Category: Fitness

It has been a year since I fell badly on a concrete cement during a friend’s wedding ceremony.  On the first day itself, I got myself Contractubex Gel to put on my big wound.  Contractubex’ commercial with Maricar Reyes were airing that time so it got stuck in my mind that the product will heal scars effectively.  I’ve been using it since for eight straight months.  I’ve been religiously putting it on three to four times a day and sometimes more.

From then on, the wound lightened.  However, it didn’t go away.  I wondered what went wrong.  Do I need to wait for years for it to heal?  Is Contractubex ineffective?  Why does it look like this?  It definitely improved from last year but my knee looks like sh*t :'(

When I got an email invite for a Contractubex event, I couldn’t say no.  It was a perfect opportunity for me to talk to the people distributing the product.  I wanted to ask them how the product really works, why my scar does not heal, and if I’m applying contractubex wrongly.

I met Dr. Librojo in the event.  She’s an avid supporter of Contractubex and have been recommending the product to all her patients who has scars.  I listened intently to her speech where she shared what a scar is, the different types of scars, how some scars heal and some don’t, why Contractubex is a good product to use for scars, and how Contractubex should be applied to wounds.

Different Types of Scars

• Raised or Hypertropic Scar – confined to the area of the original skin injury; forms after the healing of the wound and is caused by overproduction of connective tissue fibers; tends to bulge and protrude above level of surrounding skin.
• Keloid – also results from overproduction of connective tissue fibers and tend to bulge above the level of the surrounding skin beyyond the original wound edges.

Net, among those two types of scars, you wouldn’t wanna have keloids because it’s ugly and it doesn’t regress by themselves.  With that talk, I understood that the scar I have on my knee is a combination of hypertropic and keloid.  That explains why I have a few ugly spots on my scar (they are keloids).  It definitely broke my heart because I know that I won’t be able to have complete flawless skin because of that scar 🙁

I made due diligence by putting on Contractubex gel so I’m still lucky.  If not, it would have been more ugly.  I had a talk with Dr. Librojo after the event and she told me upfront that the only way for me to remove that scar completely is to have surgery.  When she said surgery, it’s getting skin from another part of my body then putting it on my knee.  Errr.. no thank you.  She also didn’t recommend that.  The kind doctor asked me to continue putting on Contractubex because the outer sides of my scar can still be lightened by the product.

At least, that part is cleared.  Contractubex gel is NOT a scar eraser.  Contractubex gel is a scar doctor and I can attest to that.  My scar definitely lightened.  I restarted applying Contractubex again on my scar.  Hopefully, it’ll improve more especially the part that can be healed.  *Crossing my fingers*.

Apart from being able to get my questions answered, I got a bonus!  I ended up seeing my girl crush in person!

She’s Maricar Reyes.  Ever since I saw her on TV, I am just so awed (& probably jealous) at her beauty.  So when she entered the event, I was completely starstruck!  hahaha!  Maricar, along with 2 other Contractubex endorsers shared their success stories in using the product on their scars.

If you’re like me who experienced an accident and ended up with a scar, Contractubex gel is a good product to use.  I used that on mine and I don’t know any other product that specializes on scars.  With a lot of good testimonials shared during the event and also, my very own experience with the product, I believe that Contractubex gel is effective in treating scars.  It might not erase scars but it definitely help ease the ugly look of it.

Contractubex – anti-scar gel that helps lighten, flatten and soften scars.  It also helps make the scar smoother and more pliable.

Contains 3 complementary active ingredients:

1. extractum cepae (special onion extract) has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal properties and prevents formation of excessive scar tissue.
   
2. heparin softens the tissue structure, has anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling and hydrating properties.
3. allantoin promotes wound healing, hydrates the skin and has a soothing effect which helps relieve the itching often associated with scar formation.

How to use Contractubex:

1. rub from the center to the edges of the scar.
2. massage for around 2 minutes
3. for bext results, apply 3-4 times a day and put pressure plaster.

Depending on the degree and size of the existing scar or contracture, treatment will be necessary for several weeks.  Good results can be achieved after consistent application for at least 3 months.  You can continue the treatment up to a year, if necessary.

Contractubex is available in drugstores here in the Philippines.  The 10 gram-gel is sold at Php 550 while the 20 gram-gel is sold at Php 970.  I usually get the 20-gram as I have a big scar and I foresee to use it for several months more.  Plus, you save money when you get bigger pack.

A lot of you may not know, but I graduated college with a diploma in B.S. Pharmacy.  Ironically, I get sick a lot these past few months.  It may have been caused by stress and me eating too much unhealthy food 😛  I have been looking for ways to change my lifestyle (well, bit by bit), to use products that are beneficial to health and to start exercising.

Coincidentally, Watsons, one of the drugstores in Manila launched a campaign called “More Value, More Life“.  The campaign focuses on what we value in life and how Watsons values us.  Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Paco Sandejas and Venus Raj are some of the brand ambassadors and here are what they have to say about the things they value and how they found value in Watsons:

Christine Jacob-Sandejas says:

My family is really my life.  It gives me joy to take care of my husband and five kids – keeping all of us healthy is a top priority.  It’s a reality though that healthcare is rather expensive especially with a fairly big family such as ours.  It’s good to know that we now have more choices when it comes to branded and generic medicines like what Watsons is offering.

Paco Sandejas says:

To a woman like my wife (Christine Jacob-Sandejas), only the best lang talaga.  We’ve been married for 12 years – Christine has supported me in all the ups and downs, and gave birth to our five great kids.  In turn, of course I want to make sure that she is in top shape.  It really amazes me how she is always ready to do different activities with me & the kids everyday!  Christine takes care of everyone so I take care of her naman.  She means the world to me,

Venus Raj says:

Since I became Ms. Universe runner-up, life has never been the same.  I got more than what I prayed and worked hard for.  and now sabi ko sa sarili ko, no matter what I do, I would still think that there is no limit to what I can achieve.  And dami ko pang gustong gain at ma-achieve for me and my family kaya I really have to take care of myself.

So how does Watsons value us consumers?

• Value 1: Comply and Save – Be a SM Advantage Card member and save up to 30% when you purchase featured branded products in packs of 30s.
• Value 2: Watsons Health Packs – Guard yourself against common daily illnesses with exclusive Watsons Health Packs and save up to 70% compared to leading brands.
• Value 3: Watsons Compliance Packs – Win over hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and common infections with specially-made Watsons Compliance Packs and save up to 80% compared to leading brands.
• Value 4: Buy Generics and Save – Head over to the special Buy Generics Counter inside the pharmacy and save on top quality generic medicines made by trusted pharmaceutical companies.  Watsons criteria for trusted generics: (1) manufactured by a trusted pharmaceutical company (2) FDA approved and (3) sold in a reputable pharmacy retailer.

With all those offers, I’m compelled to renew my SM advantage card.  Especially now that I need to save money, and buy vitamins & medicines at the same time.  Affordability is quite important to me and Watsons went beyond that as they also provide free health services and medication counselling through their well-trained pharmacists at their stores.  Cool news, isn’t it?

I’ve been wanting to be healthy for quite some time.  I tried taking supplements, practicing portion control, choosing fish over meat and cutting down on sodas.  However, I have one more goal and that is to lose weight.

I used to not worry about my weight.  When I was young, I could eat a whole lot and not lose weight.  In all honesty, my problem before was how to gain weight.  Unfortunately, when I turned 30, my weight just ballooned!  I gained a total of 30 pounds!  Yes, thirty!!!  It was shocking to say the least and I couldn’t pinpoint as to why it  changed all of a sudden.  In the end, I attribute my weight gain to my age.  I guess when people grow old, their metabolism slows down.  Well, we can’t control aging.

So when the opportunity came for me to try out a dietary supplement, I had to take that chance.

Introducing ErvaTrim, a herbal dietary supplement powder by the WOHL Dietary Products, Inc.  It’s basically tea that we can take after meals.

ErvaTrim is a Green Mate Extract made from the leaves of the Ilex Paraquariensis tree.  It is believed to be a slimming secret of Latinas.  Well, we all know how beautiful and sexy the Latinas are, right?  I think, at this point, as long as a product promises weight loss, I would try it! hahaha!  I hate being overweight!

Here is some information information about ErvaTrim:

• Promotes weight loss by inhibiting fat absorption.
• increases fat burning properties and converts fats into absorbable fatty acids.
• weight loss through ErvaTrim is on body fat and not on muscle reduction.
• ErvaTrim helps our body get slimmer by increasing metabolism (turning stored fat into energy while cutting down food cravings).
• contains 15 amino acids, 24 minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals that cause cell damage

I’ve been taking ErvaTrim for a week now.  I don’t see any changes in me so far.  I still crave for food every single minute and so far, I haven’t lost a single pound.

In ErvaTrim’s website, it says that we can only see results after 2 weeks of use with proper diet and exercise.  I didn’t exercise during the week that I’ve been taking ErvaTrim and it has only been a week.  What I plan to do is take ErvaTrim until I finish 2 boxes of it.  If it works then fine, if not, then it’s also fine.  At least I tried it.  Nothing to worry about as there are no known side effects from taking ErvaTrim.

Recommended intake for ErvaTrim is one sachet poured into hot or warm water as a tea drink after every meal.  Important to note that ErvaTrim can’t be taken by children and pregnant women.

One box includes 30 sachets of ErvaTrim.  ErvaTrim is available at Mercury Drug, Watson’s, South Star Drug, Joan’s Pharmacy, Rose Pharmacy, Mega Generics, other leading drugstores and Cherry Foodarama.

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ErvaTrim by WOHL Dietary
No.88 M. Eusebio corner Jenny’s Ave., Maybunga, Pasig City, Philippines
+632 915-3694 to 95
http://www.wohldietary.com

Ever since I got hospitalized last December, I’ve been a bit more conscious of my health.  I can’t get it out of my head how my immunologist told me that I had to take vitamins or supplements so I could get all the nutrients I needed.

I’ve been taking vitamins religiously since then, and supplements of course, most especially Squalene.  Do you remember what that is?  Squalene became a household name a couple of decades back.  And it is a testament to its efficacy that it is still has very strong name recall.  My mom used to require me to take Squalene everyday while I was small.

What is Squalene?

Squalene is a natural organic compound obtained from shark liver oil.  Shark liver oil has isoprenoids which have powerful antioxidant functions essential for wellness.  We always have this belief that we need to take supplements in order to get the right vitamins but we tend to forget that we need antioxidants in our body.  By helping control the level of harmful free radicals in our bodies, the antioxidant isoprenoids in Squalene boosts our immune systems and may have some role in protecting us from cancer.

We are all born with Squalene in our body.  However, as we grow older and are exposed ourselves to higher and higher levels of pollution, our natural store of Squalene is gradually depleted.  Thus, our ability to combat free radicals also decreases.  Taking a supplement like Issho Genki replenishes Squalene levels and keeps us well-protected against free radicals.  As a great bonus, taking Squalene improves the uptake of oxygen in the cells of our bodies resulting in healthier, more supple skin, increased stamina and energy.

Issho Genki Squalene is being sold per box with 100 capsules (450 mg/capsule) inside.  Recommended dosage is 2-4 capsules daily.  I, however, take it twice a day.

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Issho Genki Squalene
Php 1,100 (100 capsules)
(02) 655-4624
http://store.isshogenki.com/

Toward the end of 2011, I started getting really sickly.  I was trying to fight it off by taking lots of rest and self-medication.  However, they weren’t enough, because I got even sicker while working in the office or even on vacation.  I decided to visit the doctor finally, so I went to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Global City. In just 2 minutes upon seeing me, the kind doctor immediately suggested that I get admitted.

I wanted to get well so I decided to follow doctor’s orders and immediately started preparing myself for the hospital admission.  I called friends to see if they  could take me to the hospital.  I was just so lucky that I have friends who are willing to help whenever they can.

So one early saturday morning of December, my friends brought me to St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City.  In all honesty, despite dreading the thought of staying in the hospital for several days, I was a bit excited as I knew St. Luke’s Global City has the best hospital facilities in the country.  As what most people say, it doesn’t even look like a hospital but a hotel.  How cool is that?

Admission

The process of admission went so smoothly.  We were shown a brochure of available rooms in St. Luke’s the Fort.  There in the brochure were pictures and prices of the rooms.  I was hoping to get the deluxe room private (Php 4,000/day) but it was just too expensive for me.  I requested for a semi-regular private room (Php 2,500/day).  There were only about 20+ rooms for that in the whole St. Luke’s Global City so I had my fingers crossed while waiting for them to check if there’s an available room.

Luckily, I got the semi-regular private room (Php 2,500/day) as it saved me Php 1,000 compared to the regular private room (Php 3,500/day).  I was given an admission kit that includes a small towel, toothbrush kit, a measuring cup and set of dining utensils.

We were escorted by a good-looking man to our hospital room.  He graciously explained the facilities inside the room and wished us well as he wandered off.

Semi-Regular Private Room

The room was superb!  In my life, I think I was hospitalized about 4-5 times.  Each time was just dreadful for me.  This time around, though I felt sad that I need to stay in one room without any freedom to do things that I want outside of the hospital, it felt good that I have chosen St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City at the Fort.

You know why?  Because as I’ve experienced it, the hospital is really world-class.  The facilities are all so modern, very technology driven and since it was just a 2-year old hospital, it felt so new!

In my room, there was a huge cabinet to put my things plus there was a lockbox to put our precious stuff in.  There were also a refrigerator, a telephone, a flat-screen TV, a DVD player (we can even borrow DVDs!), digital blood pressure checker and some other medical gadgets, a bed, a fire extinguisher and couch (can also be a bed).

I also appreciate that we can see a good view of Global Bonifacio City through the window.

It definitely was a welcome happy surprise that St. Luke’s Global City is Wi-Fi-enabled hospital-wide!!!  That was the biggest driver why I wanted to stay in St. Luke’s the Fort in spite of the far distance from my house.  It was worth it, definitely worth it.

Room Rates as of year 2011

I’m not sure what St. Luke’s Medical City at the Fort offers for the year of 2012.  For 2011 though, when I was hospitalized, St. Luke’s offered 16% discount for all their room rates.

In my almost 1 week stay at the hospital, my bill was at Php40,000+.

Here’s a rundown of the room rates as of December 2011 (Rate/16% discounted rate):

• Ward – Php 1,786/ Php 1,500
• Semi-Private – Php 2,500/ Php 2,100
• Semi-Regular Private – Php 3,000/ Php 2,500
• Regular Private – Php 4,137/ Php 3,500
• De Luxe Private – Php 4,762/ Php 4,000
• De Luxe Private with PC – Php 5,119/ Php 4,300
• Executive – Php 5,952/ Php 5,000
• Executive with PC – Php 6,310/ Php 5,300
• Regular Suite – Php 11,905/ Php 10,000
• De Luxe Suite – Php 14,286/ Php 12,000
• Executive Suite – Php 17,857/ Php 15,000
• Ambassador Suite – Php 47,619/ Php 40,000
• Presidential Suite – Php 59.524/ Php 50,000

Food

Do you even think that I won’t be including a food review in my hospital experience?  Oh, no, no!  I’m a food lover and everywhere I go, food always makes me giddy.

Unfortunately, my sickness that time prevented me from eating anything solid.  So I ate only soup, soup and soup.

I had my friends try out the yummy food food served in my room.  Boy, it was gourmet!  Whoever thought that hospital food can look and taste so good?  Well, St. Luke’s definitely gave a new meaning to a full hospital experience.  I love it!

There were two types of meals we can choose from: full diet or soft diet.  At first, they didn’t give me that option and went ahead and served me full diet meals.  While it looked good, I couldn’t eat it due to my sickness.  The server noticed and suggested to serve me soft-diet meals next time.

So the next meal I was served with were congee, lychee, soup and mouth-watering shrimps!

I can’t imagine hospital food can look and taste so good!  It was like dining in a restaurant.  I was pretty impressed with the presentation and the quality of the food being served!

Service

Overall, I think my experience with St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City was good.  However, it wasn’t perfect.  The facilities were more than satisfying but service was inconsistent.

Here’s my rating (5-highest, 1-lowest) for service:

• Admission Department: 5/5
• Hospital Escorts: 5/5
• Nurses: 4/5
• Food Servers: 5/5
• Cleaning Staff: 4/5
• Nurses Station/Room Floor Reception: 3/5
• Endoscopy Section Staff: 5/5
• Accounting Department: 5/5

Personal Experience

My hospital stay made me reflect on a lot of things.  This has got to do with the outpouring support from friends.  Honestly, I never thought that a lot of people do care for me.  I was deeply touched and humbled.

Most of all, I felt God as I see my brothers and sisters in Christ showing so much love and care.  I somehow felt I didn’t deserve it but God is so good!

You know, as soon as I got home, I immediately went to my bookshelf and got my Bible.  I started reading it like really reading and understanding it.  I want to get to know Him better and I was sorry for taking Him for granted.  When I got sick and when I thought I’d be spending miserable days in the hospital, God was there.  He made me feel that I’m not alone after all!

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St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City
32nd Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, 1634 Philippines
+63 (02) 789-7700
http://www.stluke.com.ph