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San Jose, Batangas leads charge in lung health initiative

This event, a highlight of the Biyaheng Kalusugan: National TB Day and National Lung Month initiative, served as a potent reminder of the importance of lung health and the ongoing fight against tuberculosis in the Philippines.

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In the early hours of August 30th, the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas, became a hub of energy and community spirit as hundreds gathered for the “Run for Healthy Lungs” Fun Run. This event, a highlight of the Biyaheng Kalusugan: National TB Day and National Lung Month initiative, served as a potent reminder of the importance of lung health and the ongoing fight against tuberculosis in the Philippines.

The FPJ Arena was filled with excitement as 300 registered runners began arriving as early as 4:30 AM. The drumbeaters’ infectious rhythms added to the energy of the event, fostering a strong sense of unity and purpose. Three Zumba dancers led a dynamic dance to ensure everyone was fully warmed up and ready for the run ahead.

The 10-km race was the first to start, signaled by a countdown led by Asec. Ariel Valencia from the Department of Health. As the runners surged forward, the excitement in the air was unmistakable. Shortly after, the 5 km participants gathered at the starting arch, where Assistant Regional Director Dr. Leda Hernandez led them in their countdown before they embarked on their race. The finish line was positioned under the exact arch where the journey began, symbolizing the full circle of health and fitness.

Next to the Run for Healthy Lungs arch, several booths offered a variety of health-related services, information, and fun games for the runners. These included free chest X-rays, snacks and beverages, traditional and Chinese alternative medicine, free condoms and lube, and the crowd-favorite Human Fruit Machine. These booths provided a valuable opportunity for runners to explore, learn, and interact while waiting for the post-run program to begin.

The event was attended by several VIPs, including key officials from the health department, local government units (LGUs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Among the speakers were Mayor Valentino Patron of San Jose, Batangas, and Batangas Governor Hon. Hermilando Mandanas. They emphasized the crucial importance of lung health and overall well-being, empowering the

audience with valuable insights. Other esteemed guests who took the stage to share messages of support and contribute valuable insights about the cause included Asec. Arial Valencia, Dr. Dominic Maddumba, Dr. Elizabeth Sario, and Dr. Arial Valencia, Dr. Dominic Maddumba, Dr. Elizabeth Sario, and Dr. Rufo Luna. Dr. Clarissa Halum of WHO Philippines delivered a special message via video.

After a raffle draw, the top finishers of the 10 km and 5 km races were recognized and received plaques and SM gift certificates as tokens of appreciation.

**5KM Race Winners:**

**Gold:** Raul Hernandez, with a time of 23:41

**Silver:** Josh Khian Brucal, with a time of 24:01

**Bronze:** Henry Mendoza, with a time of 26:17

**10KM Race Winners:**

**Gold:** Willie Joan Macalintal, with a time of 45:00

**Silver:** John Kenneth Castro, with a time of 45:10

**Bronze:** Jerwin Dimaculangan, with a time of 45:33

The Run for Health Lungs winners were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals to celebrate their remarkable performances at the event.

One of the event’s highlights was a beautiful video presentation that captured the day’s most memorable moments, from the energetic warm-up to the final sprint across the finish line. The video showcased the dedication and enthusiasm of everyone involved, demonstrating the spirit of the community coming together for an important cause.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Leda Hernandez, the Assistant Regional Director. She praised the participants and the organizers for their commitment to health and active participation in the event’s success. As the event ended, attendees enjoyed a well-deserved lunch, reflecting on a morning well spent in health and community service.

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5 Tips to upgrade your sleep

Sleep contributes to better brain function, memory, concentration and lower stress. According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night to achieve maximum health benefits.

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Good sleep isn’t just about waking up feeling rested and ready for the day. Quality sleep, and plenty of it, is important for your overall health. While you sleep, your body naturally recharges itself, which puts you at lower risk for cardiovascular problems and chronic conditions like diabetes, as well as improving your immune system.

Sleep also contributes to better brain function, memory, concentration and lower stress. According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night to achieve maximum health benefits.

If you’re falling short of the recommended amount of sleep, you may be able to make some adjustments that help you reap the health benefits of better rest. Learn what you can do to improve your sleep with these tips from the experts in safer, healthier sleep at Naturepedic.

Reduce Light Exposure
Your body’s natural circadian rhythms are closely aligned with light and dark. When your body senses light, it sends signals to your brain that it’s time to be awake. Light also suppresses your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone linked to sleep. Cutting back on bright lights and avoiding devices at least an hour before bed can tell your body it’s time to wind down, and sleeping in a dark room promotes better rest.

Invest in the Right Mattress
Your mattress plays a major role in your comfort through the night, so making sure it fits your needs is an important step toward getting better rest. Take control of your comfort with a quality mattress such as Naturepedic’s EOS (Ergonomic Organic Sleep) mattress, which is handcrafted and made without polyurethane foam, formaldehyde, flame retardants or fiberglass. The breathable layers of certified organic cotton, wool and GOTS-approved latex ensure better temperature regulation while naturally contouring the body. An added feature is the ability to customize each side of the bed by opening the zippers and adjusting the layered components for the perfect comfort combination.

Find the Right Sheets
Sheets that are too stiff, scratchy or otherwise unpleasant make it nearly impossible to settle in for a good night’s rest. Higher thread counts tend to be softer, higher quality sheets. However, you may need to experiment to find which material suits you best.

Set a Comfortable Temperature
When you’re too hot or cold, your mind tends to focus on those sensations rather than allowing you to slip into a slumber. Set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature, adding fans or adjusting the layers of bedding as necessary to achieve the perfect level of cozy comfort.

Use a Sound Machine
If you’re a light sleeper, noise can wreak havoc on your rest. Many people find sound machines offer two key benefits: They provide a soothing sound, such as rain or ocean waves, that allows you to relax and ease into slumber and constant background noise, so additional sounds are less disruptive.

Find more solutions for achieving better sleep at Naturepedic.com.

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What you should know about IBD

Two common conditions are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They’re often confused for one another, but these are actually two different GI disorders.

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It may not be something you like to talk about, but if you have gastrointestinal (GI) problems, your symptoms may be far more common than you think. According to data from the American Gastroenterological Association, 60-70 million people living in the United States have gut health concerns.

Two common conditions are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They’re often confused for one another, but these are actually two different GI disorders.

IBS is a syndrome; it is defined by a group of symptoms, does not cause inflammation and rarely requires hospitalization or surgery. IBD, on the other hand, is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that cause chronic inflammation of your GI tract.

The disease is more common than you may realize; a study led by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation found nearly 1 in 100 people living in the U.S. have IBD. The two most common forms of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Understanding IBD Symptoms
Because it poses serious health risks and can cause permanent damage to your intestines, it’s important to be aware of what IBD is and recognize the symptoms. Your primary care doctor or gastroenterologist can help if you have concerns about these symptoms:

  • Intense, crampy pain that doesn’t go away in a day or two or has been present on and off for weeks or longer
  • A notable change in bowel movement frequency, whether more or less often
  • Frequent diarrhea over several weeks, or loose stools multiple times a day
  • Frequent constipation, or constipation alternating with diarrhea
  • Urgency on a regular basis or inability to hold back the bowel movement before reaching the bathroom
  • Blood with bowel movements
  • Mucus in your stool regularly or paired with pain or other symptoms
  • Always feeling as though you aren’t fully emptying your bowels

Other symptoms that may have a variety of causes but need extra attention especially if you notice them along with any of the symptoms above include pain outside of the gut, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. In addition, children with IBD may have delays in growth and the onset of puberty.

Diagnosing IBD
No single test can confirm a Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis diagnosis. Your medical history and information obtained from diagnostic testing can exclude other potential causes of your symptoms, since gastrointestinal symptoms are common and can have a variety of causes.

Your first tests will likely include blood and stool laboratory tests. Further testing could include imaging studies of your gastrointestinal tract or a look inside your GI tract through an endoscope.

Identifying Treatment Options
Once an IBD diagnosis is confirmed, you can partner with your doctor to manage your disease. Treatment plans are highly personalized, as what works for one person may not for another. Medication and managing your diet and nutrition are two common treatment recommendations. In some cases, surgery can help improve your quality of life.

Clinical trials may also be an option for treating your IBD. Through clinical trials, researchers find new ways to improve treatments and quality of life. In fact, clinical trials represent the final stages of a long and careful research process to make new and improved treatment options for patients available.

However, an important part of clinical trials for IBD is patient participation. Without the enrollment of patients in clinical trials, new treatment options for IBD can be delayed or never become available.

Equally important to this process is having a diverse representation of patients that considers race, age or other categories. This helps researchers develop treatments that meet the needs of a vast IBD patient community.

If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial, ask your doctor to help you find a trial that is right for you, and visit crohnscolitisfoundation.org to learn more about IBD and treatment options, including clinical trials.

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Unlocking the science of sleep: How rest enhances language learning

Getting eight hours of sleep every night helps the brain to store and learn a new language.

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Sleep is critical for all sorts of reasons, but a team of international scientists has discovered a new incentive for getting eight hours of sleep every night: it helps the brain to store and learn a new language.

A study led by the University of South Australia (UniSA) and published in the Journal of Neuroscience has revealed that the coordination of two electrical events in the sleeping brain significantly improves our ability to remember new words and complex grammatical rules.

In an experiment with 35 native English-speaking adults, researchers tracked the brain activity of participants learning a miniature language called Mini Pinyin that is based on Mandarin but with similar grammatical rules to English.

Half of the participants learned Mini Pinyin in the morning and then returned in the evening to have their memory tested. The other half learned Mini Pinyin in the evening and then slept in the laboratory overnight while their brain activity was recorded. Researchers tested their progress in the morning.

Those who slept performed significantly better compared to those who remained awake.

Lead researcher  Dr Zachariah Cross, who did his PhD at UniSA but is now based at Northwestern University in Chicago, says sleep-based improvements were linked to the coupling of slow oscillations and sleep spindles – brainwave patterns that synchronise during NREM sleep.

“This coupling likely reflects the transfer of learned information from the hippocampus to the cortex, enhancing long-term memory storage,” Dr Cross says.

“Post-sleep neural activity showed unique patterns of theta oscillations associated with cognitive control and memory consolidation, suggesting a strong link between sleep-induced brainwave co-ordination and learning outcomes.”

UniSA researcher Dr Scott Coussens says the study underscores the importance of sleep in learning complex linguistic rules.

“By demonstrating how specific neural processes during sleep support memory consolidation, we provide a new perspective on how sleep disruption impacts language learning,” Dr Coussens says. “Sleep is not just restful; it’s an active, transformative state for the brain.”

The findings could also potentially inform treatments for individuals with language-related impairments, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and aphasia, who experience greater sleep disturbances than other adults.

Research on both animals and humans shows that slow oscillations improve neural plasticity – the brain’s ability to change and adapt in response to experiences and injury.

“From this perspective, slow oscillations could be increased via methods such as transcranial magnetic stimulation to accelerate aphasia-based speech and language therapy,” Dr Cross says.

In future, the researchers plan to explore how sleep and wake dynamics influence the learning of other complex cognitive tasks.

“Understanding how the brain works during sleep has implications beyond language learning. It could revolutionize how we approach education, rehabilitation, and cognitive training.”

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