32nd Manila International Book Fair Coming Up in September

Time really flies so fast!  We’re already on the last week of August.  A few days from now will be the start of the “ber” months, and that means it’s also the start of the Christmas countdown.  Not only is September the beginning of the Christmas countdown, but to many book lovers in the country, it’s also the much-awaited month for the annual Manila International Book Fair (MIBF).  Now on its 32^nd year, the MIBF is scheduled to happen on September 14-18, 2011 still at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

I went there last year and bought different kinds of books and educational toys/manipulative that we can use mostly for our homeschooling.  I also bought some books that I can give as Christmas presents, and was fortunate to get an autograph on the storybooks I bought from one of my favorite Filipino children’s book authors, Grace Dacanay-Chong.  Last year’s book fair was also a memorable experience for me as I was candidly interviewed for the TV show “The 700 Club Asia” regarding the benefits of reading books by parents to young children.  In our case, I have been exposing our children to reading books ever since they were babies.  It has become a habit for us to always read a book (be it the Bible or a children’s devotional or storybook with character-building lessons), usually at the start of our daily homeschooling and at bedtime, or even anytime we like.  Not only has reading become a great bonding moment for us, but as a parent, I would also like to develop in my children the love for reading books.  And since they were exposed to reading books at a very young age, I noticed that they also learned how to read early.  I can go on and on, but the bottom line is that the benefits of reading books to children are truly immense and invaluable.

Here’s looking forward to going to the Manila International Book Fair again this year…

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. – By Charles W. Eliot

Natural Ways to Avoid Mosquito Bites

The news about the rising number of dengue cases in the country is definitely alarming.  Personally, I am extra cautious in going outdoors and, sad to say, even preventing my children from staying outside the house, too, nowadays that the dengue outbreak is in its height.  Unfortunately, medications to neither specifically treat a dengue infection is yet to be discovered nor a vaccine available to prevent a person from being infected.  Thus, the only way to avoid mosquito bites is prevention.

The Department of Health promotes its awareness campaign and urges the public to remember its 4S strategy to counter dengue, and these are:

1.  Search and Destroy

2.  Seek early consultation

3.  Self-protective measures

4.  Say “no” to indiscriminate fogging

I will not delve now on all these 4S’s as I think the Department of Health, together with media partners, is already doing a great job in making the public aware of these strategies.  There are also a number of resources in the internet to help us know more about the dengue disease and how to “search and destroy” or prevent mosquitoes from lurking in our households.  There are some very interesting “self-protective measures” (one of the 4S), on the other hand, that I discovered which I would like to share to you.

Our Recent "Homeschool" Family Field Trips

Our children are young, and they still have a lot of places and opportunities to explore.  Most of the time, my husband and I bring them to places that they have not visited yet.  And as a homeschooling family, we occasionally do our own family “field trips”.  My husband and I intentionally bring our children to places where they could find opportunities to learn and explore, at the same time, enjoy and have fun.

Here are some snapshots of recent field trips that we had as a family:

First, the Science Discovery Center in SM Mall of Asia to expose the kids to the different wonders of science...

After watching a short film inside the Planetarium, we somehow felt how it was being in outer space. Cool!

The kids enjoyed watching this robot play the electric keyboard.

Healthy Cooking Tips (Part 2)

Bake, Boil, Broil or Roast – This I learned from my Cardiologist that the healthy ways to cook lean meat, fish or poultry are baked, boiled (or steamed for fish), broiled or grilled or roasted.  If frying cannot be completely avoided, stir-frying is the better option than deep frying.  And use the right kind of oil.

Use cooking oil with high amount of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – Firstly, let us distinguish the “bad fats” from the “good fats” and let us define what monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are.  Monounsaturated fats lower total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol) and increase HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol).  Polyunsaturated fats, where Omega-3 fatty acids belong, also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.  Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the “good fats”.  On the other hand, saturated fats increase total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol) while trans fat increases LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol).  Both saturated fats and trans fat are classified as the “bad fats”.

Healthy Cooking Tips (Part 1)

This day and age, when fast food chains and instant foods are widespread, it is not enough that we eat a balanced meal in order to achieve a healthy diet and a healthier you.  Though food selection is important, it is not enough that we simply purchase foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, complex proteins, fiber and low in saturated fats.  Food preparation is equally imperative.  Food must be free from harmful additives, and it must be prepared in a way that it preserves its nutrients and avoids the occurrence of harmful substances.

Here are some basic guidelines that I would like to share to you for preparing and cooking foods the healthy way:

Avoid foods that contain additives and artificial ingredients – Additives are placed in foods for several reasons: to lengthen shelf life; to make a food more appealing by enhancing color, texture, or taste, and even make the product more marketable.  Anyone whose diet is high in processed food products clearly consumes a high amount of additives and artificial ingredients.  Additives and artificial ingredients simply add little or no nutritional value to a food product.  Some additives could even pose a threat to our health.