Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day. It is the first meal we partake of to break the fast from last night’s meal, which may last anywhere from eight to 10 hours. To prepare us for the demands of work and school, the body needs food that is packed with lots of energy and nutrients to get us going for the day ahead.
In many countries around the world, cereal is an important part of breakfast, be it in the form of cornflakes, sugary treats or oatmeal. However, this is not so in Asian countries, like the Philippines, where rice is a daily staple.
However, nutrition experts have been promoting the benefits of cereal, particularly oatmeal. A staple in Western countries, oatmeal provides energy, supports healthy digestion and may help lower blood cholesterol. It is also a good source of protein and is a significant source of fiber. All these benefits have led many to include it in their meals as part of a healthy diet.
There are a number of oatmeal brands in the market today, but one brand has in mind the health and wellness of Filipino families. GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia is a premium Australian brand that uses high-quality oats from Australia in all its products, such as organic instant oats, rolled oats, quick cooking and instant oats. It is distributed in the Philippines by Dong-A PharmaPhils. Inc. (DPPI), which also distributes Bacchus energy drink and Queen bakery products.
DPPI President Amen Say says GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia has been distributed in the Philippines since 2014.
“Oatmeal is considered to be a healthy product that Filipino families can benefit from. That’s one of the reasons why we picked up the product,” Say explains.
He adds that all GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia products contain significantly higher levels of fiber and protein to provide consumers with the fullest health benefits.
Although oatmeal is not a staple, Say says there is a developing market for it as more Filipinos become conscious of their health. He says a study estimates the market for cereals, which includes cornflakes and oatmeal, to be at P2 billion annually.
“There is a need to educate the public on the benefits of oatmeal,” he says. “The market is steadily growing. There is now more product offerings than before.”
There are also a number of ways to add oatmeal to your meals. It can be used in baking bread and cookies, as a crunchy breading for fried chicken and as a thickener in soups and stews.
GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia is available in major supermarkets and groceries nationwide.
Three-Mushroom
and Oatmeal Risotto
Chef Lawrence Zafra of Atlas Culinary Institute shares an innovative way of using oatmeal as a substitute for Arborio rice when preparing GV Michel of Australia’s Three-Mushroom and Oatmeal Risotto.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tbsp minced onion
- 1/4 cup chopped button mushrooms
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
- 1 tbsp white wine (optional)
- 3 tbsp cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups GV Michel of Australia Rolled Oats
- 1-1/2 cups hot water
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Procedure
- Heat pan. Add butter. Sauté onion and mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add white wine. The alcohol will evaporate as it heats through.
- Add cream. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add GV Michel Rolled Oats. Add water, adding more if needed. Adjust seasonings.
- Serve topped with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese (optional).
All products of GV Michel Oatmeal of Australia are available in major supermarkets and groceries nationwide.
- Feel good with Cravings ‘100 percent Comfort’ rainy-day specials
Caught up with the dreary rainy weather blues? Nothing saves the day better than the cozy warmth of your favorite comfort food. And if you’re one who loves hearty feel-good dining experience, be sure to visit any Cravings restaurants and get embraced by its “100 percent Comfort” rainy day specials.
Featuring enticing selections of both old-fashioned and leveled up comfort food favorites, diners are sure to find ultimate satisfaction and no-frills indulgence.
Savory comfort food couldn’t get any more delicious and nostalgic at this restaurant. Starting with the soul-warming goodness of Fresh Shrimp Seafood Chowder, a soup medley comprised of sliced squid, shrimp and rich potato and cream. Another tummy-pleasing option for soup lovers is the Organic French Onion Soup, which is made extra filling by a serving of bread, wine and cheese.
For an absolutely comforting lunch or dinner in the city, lighten up for one-of-a-kind gourmet specialties when you come over at Cravings Fraser Place in Makati City. Spice up the wet weather with these ethereal choices: Chicken Coconut Consume and Special Braised Beef Noodles.
These fantastic savory choices are but part of a winsome equation. Along with the 100 percent Comfort Rainy Day menu specials, loyal fans are also invited to join Cravings’ Shoot > Share > Tag online photo contest. Simply shoot a photo of any dish, thing, hobby, place or person that reminds you of or gives you comfort. Then, share the photo on Facebook, along with a description that explains why your subject reminds you of comfort using the hashtag #iCraveComfort and tag @BirkenstockPh. Photo entries will be accepted until September 30, 2015. Winners will receive gift certificates.
For more details, visit www.my-cravings.com/ comfort2015 or like the official FB page of Cravings (cravingsphilippines).
- Sip, not spill: Contigo launches innovative, spill-free water bottle
Without a doubt, more and more Filipinos are adapting an on-the-go lifestyle; pushing the need for portable and easy-to-use items. Nowadays, even hydration can be handy, letting you take clean, safe and fresh beverage wherever you go—may be it in the office, gym, or even in your travels.
Understanding the demands of this healthier, modern and fast-paced daily routine, a leading producer of innovative travel mugs, water bottles and kids’ bottles is starting a hydration revolution with its latest generation of technology.
Contigo, a US-based company best known for improving the human drinking experience one bottle at a time, brings to the Philippines its best product technology yet—the Autoseal. Driving reusable water bottles to a whole new level, it is a patented technology that allows the water bottle to automatically seal between sips, making it spill-free and travel-friendly. It is the technology available in Contigo® Madison, Grace, Kangaroo, Cortland and Westloop bottles.
Every innovation is inspired and based on the needs of consumers. The advanced autoseal technology was passionately engineered to offer convenience to those people who are always on the go. It was developed out of brand promise to continuously provide functionally innovative and eco-friendly products.
The products with the autoseal technology feature a lid that automatically seals between sips to eliminate spills and leaks. It also has a button lock that prevents accidental opening of the lid.
While it is stylish and convenient, the water bottle does not sacrifice safety. Its Food and Drug Administration-approved, BPA-free Tritan materials let you hydrate without plastic odors or taste. It even sports a protective spout cover; keeping the water bottle away from dirt and germs.
As Contigo’s first innovation, the award-winning autoseal technology has become America’s No. 1 selling travel mug line. In the Philippines Contigo products are exclusively distributed by The Neat Inc., and are available at SM Home in North Edsa, Aura Bonifacio Global City, Megamall, Mall of Asia, and Makati; Robinson’s Department Store in Ermita, Manila, Galleria Ortigas and Magnolia Quezon City. Toy Kingdom outlets in SM North Edsa and SM Megamall; and Banana Peel stores in Alabang Town Center, Starmall in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, and TriNoma.
For more information, visit and like Contigo Ph on Facebook, and follow @contigophilippines on Instagram.
- Eastwood Richmonde Hotel’s Executive Lunch goes 3+1
The busy business person’s quick, uncomplicated, yet exquisitely satisfying, lunch meal just got even better! Have the perfect working lunch powwow with colleagues in a cozy setting, and at very reasonable rates with a tempting 3+1 deal on Executive Meals only at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel’s The Lounge.
Available from Monday to Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Executive Meal consists of an á la carte menu of mouthwatering main dishes that will surely energize you on those power-packed days. Take your pick from fresh seafood or tender meats, and if your group orders four items, the lowest-priced item is absolutely free. Executive Meal choices include Grilled Mahi-Mahi in Teriyaki Wasabi Sauce (P300 net), Pan seared Baked Chicken Fillet in Coconut Cilantro Sauce (P310 net); Grilled Beef Tenderloin in Wild Mushroom Sauce (P400 net); and Grilled Prawns in Garlic Oyster Butter and Grilled Chicken Breast in Tomato Pesto with Aligue Sauce (P550 net).
The 3+1 deal on the Executive Meal is available until September 2015. Eastwood Café is at the lobby of Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, 17 Orchard Road, Eastwood City, Bagumbayan Quezon City. Eastwood Richmonde Hotel is also accessible from the second floor of Eastwood Mall.
Visit www.richmondehotels.com.ph or www.facebook.com/EastwoodRichmondeHotel for more hotel information. You can also follow Eastwood Richmonde Hotel on Twitter and Instagram at @Richmonde_ERH.
- Healthway Medical’s HealthCheQ now available online
Healthway Medical, the most trusted and preferred mall-based clinics in the Philippines, recently partnered with PhilCare, the country’s first Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) provider, to be the official online seller of HealthCheQ, the Healthway’s premium brand of executive checkup.
The partnership will make HealthCheQ available through PhilCare’s digital platforms, including its website and Facebook page.
“With the new joint venture, we will be able to make preventive healthcare more accessible to every Filipino,” said Carmie de Leon, vice president for sales and marketing of Healthway Medical. “PhilCare is one of the biggest and most reputable HMOs in the country and we are privileged to finally forge this partnership.”
According to de Leon, customers no longer have to wait in line to purchase the package.
“For a hassle-free transaction, they can simply avail the package and set their appointment at the comforts of their home. We want to emphasize the importance of keeping a close eye to your health,” she said. “Our aim is to give the ease of access to good health which is also achieved by having enough sleep, eating right, exercising, and de-stressing (S.E.E.D.),” she added.
On the other hand, Philcare members are entitled to have an exclusive discount of 20 percent on the clinic’s diagnostic, imaging and laboratory services for one year upon their purchase of HealthCheQ.
The package includes a complete laboratory and imaging studies, a comprehensive physical evaluation, and special examinations. All results will be delivered 24 hours upon completion of the tests.
It also includes the option to enjoy an overnight hotel stay, gym membership, spa and massage treatments or yoga sessions to complete the wellness experience.
Azura said, “PhilCare is proud to be a partner of Healthway in bringing preventive healthcare closer to Filipinos. We believe that through this partnership, we are able to underscore our commitment to help our members lean towards a healthier lifestyle.”
For patients who want to avail the package, you may visit www.philcare.com.ph.
- Women over 65 more prone to hypertension than men
In the United States one in every three adults has high blood pressure. While women are as likely to have this condition as men, they are more prone to acquiring it during their twilight years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men and women both have the tendency to develop hypertension—the medical term for high blood pressure—during their lifetimes. However, women over 65 years old are more prone to acquiring it, particularly those who passed through their menopausal stage.
High blood pressure or hypertension is a common condition which triggers the heart to pump blood excessively. Having the heart pump more blood and narrower arteries, it is likely to result to higher chances of having high blood pressure.
Today hypertension has become one of the major contributors to the global disease burden, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, since it causes health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
Amado I. Nazal, medical director of PharexHealthCorp., said that women who passed through their menopausal stage are at an increased risk of having hypertension because of hormonal changes and increase in body mass index that comes with age.
“As a woman ages, her chances of acquiring hypertension becomes greater than a man’s,” Nazal said. “Hormonal changes relative to menopause can lead to weight gain, making blood pressure more reactive to salt. Eventually, this leads to hypertension.”
Effective control of hypertension should be a priority among health-care providers. This is why PharexHealthCorp., the most prescribed generic brand of medicines, emphasizes the importance of prioritizing optimum health among women who belong to this age bracket to keep hypertension at bay before it leads to heart failure.
“The most important consideration every woman ages 65 and older needs to make is to recognize the importance of having a healthy lifestyle as the key to preventing hypertension and other health conditions, as well,” Nazal said.
He added, “It’s easy to start improving one’s lifestyle; the challenge comes in making it a habit. This specifically applies to people who already have the disease—for people diagnosed with hypertension, the best practice is to always consult the doctor and comply with the medication schedule even when symptoms are not surfacing.”
Nazal said that constant visits to the family doctor, maintaining a healthy diet and taking prescribed medication already go a long way in saving one’s self from more chronic diseases.
“Taking your medication exactly as it is prescribed by your doctor is an important part of your recovery,” Nazal noted. “Without complying with your therapy, your health will eventually deteriorate, leading to a lower quality of life—or even death.”
He concluded, “Women who are already in their postmenopausal stage need to start taking care of themselves, especially when their metabolism slows down. Embarking on a lifestyle journey is not a one time travel—it is a life’s worth of adventure you can give to yourself. And someday, you’ll thank yourself you did.”