total strangers on a daily basis can get really uncomfortable and pretty alarming. I can't say I'm used to the commute but I've pretty much accepted it as a reality, a fact of life (my life at least).

Anyway, when my co-teachers told me they were planning to enroll in the nearby gym for about three months, I got interested. My ears perked up all the more when I heard, 'dance class'. I used to participate in a lot of dances in elementary and high school: modern, hip hop, ballroom, etc. I have no intentions of becoming a pro dancer or anything. I just miss the adrenaline rush of pure energetic body movement timed to the beat of a song. I dance for dance's sake. Besides, it is an enjoyable physical form of art and it is a good workout for the heart.

I have been attending the hip hop dance class and (recently) the aerokickboxing class at least once a week for about three weeks now and I am very happy about it. :)

When I found out that my weight is about seven pounds above the ideal weight for my frame and height, I was very thankful that I'm not obsessing over the fact that I need to shed some pounds. I know I'll lose it eventually because: {1} I perspire easily and {2} my schedule is getting filled with activities to do and appointments to keep. Sure, it would be nice to lose some weight and get a more toned physique [those are added bonuses!] but knowing that my body mass index and body fat count (or something, I forget what it's called) is normal is more important for me personally. Besides, if my heart feels right about my exercise, I believe the rest will follow...

I have also become more conscious of what, when, where, why and how I eat. Earlier into the year, I have added more fruits and vegetables (food by God) in my "to eat" list. :)

Just to share, here are some of the things I do in order to regulate my weight and eating habits:

1. Be on the move! I take the stairs whenever I can and I walk a lot during the day. I stretch whenever I find myself sitting too long. Physical activity shouldn't be just exercise - it should be all the little movements you do everyday. Although exercise is good for the body, it's not everything. (Read more: "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin" by John Cloud, Time Magazine August 2009.)

2. Eat on a small plate and use small utensils. If there isn't a lot of space to put food on, then I don't eat a lot of food in one sitting.

3. Eat slowly. I read somewhere and heard several times that the brain takes a while to process information on how full you are. So the slower I eat, the less food I take in. And it works! I'll feel full even if I ate only a seemingly small serving.

4. If I crave for something, I do not deprive myself of it. I eat a very small portion of the food to satisfy my craving instead of losing my peace of mind always wondering, "what if?". No matter how small the portion, the important thing is I tell my brain that I now know what the food tasted like and I'm happy I tried it. Of course, I have to be aware of my cravings, too. It's not healthy to have a 'craving' every ten minutes.

5. Eat small but eat often. For me, eating snacks is actually good especially when my stomach is already sending me "I'm hungry, feed me!" signals. Eating small amounts of food several times a day in regular intervals works better for me than strictly sticking to the three square meals a day. It's not good to let your tummy growl and say, "Be quiet, it's not lunchtime yet. You have to wait."

I feel wonderful having the chance to realize a lot of things for myself in the wellness arena and actually having the opportunity to act upon those realizations. As the saying goes: "The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement." Hmmm.. My next agenda will probably have to be cramming... :P

Well-being

I wasn't much of a girly-girl when I was growing up.

During my freshman year in high school, I still acted like 'one of the boys'. I had very short hair reaching only upto my ears. If not for our school uniform which was a blouse and skirt combination, I would have worn pants or shorts and t-shirts all the time. I was very active in sports and didn't mind having tangled hair, a sweaty face, and wrinkled clothes at the end of the day. Neat or not, I was happy with myself. It didn't occur to me just yet that perhaps boys like girls for being... well... girly. It didn't cross my mind until my mid-teens that at some point, I needed to start acting (even just a tiny bit) more lady-like.

Little did I know that time would present solutions to my problems.

Slowly, that little thing called "self-consciousness" started creeping in. I was starting to get annoyed with my bob cut and began growing my hair for as long as I can manage it and tried different hairstyles. I experimented with my clothes and tried on more girly outfits like skirts and dresses. I also accessorized - hairclips, bracelets, earrings, you name it.

Nevertheless, my discovery of a more feminine side of myself didn't turn out to be a crazy transformation from boyish girl to a fashion junkie. I wouldn't dare let myself get caught in "The Devil wears Prada" whirlwind of fashion. Instead, I made the styles out there fit my taste rather than let it run my life. Modesty is still the best policy. More importantly, I know who I am and I am happy with myself as long as I am growing up to be the woman of God He wanted me to be. :D

Honestly, I am still more of a t-shirt/blouse and jeans kind of person and I think it's going to stay that way. Of course, certain occasions in life would call for different fashion statements and more classy get-ups like formal dinners, awards nights, case conferences, weddings, and so on. I believe it's not going to be a problem. Flexibility has always been one of my great skills.

Moving on, I'm not a huge fan of make-up either.

In our humid country, I easily break into a sweat by just walking outside. I keep my face clean by washing it with a certain soap and applying sunblock during the day. I also use the basic powder and lip gloss but that's about it for everyday. I say: eat lots of fruits, get decent sleep, and drink lots of water. :) Anyhow, I also get regular facial treatments if I've been able to save for it. :D

Don't get me wrong though, there's nothing bad with wearing make-up. The Bible mentioned that women were made to exude beauty, which is told in the story of queen Esther. :) I just don't think my skin can handle the make-up on a daily basis.

By the way, just this year, I've rewarded myself with nail care, spa and massage treatments, too. I find it a very effective way to bring wellness to oneself. I am a firm believer that 'prevention is better than cure' and one way of doing that is by taking care of the body God has given you right now and not when it is already breaking down. Taking drugs or medicine isn't the cure to everything.

There is great truth in the mind-body-spirit connection and God has provided natural ways to heal our bodies long before the dawn of drugs. When I went to a chiropractor, Dr. Gary Bolen, for the first time during my trip to the US, I discovered a lot of new things about health and wellness. He gave me a book "Body by God" by Dr. Ben Lerner and I was glad that I read it.

I also believe that from good health and wellness springs true beauty. :) I read this book, "Who Calls Me Beautiful?" by Regina Franklin and I think every girl, young lady, and woman out there should read it. It tackles about how we are all created in the image and likeness of God while the world convinces us we're ugly by Hollywood standards. It's time to wake up to the truth that we are all beautiful people the way God sees us.

Speaking of this pursuit of health and wellness, I would love to go to The Farm, health and spa resort, at San Benito, when I have some money set aside.

Maximizing Human Potential Through Optimal Health

Rediscover the wellness within you at The Farm, one of the few truly medical and wellness resorts in the world. Located an easy two-hour drive south of the Philippine capital of Manila, this award-winning 48-hectare resort offers an exceptional healing environment for the holistic treatment of the body, mind and soul. Making use of Nature’s own remedies, our mission is to guide and educate you toward your maximum total health potential.

Read more...

The Farm is near where I live. It's a well-known place for health and wellness not only in the Philippines but all over the world. I've heard a lot of great feedback regarding the place but it's rather expensive. You don't need a lot of money to be and stay healthy. Going to The Farm is just a gift I would like to give myself and my family some day. :)

I have not been to The Farm yet but I have met the chief of their Medical Department, Dr. Marian Alonzo, in a seminar I attended at Protégé Special Education Learning Center in Xavierville, Loyola Heights, Quezon City entitled "Art Therapy for Children with Special Needs and Their Caregivers" last May where she was the facilitator. She gave a lot of insight regarding the topic at hand. In spite of our brief encounter, to me she looked like someone who considers health and wellness extremely important besides the fact that she is a medical doctor.

Anyway, my journey towards a work-life balance made prosperous by health and wellness continues. Let's be well and stay healthy. :)