Calamansi Juice Instaboost!

To obtain maximum benefits, squeeze 8-10 pieces
of calamansi and sweeten with 2 tablespoons
of natural honey.

Known to the Western world as Asia's golden lime, calamansi, calamandarin or calamondin possesses medicinal value, which makes it an effective antidote for a variety of health problems. For this post, let us focus on the benefits of drinking calamansi juice, a refreshing drink that is famous in the Philippines.

Prevention & Cure for Cough, Colds and Other Infections. Daily consumption of calamansi juice gives a boost to the body's immune system since it is rich in Vitamin C. It is best consumed as a hot tea, mixed with natural honey, for treatment and relief from cough and colds.

Natural Laxative. Calamansi juice is also said to help improve digestion, as well as address constipation.

Heart Care. Aside from being a rich source of Vitamin C, calamansi also has high potassium content, which makes helps in the treatment of heart ailments.

In addition to the health benefits listed above, calamansi juice has some aesthetic benefits:

• it aids in weight loss; and
• it helps rejuvenate the skin.

So make drinking calamansi juice a part of your daily health and skin care regimen!

Sources/Additional References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamondin
2. http://squeeze-c.com/about-us/benefits-of-calamansi/
3. http://www.all-about-philippine-fruits-and-herbs.com/Calamansi-Health-Benefits.html
4. http://healthbenefitsofcalamansi.blogspot.com

Grab and Go: Healthy Snacks for Less than PhP100

Egg Sandwich and Assorted Fruit Shake

SM Hypermart offers a healthy selection of snacks and drinks that you can grab as you go to the office or to your next appointment. Perfect if you're always on the go!

Why Mondo Juice Must Have the Healthiest Smoothies in Town

I'll give you three reasons:

1. Just fruit... and juice!

Mondo Juice smoothies do not have sugars, syrups, artificial sweeteners and other add-ons. It's all just fruit and juice, as they repeatedly say.

2. 5 servings of fruits in just one smoothie

Each Mondo Juice smoothie contains 1/3 lbs. of fresh fruits, equivalent to about 5 servings.

3. Fresher than fresh

Using Instant Quick Freezing (IQF) technology, fruits used in Mondo Juice smoothies have ripened from the tree, instead of the usual fresh fruits in the market, which are picked before they're ripe.

Clean and cozy interiors at the Makati branch

Aside from these three, having your smoothie fix at Mondo Juice is a great idea for they taste naturally superb, not to mention that the clean and cozy interiors of their branches make great hangouts.

They also serve fresh pressed juice, hot and cold drinks, salads, sandwiches, all-day breakfast meals, and pastries.

Choices, also available for delivery

You can order sandwiches and pastries such as these macarons

Merchandise from SIP

Pickled goods, teas and some by nUrish

Visit the following Mondo Juice branches:

Makati City
Rada St., Legaspi Village

SM Megamall, Ortigas
4th Level Bridgeway

Alimall, QC
Skywalk (bridgeway to SM)

For delivery, please call (02) 511-7331, per Makati tearaway menu.
For more information, visit www.mondojuice.com.

My Healthy Birthday Lunch

Upon arriving at work on Friday morning, I saw this card on my desk:

It was an invite for a lunch at my healthy haven, Sugarleaf, to be hosted my friends at work a.k.a. my lunchmates.

As usual, food was deliciously satisfying but not too filling. We ordered a serving of Waldorf salad, consisting of mixed lettuce, apple, potato, raisin and walnut and comes with a yummy dressing, plus a variety of goody wraps and sandwiches (some not in photos). For myself, I ordered one of their healing juices, Immunizer, which is a mix of apple, lime, ginger and garlic. It helps boost the immune system to protect one's self from common viruses that cause this rainy season's oohs and ahhs.

Waldorf Salad

Smoked Fish Wrap with Dijon Mustard and Herb Finish

Veggie Wrap

Many thanks to my friends for the healthy treat! :-)

Three of us in this table celebrated our birthdays in the same week.

3 Things that Running Taught Me

I never was the sporty type but in April this year, I started running, along with biking and swimming, in an attempt to get back into shape. At that time, I was already spilling bulges off my clothes, refusing to shop for tops and bottoms that should be one or two sizes bigger than my old ones.

Little did I know that more than helping me lose weight, running would teach me things that trained me mentally for my journey to well-being.

1. Focus

Finished 10k in 01:19:41
during my second running event.

When I started running, I had a very clear goal in mind: I wanted to lose weight. A secondary goal was for me to become better at it, having been challenged by some people who did not think I was serious enough about the sport.

To do this, I had to be very disciplined in training. Instead of finding excuses, I made opportunities happen despite my priorities at home and at work, my four-hour daily commute notwithstanding. I also learned that it is impossible to train well if I am both physically and mentally unfit. So I took care of my body by eating right, getting enough sleep and yes, shopping for clothes and shoes that are perfect for running!

From a mere 1k, which I could not finish without alternating walks and panting, I was able to do a full 10k with hardly any walking and pausing for rest.

In running long distances, it is hardly about running fast; it is reaching the finish line. Goal over speed. With this, I realize that FOCUS is the key to meeting one's goal no matter what the odds are and how ambitious it may be.

2. Mindfulness

To maintain focus despite the many things on my priority list, I had to learn to sweep away all worries and fears, and adopt the "I'm here in the now" attitude when I go on my runs. I had to focus not only on each and every step I make, but also on my breathing. At the same time, I had to put all my senses at work in the scene -- whether it's a cityscape of tall buildings or a good landscape filled with lush lawns and old trees -- to remain in the present.

Love running in places with scenic views

As I learned to observe proper breathing and posture in running, each activity became an opportunity to practice mindfulness, a part of the Buddhist tradition, which enables self-transcendence.

Because of this, I often end my runs feeling refreshed with a clear mind and an energized body---full of love and gratitude, and ready to give more of myself to others.

3. Consistency

It's not how you start but how you finish.

My first running event.
It's always great to run for a cause.

One common mistake among those who just started running (and I am one of them) is beginning at top speed, which immediately exhausts the body. What I failed to take into consideration in doing this was that I have to gain my momentum---meaning, I had to let it build up. And once it has, I have to preserve it all throughout my run for me to reach the finish line at an acceptable time.

Similarly, I have to follow consistency in practice. One cannot just be a better runner overnight. It takes practice. It takes discipline. I figured, one of the things that I have to improve on in myself is consistency.

I am glad that running just taught me this.

Homemade Garlic Soup: An All-Natural Cure for Swollen Tonsils

My version of an all-natural garlic soup

It was quite unfortunate that my daughter met the weekend with a fever and a painful throat. I was hoping we were done with antibiotics for the rest of the year... So I thought of concocting my own garlic soup recipe after reading in naturalnews.com that garlic is an effective herbal cure to tonsillitis, the swelling of tonsils due to bacterial or viral infections. Garlic is said to be a powerful antibiotic, being able to kill a wide range of microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and even parasites.

I am sharing my very simple recipe here after observing that it has quickly (almost immediately) and successfully relieved my daughter's sore throat.

Ingredients:

4 garlic heads

1 1/2 cups of olive oil

1 cup flour

1L water

Salt

Ground pepper

Spring onion

Fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Halve the garlic heads cross-wise using a knife then peel the skin.

2. Heat 1 cup of olive oil on a deep pan using low flame.

3. Once the oil is hot enough, put the garlic and cover the lid until the garlic becomes golden brown.

4. Turn off the flame.

5. Pour one cup of flour then mash and mix with the garlic. To make a rich mix, you may pour the remaining olive oil.

6. Once a smooth combination is made, heat the pan and fry for a while.

7. Slowly add 1L of water while stirring.

8. Season with salt and pepper until desired taste is achieved.

9. Add spring onion that's chopped into small pieces and parsley.

10. Serve hot.