turmoils

somewhere between the chest

knowing that tomorrow

will never come

just like it never did

yesterday

tears

will fill the depth

of the next day's evening

for I shall cry

like I never did

before

hope

will grow within

that one day

oblivion will swallow

the sorrows

of today

Palimbang (part1 pa lang ini)- Palayan sa Tabing Dagat

From the Orient

Sites from the shores of Mamali, Mati, Davao Oriental

Pipila sa akong mga laag!

From bottom to top: Fireworks at the Kaamulan Festival in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, my foster family in Bukidnon... yes that is the beautiful Mt. Kitanglad behid, me processing some herbs in Tago, Surigao del Sur...Baylan nga trying hard and my new home in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon... where I chart my dreams and directions in this new journey....

LUPA

Katutubong laon nang kinamulatan
Liban sa Banal walang nagmamay-ari
Sa bawat bahagi nya't kabuuan
Subalit ang demonyo'y mortal
Dumaong sa pusod ng kanyang dangal Panginoon kung sarili'y itanghal

Sumpa ang bawat pagtikim
ng dambuhalang hatid ay dilim
Sa kinagisnang sinapupunan
Walang panginoon ang nanggagahasa
Ni tagapag-alagang tumatango
Sa dikta ng kahayukan

Tawagin mo sya sa pangalan n'ya
Lupa! kabiyak ng magbubukid
Subukan mo at di ka marinig
Sya'y tulala sa kahubaran
Katihimika'y sing lalim ng pighati
Sa pagpanaw ng kanyang puri

Damhin ang kanyang pagtangis
Inang Lupa ika'y nalunod sa luha
At dugong piniga sa pulso
Bawiin ang ninakaw na alindog
At minsan pa'y ibalik sa kanyang puso
Nang buhay muli n'yang ihandog

From top: 1. The Mamanwas of Tag-anito, Claver, Surigao del Sur driven out from their homes by mining firms 2. A hill of earth containing at 13 minerals to be shipped to Japan for processing (Tag-anito, Claver, Surigao del Sur) 3. One of the seven mining pits of Manila Mining Company at Placer, Surigao del Sur 4. One of the abandoned mining pits of Suricon Mining Corporation at Tubod, Surigao del Sur (at least 20 ha wide, 700 ft. deep)... not a lake darling... The site used to be a good agricultural area. 5&6. Lake Mainit from Mainit National High School.

Malunggay...

A Second Look at the Lowly Malunggay
Dr. Lydia M. Marero, RUMD

Malunggay known scientifically as Moringa oleifera Lamk, is one of the world's most useful plants. It is cultivated in all countries of the tropics. It is easy to plant, and is available year-round.

It is used as: food, effective flocculants, antibiotics, oils, and coagulants for turbid waters. It is called "mother's best friend", and "miracle vegetable" by many who have known its beneficial effects. In fact, it is used as the logo of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.

One hundred grams (1 cup cooked) of malunggay leaves contain 3.1 g. protein, 0.6 g. fiber, 96 mg calcium, 29 mg phosphorus, 1.7 mg iron, 2,820 mg ß-carotene, 0.07 mg thiamin, 0.14 mg riboflavin, 1.1 mg niacin, and 53 mg ascorbic acid or vitamin C. The antioxidant activity of malunggay is about 71%, with µ-tocopherol (vitamin E) equivalent of 45.

The leaves are outstanding as sources of vitamin A, B-vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron. The calcium content is very high for a plant. Iron content is likewise very good. It is even an excellent source of protein being higher than the amino acid pattern of FAO reference protein, and a very low source of fat and carbohydrates. The leaves are incomparable as a source of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, which are often in short supply.

Due to its high vitamins A, C, and E, which are very potent antioxidants, malunggay is a very good quencher of unstable free-radicals that can react with and damage other molecules. Antioxidants reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. They also prevent the onset of various chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer, and heart and kidney diseases.

Malunggay contains the phytochemical niaziminin, which has anti-tumor potential, (Faizi et al., 1992) and correlated with inhibitory ability against superoxide generation. The first naturally-occurring thiocarbamates, novel hypotensive agents niazinin A, niazinin B, niazimicin and niaziminin A and B were isolated from malunggay.
Malunggay is called "miracle vegetable" because it is not only a food, it is also a medicine. It may therefore, be a functional food, as popularly known these days.

Malunggay helps in good eyesight, helps in digestion, facilitates bowel movement, and a cure for stomach aches. It is used to cleanse wounds and ulcers. It helps in cases like scurvy, asthma, earache and headaches. Due to its high calcium content, it is consumed by lactating mothers to produce more milk for their babies, hence, called "mother's best friend". Malunggay is usually cooked with chicken as tinola, or with fish and other vegetables, mongo soup dishes and blanched as salads.

For more information on food and nutrition, you may write or call: The Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila, Tel/Fax: 8372934, 8373164; E-mail: cvcb@fnri.dost.gov.ph; FNRI-DOST website: http//www.fnri@dost.gov.ph.
S&T Media ServiceFNRI-DOST Media Release for 2003

ADDICTION

Most of us are actually addicts.... No joke...

What is addiction?

Any doctor will tell you it involves a substance or a FORM OF BEHAVIOR which is used compulsively, which alters behavior and which causes unpleasant symptoms when access to it is denied.
I and my roommate, Lors have been reading "still in the middle of reading" an old book I bought 3 years ago in Manila but I only got to start reading these days. Hehe... not too late....The title of the book is "Endless Energy for Women on the Move."

This is something that we got from the book:
1. Alcohol, substance abuse, addictive eating behavior, drugs, sex and WORK COMPULSION have been shown to lie beneatha wide range of chronic health problemsand social ills.

2. Addiction of one kind or another is our third greatest killer, after cancer and heart disease.

3. If you are addicted to something - whether sex, chocolate, tranquilizers or junk food - your ability to experience the full range of sensory delight in what you do, see, touch, smell and taste may be undermined. You can only fully appreciate the smouldering bitterness of the finest chocolate when you are not a chocoholic.

4. All of us, addicts or non-addicts, have "appetite" brain systems involved in such activities as exploration, invetigation of the environment, foraging and mating (which maybe one of the reasons why both and sex are high on the list of triggers for addictive behavior). Under normal circumstances, these systems help your body re-establish balance after stressful experiences and events - be it in childbirth, injury or intense fatigue - by releasing brain chemicals called "opoids", like the endorhins and enkephalins. THIS SIGNAL THE GRATIFICATION OF FOOD WHEN WE ARE HUNGRY, THE PLEASURE OF HUMAN WARMTH WHEN WE ARE LONELY, THE DISSOLUTION OF PAIN WHEN WE ARE INJURED. *kaila ka'g pleasure of human warmth ug dissolution of pain?

5. Experts said that not only disturbed brain and body biochemistry trigger alterration in consciousness which leads to addictive behavior, SO DO DISTORTED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS -FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, LOW SELF-ESTEEM and, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, A SENSE OF MEANINGLESSNESS AND POWERLESSNESS.

6. In many ways, the whole phenomenon of addiction is a metaphor for the greater sickness of meaninglessness and powerlessness which pervades our whole society.

7. At the root of the word addiction is the latin verb addicere, which is "to surrender". When we surrender anything other than the life force at the core of our being, or God if you like, we do ourselves a great injustice. Not only is the object of our surrender - the television set, chocolate chips, ice cream, a few gin and tonics - unworthy of our devotion, it is also incapable of providing us with the satisfaction and support we need.

FOR THOSE ADDICTS... IN SUBSTANCE AND BEHAVIOR...
We need to
1. identify to which are we addicted
2. acknowledge the addiction and the degree of our addiction
3. Reclaim yourself
4. Root out ... some soul-searhing... please, an honest one
5. Help yourself. Ex. Your sugar intake can be responsible for increasing your cravings for anything from cigarettes, to shopping, to love....
6. Have fun... denial is a drag... find something productive to replace it.
7. Elicit support... don't be afraid to ask for help...
8. Feel proud! See the journey to overcome your addiction and reclaim your lost energy as a heroic one.