Diet, anyone?

So, what diet are you in?
“ I need to lose weight, “ is a common phrase that is heard from those who are either overweight or from those who would plainly want to look thinner for pure aesthetic purposes. For some years now, diet plans and diet programs have gained popularity and earned media attention. Restaurant owners have increased their product lines to serve the needs of those who are on strict diets. A show titled as The World's Biggest Loser that deals with obesity and weight loss was produced.
To effectively lose weight, doctors agree that exercise and rigid adherence to diet plans are needed. With the variety of diet plans for the weight conscious, choosing one to follow may be difficult. Perhaps it's time to look at what researchers and doctors say about two of the popular diet programs we often hear of, South Beach and Atkins.
Atkins diet was developed in 1973 by a medical doctor named Robert Atkins. Atkins diet is founded on the basic premise that severe restriction of carbohydrates in your daily food intake will allow your body to go into ketosis since a human's body gets its energy from either fats or carbohydrates. Ketosis is the point where the fats are burned to become fuel. Weight is reduced as fats get burned.
There are phases in the Atkins diet. Phase one bans almost all kinds of carbohydrates except for broccoli, some salad greens and Zucchini. In lieu of carbohydrates, red meat, fish, poultry and fatty food can be taken. In phase two, small amounts of nutrient-based carbohydrates such as quarter cup of blueberries are added back to the diet. Once desired weight is achieved, whole grains can be taken.
One of the studies show that Atkins diet resulted to greater weight loss as compared to the low calorie diet. However, researchers also point out that Atkins diet is effective only in the short term, and may be harmful in the long run. Nutritionists are particularly concerned with the high-fat diet that Atkins encourages since this might be bad for the heart. The lack of fiber that might lead to colon related disease also causes other medical practitioners to worry.
South Beach diet on the other hand, was conceived by Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist from Florida. It is also known as “ Atkins lite”. In South Beach, saturated fats that are found in butter and red meat which are allowed in Atkins are prohibited. This diet is also liberal with the amount of carbohydrates that can be taken in as long as these carbohydrates are those that are longer to digest.
Just like with Atkins, phase one bans consumption of all kinds of carbohydrates. After the initial phase, carbohydrates can be taken as long as they are the “good carbs” or those food with low ratings on the glycemic index. Glycemic index is used to measure how much a particular food increases blood sugar as compared to a similar quantity of white bread.
South Beach diet is said to be an improvement of Atkins since it allows intake of a healthier variety of food. However, as with Atkins and other kinds of diet,losing weight is easy, but maintaining the weight lost may prove to be more difficult.

Thoughts and Words

A writer. I’ve always dreamed of becoming one. From my early childhood until today, I’ve always believe that one day, I could be one of those whose words are printed on a paper and from those words, different lives are touched and could changed in some ways.
Neil Armstrong, the legendary “moon-walker”, once said that a journey to a thousand miles begins with a single step. I’d say that a journey to a thousand thoughts would always begin with a single word. One word can mean so much that thoughts are formulated and it takes only a writer to organize them. To write is an art and definitely, a writer is an artist. I’d like to believe that I could be one – just as Armstrong believed that he could set his foot on the moon one day and inspired millions that any dream can come true.

Poems. That was where it all started –when my byline happened to appear in my elementary school paper along with my Tagalog poem I wrote in class. The discovery of it, to me then, was still fresh and wonderful. The desire to see and read my name with the words I formulated on a printed paper has become strong that it drove me to go on writing and hone the skills I know I possess.

My father was my ultimate motivator. I remember when he used to pay me P5 for each good poem that I read to him and the not so-good-ones are left unsold. It was through my father that I understand the need for a writer to be a keen observer, fast learner and with a wide perspective on things around.

Some people would consider that writers are born; some consider them to be made. To me, it is both. Each of us is granted with wonderful and God-given talents and with the main purpose we have here on earth is to work on it and utilize this talent in order for us to share it with others. In some opportunities of life, I was given the chance to use my talent. Being the editor in chief of the college school paper was my ultimate dream come true during my student life of becoming a writer. I also know that it was my first, single step of becoming who I want to be – Someone whose words are being read, whose thoughts can elicit reactions and comments, whose own sentences can touch lives and perhaps change others.

In a busy and harass world of today, people can tend to forget their truest desires in life. The world can offer us a lot of options that anything can be just “ok”. Our childhood desires can now be left out that we desire the one’s that grown-ups want-- to be rich and to practically provide food in the table no matter what it takes. We tend to forget the things that would certainly make us happy.

Recently I became one of these people who slowly forget the biggest dream I had during childhood. I am employed just for the sake of providing, not realizing that I already fail to remember who I want to be. However, if given with chances and the options, I would certainly go against the tide and pursue this dream.

I certainly feel in the deepest of my heart that with thoughts and words, I would surely be happy.

Travelling

Traveling is one of the most exciting activities for young and old people. We all travel regardless of race, color, religion, and lifestyle. Most people travel because they want to visit their families and relatives who are living in far flung places. For some other reason, people travel because they want to study and work in other places to seek greener pasture and to pursue higher degrees in their field of specialization. Other places pay lucrative rates for their employees. Moreover, people travel because they are writers. They want to write relevant topics about their traveling experience especially when they are writing poem and story about that particular place. In addition, people travel because they want to relieve from stress fast-paced-work, relax, and have fun. Also, people travel particularly photographers because they want to capture the scenic and tourist spots for publication. Furthermore, people travel because they want to meet their soul mates. Some people believed that there is one person destined to become their soul mate and their figured out that they are living in other place. Likewise, people travel because they want to experience and learn from others cultures. They want to see the differences between their customs and traditions from other cultures. They want to know the values of other nationality. One specific thing about values is the hospitality and religiosity of people. Ideally, we have different beliefs and outlook in our God.

Traveling is for all. You can travel as long as you can afford it.

There are many places to visit in different parts of the world. In Europe there are many cities that have its beautiful spots such as Barcelona in Spain, Paris in France, and Athens in Greece. If you can afford to go to these places, your trip will definitely memorable and exciting. There are many wonderful tourist spots in Barcelona like Sagrada Familia, Ramblas, Casa Mila(La Pedrera) Catedral de Barcelona, and Castell de Montjuic.* Paris is the most artistic city in Europe. Some of the tourist attractions are Eiffel Tower, Louvre pyramid, Musee d’ Orsay, Musee Rodin, Catedrale Notre Dame de Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Patinoire de la Tour Eiffel(Ice Skating Eiffel Tower) Conciergerie(La) Disneyland Resort Paris, Sainte Chapelle, Opera National de Paris, Jardin de Luxembourg,and Hotel de Ville. For people who want to visit the ancient city, Athens has many tourist spots such as Olympic Sports complex, Sacred caves-cave of Apollo, Cave of Aglauros, and cave of Pan; Statue of Athena, Theatre of Dionysos, Roman Theater,Garden of Athenian Agora, Athens City Museum, Athens Festival, Byzantine museum, Academy of Plato, and Academy of Arts.

For the people who cannot afford to travel in foreign countries, they can travel enjoyably to the island of the Philippines in Palawan, Batanes, Ilocos, Batangas, Camiguin, Surigao, Cagayan, Isabela, Boracay, Davao, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Bicol region. Definitely, these islands have unique and wonderful attractions that young and old people will appreciate. Travel could be exciting if you appreciate the beauty of places.

God's Covenant

We woke up early to a cold and rainy Saturday morning of September 26, 2009 to prepare for By-Ann’s Outreach and sports fest practice at school. Ruben accompanied By-Ann to school because I wanted to be sure she arrived safe in school because of the unusual rains.
Ruben left for the BCBP Breakfast and Badminton play afterwards. I stayed home with Michelle, Pancho and Manang.
Around nine in the morning, the girls told me that there was water building up on our street. We even watched the dried coconut that drifted or would get stuck awhile in front of our house.
An hour later, the water was already approaching our garage. Never had floodwater approach us that close so I asked the kids and Manang to bring all that they can to our second floor. I could hardly help because of my recent surgery.
By past one in the afternoon we could no longer see our gate. That means the water from our street is already about five feet deep.
Michelle and Pancho were both afraid to see the rising floodwater because they never experienced this in their entire life. They saw these phenomena only in the news. Out of great fear, they both prayed the Holy Rosary twice.
As the floodwater surged, we prayed and asked that God take control of the situation and protect our family. We also surrendered those who live near the rivers and creek side, those who are afraid for their lives and their loved ones, those who do not have anything to eat and who could have lost their tiny homes.

Even after praying, Michelle was still troubled that she refused to eat. So I reminded them of God’s covenant to his people… the Rainbow. “Let’s claim God’s covenant”, I urged them.
I asked Michelle to open the Holy Bible and read aloud the Scripture in Genesis 9. Verses 11-13 read as: “I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.” God added: “This is the sign I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
After reading the Scripture, even as the floodwater continued to rise, we praised and worshipped God the Father, Creator of the rain and sun. We begged for His love, mercy and protection through Jesus Christ, Mama Mary and our Saint friends. We claimed His words in Genesis 9:11-13. I asked the Lord Almighty to show His mighty power to my children by giving us a sign of His protection.
We also discussed if we would leave the house and take the bold step of going to safer land but we had to go against the strong current in the murky and deep floodwater. Michelle then uttered: “Ma, let’s stay here. This is a test of our faith.”
Around 3:25 P.M. on top of the car’s hood, as the water moved, was God’s Covenant with us: HIS RAINBOW! Soon after, the floodwater started to recede.
I thank the Father, for answering our prayers and for honoring His covenant with us. I thank him for the sign of His love and protection and for the gift of faith He has given us. Lastly, I thank, Jesus for the hope in His resurrection.

Climate change

One of the effects of the unprecedented surge in world-wide economic activity is the rampant and excessive abuse of our natural resources and pollution brought by industrialization. The adverse impact of this abuse could be felt in every corner of this planet in the form of climate change.

The earth's climate is changing over a period of time, but the climate change that we experience since 1800s is caused mainly by human activities. As humans burn coal, oil and fuel, the gases are trapped in the atmosphere forming a “greenhouse effect.” The increasing temperature in the atmosphere affects “rainfall patterns, snow and ice cover, and sea level.”

Developing countries recognize their role in minimizing the adverse impact of global warming. The Kyoto protocol signed in 11 December 1997 set commitment targets to 37 industrialized countries to cut on their green gas emission in a way that it will not jeopardize development. These targets are achieved by emissions trading, Clean Development Mechanism and joint implementation. However, the Kyoto protocol's failure to enable countries especially the developing ones are blamed on it's provisions are not consistent with economic development; are considered “unworkable” or may highlight the vulnerabilities of developing countries in one ADB study.

The failure of countries around the world to make a sincere and concerted effort against global warming which causes abnormal climate change since 1997 caused a toll on thousands of lives and destroyed properties in unimaginable proportion. In 2005, the Hurricane Katrina which swept the state of Louisiana in the United States claimed 1,800 lives and damaged 18 billion dollars worth of properties. In 2005, a great quake and a tsunami in Aceh Indonesia almost converted the whole area into a ghost town. Billions of dollars were lost in property damage and hundreds die in that devastating natural disaster. In 2003, extreme rise in temperature killed 35,000 people in Europe-a figure worse than the number of people who died of SARS in the continent. Global temperature is projected to rise at the end of the century. In the Philippines, the recent flood waters unleashed by typhoon Ondoy and Peping are the result of the climate change. Scientists say that the forest fires in California, Europe and Australia are also linked to the said climate change.

These natural disasters prompted developing and developed countries alike to renew their commitment against global warming and climate change. Climatologists set target to China to cut on its greenhouse gas emission by 2050. In 2008, China leads the world in emitting the highest amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Reports said that if China will not exert more effort in minimizing its greenhouse gas emission, it could experience worse natural disasters.

In the United States, President Obama moves to push congress in favor of facilities which greatly contributes to global warming. Facilities which emit 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide are the subject of the government regulation.

As states and governments are taking steps to minimize greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, every human being who knows the tremendous negative impacts of global warming and climate change should make every effort to save the environment. Up to this date, the earth remains to be the only planet in the universe to hold human and other life-forms. It should be taken cared of and despite rapid and unstoppable economic development, there should be something that the people of today could give to the next generation. Sustainable development is a way in which the economic demands of today are met without jeopardizing the future generation's use of the resources. Sustainable development may be achieved if sanctions are imposed on states which emit huge amounts of carbon in the atmosphere. The lack of it would only reduce every global warming or climate change effort into a copy of the Kyoto Protocol.