Drink your way to health

We can’t stress enough the bitter consequences of diabetes and how vital it is to take charge of our own health. Some 14 million Americans and five million Filipinos have it. Of course, you don’t want to be part of the grim statistics. Well, here’s sweet revenge vs diabetes! But first, as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do (or do as little of as possible). One top tip from the health experts: Cut down on your consumption of diabetes-causing drinks, like soft drinks. Soda consumption has been directly linked to Type II diabetes risk, and your chances of developing the disease increases with every can of soft drink you take every day.

Now you can drink your way to health via these diabetes busters:

• Tomato juice. You probably know that tomato, with its lycopene, protects against cancer. A recent study says that eight-and-a-half ounces of tomato juice protect against platelet aggregation (the formation of blood-vessel blocking clots), to which diabetics are much more prone. This also explains why a lot of people with diabetes are also likely candidates for potentially fatal cardiovascular problems. Extra brownie points: Since tomato is a vegetable, it is an important part of a healthy diet.

• Coffee. Drinking three or four cups of coffee a day can reduce your risk of Type II diabetes by 29 percent, according to the American Medical Association. Basing their conclusion on a 12-year study, researchers can’t tell exactly what it is in coffee that helps keep blood sugar levels under control. Perhaps it’s coffee’s antioxidant component (catechin polyphenol). Extra brownie points: Findings show that drinking coffee decreases one’s risk of developing gallstones and colon cancer.

• Wine. A glass or two of wine keeps diabetes at bay. According to a study conducted at Harvard Medical School over a 10-year period, premenopausal women who drink moderately have 40 percent lower risk of developing Type II diabetes. Again, researchers don’t know what accounts for this. The only thing they know – rest assured they’re sober and their judgment is not influenced by alcohol – is that wine seems to decrease insulin resistance in diabetics. When the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it properly, the result is high blood sugar, which leads to diabetes. Extra brownie points: Wine, especially red wine, contains powerful antioxidants that fight off cancer.

Tomato juice, coffee, or wine, anyone?

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Top tips vs foodborne illness

Here’s timely food for thought: According to the World Health Organization, food and waterborne diseases kill an estimated 2.1 million people annually in developing countries.

The statistics are hard to swallow. But we can protect ourselves and our family by following a few simple rules and guidelines, according to the Asian Food Information Centre, who dishes out these top tips vs foodborne illness:

Shopping

• Note expiry ("best before" and "use by") dates and take them seriously. Expired products should not be purchased and should be reported to the store manager. If packaged food is found to have gone off before the best-before date on the package, or if damaged packaging is discovered at home, it should be returned or reported to the retailer or food processor.

• Report misbranded, mislabeled, and contaminated food to relevant authorities. Adulteration of food involves using inferior, cheaper ingredients to cheat consumers and undercut competition. Reporting incidents can help authorities nab and punish errant retailers and reduce the recurrence of these incidents.

Storage

• Store raw foods, especially meat, fish, and seafood at the bottom of the refrigerator, and cooked foods at the top. Store foods wrapped or properly covered.

• Do not put hot food in the refrigerator, as this will cause the temperature to rise.

• Store cans, packets, and bottles in a cool, dry place, and protected from insect and rodent pests.

Food Preparation And Eating

• Remember to always wash hands before preparing food or eating.

• Wash thoroughly after use the equipment used to prepare raw foods, and always before using it to prepare foods which are already cooked or are to be consumed raw.

• Choose food stalls, restaurants or other eating places carefully. Make sure staff, cutlery and other equipment are clean and tidy. This is a giveaway of the hygiene standards of the eating place, including those behind the scenes.

• Hot food should be very hot, and cold food should be chilled. Food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Particular care needs to be taken about food prepared in large quantities, in advance or under difficult conditions – at symposia, meetings, large social events, outdoor events, etc.

• If you have any doubts about raw foods, such as fruit and vegetables, the golden rule is, "Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it."

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Consumer trade fair set

With times getting harder, consumers are growing wiser – always wary that unscrupulous retailers do not rip off a single cent out of their hard-earned peso.

And as important as the price are the quality and safety of products. Take it from Susan, a mother of three, who relates, "My husband and I earn just enough to provide our children with their basic needs, so we regret it every time we buy something and then weeks later, it’s no good anymore. It’s like seeing your money go down the drain."

A car owner fumes, "I bought a new battery unit for my vehicle two months ago. Now, it just broke down and damaged my engine. My mechanic even said it could have exploded anytime because of its poor quality. So, not only did the battery ruin my car, it put my life at risk as well."

To protect consumers, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) continues to formulate Philippine National Standards for various products and, at the same time, regularly enforces and monitors compliance of businesses with these requirements. These are done to ensure that only safe and reliable products are made available on the market and are enjoyed by the consuming public.

To augment such efforts, DTI pushes consumer education through the consumer trade fair, a five-day event held in October and jointly organized by DTI and the Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation Inc. (PPSQFI).

Now in its fifth year, the consumer trade fair has been a successful showcase of competitive products from certified and accredited companies, aimed to open the buying public’s mind to how Philippine National Standards affect life, health, and safety.

Call Glo Urbano/Sheryle Pablo/Felix Almonte at 751-4748 and 890-9935 for inquiries and details on the fair.

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Recycling outlets

Aside from "recycled jokes" we’ve been getting via e-mail, we’ve been receiving queries since we came out with a list of recycling centers. For a complete list of the recycling centers, call the Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines Foundation, National Ecology Center, East Ave., Quezon City at 925-4718. Look for Juanita Abaquin, according to our source Gene Romero.

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We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.