Cacao!

Last night, I was able to try something new: eat a cacao fruit! It was my first time to both see and taste one, and I was giddy the whole time. I managed to take a picture of it before my dorm mates and I devoured it for dessert:

Doesn't it look like an ice cream cone?! Hahaha!

To eat it right, you're supposed to pick off the seeds and suck on them one by one. It was hard to pick them off, though, because the seeds were too slimy; they kept sliding off my hands. And then when I was finally able to put one seed in my mouth, I couldn't exactly begin the sucking process because, well, there's nothing to suck. I felt the fibers, all right, but I mostly just sipped the seed. Hahaha.

Boring post, I know. But whatever. It makes me happy when I get to do something new or different. :)

I googled some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

From transformationallivingnow.com

From raw-living-food-success.com

From cacaoweb.net

From travelblogs.com

Gabby Ghas

Hello, everyone! Season's greetings!

I know I haven't been blogging for a while - my bad - but now I'm back and I'm here to feature a recent buy, which I find awesome! It's a children's book called "The Adventures of Gabby Ghas," a cute little story about the chronicles of the life of a grain of rice. You can read all about it straight from its publisher here. :)

The illustrator, Eisen Bernardo, is a close friend of a friend, and I think he's a brilliant artist. At dahil dyan, Congratulations, Eisen! Wan handred tweenti teks! I got my copy directly from him with an autograph to boot! :)

...

THE ADVENTURES OF GABBY GHAS

(Palay-Bigas-Kanin)

Story by:

Virna Karla A. Sebastian

Erika Thea H. Ajes

Aya M. Arce

Illustrated by:

Eisen Bernard V. Bernardo

Published by:

Ilaw ng Tahanan Publishing, Inc., and

The Asia Rice Foundation

Cover

Colorful Illustrations

Fun Facts

:)

Grab your copy now! It costs for only P150, but the pleasure of reading it is worth so much more. It'd make a great gift too for the coming Holidays! :)

Vestibular Dysfunction

Okay, so last Thursday, I had my monthly checkup with my doctor and, after complaining relentlessly about incessant dizziness, migraine attacks, and vomitting problems, I was diagnosed with a condition called Vestibular Dysfunction. My doctor simplified it further by defining it as "vertigo coupled with multiple migraines" - or so it was written on my medical certificate. It was supposedly hereditary, which makes sense for me because my Mom and sister are also patients.

To understand this condition a lot better, my best friend went out of her way to do some research on it, and this is what she found:

...

What is Vestibular Dysfunction?

Vestibular dysfunction is caused by dysfunction of the inner ear. The inner ear plays an important role in maintaining the body’s balance and sense of equilibrium. When the inner ear malfunctions, persistent dizziness and hearing loss are more likely to occur. Vestibular dysfunction also significantly increases the risk of falling due to balance related issues. Experts believe that many of the falls experienced by the elderly are due to balance problems related to vestibular dysfunction.

Does Vestibular Dysfunction Always Cause Persistent Dizziness and Hearing Problems?

In a study published in Family Practice News, researchers found after testing a group of people for vestibular function, some participants had this condition despite experiencing no dizziness. This group was still at a markedly increased risk of falling. Persistent dizziness isn’t always present with vestibular dysfunction, but in many cases it is.

How is This Condition Detected?

Any person with persistent dizziness and hearing loss needs screening for vestibular dysfunction. Some doctors believe that anyone over the age of forty should be routinely tested. Screening is done through a series of balance tests to check for unsteadiness or other irregularities in balance. Some doctors don’t routinely perform these tests because they require specialized knowledge and training.

How is Vestibular Dysfunction Treated?

The persistent dizziness and balance problems associated with vestibular dysfunction can often be corrected with special balance exercises performed under the guidance of a physical therapist. Once mastered, they can then be carried out regularly at home until the incorrect signals sent by the malfunctioning inner ear to the brain can be compensated for. This usually corrects the persistent dizziness and reduces the risk of falling.

The Bottom Line?

Anyone who has persistent dizziness and hearing loss or any problems with balance should ask their doctor about screening for vestibular dysfunction.

Click here for source.

...

I thought it worthy to share this article because I'm 21 years old, and it's sad to have to live my life everyday worrying whether or not I'll fall today or tomorrow and asking myself if I have what it takes to get up after falling - literally.

So friends, do me and yourself a favor by examining your body and affirming if it suffers from any of the symptoms given above. And if it comes out positive, then an appointment with your doctor is needed - and that's non-negotiable.

Sleepyhead

I'm writing this entry just to plain wonder about one issue that's always been one of the banes of my life in the span of my lifetime: SLEEP.

I don't get enough sleep, and I'm sure I'm not the only one in the world who has the same problem. No matter how hard I try to compensate for the loss of sleep I experience in one day by sleeping in the following day, I still feel sleepy. EXTREMELY sleepy. That wouldn't be a problem at all if I had no life to live by, and I could have the choice to slack off all day long, but that ain't gonna happen BECAUSE I HAVE A LIFE. And it kills me everyday to skip a minute of it just to have some sleep.

I'm also writing this because I woke up today at 2:00 p.m., like I usually do on a no-class day, all ready to hit my errands, when I had to stall myself because I wanted so much to fall right back to bed and miss what's supposed to be another blessed day in my life. And I just want the world to know that I don't like being this way - this is totally against my will.

The Next Housemate

So. I bet for years now, you’ve all been aware about this hip international reality show, Big Brother – and you didn’t even tell me about it. How thoughtful. Just imagine how big of an ignoramus I looked like when, for the first time, I got to watch a live opening of the show’s latest season in the country, “Pinoy Big Brother Double Up” last October. I had to endure a week’s worth of endless teasing from my dorm mates, who are now convinced that I come from planet Pluto. As if it wasn’t enough that I had no idea what TV shows are on these days. But I can explain: they’re all into ABS-CBN shows, while I stand by my loyalty to Ate Reg (as in Regine Velasquez) by painstakingly patronizing the other TV station, GMA. Too bad she doesn’t have a current soap, which is why I’m being successfully turned into a Kapamilya (but don’t worry Ate Reg, I’ll always love ya).

Heniway, before my babbling gets too carried away like it always does, I’m actually here to talk about PBB. So. Whaddya think about it? Would you want to be a housemate and have the rest of the world pry on what’s supposed to be your private life? Would you attempt to be friends with people you barely know or don’t like at all? Would you uphold the rules and regulations set by Big Brother himself or would you try to see how many of them you could actually break and still get away with? Would you cry like a baby in front of the whole nation when you get nominated for eviction? And, most importantly, would you do all these for a million bucks, a house and lot, numerous gadgets, endorsement deals, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a star? I TOTALLY WOULD.

One of my dorm mates and I are always talking about how we want to live inside the BB house, and how we would bring fun and chaos to the world of television – in a cool, rockstar way, of course. Which is why I came up with a list of reasons why I think I’ll make a stellar housemate:

1. I’m excellent at pretend socializing. You might think I like you when I really DON’T. I’d rather you weren’t my housemate, but since you’re here and I’m here, there’s not much I can do now, is there?!

2. I give some of the best hugs in the world, precisely because I like to hug. So you can come to me when you feel like crying and need someone to hug the life out of you. Haha, kidding. But really, I’ll help you feel better. And it helps that I'm always carrying around a pack of tissues.

3. I don’t have any weird habits – at least not to my knowledge. I don’t snore or talk in my sleep, but I do make purring noises, which I’ve been told sound pretty sexy (hahaha). Oh, but I do have a lot of allergies. I don't worry about you not liking me because of them, though, 'cause I handle them with subtlety. Plus, people say my sniffing has actually become quite endearing to their ears – ONCE you get used to it.

4. I have OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), which sometimes pushes me to clean and organize everything from dusk ‘til dawn OR to become incredibly sloppy and messy. It depends on what my brain tells me to do, but the surprise is worth watching out for.

5. I love to experiment when it comes to cooking, and most of the time, I do an awesome job at it. I’m especially good at making desserts, which means I’ll keep you high on sugar everyday. Trust me, you’ll need the energy.

6. To my girl housemates, I think you’ll like me ‘cause I am every bit a girl: I love clothes, I love shoes, I love bags, I love accessories, I read fashion magazines, I have a sturdy collection of makeup, I like dressing up, I adore flowers, I live for musicals, and there’s nothing I like better than a healthy dose of the latest chismis to brighten up my day. But not to worry now; I don’t like too much pink either.

7. To my guy housemates, fear not because even though I’m such a girly girl, I could also easily be one of the boys. I’ll work out with you (‘course, I’ll need help with the equipment), I’ll do several laps on the pool with you, I’ll play any kind of game you want, I’ll even wrestle with you – just keep your hands in the safe zones, and we won’t have a problem. I especially feel that it’s easier to open up to guys because you listen. Don't you?

8. I sing. I’ll entertain you everyday IF you want to be entertained. If not, I’ll still sing. There’s nothing you could do about it; it’s in my blood.

9. I will rock your world and the outside world (by this, I mean the viewers) with my mood swings. Do not fret; when I’m not in the mood, I usually just keep to myself, unless you’ll do something to provoke the beast within. And when I’m happy, I’m REALLY REALLY REALLY HAPPY. I’ll put sunshine all over you.

10. Even though I MAY be a prude at times, I’m pretty sneaky; I still know how to have fun. If you know what I mean. So join me and let’s live in paradise. *Wink*

I kept the list to a 10 so I can still revel in what’s left of my humility (hahaha). So. Think you’d want me to be YOUR housemate? First, show ME a list of YOUR reasons. :) In the meantime, Big Brother, could you be a dear and sign me up for the next season? PRETTY PLEASE? :)