A Banana A Day Keeps Doctors Away

Hey classmates, I want to share a secret with you. Don't you know that banana boosts your brain power? Aside from that, banana have lots of benefits that keeps you healthy. So, what are you waiting for, come and read this article or else you will lose your chance to become smarter and healthier.


Brain Power :

200 students at Twickenham (Middlesex) School were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils alert.

Energy Booster :

• If you want a quick fix for flagging energy level there's no better snack than a banana. Containing three natural sugars: sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

• Research has proved that just two bananas provide energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder, the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But the energy is not the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help us overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.

Anemia :
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure :
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat 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.

Constipation :
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression :
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND (The Mental Health Charity) amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Hangovers :
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and with the help of honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heart Burn :
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Mosquito bites :
Before reaching for the insect bite cream try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves :
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Ulcers :
The banana is used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Stress :
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high potassium banana snack.

Strokes :

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

Warts :
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster of surgical tape.

So you see, a banana is really a natural remedy for many illnesses. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the Vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe it's time to change that well known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctors away!".

Children Are So Helpful

My Aunt, My Mom

Migrating in one place is not easy most especially when you do not have any relative to depend on to. But I am lucky to have an aunt who made things easy for me and my family. I used to call her "Tita" (Aunt). She looked for an apartment for us and she cleaned it before we arrived. She provided us with what we basically needs such as kitchen appliances and utensils like microwave oven, oven toaster, cookwares, sets of plates and glasses as well as spoons and forks. She also bought dining tables and chairs so that eating would not be a problem for us. She prepared our bedrooms, washrooms and living room ready for us. Not only that, our refrigerator and kitchen cupboard are full of foods and groceries.


When we arrived in Canada last May 16, 2009 we are really surprised when we saw our apartment. It felt like we're not away from our home in the Philippines because we knew that we're not all alone in this new place and that somebody's gonna take care of us here in Canada. My Tita did a great job and I really appreciate what she did for us. She's also very happy when we came here because her long time dream to have a relative here in Canada finally came true. My mother told my aunt to make us her like her own family and since then I called her Mom.

Happy Thanksgiving

I can't forget that day, June 26, 2004, when I have to leave my family and need to go to Dubai, U.A.E. to work. My husband and my 4 children were with me to the airport and tears were rolling down on my face while I bid goodbye to my loved ones. My heart cried out in pain but I have to go and have to sacrifice for my children's brighter future. Being away from my family was the saddest and hardest part of my life and I told myself that I should do something to be together with my family the soonest possible time for I can't bear the loneliness of being away from them for a very long time. After a year of residence in Dubai I applied for a family migration in Canada and from then on I prayed and put my trust in God that He will answer my prayers in His time.

Last May 15, 2009 I was again at the airport with my husband and my 4 children. Tears were rolling down on my face (again) but those were tears of joy because that's the time where I will go to Canada with my family.

I am very thankful to God for He answered my prayers and am very grateful for He gave me more than I asked for. God showered me and my family with so much blessings: my children are all in school, my husband got a permanent job now and most of all I have been admitted in the Accountant Bridging Program of the Mennonite Center for Newcomers in Edmonton. With all of these blessings it is just right and proper to thank God, for all of these will not be possible without HIM.

Pray for the Philippines

Typhoon Ondoy strikes Philippines

On Saturday 26th September, typhoon Ondoy (also known as Ketsana) hits Philippines unexpectedly leaving Metro Manila crippled and most houses submerged in water due to raging flood. The flood hit mostly major cities in Metro Manila which was unexpected to most people that caught everyone off guard without food, water and shelter. Some are staying on rooftops waiting for rescues a nd some are taking chances to swim against raging flood just to get to safer places or even sav ing their own relatives who are left helpless. Typhoon Ondoy has brought rain equivalent t o 1 month worth of rain or 410 mm of rain. This event was last experienced 42 years ago and a nightmare to even experience it this year since alot has been going on already due to recession, deaths, etc.

Ondoy has affected almost 4 million people. Many are currently homeless and have been brought to hundreds of evacuation centers.

Electricity and water remain cut-off in severely affected areas. Mobile communication however is functional and is the main means of communication in isolated villages.

Here are some pictures showing the impact of typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines :

The 4 million people in the Phillipines affected by Ondoy are now bracing for super Typhoon Pepeng and potentially another one as a scary weekend is ahead. After sleepless nights scrambling for survival, they are attempting to prepare for the next round.Please pray for the thousands of people in the Philippines whose lives have been destroyed by Ondoy.

How Much Do You Know These Canadian Flags?

The 10 provinces of Canada are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, while the three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. Each of these provinces and territories has its own flag. Now here are some Canadian flags with its significant details :

Alberta

The royal-ultramarine blue flag of Alberta that has the provincial shield of arms in the center was adopted on June 1, 1968. The shield features the Cross of St. George, a symbol of England; a typical landscape in the province; and a golden field of wheat, one of the province's primary farm crops.

British Columbia
Adapted on June 20, 1960, the flag of British Columbia consists of the Union Jack (the national flag of the United Kingdom) with a crown in the center, signifying the origins of the province as a British colony, and a sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, which is symbolized by the wavy white-and-blue stripes--depicting British Columbia's being the westernmost province of Canada.

Manitoba

The flag of Manitoba is comprised by the Union Jack (situated on the top-right corner) and the provincial shield of arms (on the center of the left hand side) on a red background. The shield features the Corss of St. George and a bison, herds of which used to roam the province. Manitoba's flag was adopted on May 12, 1966.





New Brunswick
Adopted on February 24, 1965, the flag of New Brunswick consists of a gold lion on a red background (across the top one-third of the flag), symbolizing ties with both the Brunswick region of Germany and the United Kingdom; and a galley (occupying the lower two-thirds of the flag), signifying the importance of shipbuilding and seafaring to the province throughout much of its history.


Newfoundland and Labrador
The design of Newfoundland and Labrador's flag is based on that of the Union Jack. Its colors stand for snow and ice of winter (white), the sea (blue), the effort and struggles of the people (red), and their confidence in themselves and the future (gold). The blue triangles are meant as a tribute to the province's British heritage, while the two red triangles embody the mainland and island parts comprising the province. According to John Christopher Pratt, the artist who designed the flag, the direction of the gold arrow depicts a brighter future. The trident (formed by the triangles and the arrow) signifies the province's dependence on its fisheries and the resources of the sea. The flag was adopted on May 28, 1980.

Nova Scotia
Created in 1858 and officially approved on January 19, 1929, Nova Scotia's flag consists of a blue saltire ( a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross) on a white field bearing the royal arms of Scotland, which features a red lion surrounded by a royal double tressure ( a border ornamented with fleurs-de-lis at the edges). The province's name is Latin for "New Scotland". (The first documented Scottish settlement in the Americas was of Nova Scotia, in 1621.)

Volleyball and Me

Volleyball is a part of my life. I loved playing it most especially during my school days. As a matter of fact, I am a varsity player in our University for four years. Because of this, I have gone to many places to join the league and I have visited many places which I have never seen before. And the part that I have enjoyed most is that I have met many people in different walks of life and I gained many friends as well. Until now, whenever we got the chance to see each other we still love playing volleyball.