Health Archives - Page 2 of 5 - The Philippine Beat

Go natural on your oral care with SPLAT and get it at up to 21% off on 12.12

Posted on December 10, 2021December 11, 2021 by jane

I’ve been switching to products with natural ingredients for some time now and that includes toothpaste. So I am happy to hear that SPLAT – a family-run business and a global pioneer in natural oral care – has come to the Philippines. Even better, you can get their products for up to 21% off this December, exclusively at Watsons stores or online at Watsons Lazada & Shopee or ShopSM.

The SPLAT line of oral care includes toothpaste that uses natural antibacterial agents and ingredients for gentle teeth whitening. SPLAT’s toothpaste, mouthwashes, and foams contain natural ingredients, essential oils, and medicinal plant extracts. Their toothpaste does not have all those ingredients I would consider potentially harmful to people, animals, and the planets, such as SLES, triclosan, chlorhexidine, aluminum lactate, peroxide, petroleum-derived products, synthetic antiseptic agents, sodium lauryl sulfate, and saccharinate.

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Good news! Watsons now offers quality and affordable COVID-19 antigen test kits!

Posted on October 25, 2021October 27, 2021 by jane

For several months now, I had been joining my voice with that of independent health experts in calling for scaling of COVID-19 testings and tracings as the economy opens up. Like them, I believe that prolonged lockdowns alone will not help us get back on our feet. Lockdowns are supposed to be temporary measures to give the healthcare system and workers some breathing space to “catch up” during major surges.

Recently, we have been seeing a decline in cases here in the National Capital Region. We are now at Level 3 and contemplating a possible Level 2 before the end of the year. However, knowing the nature of the “beast” that is COVID-19, we know that it is airborne and, with the dominant, highly contagious Delta variant in the country, can easily infect even those who are already vaccinated. So, we can let people out, have workers return to work…..BUT we need to have quick, easy, and affordable ways to test these people so that in case they turn out positive, they can be readily isolated to prevent further infections.

This is NOT the Watsons rapid antigen test kit. This is just a photo from @dronepicr’s Flickr account used under a Creative Commons license. Source: https://flic.kr/p/2kTB8mC

RT-PCRs are just too expensive at around P4,000 per test. Employers will not be able to afford these to test their returning workers on a regular basis. More affordable and easy-to-administer rapid antigen tests that can immediately yield results are what we need.

The good news is finally here. Starting today, October 25, 2021, select Watsons stores will carry FDA-certified COVID-19 antigen test kits with a price range of only PhP 399 – PhP 500. These will also be available in ALL Watsons stores nationwide by November 25.

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Defensil’s PPE and alcohol donation to certain vaccination sites are keeping people safe

Posted on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 by jane

Alcohol is a common site at all vaccination site as healthcare workers, volunteer staff, and vaccinees need a lot of these to keep everyone safe. Recently, vaccination sites in three cities (Muntinlupa, Pasig, and San Juan) received reusable personal protective equipment (PPEs) and Defensil 70% Isopropyl Alcohol that keep the healthcare workers and people in priority groups, going for their vaccination, safe.

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Pulse of Asia study: Filipinos are optimistic about their health but there are still challenges that digital technology can address

Posted on March 16, 2021June 21, 2021 by jane

How do Asians view their health outlook especially in the time of COVID-19? This pandemic definitely affected public health and has changed how people deal with their health concerns. Very apparent in the past year was the turn to technology. Teleconsulting became a necessity for many who, for various reasons, could not physically see their doctors or go to hospitals.

It was in this environment that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), was commissioned by Prudential Corporation Asia, Pru Life UK’s regional headquarters, to conduct a survey of 5,000 people across 13 countries and territories in Southeast Asia during the second half of 2020.

From top (L-R): Host Dr. Freddie Gomez, National Telehealth Center Director Dr. Raymond Sarmiento, Prudential Corporation Asia Chief Health Officer Andrew Wong, and Pru Life UK Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga share their insights on the Pulse of Asia report.

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IVO gives families more pure and clean drinking water

Posted on May 15, 2018May 21, 2018 by jane

Let me start out with a personal story

It took a serious illness in the family for us to switch from bottled water (our water for decades) to tap water in 2013. The thought was horrifying at first. I always had visions of Metro Manila’s water being ‘dirty’ and ‘unsafe for drinking’. But our holistic doctor insisted that tap water was best. He told us that distilled water removed all the minerals, something our bodies need. Bottled mineral water, even if thought safe to drink, came with the risks of bacteria from insufficiently cleaned water containers, long exposure to air especially for 5-gallon containers (a breeding ground for bacteria), and oftentimes, the mineral content was incomplete. Tap water, on the other hand, contained all the minerals needed by the body, like calcium and magnesium, and the chlorine effectively killed bacteria until the water is exposed to air.

I did do my own verification to confirm what our holistic doctor was telling us. I tweeted Dr. Eric Tayag of the Department of Health to ask about an article I read where it said Metro Manila’s water was potable. Here is my tweet as well as his response.

We’ve been drinking tap water since 2013 and we have had no incidence of amoebiasis. Still, we take some precautions. For one, the chlorine in the water (used to kill bacteria) has to be evaporated before we consume the water since chlorine is not good for the body. So, we would fill a couple of water pitchers with water and leave the cover open for about half an hour to let the chlorine evaporate. It’s not always convenient when you want to drink water NOW.

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Give the gift of health from Healthy Options’ Christmas gift sets

Posted on October 21, 2017October 21, 2017 by jane

What Christmas gifts have you been giving out these past years? Whatever they were, how about making HEALTH the focus of your Christmas gifts this year? It’s about time that we all help each other make healthy day-to-day lifestyle choices and that includes stuff we use, consume, and apply on ourselves. Your families and friends will definitely appreciate gifts from you that express wishes for their long-term well-being.

Healthy Options has, for the longest time, been my go-to store for all things natural and organic. Last year, I attended their Christmas event where they first introduced their healthy Christmas gift sets and this year, they are doing the same…with MORE! Following their theme, Light Up Your Christmas, shoppers can choose from a wide variety of products (healthy snacks, organic wine, sparkling juices, supplements, and personal care products, among them).

From now till October 22, 2017, early Christmas shoppers who visit Healthy Options stores at Shangri-la Plaza Mall and Glorietta 2 can check out the gift show, pre-order, and get exclusive discounts and privileges valid only during the gift show. Customers who purchase PhP50,000 worth of products or more are entitled to an early bird discount and are eligible to free shipping. Delivery of these pre-ordered gift sets will start on November 21. The gift sets will officially be available for regular selling in all Healthy Options stores starting the second week of November.

Healthy Options also has gift cards in PhP 1000 and PhP 500 denominations that are practical to give out. Their Healthy Options Private label features Healthy Options’ own premium brand of gluten-free grocery items.

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Watsons supports your health through its #GetActive campaign

Posted on June 10, 2017March 14, 2022 by jane

Everyone wants to be healthy. Many know what it takes to be healthy. But so much less actually do something about becoming healthier. True?

Busyness and a hectic lifestyle gets to a lot of us and sometimes, activities meant to make us more active and healthy are set aside. In a research conducted by Watsons Insights on Shoppers Experience (WISE), a research division of the A.S. Watson Group, 66% of Filipinos believe they know about health but 57% do not exercise regularly to stay healthy. Reasons could vary from hectic work schedules to family duties, household chores, and guess what….even traffic!

These were reasons enough for Watsons to launch their #GetActive campaign. The point of this campaign is to get Filipinos active by starting with small lifestyle changes. Many who have failed to maintain an active lifestyle do so because they want to start out big (aim to be a triathlete, work out for hours at a gym, own fancy gym equipment, and similar goals. But people who fail to achieve these goals tend to slack and go back to their sedentary ways.

Sam Ajdani, Samantha Purvor, Watsons Grp Mktg Mngr Karen Fabres, Grp Trading Mngr Emil Perez, Cat Mngr Rossana Bonifacio, Cat Mngr Vanessa Chua, Dr. Mitzi Reodica, Mktg Dir Viki Encarnacion, Mktg Mngr Krista Tan, Mktg Sup Helen Capunong, An — Watsons team with celebrity guests and emcee: Sam Ajdani, Samantha Purvor, Karen Fabres, Emil Perez, Rossana Bonifacio, Vanessa Chua, Dr. Mitzi Reodica, Viki Encarnacion, Krista Tan, Helen Capunong, Ann Arlas

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Eye Mo, my childhood eye care brand, is back!

Posted on March 11, 2017March 12, 2017 by jane

When you grow up with a popular household brand and it disappears from the market, there is all the more reason to celebrate its comeback. That is what several of us did a few days ago when we came together to celebrate the return to the Philippine market of Eye Mo.

The Eye Mo brand was acquired from GlaxoSmithkline by Pharma Health Care Pte. Ltd (Singapore) in 2016. Pharma Health Care Pte. Ltd is part of the Combiphar Group of Companies, a leading multinational consumer healthcare company based in Indonesia. Established in 1971, Combiphar now manufactures and markets almost 200 prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, including Eye Mo. Combiphar is currently building a new sterile facility to further improve its manufacturing facilities.

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Holiday shopping with the Healthy Options gift boxes

Posted on November 21, 2016December 3, 2016 by jane

My favorite health store has come up with items you can give for Christmas that are both healthy and natural – Healthy Options gift boxes!!!

Healthy Options stained glass gift boxes — Stained glass-themed gift boxes at Healthy Options

I’m always at Healthy Options, being a Gold cardholder. We get our supplements from there as well as our regular supply of oats, nuts, superfoods like chia and quinoa, and even snacks sometimes. But recently, I was invited back to be part of a small group of bloggers who got an early look at their different holiday gift boxes. Set in one of their larger branches at Glorietta 2, we spent several hours taste testing some of the items that came with the gift boxes and had a sumptuous and very yummy lunch as well, courtesy of The Sexy Chef.

Each gift box is themed after one of the holiday’s most popular and meaningful customs that have become symbolic of Christmas. For people who hate shopping and just want to go into a store and pick out a gift box that is already prepared, decorated and wrapped, this collection of gift boxes will be perfect.

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Get yourself checked for breast health at Health Cube (plus a blog giveaway!)

Posted on October 31, 2016November 1, 2016 by jane

Are we taking good care of our breast health? We should. In my case, close family members have passed away due to breast cancer. One is still fighting it now. And just in the last couple of years, at least two good blogger friends also crossed over due to breast cancer. October was Breast Cancer Awareness month and so I readily agreed to attend Health Cube‘s event to find out what technology is now out there to increase the chances of maintaining good breast health and address breast cancer more effectively.

Health Cube’s Advanced Medical Imaging Unit is situated inside a “green-certified” building along Ortigas Avenue – BTTC Centre. Actually I am already familiar with Health Cube as I used to see it along Wilson Street in San Juan whenever I would pass the building and buy my organic food from a store on the ground floor. As they grew bigger, it was just a matter of time before they moved out of Wilson Street and into Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center, where they have complete laboratory testing services. Discovering there was a Health Cube inside BTTC Centre, specifically focused on medical imaging, was a pleasant surprise! The Advanced Medical Imaging Unit of Health Cube boasts of some of the most modern technology to check on women’s breast health (and much more).

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