Let's Talk About F.A.I.T.H.

     My mind has been running so inspired to write almost about anything. Anything that catches my interest. A thing that pervades in me throughout the day. I'm in the office doing routines office stuff but I am like a half-hearted fool dividing attention both on thinking what's my next blog topic should be and the office itineraries spreading on top of my office table.

      And Indeed! my mind tells me to choose the idea that pops-out of my mind and direct my fingers into pressing the keys of the keyboard and taking a halt of the office stuff to enter into my blogsite and write. It's like an addiction now. Sort of like that of a stupid smokin' grass or restricted substance wherein if taken can render someone hook with it.

 

     Well, pardon me, I just wanna hold of the idea that comes out to document it here. Guys, you know the feeling of losing or forgetting a very brilliant idea by not taking down notes. A thing that irritates our neurons which sometimes can't accomodate so much.

     But the main course of this post is all about FAITH. Yes, you heard it right! Faith and faith alone. 

     Truly, the net has infinite blah-blah with sense to offer us searchers and admittedly I always consult the WIKI page for some unresolved words and languages obscurity. This digitally-powered library offers a wide array of resources in almost all topics. Like what they say, our choices as manifested by our actions reflect our personality.

    Today, I will share you about my faith and how I practice it. Who are my inspirations faith-wise? Well, it is a fact that I have my own share of spirituality but I ain't no devotee to any religious rituals we have.

     I will briefly discuss how my life has led me to the present faith I am enjoying now. Sorry guys, but I won't orient you with my first introduction to spirituality because it will consume a lot of time and recalling past instances isn't my forte. But instead, I will be sharing with the people, group, or group of people who inspires me to the kind of faith I have right now.

Singles for Christ--it's like my bread and butter--faith wise. I had been in this community since mid-2000. My journey isn't a smooth sailing one. Time and situation has tested me under difficult circumstances. I even got to a point where I impliedly quit--literally not doing the things we used to do in the community. More so, not even visible to any HH (Household Meeting). My spiritual side dried up but it didn't bother me so much. Maybe, the reason is attributable to the fact that God never allowed a trial so big that would make me fall down sobbing. But the big transformation was when I went abroad. I really prayed hard that God would settle me in a comfortable situation. But it turned out completely different. I never realized that as I was away from my family i'll be facing the greatest challenge in terms of patience and perseverance. And the community has been so instrumental in my survival. Keeping hold of the fact which made me realized  that trials are just spices of life which God intend to let us face because in the long run it'll be to our benefits. Indeed, it was and I highly appreciate and thanks the people within my SFC influences. God really works in mysterious ways.

     Through my involvement in the community, I was able to gain higher understanding about life's practical applications and on how a person should face it squarely with complete confidence. I was able to gain holistic insights on how to face problems.

     Truly God is an awesome God.

Movie Review: Letters To Juliet

     Let's talk about LOVE. 

     February is fast coming and it is timely that I should blog about romance and love. After I've watched the romantic movie "LETTERS TO JULIET" I decided to create my own review about this romantic flick. I am sure everyone who'll read it young or not-so-young, heartbroken or inlove can relate to the story.

     It is imperative amongst us how we had our love story. How we start to feel when someone romantically caught our interest. Sometimes, we develop a particular fondness for the person we’re dating. We just can’t stop thinking about him/her, even after many, many hours savoring his/her company. We are left in a quandary about our feelings, and certain queasiness pervades our days. Then we ask ourselves the question: have we fallen in love with that person?

     Love is indeed a wonderful thing. But it is something that we should be certain about, least we spend many sleepless nights in deep thoughts and confusion. Sadly, determining the veracity of love is not always easy. Sometimes, a deep infatuation is equated with the same.

     So how do we know that it’s love… real love that is? What could we be sure that the other person is not only the object of our thoughts, but the object of our hearts as well?

     Before I might lost into translation, let us proceed with the review:

      Letters to Juliet is a movie for the romantics out there. It was exactly what it advertised itself as, and exactly what I hoped it would be: sweet, charming, and poignant. Considering how many movies have been disappointments this year, I was quite pleased to get a movie that delivered on its promises.

      Amanda Seyfried starred as an American girl on a pre-marriage “honeymoon” in Verona with her fiance (Gael Garcia Bernal), who gets drawn into writing for the Secretaries of Juliet–women who reply to the letters left to Juliet beneath “her” balcony. Sophie stumbles onto a letter from 50 years ago and feels compelled to reply, only to have the woman herself (Claire, played by Vanessa Redgrave) and her grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan, whom I know and love from NBC’s short-lived Kings) come to Verona as soon as they receive the letter. Claire had been a student there for the summer who fell in love with a boy named Lorenzo, but instead of meeting him to run away together she went back to England. Now a widow, she received Sophie’s letter and decided she wants to find Lorenzo again. Sophie, abandoned by her fiance in favor of a wine auction and various vendors he wants to use for his new restaurant, decides to accompany Claire on a road trip around Tuscany to help her find her Lorenzo.

     One thing I will say about this movie and its advertising–you shouldn’t go into the theater expecting to be surprised. They meet a lot of Lorenzo Bertolinis who aren’t Claire’s Lorenzo before they find him (not a spoiler because one of the previews showed that moment!), and there is an attraction between Sophie and Charlie that may be destiny or may be nothing more than the excitement and romance of such a journey. The only questions (and, no, I won’t answer them other than to say the movie does not end in tears) are whether the Lorenzo remembers Claire and whether Sophie and Charlie are really falling in love or just sharing an unforgettable experience.

     As you might see from the premise, this is a movie with a cross-generational appeal. It’s one I will definitely show to my mom and grandmother, for the story as well as the lack of both raunch and slapstick. As far as romantic movies go, it’s not as totally unfriendly to men as most of them. Mine chuckled in a few places and came out giving it a grade of “it passes…barely” which is high praise for a romance. The views of the Italian countryside are sweeping and hazy and beautiful, and the story of Claire and Lorenzo is achingly sweet (and by far the more romantic of the two). Amanda Seyfried was charming and light, as she usually is, and Chris Egan was arrogant and stuffy but not far enough departed from David Shepherd to prevent me from worrying he might typecast himself. I hope he doesn’t, because I think he has serious star potential and want to keep seeing him in movies for years to come. Vanessa Redgrave played Claire brilliantly, a woman who has lived her life without regrets, despite choices that might have been mistakes, and is now hoping to have one more adventure despite her gray hair and age-earned dignity.

     Some of the funniest moments in the film were the interplay between Claire and Sophie having “girl talk” and Charlie being uncomfortable with it. “My grandfather was her soul mate, and thank you for trying to invalidate my entire existence!” he exclaims at one point, and at another he has to leave the conversation because he can’t listen to his grandmother recalling the romance and sensuality of her summer with Lorenzo. The other amusing moments came from some of the different Lorenzos they met along the way. A few were sad, forgetful old men in homes or even in one case a recent grave, but others were hilarious–the one whose wife tells Claire to “take him!” for example, and the one who answers the question of “what were you doing the summer of 1957?” with a tirade about how he met his wife that horrible summer and curses them for reminding him of that terrible occasion.

     If I wanted to be really picky I could find two flaws: one, there is very little reason given for why Sophie and Charlie are drawn to one another; but this is a flaw in almost every romantic movie ever made (I mean, they can’t all be Secretary or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), so I didn’t find it a deal-breaker. Also, once I thought about the movie–and it was one that kept me thinking about it–I realized that it might have been trying for subtlety, rather than being irritatingly vague, and if that’s the case then I didn’t mind having to read between the lines a bit. Second, the ending scene was weak, and as much as it tried to step around the cliche of having Sophie on a balcony hearing a profession of love by having the characters laugh at the positioning…it didn’t quite keep me from rolling my eyes. But neither of those problems are unexpected in romantic movies, and neither stopped me from walking out with a smile and thinking about the movie for the rest of the evening.

     In all, Letters to Juliet accomplishes what it sets out to, and if you look at the premise of this movie and want to see it, I don’t think the execution will disappoint you. So put on a sundress and sneak in a bottle of wine and enjoy the journey through Italy and a love that crosses time and oceans.

     So there it goes guys, hope I satisfied you well with how I narrate what I understand about the movie plus some inputs with other movie review gurus as well. I'll be seeing the film again with my one and only MINE over a popcorn or anything savory enough to nibble.

     By the way guys, Amanda Seyfried is a hottie, a complete turn on....whew..no guys can resist her charm. She is so adorable. I have a big crush on her. But Kirstin Kreuk of "Smallville" is still my No.1 crush.

     Until my next entry. Have a nice read folks. Jay signing out.

Amazing People With Lives Worth Emulating

     As I was browsing the net earlier, I came across two of the inspiring people I highly admired upon whom I gather ideas, insights and draw strength. Marc and Craig Kielburger, brothers, Canadian and co-founder of "Free The Children" organization.

     Being a person whose life's purpose is to help others achieve their life's goals too. I am particular with who's who are the people that might be of greater influence to me and strengthen my desire to continue with my life's passion.

     Let me orient you who are they and what are their life's inclinations.

Craig Kielburger

     He is the founder of Free The Children, the world's leading youth-driven charity that has inspired an entire generation to stand up and make their voices heard.

     The organization provides active citizenship education programs in Canada, the United States and the UK, reaching 3,500 school groups annually. The organization's We Schools in Action program fills stadiums with tens of thousands of young leaders who provide more than one million hours of community service every year.

     The organization has worked in 45 countries providing education, health care, clean water and alternative income programs. Its Adopt a Village development model currently provides holistic, scalable and sustainable child-focused intervention in seven nations. Free The Children has built in excess of 650 schools in developing countries and established more than 30,000 alternative income projects.

     Most remarkably, Craig originally started the organization in 1995 at only 12-years of age.

     Craig is also the co-founder and director of Me to We. This social enterprise encourages ethical living and social responsibility while also aiming to bring Free The Children's already low administrate rate to 0%, ensuring every penny goes to charitable programs. Me to We includes carbon-neutral international volunteer travel programs, leadership camps, a publishing house, a music label and the largest organic made-in-Canada clothing line.

     He is a syndicated columnist and New York Times bestselling author, who has written five books. His latest, to be released across North America in the fall of 2010, is called The World Needs York Kid: Raising Children Who Care and Contribute.

     Craig has a degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto and is the youngest-ever graduate of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program. He has received six honourary doctorates, The Roosevelt Freedom Medal, The World Children's Prize for the Rights of the Child (often called the Children's Nobel Prize) and is one of the youngest recipients of The Order of Canada. Craig's work has been featured on multiple appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, 60 Minutes and The Today Show; and in People, Time and The Economist.

Marc Kielburger

     Marc Kielburger is the co-founder of Free The Children, a unique international development and youth empowerment organization. Since its founding in 1995, Free The Children has become the world's leading youth-driven charity, inspiring an entire generation to stand up and have their voices heard.


     With the involvement of more than a thousand Youth in Action Groups, Free The Children has built more than 650 schools in developing regions, providing daily education to more than 55,000 children.

     One of Free The Children's most notable projects has been a joint project with Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network called O Ambassadors. The project was designed to educate, engage and inspire more than one million young people across North America to take action to help their underprivileged peers overseas.


     Marc is also the co-founder of Me to We Social Enterprises. This social enterprise encourages ethical living and social responsibility, while also aiming to bring Free The Children's already low administrate rate to 0%, ensuring every penny goes to charitable programs. Me to We includes carbon-neutral international volunteer travel programs, leadership camps, a publishing house, a music label, and the largest organic made-in-Canada clothing line.

     Marc graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, completing a degree in International Relations. He won a coveted Rhodes Scholarship and went on to complete a law degree at Oxford University with an emphasis on human rights law. Marc has also received four honorary doctorates for his work in the field of education and human rights.

      He is the co-author of national bestsellers Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship, Take More Action, The New York Times Best Seller Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World and, most recently, The World Needs Your Kid.

      With his brother Craig, Marc is a syndicated columnist carried by the Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Huffington Post, as well as for Canada’s most widely-read women’s magazine, Canadian Living.

     Marc is the recipient of many honours, including the Order of Canada and selection by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 Young Global Leaders. His work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, BBC as well as many other news and print media.

     These two amazing people are my heroes in terms of selfless service. Serving beyond the call of personal interest. They are awe-inspiring global personalities whose lives have been devoted to public interest and welfare more specifically fighting for the rights of every child through education. More power to you guys!

     For more information and details about their works, please visit http://www.freethechildren.com/ and get to know them deeper.

Summer Scene

I wanna share with you a poem I created way back May 18, 2001. The exact scene was that I was atop a water tank in our house in Las Pinas City. Out-of-the-blue I had to check the tank due to a leak that somehow created chaos to some tenants in the apartment we're then renting. As the poet in me comes to life at that very moment, I rushed to my room to pick out of my bag a piece of paper and a pen before I proceeded on top of the water tank for a thorough checking. 

By the way, it is a normal thing about me carrying a pen whenever I travel. Every single travel I make a pen and a pocket size notebook always accompanies me. I have this self belief that once an idea pops-out of one's mind it should be captured in writing to get hold of the very words that will be translated by a pen into a paper.

   

I have been a lover of prose and poetry since I was in my early high school days. I can vividly recall a second year English teacher of mine complimenting me with such words as "you know what, someday you'll gonna be a prose or poetry writer". She said so because I was able to quickly translate into a poem's line an adjective word which she assigned us to work on. I love her since then. Now, I am living my dream. I may not be graced to have written in literary section of a daily broadsheet but whenever I write something on a topic which inspires me in a day I always feel sort-of-a-clandestine joy in my heart. A joy that only a struggling writer in me would appreciate and enjoy.

Here is the poem that takes you to revisit that summer of 2001. The time when cirrus clouds were the sole occupant of the skies. Where birds freely flying in a cozy breeze of summer wind. This is just a positive outburst. An answer to the self-cry of the malevolent society and confusing situation of our political system way back then. Weird as it may sound, the title is an ironic response to ailing political system we had that time.

Summer Scene

In a cirrus cloud a plane is speeding;
The bluish color of the sky playing innocent;
Of the summer scene so beautiful and stunning
In the vast field of widerness overjoyed by ecstatic feelings

Running water in a stream delight;
Those flying birds of untouchable flights;
The up high kite slowly down dropping
But the trees timid of its peaceful surrounding

The heat of the mother sun
Injecting to the flawless skin
Of a being laid under countless of shootings;
Beside the clashing of sea waves
Lies the secret of an ocean deep, immeasurable and unending;

Listening to the sound by a hushing wind;
Kissing refreshing of a sweaty body escaping;
The odorless air I am gasply breathing;
Freeing myself of a ghastly surrounding

Amidst the turmoil of politics arising;
Resign your thoughts to a tenacious debating;
Let the summer scene take its center stage;
To give us an accorded fun and long playing

Oh!, summer scene you have short days to go;
But the fulfillment is long-life endowed;
It will take another season to see you coming
But most of all,

Thank you o Great Provider for having these since earth's beginning. 

I had this poem posted in a website so called "postpoems.com". Great I was able to regain access of my account there or else this beautiful masterpiece will be lost forever. Hope you enjoy reading guys. Until my next blog. Scri mi curind......

   

What Really Excites You About Life?

When we think about life we're always confronted with various thoughts. Defining it -- is both easy and hard. Well, I guess your experiences defines what life do you live and the very words that comes out from your mouth and the actions that manifest through those words best explained what life you live.

A wide array of definitions has been explained what life really is all about. Definitions that comes from various people hailed from multiple cultural and racial backgrounds. Some says, "Life is life is a box of chocolate, you'll never know what you'll gonna get."(sssshh!--Forrest Gump--the movie). Others would define it as "the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities."

There maybe countless definitions of what life is, but allow me to leave you this question: "What really excites you about life?"

Here are the solicited responses from my circle of FB friends about "what really excites them about life?" Let me cater you with their opinions, views, and general perception of that question?

These people hails from different family background, experiences, and aspirations.

     1. Emmanuel Icaranom-- A lover of life, full-blooded SFC-who has an infinite expression on anything.

He says:

Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once. What’s exciting about life is that every time we wake up, it gives us a new reason to know, love and serve the Lord. Every morning is a new hope for prisoners to believe that one day his liberation will soon come into reality. For some people, every morning they wake up is another chance to make one’s dream come true.

What’s exciting about life is that every morning we wake-up; it’s like a soap opera we’re watching in the television that makes us wait in the next exciting and interesting episode.

Every episode brings new insights and learning in life. It’s just up to us if we’re going to use it for our betterment.

What excites me about life is to see every single day that I’m growing emotionally, spiritually and financially. Yes, in life there are lots of struggles and challenges that we can’t avoid and that we need to face but those things makes our existence more meaningful and exciting. It gives colour to our world.

As the famous line of Forest Gump in its self titled movie, “Life is like a box of chocolate. You’ll never know what you gonna get.” Isn’t it exciting that every day we wake up there’s a new things that’s being offered to us? Isn’t it exciting to see that each day we overcome a certain trials in life; we grow in wisdom and love of God? Life is full of surprises and that what makes life exciting.

What are those surprises in life that we could have? What are those learning and new insights that we might have? What is the meaning of your existence? What’s the purpose of your life? The answers will be unveiled to us as we journey towards the exciting and challenging time that we will be having as we live in this world.

As we continue our earthly pilgrimage, let us ask the good Lord for the grace for us to know the very meaning of our existence. Let’s enjoy the journey as life excites us with its surprises. May God be praised now and forever! DEO GRATIAS ET BENEDICTVS DOMINVS!

2. Yves Barbasina- a kid's hardworking officer-volunteer of SAI (Silid Aralan Inc), a true-blooded and devoted SFC in San Rafael, Montalban.

He says:

What really excites me about life?

One day, when I was on the internet and chatting with my friends, one of them asked me a question that I had a hard time answering and explaining. “Bro , pano ba maging masaya katulad mo?” How to become happy like you? I then paused for a moment and think of the best advice that I could give. I then remembered my closest friend’s words when he was mentoring me, “You cannot become happy with your life if you don’t know your purpose,” That’s it, I chatted him back and said the same words.

My friend was right, life will only become meaningful, livable and exciting if there is a sense of purpose. Reading the book about The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren solidified this claim in me. Knowing my purpose will allow me to straightly move forward despite dozens of hardships and trials. It is now clear to me why I am alive, and that is because the Lord wanted me to serve. That’s the very meaning and the reason of my being.

Singles For Christ (SFC), Silid Aralan, Inc., and my Family. Why did I list them? Apparently, they are my life. They are the reasons why I am excited. I believe that the Lord wanted me to serve through them. Joining SFC had enormously changed my life, it did not only make me closer to God, but it also introduced me to people who helped me view life excitingly and meaningfully.

Silid Aralan is also fulfilling my purpose. When I joined Silid Aralan in 2007, it was purely for the sake of money, I needed to have job then so that I would be able to send my sister to school. The salary was actually very small as compared to what can to earn if I’ll work in the corporate world. But I was very diffident that my skills won't earn me ticket to companies. Thus, I prefer Silid Aralan. But I soon realized that this is the vocation which I love and will teach me many things. Planning and doing things that will help our youth are things which makes me excited. Silid Aralan molded me and I will never leave this institution no matter what happen.

Last but not the least is my family. I love my family. When my father died, I bowed that I will not leave them. I also believe that we cannot serve other people unless we served our family first.

In the world where life's excitement is mostly defined by money and luxurious things, others may consider this life as boring and unexciting.

They may so.

I am secured.

Life’s happiness and excitement are my continuing choices…

Life is exciting, we just need to choose it…

3. Ann Kristine Ballesteros--a highschool crush- witty and pro-active.

She says:

Life is exciting as it is.

Every second, every minute has its own motivation.

I am excited to wake up everyday because I want to see the people around me.

I am excited to go to work because I love what I do.

I am excited to go back home because I know that my family is waiting for me.

I am excited to sleep because I love sleeping so much.

Nice, clean and new things excite me but the simple intangible things excite and inspire me more.

Above it all, I am excited to live every single day of my life because I know that someday these will all gonna end...making me commence a new and more exciting everlasting life with God.

Life is indeed beautiful to the person who sees it as such. There's more to life than what we know. More to discover, more to take part with and more to enjoy. Whatever our circumstances maybe, it is our own motivation and resolve that'll make our life as exciting as it can be.

Guys, until my next blog. I hope you won't run out of patience following and reading my postings. Godbless and goodluck!

Year 2011- More Fruits For A Healthier Lifestyle

     As health experts says, more fruits are essential for our body. More so, eating lots of it will surely helps us in sustaining our physical body’s need in our daily routines.
     My roommate Satt and I were having funny conversation, a normal thing we do before we settle into our separate beds, and we both agreed to eat “plums”. Guys, it isn’t the plums we used to call “duhat” in our homeland, these are plums which are commercially sold in the market.
     While our teeth were busy crashing and grinding while savoring the sweet juices of plums, we decided to search in the net the health benefits of fruits. 

     Here below are the list of my TOP FIVE personal favorites this year 2011.

1.  KIWI
    

                              

     Kiwi fruits are rich in many Vitamins, flavonoids and minerals. In particular, they contain a high amount of Vitamin C (more than oranges), as much potassium as bananas and a good amount of beta-carotene.

     Studies in Italy, though, performed on 6-7 year old children, have also demonstrated additional health benefits to the respiratory tract. In particular, children that were fed 5-7 portions a week of citrus and kiwifruits had 44% less probability wheezing compared to children eating less than once a week.

     Shortness of breath was reduced by 32%,night time cough by 27%, severe wheeze by 41%, chronic cough by 25%, and runny nose by 28%. This results is not only traceable to the content in Vitamin C or Potassium, but in substances which are still largely unknown contained in kiwi fruit.

     These substances are most likely flavonoids that help protect our cells from oxidative damage, and are therefore considered very helpful in protecting our DNA from mutations and damage.

Protection from Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)

     A series of studies published by the Archives of Ophthalmology have proven that consuming 3 or more servings of fruit per day (including kiwi fruits) can reduce by 36% the risk of developing an eye-related disease called ARMD (the primary cause of vision impairment in adults), if compared to people who only consume 1.5 servings of fruit per day.
     The study was conducted on 110.000 women and men and lasted several decades. Surprisingly, the study found that while vegetables were not correlated with an improved resistance to the disease, fruits containing high amount of Vitamin C,A and E (the most common antioxidant vitamins) helped significantly in protecting against ARMD.

Anti Oxidant properties of Kiwi Fruit


     It is important to note that kiwi fruits contain a remarkable amount of Vitamin C, E and A. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant that has been proven to protect our body from free radicals, dramatically improving the health of individuals who consumed it regularly against all kinds of disease, from cardiovascular problems to cancer and obesity.

     Vitamin E has been proven to have similar effects, but is fat-soluble and thus is complimentary to Vitamin C in its functions. Kiwi fruits contain both these vitamins in high amount, which help protect our body against free radicals from all fronts.

Kiwi fruits have a high fiber content


     The high content in dietary fiber helps improving diseases such as diabetes, by controlling sugar levels, and colon cancer, since fiber binds to toxic compounds in the colon and helps us expel them.

     Fiber has also been proven to reduce cholesterol levels, improving the conditions of patients with cardiovascular diseases and lowering the probability of heart attacks.

Summary of Kiwifruit Health Benefits


     Eating kiwi fruit is clearly a healthy choice, and it is particularly useful in these cases:

•Prevents Asthma
•Prevents wheezing and coughing, especially in children
•Protects our DNA from mutations
•Provides a healthy amount of antioxidants and vitamins
•Helps prevent colon cancer thanks to a high fiber content

2.  PLUMS

                              
     Plum is a fruit that is related to the family of peaches and cherries. It is one of those fruits that are rich in dietary fiber, which in turn proves effective in improving the digestive system. There are thousands of varieties of plums that are available throughout the world, ranging in colors like red, blue-black, purple, yellow, green or amber. Plums are believed to have originated in Asia and since then, they have been grown all over the world. The fresh and juicy taste of the plums makes it refreshing to eat them on a hot summer day! Dried plums, called prunes, are also quite delicious. To know about the immense health benefits and the nutritional value of plums, read on further.


Nutrition Benefits of Eating Plums

     Plums, even their dried form known as ‘prunes’, are high in unique phytonutrients called neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid. Their function is that of an antioxidant and is of much benefit to the body.

     Since plums are rich in antioxidants, they provide protection from superoxide anion radical and also prevent damage to our neurons and fats that form a part of our cell membranes. 
    
     Consumption of plums helps in the production and absorption of iron in the body, thus leading to better blood circulation, which further leads to the growth of healthy tissues.

     Regular consumption of plums can prevent macular degeneration and any other infection of the eye, in the long run. Your eyes will be healthy and strong for long time and you can also retain a sharp eye-sight.

     Researchers have found that plums have anti-cancer agents that may help prevent the growth of cancerous cells and tumors in the body.

     Eating plums also reduces your chances of contracting a heart disease in the long run. Plums have certain cleansing agents that keep the blood pure and prevent complications of the heart.

     Plums have high content of Vitamin C, which means that they help protect the body against health conditions like asthma, colon cancer, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

     Plum juice concentrate is effective in preventing and reducing human influenza A.

3.  BANANA

                        
     Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy


Reducing Depression

     Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood

Anemia

     Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function

Constipation and Diarrhea


     Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.

Eyesight Protection

     Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

Healthy Bones

     Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body's ability to absorb calcium.


     In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently

Blood Pressure

     Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn

     Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness

     Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Smoking

     Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Ulcers

     This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.

Nerves

     Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function

Mosquito Bites

     Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is very effective in reducing itching and swelling

Stress Relief

     Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearthbeat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs

Stroke Risk

     According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%



4. APPLE

                              

Reported Health Benefits of Apple :


     1.Apple is a rich source of flavonoid and polyphenols both are powerful antioxidant.
     2.Study shown that by eating 100g of apple can give an antioxidant effect that equal to taking about 1,500mg of vitamin C.
     3.Apple contain a large amount of minerals and vitamins that can strengthen the blood.
     4.Apple contain malic acid and tartaric acid, that can help prevent disturbances of the liver and digestion.
     5.Apple cider vinegar when used as beverage can help to prevent the formation of kidney stone.
     6.The skin of Apple contain pectin that can help remove toxic substances from the system by supplying galacturonic acid. Pectin helps prevent protein matter in the intestine from spoiling.
     7.Eating an apple daily can lower cholesterol and reduce skin diseases.

     Apples have been recommended for : Obesity, Headache, Arthritis, Bronchial asthma, Inflammation of the bladder, Gonorrhea, Anemia, Tuberculosis, Neuritis, Insomnia, Catarrh, Gallbladder stones, Worms, Halithosis, Pyorrhea


5. ORANGE

                              

     Orange is one of the most favorite fruit in the world. Orange is loaded with vitamins, and the most abundant vitamin in orange is Vitamin C. This powerful vitamin protect our body against harmful elements.


     Orange is Beneficial in the following cases :

     •Asthma
     •Bronchitis
     •Tuberculosis
     •Pneumonia
     •Rheumatism
     •Prevent kidney stone
     •Helps lower cholesterol
     •Helps prevent diabetes
     •Arthritis
     •High blood pressure
     •Persons addicted to alcohol have found that the desire for liquor is greatly reduced by drinking of orange juice.
     •Consumption of large quantities of oranges will decrease the outpouring of mucus secretions from the nose.


     There you go guys, the five ultimate favorite fruits for this year. And surely it'll hit my mouth more often. It's really so nice to be able to take time and reconsider what we eat and how far have we gone in terms of protecting our body more than nourishing it. Protecting our body means nourishing it with food that suits our body sensitivities. We don't just go out and buy food not minding of how it will react to our system. So guys, let's have a fruitful 2011 by eating more fruits especially our all time fave.

2010- A Year That Was....2011- A Year Full of Exciting Promises.

Hey guys! I was out of this blog for quite so long, I admit it, time has been so elusive that I can’t even take a sneak peak most of the time in my blogsite. Running out of ideas to write (sort of a writer’s block headache) or what topic should I write in my blog.

 2010 was a busy year that was. Lots of things have been actively involved in. I feel guilty not having entries for several months, I mean the remaining months of 2010. How could I? I had so many things to juggle that time. To give you some bits of how busy I was, I normally start my day flexing my muscles while having a yawn from bed, coffee or milk tea coupled with bread with omelet toppings for breakfast. After donning with the breakfast I quickly proceed to what’s in store for me for that particular day. Hanging around with my lovely and goofy niece, an hour or so with her is so precious. Facing the PC for some net browsing, usually ending up stuck in Facebook (hahaha). It’s so addicting. (hahaha) and the remaining time will be spent for the itineraries I have for the day. Like some paper processing, meeting with friends, checking out what’s new in the bookstore, normally I’ll scan for new books there, attending trade fairs for business franchising, some exhibits, meeting up with SFC and some spiritual buddies for recollection or prayer groups meeting. Sometimes I do watch movie with my two grown-ups nephews. Rush to my regular late afternoon badminton session until not-so-late-at-night with my constant smash mates.

So there it was, that’s how I busied my mid-2010 until the remaining quarter of the year.

2010 has been a boomerang ride for me and my family, some ups and some downs, some challenges and some defeats, some joys and some “me” times…hehe….but definitely there were lots of fun though.

But 2011 is a promising year for me, still will be one of the busiest so far, but I guess the most vibrant and active year for my blogging. I have lots of topics in store for you and I promise to update you with everything that will be new in my life and all the things that I will be involved to. I will blog more this year and will be very visible in this blog site of mine. Photos will also scattered in every posting I’ll make so as things that associate with my entries. I am sure I will be flocked with a lot of stories and people and I’ll love the idea. I want more readers of my blogs, those who really have the drive to write and the eagerness to read lots.

2011 will be another challenging year for me, ups and downs will still be present to bring balance, but I hope more ups. It’s another 365 days to sew. And I’ll be the best tailor in the field sewing my 2011 life.

Anyway, I wish everyone an exciting and joyful ride this 2011. All glad tidings to your families as well. God bless. May we continue to trek the right path to happiness.