With the changing weather conditions, maintaining good health and fitness has become increasingly important. Unpredictable weather patterns can often hinder individuals from visiting the gym or engaging in outdoor activities, especially now that the rainy season is here. 

Here are five easy indoor exercises recommended by Santé:

Stationary walking. This exercise serves as an excellent alternative to outdoor walks, requiring only a pair of shoes and some uplifting music. It is a perfect starting point for individuals looking to incorporate regular exercise into their routine, even during monsoon season. Stationary walking is also a safe exercise option for pregnant women.

On-spot jogging. This fun activity allows individuals to burn calories like normal jogging, without leaving their homes. All that is needed is a pair of running shoes and comfortable clothing for unrestricted movement. Whether enjoying a favorite sports match or listening to music, on-spot jogging provides a convenient way to engage in cardio exercise.

Planking, squats, pull-ups. Strength training exercises using body weight can be performed at home and offer benefits such as improved bone density, increased muscle mass, and effective weight management. Exercises like planking, squats, chest press, pull-ups, and lunges provide an opportunity to strengthen muscles without the need for special equipment. For those seeking additional resistance, affordable exercise equipment such as exercise balls, resistance bands, or weights can be incorporated.

Mat Pilates. This activity is a holistic exercise form that focuses on concentration, precise movement patterns, and controlled breathing. By engaging abdominal and lower back muscles, Pilates helps strengthen the core, improves flexibility and posture, and promotes relaxation. All that is required is a mat and comfortable clothing to fully enjoy the benefits of this exercise.

Yoga. This is an excellent exercise that enhances flexibility, promotes inner peace, and aids in weight loss. Practicing yoga indoors on a yoga mat, wearing comfortable clothing, allows individuals to experience various poses and breathing exercises that contribute to overall well-being.

Aside from engaging in indoor exercises, it is important to fuel the body with healthy drinks. Santé emphasizes the significance of consuming nutritious beverages, such as Santé's Fit N' Trim. This 3-in-1 fat burner and energy booster serves as your reliable fitness partner. 

Santé's Fit N' Trim contains key ingredients, such as L-Carnitine, which facilitates the transportation of fats into cells for energy, green tea that stimulates calorie burning and reduces body fat, and organic young barley grass that aids in weight loss.

"At Santé, we are dedicated to helping individuals live healthier lives by providing natural health and wellness products. So, if you want to take control of your diet and physical activity, Santé's Fit N' Trim is an excellent choice," says Joey Marcelo, CEO of Santé. "With organic barley grass providing fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer, and the combined benefits of green tea, L-Carnitine, and lemon, Fit N' Trim supports weight loss and enhances physical performance."

Headquartered in the Philippines and with a presence in New Zealand and seven other countries, Santé has been a prime mover in the health and wellness industry for 15 years. The company is engaged in the direct selling and retailing of premier natural health and wellness products and services. Santé also offers additional facilities, including a fitness and rehabilitation center and leisure and recreational facilities, staying true to its thrust of promoting a healthy lifestyle.

To experience the benefits of Santé's Fit N' Trim and explore the wide range of Santé health and wellness offerings, visit mySanté.com. 

September 29 is World Heart Day all around the globe. 

More than just a celebration, World Heart Day was established in the hopes that it could reach more people and be able to spread awareness about the perils of heart diseases and stroke.

Sanofi recognizes that this is a unique time to be worried about heart health and learn more about the steps that should be taken to ensure risk-free living, especially under a cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s heartbreaking to see those with comorbidities battle a critical to severe form of the virus- forcing them to put their lives on hold, be isolated from family, friends and people who matters most to them,” Amal Makhloufi Benchouk, the Philippines Country Lead for Sanofi, shared in her opening remarks.

Statistics have shown that 7 out of 10 people are diagnosed with hypertension, and 2 out of 10 hypertension patients die. Sanofi continues to respond to the challenge of dealing with comorbidities during this time, by emphasizing the need to address the lack of awareness and limited access to cardiovascular disease management. 

“Cardiovascular Disease remains the number 1 killer in the world, resulting in about 18.6 Million deaths worldwide and over 520 million people globally living with cardiovascular disease that has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic,” she remarked.

Sanofi has also partnered with Omron, a leading medical electronics company, to extend a 20% to 25% discount to patients, encouraging them to procure the technology in order to monitor their blood pressure regularly.

Sanofi remains committed to its mission to promote hypertension management at the early stages and to inspire individuals to take control of their own health.

To learn more about the program, visit www.sanofi.ph or thru their Instagram account @sanofi.ph. 

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Now, like any other body part, our bones are always at risk of contracting diseases and disorders, the most debilitating being osteoporosis (severe weakening of the bones) and osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis). This is especially true as we age since our calcium levels generally decrease when we grow older. As such, it is imperative that we get our bone density checked out regularly to make sure it does not fall below –1.0; otherwise, we are at risk of suffering bone-related maladies.  

Calcium, of course, is one of the 22 minerals that the body needs to be strong, healthy, and functioning optimally. Some 90% of the calcium we get is stored in our bones, and this calcium deposit is what makes our skeletal system dense and hard, not brittle, and fragile. Meaning, the more calcium we have in our bones, the stronger and healthier they will be.  

Unfortunately, our body’s ability to absorb calcium wanes in our lifetime, which means we need to make sure we are getting enough of this mineral every day. The good news is that calcium is abundant in a variety of food, the most obvious being milk and dairy products. Other good sources of calcium are green vegetables, like broccoli and bok choy; fruits, such as oranges; and nuts, specifically almonds. 

We should also consider supplementing our daily diet with calcium supplements—ideally with vitamin D already included as it helps the body better absorb calcium. This is exactly what CaD3 offers: a potent combination of calcium + vitamin D that is sure to keep the calcium levels in our bone high and healthy. That’s because CaD3 provides as much as 40% elemental calcium, most of which will be absorbed by the body due to the serving of vitamin D that CaD3 serves up. This same vitamin will also enable our body to absorb the calcium we are getting from the natural food sources previously mentioned. 

It is important to remember, though, that a healthy, balanced diet and CaD3 supplementation are not enough to ensure strong, healthy bones. Another component to strengthening our bones is exercise, given how bones are just like our muscles in that they, too, respond to physical stimulation. The best exercises in this case are weight-bearing exercises, like walking, jogging, and dancing, and resistance training, like weightlifting and bodyweight workouts. 

We should also watch carefully what we eat and avoid bad-for-the-bones food. Top of mind here are salty treats since high sodium levels can reduce the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Similarly, we should also minimize our intake of sugary food and caffeinated beverage since both have ingredients that inhibit calcium absorption.

Maintaining strong, healthy bones can be a lot of work, but it is certainly possible even as we grow older. All we need is to eat well, avoid certain food, exercise regularly, and, of course, take a tablet or two of CaD3—the supplement that will make your bones hard. You may get it online at www.mypharma.ph

One of the most important nutrients that every person needs is protein. According to Dr. Julian Alvarez, member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, protein is vital to a healthy diet.

“It is recommended that people get 50% of their protein from plants. Soy is a great option because it’s a plant protein of high quality and digestibility,” Dr. Alvarez said.

Dr. Alvarez is a Sports Medicine specialist and Sports Physiology expert. He has also been a team doctor in professional basketball and footballs in the Spanish Major Leagues and a Sports Medicine Professor in Miguel Hernandez and Alicante Universities.

He was the guest speaker in the most recent Herbalife Nutrition eWellness Tour presented by 

Herbalife Nutrition Philippines and shared ways in which people can practice correct nutrition.

Likewise, vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that the body needs to maintain sustainable health.

“Unlike macronutrients, you only need miniscule amounts of micronutrients to maintain good health,” Dr. Alvarez said.

Hydration is also important as water helps maintain the normal regulation of the body’s temperature and physical cognitive functions. 

“Your daily water intake may affect your mental as well as your physical performance,” Dr. Alvarez said.

He added that that in standard conditions (when one is not doing exercise and not in a hot environment), it is recommended to consume 2.5-3 liters a day and to consume more when doing exercise. Water also plays an important part in digestion.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy digestive system, fiber is likewise essential. The latest scientific research has shown that the bacteria in the body’s gut likes to be fed with fiber and fiber diets can help create a more diverse and friendly microbial system.

Fats, meanwhile, are a diverse group of nutrients that have a varied range of functions in our bodies. They provide energy and help with the absorption of some nutrients (like vitamins A and D) and the body requires some amount of fats in order to work properly. Not all fats are the same, though.

“Healthy fats play a key role in our bodies. They help maintain normal blood pressure and triglyceride levels and are needed for normal function of your vision, brain and heart. Some of these healthy fats are also considered essential. Therefore, we have to consume them through foods,” Dr. Alvarez said.

At the end of the day, a balanced nutrition, a healthy active lifestyle, and the best supplements are the three things that everybody needs.

As we continue the fight against COVID-19, one of the biggest killers in the country remains overlooked — Tuberculosis (TB). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Philippines has the highest incidence rate of active TB among all Asian countries. 

Early symptoms of TB and causes 

TB is an airborne disease, and is not transmissible when sharing utensils with a person with TB. It is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which affects the lungs and spreads through the air when a TB-infected individual coughs, sneezes, or spits. It generally affects all age groups, especially children and adults with underlying conditions such as HIV, malnutrition, or diabetes. Adults who smoke tobacco also have a higher risk of contracting the disease. 

Common symptoms include chronic coughing that lasts more than two weeks, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. If you ever experience these symptoms, it is best to visit the nearest health center or TB clinic right away to get checked up. If you are unsure of their location, you can use the online self-assessment tool — https://assessment.tbfree.ph/ — to find the nearest health center or TB clinic in your area. 

The different types of Tuberculosis 

TB can be classified into two types of infections, active TB and latent TB. In the case of active TB, the individual who is carrying the organism has active symptoms and can transmit the infection to other people. On the other hand, those who have latent TB do not exhibit any of the symptoms since their immunity is able to fight off the infection. However, at some point in their life, the bacteria can reactivate and become an active TB case. 

TB can directly affect different parts of your body. For instance, the most common form of TB is Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) which primarily affects a patient’s lungs. Another is Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB), a form of TB that affects other parts of your organs and body including lymphatic, pleural, and bone or joint disease which are the most common, while pericardial, meningeal and disseminated (miliary) forms are more likely to result in a fatal outcome.

In some other cases, the TB bacteria can also be resistant to the drugs used to treat TB which classifies as Drug-resistant TB (DRTB). Though, if a person is classified under Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), then the TB bacteria is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two most potent TB drugs. Patients who fall under MDR-TB undergo a different type of treatment. Drug susceptible TB (DSTB) is the exact opposite. A person who is infected with TB bacteria that are fully susceptible, TB drugs will be effective as long as it is taken properly.  

TB detection and treatment 

Despite being infectious and potentially fatal, TB can be cured with proper treatment and early detection. The first thing people with presumptive TB need to do is schedule a chest x-ray test. If it is detected as possible TB, ask your doctor for a TB sputum diagnostic test to confirm if it is really TB. It is best advised to take the sample in the morning right before eating. Patients must then gargle water and take their sputum samples outdoors or in an open and airy place away from other people. If results come back positive, the patient must return to their doctor to begin treatment. 

TB medicine is free at the nearest health center or TB clinic in your area. However, Anti-TB medicine is not like other antibiotics that are only taken for a week or two since it must be taken for at least six (6) months. Patients who are undergoing treatment may also experience mild headaches as one of the side effects but there may also be other causes. If you experience this, it is best to return to your doctor immediately for a consultation. Additionally, the National TB Control Program (NTP) does not recommend vitamins or any supplements, but it is not prohibited. Remember, it’s even more important to finish treatment to be #TBFree. 

Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) is gathering more government support through the amendment of the National TB Law to increase funding and efforts for the National TB Control Program in 2022. In line with these initiatives, mobile chest x-ray vans that can provide TB detection results as fast as ten minutes will begin city-wide sweeps. With this, TB detection processing will be made quicker and should help solve mobility restrictions posed by the pandemic. 

TB is curable and can be attained if every individual does their part to support, educate, and encourage fellow Filipinos to to complete their TB treatment and take anti-TB drugs regularly, so they can end the spread of the disease and live a healthier TB-free life. For more information about TB, visit www.tbfree.ph or check out the Facebook page of #TBFreePH.