Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The sad and scary mystery that is depression

My Facebook feed is filled with sadness over Robin Williams's death. I'm so sad, too. He was such a funny guy and yet I always wondered why he had such sad eyes. Turns out he was suffering depression. Was it because he never recovered from a lonely childhood, no matter how privileged? Was it because he used to be a fat kid? Was it because he was afraid he'd fail? No one knows. That's the thing with depression. No one knows what causes it.

Depression is very scary. I had a mild taste of it when Vito was born, exactly four years ago today. There I was—happy marriage, great career, good health, new mother to a perfect baby boy—and I wept every single day for six long weeks. It was terrifying to be in that dark place, especially since no one understood. People I told were confused, exasperated, annoyed, dismissive. What I hated hearing most was, "You should be grateful and happy. How can you think only of yourself?" I knew that already. I wasn't stupid. I knew my life was amazing. That's why the overwhelming sadness I felt made me afraid for my sanity. It just didn't make sense! Why was I so unhappy?! It was one of the most terrible times of my life, made sadder by the fact that it should've been the happiest. I'm grateful my husband stood by me throughout that time. He never called me out, never told me to get over it. He just took a month off work to be with me, he helped take care of our baby, and when I finally climbed out of my depression, he was there to welcome me back into the world. 

When I talked about this with my OBG, she said that what I felt was just the baby blues, a mild form of post partum depression. Mild? It was awful! Apparently, when you have PPD, you think about harming yourself or the baby. Since I wasn't in total despair, I was apparently okay.

So thank God my experience was "mild" even though it was certainly alarming for me. And thank goodness it was temporary, an after-effect of pregnancy hormones. For many people with depression, it is a constant battle. Sometimes, like Mr. Williams, they lose. 

If someone you know is depressed, please don't dismiss him. Depressed people need help but are scared to ask because nothing is scarier than being called crazy. If you are depressed, you're not crazy. Just please tell someone and continue asking for help till someone acknowledges you. It's this world that's crazy, but some people do care, and some people are brave enough to help. Please be brave enough to ask for help. 

Got this helpful information from Survivors of Suicide:
If you have just lost someone to suicide and need help with coping, visitwww.afsp.org/survivingsuicideloss.

If you are currently feeling suicidal, please read this first:
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

If you are in emotional crisis, need counselors to talk to about suicide and mental health, or are having suicidal thoughts, call the 24/7 ICIC HOPELINE for confidential listening: 
(632) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917-558-HOPE (4673)
0917-852-HOPE (4673)
2919 (toll-free number for GLOBE and TM subscribers)

You may also call the CRISIS LINE anytime for non-sectarian, non-judgmental telephone counseling:
Landline: (02) 893-7603
Globe Duo: 0917-8001123 / 0917-5067314
Sun Double Unlimited: 0922-8938944 / 0922-3468776 

For mental awareness, visit:
http://antonosmena.mapuafamily.com/
www.ngf-hope.org
www.iasp.info
www.afsp.org
www.suicide.org
www.in-touch.org



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Friday, August 01, 2014

What Iñigo is super ganado about

Appebon Kid partnered with Topaz Horizon for Nutrition Month, which was July, if you didn't know. I didn't know but now I do! At a special brunch at Italianni's Bonifacio High Street, Appebon Kid invited pediatrician Dr. Florianne Feliza-Valdez to talk to mom bloggers about the importance of good nutrition for our kids.

Here are some tips, facts and warnings from Dr. Feliza-Valdez:
  • Once our kids turn a year old, milk should stop being his only source of nutrition. This isn't a real problem since we give our kids solid food (hopefully meat, fruits and veggies and not junk food!) at 6 months old. But some kids are given so much milk, they don't eat real food anymore!
  • Formula milk can be considered junk food if it takes up the majority of what our kids eat. Formula milk has lots of sugar, which attracts bacteria. 
  • Other junk food culprit is instant noodles. Some families think it's okay to give their kids lots of instant noodles because it seems like real food. It's actually just carbs and salt.
  • There are two types of malnutrition: undernourished (child is not getting enough nutrients) and overnourished (a.k.a. chubby kids).
  • Ask your pediatrician for a nutritional assessment if you're worried about your child (too skinny, too fat, too short, etc.). Every child is different and growth is affected by non-nutritional factors like genetics (short mommy and daddy will most likely have short children, for example).
Dr. Feliza-Valdez also shared the 3 N's of Nutrition:


Appebon Kid is a daily nutritional supplement that can help parents meet their children's nutritional needs. Packed with Vitamins B1, B6 and B12, Iron and Lysine, it's in a yummy strawberry flavor that even picky eaters from 2-12 years old will like.

Let's face it: It's hard to make kids, especially toddlers and picky eaters, to eat anything! In my house, for example, it's a battle just to get food into my kids' tummies! Vito eats a lot in the morning and at lunch, but as the day ends, he eats almost nothing and is happy to go to bed with just a glass of milk filling his tummy. I'm not so worried about him because he eats a lot during the day, especially from 7am to 1pm, like he is constantly munching. Iñigo, on the other hand, eats only if he feels like it. Most of the time, what he feels like eating is made of sugar and carbs! Guilty mommy here!

So we give the kids vitamins to ensure they're not undernourished. Still, I would love it if they, especially Iñigo, would eat good food at meal times regularly.

Anyway, Appebon Kid's Nutrition Month Campaign is called "Batang Ganado, Batang Can-do!" They hope that by nourishing our children's appetite for healthy food, our kids will also have the passion and energy to have an appetite for life. Moms at the lunch were asked what their kids are passionate about. Iñigo is passionate about Disney Pixar Cars!

To prove it, let me share with you a few photos of his 2nd birthday party:

Thursday, July 24, 2014

HUGO BOSS congratulates Germany's football team!

I will always remember World Cup 2014 fondly. For one thing, this was a really exciting World Cup. But I'll remember it most because in the sleepless, uncomfortable nights caused by the last few weeks of my pregnancy, the insomnia was made more bearable (even fantastic, depending on the game) with the World Cup. The speed of the players, the great coverage using drones, the funny shoes, the hotness of the players, the drama, the melodrama, the star players, the shock injuries, the humiliation of Brazil, the defeat of champions and the surprise triumph of underdogs, oh, and the fact that my team won! Hooray Germany!

Fashion brand HUGO BOSS sent me photos showing how they proudly outfitted the national football team of Germany in BOSS suits. Very dapper!


Grabe. Ang hot lang naman!

The players wore luxury, custom-made dark-blue BOSS suits to their official engagements. This super fine three-piece suit was paired with a denim shirt and a knit tie, for a modern edge. On their not-so official appearances (like flying and traveling), the team was still super sharp donning casual outfits of comfortable grey knitted cardigans and dark-blue trousers from BOSS. Everything they wore actually—from t-shirts and jackets to bags and luggage—was HUGO BOSS!


Germany's coach and managers Joachim Löw, Hansi Flick, Oliver Bierhoff and Andreas Köpke, meanwhile, also wore bespoke three-piece suits by BOSS MADE TO MEASURE to official engagements. The dark-blue suit was combined with a checked shirt, polka dot tie and a pocket square to match the shirt, which is also from the BOSS MADE TO MEASURE collection. A brown suede belt and shoes completed the look.

Actually, all of the Mannschaft team was outfitted in the designer label, not just the players and managers, but all 130 personnel, even staff! My goodness, is there an opening for duffel bag carrier in the Germany team? I will apply!

Join BOSS in supporting the German national team even off the pitch using #SuccessBeyondTheGame.

If you miss World Cup the way I do, here is an amazing video of it. Enjoy!



In the Philippines, the German team’s exclusive outfits are already available in stores. BOSS is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) - a member of The SSI Group - and is located at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Shangri-la, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, and Newport Mall. 

*photos courtesy of Hugo Boss and Visions & Expressions


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