Category: Lifestyle Columnists

Good news for those with reflux esophagitis! A recent open, parallel-group, multicenter randomized controlled study in Sweden (LOTUS – Long-Term Usage of Acid Suppression Versus Anti-reflux Surgery) showed that drug…

BEING blind is absolutely a terrible fate that one can have. Imagine one’s self not being able to see the world – its life and colors. Imagine not being able…

One medication present in almost every household around the world is a wonder drug called acetylsalicylic acid, popularly know as aspirin. Besides acting as a mild blood thinner, taken by…

One medication present in almost every household around the world is a wonder drug called acetylsalicylic acid, popularly know as aspirin. Besides acting as a mild blood thinner, taken by…

WHY are nuts the super snack? Nuts, in general, are super food items, which provide the body protein, fiber, minerals, anti-oxidants, cholesterol lowering mono-saturated fats, immune and brain boosting nutrition….

NOWADAYS when you ask people how they’re doing, most likely you’ll get the answer, “I’m good.” This response has often intrigued me because I’m used to hearing more familiar responses…

“TRUST is the foundation of marriage,” my dear friend Prosy said during a dinner engagement. “Certainly, it is the basis for any other relationships, whether it is friendship, business, or…

As a physician witnessing the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Renato Corona, I cannot help but compare and discern a stark difference between medical practice and the legal process as…

I’VE BEEN preaching about Jesus’ popularity lately. The Gospel of Mark relates how people sought him anywhere he went to listen to his preaching, to witness and to experience his…

DID you know how many hotdogs are consumed each day in the United States alone?  Roughly 633 hotdogs are eaten by Americans per second, or 37, 980 every minute, almost…

THE best things in life are the unexpected ones! This was true during the grand centennial celebration of my parish last Sunday. I didn’t expect the three thousand people that…

What is refractive surgery? Refractive or vision correction surgery is an operation on the eyes to correct error of refraction, like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, to eliminate the use of…

MANY times in the middle of the night I wonder how I’m able to fulfill my responsibilities as pastor of an inner-city and multicultural church that has a great deal…

MUCH has been said about Bishop Gabino Zavala’s fall from grace, his resignation as auxiliary bishop of the San Gabriel Region after admitting that he fathered two children, now in…

What is myalgia? Myalgia means muscle aches and pains. There is a condition called Fibromyalgia, which is a disorder that causes achy pain, tenderness, spasm, and stiffness of the muscle,…

TAKE small steps at a time. This has been a recurrent advice that we hear from people and read from magazines as we make our New Year’s resolutions. We can’t…

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has shown vicious contempt and grave disrespect for the Filipino physicians and the healthcare in the Philippines when she and her husband decided the quality of medical…

THE holidays are over and now we’re back to our normal routines. Like many of you, I think of the activities and the events that will unfold before me as…

Veggies protect the stomach Those taking NSAID drugs like ibuprofen, and other anti-arthritis pain medications regularly can be victims of stomach irritation which could result in ulcers and bleeding complication….

MY best Christmas gift this year was not another gadget or a nice polo shirt or a sweater. It was not a gift card or a ticket to a concert….

Poorly cooked pork/seafood Unlike beef which could be eaten rare or medium, pork is safe only when fully cooked, especially in barbeque. Improperly cooked pork could lead to a micro…

NO MATTER how good our intentions are in helping others, we will often find ourselves misunderstood, mistreated or misjudged by some people. I have found this true in my twenty…

Is there an illness called Christmas Disease? Yes, there is, but it has nothing to do with the Christmas season. Christmas Disease is a blood disease, also known as Hemophilia…

THE Good News is within us – within our minds and hearts. It’s the change that is happening within our lives, in the way we think about or perceive our…

MERRY Christmas and Happy New Year! Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! Throughout the Simbang Gabi Masses in my parish, I never got tired of reading and listening to the stories…

Is it normal to have blood in your stools? Blood in the stools is never normal. If the stool has blood in it, it is either from a bleeding from…

“THINK BIG”, I shared the other day in a meeting with a group volunteers. Big: not in the sense of property or material wealth, but “big” in the sense of…

Autopsy findings on “healthy” children, as young as four and five, who were victims of accidents, already showed evidences of arteriosclerosis (hardening of their arteries), a condition we expect to…

Autopsy findings on “healthy” children, as young as four and five, who were victims of accidents, already showed evidences of arteriosclerosis (hardening of their arteries), a condition we expect to…

IT’S A beautiful and solemn season. As a nation we pause and gather as families and friends on Thanksgiving Day to express our gratitude to God. This weekend, we start…