Measles can kill
THE current measles outbreak has targeted North Dakota, having its first case since 2011. The count went up to 1001 on May 9, 2025, more than 3 times in all…
Category: Lifestyle Columnists
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What to expect at ISkin MedSpa in Beverly Hills and Rancho Cucamonga
If I were to describe the feeling you are bound to experience when you come to our medical spa facility Iskin in Beverly Hills and Rancho Cucamonga, I would simply…
Land acquisition in the Philippines: What every buyer should know before saying yes
BUYING land in the Philippines can feel like stepping into a maze — one filled with unfamiliar documents, shifting policies, and legal landmines. And yet, many are drawn to it,…
On Colonoscopy
Prior to the introduction of colonoscopy, colorectal cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths. Colonoscopy screening can lower the risk of dying from colorectal cancer by 20 to 60…
Can you really earn from Airbnb in the Philippines? A reality check
SHORT-TERM rentals like Airbnb have become a popular option for overseas Filipinos wanting to generate income from their Philippine properties. The idea of earning in dollars or pesos while living…
Being alive!
Lea Salonga in Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” at the Ahmanson Theatre. Photos by Matthew Murphy “The alchemy is extraordinary – everyone is learning from everyone.” — Cameron Mackintosh Being alive…
Diet is key
THE current trend in medicine when it comes to diet is extreme reduction in carbohydrate intake, like rice, bread, desserts, and sweets (candy, ice cream, etc.), and total abstinence from…
On Placing Our Full Trust in God
“The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:14) This…
I am my brother’s keeper
I still think about my conversation with my older brother last week when I visited him. “It’s amazing that we’ve both reached this age,” I told him. “How quickly time…
AI – friend or foe
ONE of the greatest human innovations introduced in recent times is Artificial Intelligence, which crude forms have actually been around for centuries. The recent field of AI research started in…
On Nurturing a Healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit
On Nurturing a Healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit How can we shift our mindset from negative thinking to positive thinking? How do we transform our depressive thoughts into more joyful…
Stem cell scam
FRAUD, scams, hacking, and fake news are victimizing the unsuspecting and uninformed public. The perpetrators are not limited to criminals only; there are professionals, medical clinics, even physicians on their…
Christine Rocas: Breathtaking brilliance from trusting the created sacred space with cast and partner
“I FIRST met Christine Rocas about 12 years ago when I was asked to co-produce a fundraiser event for Typhoon Haiyan relief at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. I…
Gardasil 9 and HPV
COMPARED to most head and neck malignancies, the rate of throat cancer in the United States and around the globe has not declined. The statistics are also true, when extrapolated,…
On the True Motive of Service
What drives and motivates us to serve? Is it honor, title, prestige, and popularity? Or is it a genuine concern for others and love for God? This is an important…
Safer with vaccine
THE world, humankind, is safer because we have vaccines against fatal infectious diseases. The Black Death, the plague in Europe, between 1347 to 1351, killed between 25-50 million (about half)…
From the Pastor’s Desk: On Living the Gospel in the Present Moment
Early in my life as a teenager, I learned the wisdom of living the Gospel in the present moment through my involvement in the Focolare Movement, founded by the Italian…
The gift of ‘seeing’ and ‘hearing’
“Be strong, fear not! Here is your God; he comes with vindication; with divine recompense, he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the…
On the pressing need for moral formation in our society today
“Why have Americans become so mean?” This is a question that David Brooks posed and explored in his recent article in The Atlantic entitled How America Got Mean. He presented…
[COLUMN] On kidney stones
KIDNEY stones are formed in the kidneys and some travel down the ureters causing severe excruciating pain some female patients describe as worse than childbirth. The ureters are sensitive muscular…
On softening oneself
Lately, I have been exercising a “softening” of myself as I confront anxieties to achieve peace of mind and heart. What do I mean by “softening” myself? It refers to…
[COLUMN] On softening oneself
Lately, I have been exercising a “softening” of myself as I confront anxieties to achieve peace of mind and heart. What do I mean by “softening” myself? It refers to…
[COLUMN] Health gems
HEALTHIEST bread Most bread, made of wheat, is loaded with lectins, which wreak havoc on our guts and digestion. Sourdough (fermented) and millet bread are lectin-free. Always read the labels…
What it means to be a Church
The affirming words of Rev. Nicky Gumbel, the developer of Alpha, a basic introduction to Christianity, during the last session of Alpha in our parish last week, still resonate in…
[COLUMN] What it means to be a Church
The affirming words of Rev. Nicky Gumbel, the developer of Alpha, a basic introduction to Christianity, during the last session of Alpha in our parish last week, still resonate in…
Reflections on Transition
Transitioning through various stages in life presents a multitude of challenges. Whether it involves moving to college, embarking on a new career, navigating middle age, or transitioning into retirement, it…
[COLUMN] Our amazing heart
One of the most fascinating vital organs in the body, a symbol of love, endearment, even of religious adoration, and still a mystery to most of us, is the heart….
[COLUMN] ‘Our prayers. God’s answers.’
Is it possible that God answers our prayers in ways that do not align exactly with our desires? Or is it that while God answers our prayers, He may not…
[COLUMN] How to achieve your summer body
Allow me rephrase that title more accurately. What I was meaning to say was, “how to achieve your summer bod the fast (rather the fastest) way. With summer underway, it…
[COLUMN] More inventions…
THE topic of my column last week was about “Inventions,” which has made the whole world smaller, healthier, smarter, more comfortable, more productive, richer, and happier. Today, I am posting…