Drinking ‘buko’ juice to enhance kidney function a myth
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, June 14 (PIA) -– Drinking coconut water to enhance kidney function is a pure myth according to a medical expert.
“It is just hype-up,” said private nephrologist Dr. John Li.
“Buko juice has a high calorie content which is not good for those with hypertension and high blood lipid levels particularly triglyceride,” he added.
Renal transplant surgeon Dr. Alvin Roxas likewise agreed that it is all hype-up.
“Coconut juice is actually a diuretic and is not good for some with certain diseases,” bared Roxas.
“Nothing beats water to hydrate the body,” added Roxas.
One of the tips on renal care cited by Li is drinking lots of water to avoid dehydration, which is common in a tropical country like the Philippines.
Roxas, on the other hand, said the only way to avoid chronic kidney dysfunction is early detection which is simply submitting to an annual urinalysis examination.
“Urinalysis only costs P60 which is very cheap compared to close to a million pesos in case of kidney transplant due to renal failure,” said Roxas.
Li said the only way to take care of one’s kidneys is to live a healthy lifestyle by kicking bad habits such as smoking, and limiting alcohol intake to only one beer bottle per day. He also encouraged more vegetables and fruits in the diet, drinking lots of water, while avoiding salty and sweet foods. Li added that regular exercise is good for the health. (PIA-Cebu)
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Healthy diet, exercise essential to renal care‘in celeb of June as Nat’l Kidney Month’
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, June 14 (PIA) -- Here are five basic tips to avoid kidney disease, the ninth leading cause of death among Filipinos today.
Dr. John Li, private nephrologist of Chong Hua Hospital, said stressed lifestyle modification is essential in preventing renal disease enumerating five tips for strict adherence.
The first step cited by Li is to have a healthy diet which means consuming more vegetables and fruits and shy away from too much salty and too much sweet foods as well as junk foods and canned goods.
One must also exercise regularly and said 30 to 45 minutes three to four times a week is just adequate.
“You can even space out the 45 minutes to 15 to 20 minutes each in the morning and afternoon,” added Li during the recent PIA Kapihan that highlighted the celebration of National Kidney Month.
“One must also kick off the smoking habit and drink alcohol moderately,” Li firmly said.
Living in a tropical climate, it is very important to avoid dehydration as the fifth and last tip is to drink lots of water, bared the nephrologist which underwent training at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI).
According to the NKTI, kidney failure is the ninth leading cause of mortality rate among Filipinos today as it urged the public to take good care of their kidneys.
The Department of Health (DOH) 7, meanwhile, said that kidney failure is the 10th leading cause of death in Central Visayas but did not give specific figures.
DOH 7 Regional Director Asuncion Anden in the same PIA forum said the number one cause of kidney dysfunction is diabetes followed by hypertension and glomerulonephritis.
Out of 9,769 patients in Region 7 that were diagnosed with kidney dysfunction in 2010, 514 went on dialysis treatment. Nine patients were transplanted out of 399 cases, Anden disclosed.
Li however believed the figure on the number of dialysis patients is very much underreported. (PIA-Cebu)
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GSIS calls on low-income gov’t workers to avail of college scholarship grant
By Juju Manubag-Empuerto
CEBU CITY, June 14 (PIA) -- Low-income government workers, especially those with Salary Grade 24 and below, are urged to nominate their children to the Enhanced College Scholarship Program of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
The call was made by GSIS Regional Manager Ma. Fatima R. Alvarez as the deadline for the college scholarship application nears on June 30.
“There are still 200 slots available for School Year 2012-2013 nationwide and the deadline for the filing of applications is on June 30 already,” said Alvarez.
GSIS 7 is accepting scholarship nominees from its members with a salary grade 24 and below, but those with really meager income will be given priority in the scholarship grant.
Alvarez said the nominee must be a child of the GSIS member and an incoming freshman who may opt to take a four or five year college course and accepted in the schools identified by GSIS.
The educational institutions must be accredited by the Commission on Higher Education which GSIS listed as the following universities nationwide: Adamson University; Adventist University of the Philippines; Angeles University Foundation; Assumption College; Ateneo de Davao University; Ateneo de Manila University; Ateneo de Naga University; Ateneo de Zamboanga University; Baliuag University; Bataan Peninsula State University; Batangas State University; Benguet State College; Bicol University; Bukidnon State University; Bulacan State University; Cagayan State University; Camarines Sur State Agricultural College; Capiz State University; Catanduanes State College; Cavite State University; Cebu Doctors' University; Cebu Institute of Technoogy; Cebu Normal University; Cebu State College of Science and Technology; Central Luzon State University; Central Mindanao University; Central Philippines University; Centro Escolar University; Centro Escolar University-Malolos; Colegio de Dagupan; Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology; De La Salle University; De La Salle University-Dasmariñas; Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University; Eastern Samar State University; Eastern Visayas State University; Far Eastern University; Filamer Christian College; Holy Angel University; Holy Name University; Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry; Isabela State University; Jose Rizal University; Kalinga Apayao State College; Leyte Normal University; Leyte State University; Liceo de Cagayan University; Lyceum Northwestern University; Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas; Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila; Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation; Mapua Institute of Technology; Mariano Marcos State University; Mindanao Polytechnic State College; Mindanao State University; Miriam College Foundation; Mt. Province State Polytechnic College; Naval Institute of Technology; Negros Oriental State University; Notre Dame of Dadiangas University; Notre Dame of Marbel University; Notre Dame University; Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Nueva Vizcaya State University; Our Lady of Fatima University; Palawan State University; Palompon Institute of Technology; Pampanga Agricultural College; Pangasinan State University; Partido State University; Philippine Normal University; Polytechnic State College of Antique; Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Ramon Magsaysay Technological University; Rizal Technological University; Saint Louis University; Samar State University; Silliman University; St. Joseph's College of Q.C.; St. Mary's University; St. Michael's College of Laguna; University of the Philippines; St. Paul University-Dumaguete; St. Paul University-Manila; Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College; T. Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology; Tarlac College of Agriculture; Tarlac State University; Technological Institute of the Philippines-Q.C.; Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila; Technological University of the Philippines; The Philippine Women's University; Trinity University of Asia; University of Baguio; University of Batangas; University of Cordilleras; University of Eastern Philippines; University of Luzon; University of Mindanao; University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos; University of Northern Philippines; University of Perpetual Help System; University of Regina Carmeli; University of Rizal System; University of San Carlos; University of San Jose-Recoletos; University of South Eastern Philippines; University of Southern Mindanao; University of St. La Salle; University of St. Louis; University of Sto. Tomas; University of the East; University of the Philippines; University of the Visayas; Wesleyan University of the Philippines; West Mindanao State University; Western Philippines University; Western Visayas College of Science and Technology; Western Visayas State University; and Xavier University.
The scholars of the program are entitled to the actual cost of the tuition and the miscellaneous fees not to exceed P20,000 and a P2,000 monthly stipend, said the GSIS official.
For more details about the GSIS scholarship and educational assistance programs, members may call 2362628 or visit the nearest GSIS office and websit - www.gsis.gov.ph.(FCR/JMSE/PIA-Cebu/GSIS).