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Urinalysis

1. The color and clarity of urine, the urine specific gravity (the mass of urine when compared with that of equal amounts of distilled water), and the presence of ketones (carbon compounds -- a sign the body is dehydrated) in the urine may all help to indicate the degree of dehydration.

2. Increased glucose in the urine may lead to a diagnosis of diabetes or indicate loss of diabetic control and a cause for the dehydration.

3. Excessive protein may signal kidney problems.

4. Signs of infections or other diseases, such as liver disease, may be found.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Dehydration in Adults?

The doctor may perform a variety of simple tests at the time of examination or send blood or urine samples to the laboratory. Through tests and examination, the doctor will try to identify the underlying cause or causes that led to the dehydration.

Vital signs

1. Fever, increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and faster breathing are signs of potential dehydration and other illnesses.

2. Taking the pulse and blood pressure while the person is lying down and then after standing up for 1 minute can help determine the degree of dehydration. Normally, when a person has been lying down and then stands up, there is a small drop in blood pressure for a few seconds. The heart rate speeds up, and blood pressure returns to normal. However, when there is not enough fluid in the blood because of dehydration and the heart rate speeds up, not enough blood is supplied to the brain. The brain senses this condition. The heart beats faster, and if the person is dehydrated, they often feel dizzy and faint after standing up.

Take the person to the hospital's emergency department if these situations occur:

1. Fever higher than 103 F (39.4)

2. Confusion

3. Lethargy

4. Headache

5. Seizures

6. Difficulty breathing

7. Chest or abdominal pain

8. Fainting

9. No urine in the last 12 hours

When to Seek Medical Care for Dehydration in Adults

Call a primary care doctor if the affected individual with potentially mild to moderate dehydration experiences any of the following:

1. Increased or constant vomiting for more than a day

2. Fever over 101 F (38.3 C), but less than 103 F (39.4)

3. Diarrhea for more than 2 days

4. Weight loss

5. Decreased urine production

6. Weakness

The above symptoms may quickly worsen and indicate severe dehydration with signs and symptoms developing; severe dehydration may include the following:

1. Severely decreased urine output or no urine output. The urine, if any, produced is concentrated and a deep yellow or amber color.

2. Dizziness or lightheadedness that does not allow the person to stand or walk normally.

3. Blood pressure drops when the person tries to stand after lying down (low blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension)

4. Rapid heart rate

5. Fever

6. Poor skin elasticity (skin slowly sinks back to its normal position when pinched)

7. Lethargy, confusion, or coma

8. Seizure

9. Shock

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration in Adults?

The signs and symptoms of dehydration in adults range from minor to severe.

Mild to moderate dehydration may include the following:

1. Increased thirst

2. Dry mouth

3. Tired or sleepy

4. Decreased urine output

5. Urine is low volume and more yellowish than normal

6. Headache

7. Dry skin

8. Dizziness

9. Few or no tears

What Causes Dehydration in Adults?

Many conditions may cause rapid and continued fluid losses and lead to dehydration.

1. Fever, heat exposure, too much exercise, or work-related activity

2. Vomiting, diarrhea, and increased urination due to infection

3. Diseases such as diabetes

4. The inability to seek appropriate water and food (an infant or disabled person, for example)

5. An impaired ability to drink (someone in a coma or on a respirator, or a sick infant who cannot suck on a bottle are common examples)

6. No access to safe drinking water

7. Significant injuries to skin, such as burns or mouth sores, severe skin diseases, or infections (water is lost through the damaged skin)

In addition to drinking water, the body also needs replacement of electrolytes (for example, potassium and sodium) lost with the above mentioned conditions, so drinking water without electrolyte replacement may not complete the balance of water and electrolytes the body has lost. Some symptoms (see below) may remain if this balance is not restored.

Dehydration is a condition that can occur when the loss of body fluids, mostly water, exceeds the amount that is taken in. With dehydration, more water is moving out of individual cells and then out of the body than the amount of water that is taken in through drinking. Medically, dehydration usually means a person has lost enough fluid so that the body begins to lose its ability to function normally and then begins to produce symptoms related to the fluid loss. Although infants and children are at highest risk for dehydration, many adults and especially the elderly have significant risk factors.

People (and animals) lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, urine, and stool. Along with the water, we also lose small amounts of salts or electrolytes. Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water (and salts or electrolytes) losses with fluid intake. When we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated. Most doctors divide dehydration into three stages: 1) mild, 2) moderate and 3) severe. Mild and often even moderate dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by oral intake of fluids that contain electrolytes (or salts) that are lost during activity. If unrecognized and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death. This article is designed to discuss dehydration in adults.

What Is Dehydration in Adults?



Dehydration Facts

1. Dehydration is a condition that occurs when an individual has lost so much fluid that the body can no longer function normally and develops signs and symptoms due to the loss of fluid.

2. Adults should seek medical care for suspected dehydration if experiencing decreased production of urine, fever over 101 F, seizures, difficulty breathing, or chest or abdominal pain.

3. Medical treatment of dehydration in adults may involve drinking fluids that contain electrolytes and carbohydrates, in addition to water. In cases of severe dehydration, it may be necessary to administer IV fluids.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has long been downplaying the tribunal ruling in favor of getting loans and grants from China.

But in his recent visit to Beijing, Duterte made good on his promise to raise the Hague ruling before Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader, however, still refuses to recognize it.

In the same visit, the Philippines and China also formed the groups that will finalize agreements on joint oil and gas exploration in specific areas in the West Philippine Sea. – Rappler.com

"As State parties of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom underline their interest in the universal application of the Convention which sets out the comprehensive legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas including in the South China Sea must be carried out and which provides the basis for national, regional and global co-operation in the maritime domain," said E3.

"They recall in this regard the Arbitration Award rendered under UNCLOS on 12 July 2016," added the 3 European countries.

E3 urged all claimant states in the South China Sea to "take steps and measures that reduce tensions and contribute to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, and safety in the region."

As the United Kingdom, France, and Germany called for the "universal application" of the UNCLOS, they "recalled" the July 2016 victory of the Philippines at a Hague tribunal against China over the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China that belongs to the Philippines.

The arbitral ruling, handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in July 2016, invalidated the 9-dash line China uses to claim virtually the entire South China Sea – a major victory for the Philippines and other smaller claimant states.

UK, France, Germany 'concerned' over South China Sea tensions

The E3 countries seek to 'underline their interest in the universal application' of the UNCLOS

Mara Cepeda
September 01, 2019


MARITIME DISPUTE. A Chinese militia vessel identified by the Philippine Coast Guard during a patrol in Scarborough Shoal. File photo courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines – Three European countries that are state parties of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) expressed their collective concern over the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

On Thursday, August 29, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany – collectively known as E3 – released a joint statement on the "tensions" among coastal states along the South China Sea that could lead to "instability" in the region.

"We are concerned about the situation in the South China Sea which could lead to insecurity and instability in the region," said the 3 countries' statement.

if i remember right, german schoolchildren aren't pressured by homework as this hardly exists. learning is enjoyable, not stressful. give the child a home where he can develop a meaningful family life, not an extension of schoolwork where they do their grudging best just so they could pass their homework the next day.

My homework back in the day used to be adjusted to some parts of the learner's everyday routine where mastery of the subject became more essential as compared to memory. That way and in the end, students can actually say "they learned something" because they were able to make the connection. Learning should and must be applicable and teachers should use this as a measure in terms of homework.

If homework is given just to challenge or test a child's ability without looking into applicability then in the end, homework only becomes a liability, especially at the expense of important family time which is also essential to the child's growth as a learner.

https://www.philstar.com/

So when I one day became a Spanish teacher, I decided to try something new. I understood that most of my students, if not almost all, did not have the same background as I did. I realized that giving homework that would take much of their time "fussing" about at home with very little or no help at all from parents would be too stressful and take away valuable family time which to me, was more important.

"Stress" of course is part of life and certainly we do not want to spare our children from this as it too would hinder the growth and strength in their character. However, teachers should be able to assess and understand priorities that would in fact highlight essential values which can be applicable to the learning process.

Homework therefore must be taken into consideration in terms of how this can strengthen the child's capabilities by making learning applicable. Learning can be challenging but once the child realizes that what he or she learned can be applied into everyday life then it makes the process effective.

The pros and cons of homework

The Philippine Star
August 30, 2019

There has been much debate over the last few years regarding homework. As an educator and a parent, I feel l have struggled in this area over and over, trying to figure out exactly how beneficial homework could be for learners.

As a student many moons ago, I recall thoroughly enjoying homework for subjects I excelled at and dreaded the ones I was weak in. All in all, the stress behind the whole idea of homework should be assessed fully by the teacher in charge.

At most, this is my opinion. As a young teacher, I taught a foreign language – Spanish. Because I grew up hearing the language at home, as a young student, one can say it should have been familiar territory for me at school. However, my parents and I never went through conjugations of verbs at home. Conjugations of verbs were always a big part of learning a foreign language and it was a side of the subject I honestly didn't enjoy at school even if my parents spoke Spanish at home.

Facts about blood pressure readings

When you take your blood pressure, the "top" number is for systolic blood pressure. This is how much pressure is exerted against arterial walls when the heart beats.

The "lower" number is diastolic blood pressure. This is how much pressure is exerted against arterial walls in between heart beats.

Clement recommends these tips to get accurate and consistent readings:

Sit or lie down for 15 minutes before taking a blood pressure reading.

Don't do anything that might cause stress before taking a reading.

Make sure to use a blood pressure cuff that fits. It shouldn't be too large or too tight.

https://www.healthline.com/

"Everyone should know their blood pressure. If it is [over] 130/80 mm Hg, see a healthcare provider to determine your risk for heart disease and the best approach to address your blood pressure," he said.

But medications aren't the only answer for people with high blood pressure.

"The best news is that the initial therapy for high blood pressure does not always involve drugs. Rather, we now emphasize the benefit of lifestyle changes while adding drugs for those at higher risk and with highest blood pressures," Yancy said.

For people with high blood pressure, there's a range of other approved medications available that may be safer and more effective than alpha-blockers and alpha-2 agonists.

Both Yancy and Clements point out that those medications include:

thiazide diuretics (chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide)

ACE inhibitors (benazepril, zofenopril, lisinopril, and many others)

calcium channel blockers (amlodipine, diltiazem)

angiotensin II receptor blockers (losartan, valsartan)

These therapies are all "safe and effective," said Yancy.

Evolving treatment for high blood pressure

The findings presented today reflect a growing trend in U.S. healthcare that emphasizes greater importance on maintaining a healthy blood pressure range.

New scientific guidelines presented last year identified high blood pressure readings as 130/80. High blood pressure was previously defined as 140/90.

That announcement made waves, as it suddenly put 46 percent of U.S. adults in the high blood pressure category.

"The treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure, has evolved," Yancy said. "New evidence makes clear that we can reduce the risk of stroke and death due to heart disease by carefully controlling blood pressure in those at higher heart disease risk."

The researchers recorded both blood pressure variation as well as the blood pressure medication used by each participant.

Dr. Clyde Yancy, chief of cardiology in the department of medicine at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, said the findings of the study may reflect an "absence" of medication's efficacy rather than "a true signal of harm."

"It is very difficult to account for all of the many variables at play in these data, and other explanations may still be pertinent to explain harm," he said, speaking on behalf of the American Heart Association.

That is, alpha-blockers and alpha-2 agonists aren't necessarily dangerous, but less effective compared to other high blood pressure medications.

"The less variation in your blood pressure as you visit your doctor's office over time means you will do better long term," Dr. Brian A. Clements, the lead researcher, told Healthline.

Prior research had already revealed a link between large variation in blood pressure with mortality risk. But that research didn't associate these fluctuations with the type of medication being used to treat high blood pressure.

Over 10,500 people who had at least seven blood pressure readings participated in this study. The participants were enrolled between 2007 and 2011 and were followed for at least five years, through June 2016.

Why You May Want to Avoid These 2 Types of Blood Pressure Meds

Experts urge a change in medication to decrease risk of death.

For people with high blood pressure, fluctuating readings are a warning sign that you might need to change medication.

New research presented today at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session pointed out that two types of high blood pressure medications — alpha-blockers and alpha-2 agonists — are associated with blood pressure variability.

And these fluctuations are linked to an increased risk of death.

The researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Utah are encouraging physicians to prescribe other blood pressure medications to decrease mortality risk for their patients.

You're coming at this subject as a lifelong cat-lover. Did learning all of this -- that cats are bad for your health, bad for the environment -- change your relationship with your cat? Why would you still want to have a cat?

I lost a lot of my sentimental regard for cats -- that "oh, my cute fur-baby" response. But I find that I marvel at them more. I can appreciate the backstory, how this little animal managed to carve out a place for itself in the world, and to become a dreaded invasive species and -- culturally speaking -- one of the most powerful animals on the planet.

To me, it's about the wonder of life, and how this animal has gotten so far in the world without giving us much in return. I think that makes our relationship more pure. Humans are so good at extracting what they want from the environment. With cats, we're not necessarily holding the reins. We don't even know what we want, but we love it.

The interview has been edited and condensed.

https://edition.cnn.com/

You tell stories of house cats clawing and scratching their humans, especially children. Why do cats so often turn on the people who feed them?

Cats and humans haven't lived locked inside the same places, in such numbers, until the last few decades or so. We talked about the implications for our mental health, but this arrangement might not be so great for cats' mental health, either. They can get really stressed out in our houses. A lot of things that we consider normal -- everything from the volume of our voices, to our thermostats, to the way that a child is playing with a toy -- can stress cats out.

There's evidence that to prevent cat-human violence, we need to go to more extreme lengths than I'd ever thought. Experts say that you need to give an entire room of your house for the cat's exclusive use. That you should make sure the cat has multiple litter boxes, one per floor, and extra ones for extra cats. That you should never rearrange your furniture. That you should try not to wear perfume. That houseguests are freaky for your cat.

Why are cats such an ecological disaster? How did they end up in isolated island environments like Australia?

Cats are very good shipboard travelers. They don't need a lot of water; they don't need a lot of vitamin C, so they don't get scurvy. They've been able to endear themselves to sailors for the past 10,000 years and sail across the oceans, which are the major barrier to mammalian dispersal. It's usually hard for mammals to get to places like Australia. They have to ride on rafts or get blown in. A lot of islands don't have any mammals living on them at all, let alone apex predators that are hypercarnivores, like cats.

With just a few tweaks, the house cat is basically the king of beasts. Cat species are very different in terms of size, but the feline blueprint -- their behaviors and the proportions of their bodies -- is really consistent across species. You let it go in any environment and it's going to be able to kill anything that's smaller than it, and even things that are a little bigger. It's like a meat-eating machine.

On that note, cat culture seems pretty female. Whether it's witches or "cat ladies," cats seem to always be associated with women -- what's that about?

From my experience drifting around the cat world, it does seem to be more of a female-centric passion. The simple, slightly sexist explanation is that cats' infantile-looking features prey particularly on female instincts.

There are some interesting ideas from evolutionary psychologists -- that a woman might use a cat to hone her parenting skills or, before having kids, to demonstrate her fitness as a mate. I think that people of both sexes could be guilty of that. It does seem like it's a good way for guys to meet women, to be a passionate public cat-man.

I have seen a lot of articles lately about the cat-borne parasite toxoplasmosis. [One researcher blames the rise of insanity in the 19th century on the rise of toxoplasmosis-infected house cats. Another study says that people with toxoplasmosis are twice as likely to be in a car crash, and suggests that infected drivers have been distracted and worn out by persistent low-level sickness. Toxoplasmosis-infected prey animals like chimps and rats, which are usually repulsed by the urine of predators like leopards and rats, are attracted to it instead.] A lot of these stories seem a little bit hysterical. Do you think the fear around toxoplasmosis is warranted?

I do think a lot of them are overblown. Scientists agree that the parasite gets into our brain and can be very damaging to human fetuses and people with compromised immune systems, but there isn't a ton of support for the idea that cats are manipulating us via this parasite.

I think that the fact that we have glommed onto this idea, and we write so many stories about it, speaks to the fact that cats do have some kind of mysterious power over humanity. These stories about toxoplasmosis remind me of stories that used to come out six or seven hundred years ago about cats and sorcery -- that cats have dark powers we don't understand, that they're witches in disguise.

But is it possible to know if cat owners' mental-health problems are the result of having a cat? Might someone who is already lonely or antisocial be more likely to get a cat?

I think it could be both. Somebody who is socially isolated to begin with, or unable to do the rigorous care that a dog needs, might be more likely to get a cat -- but having a cat can be isolating in and of itself. It's interesting that people persistently describe the internet as a digital cat park, where cat people can finally socialize via their pets.

Pet owners like to say that caring for their dog or cat confers various health benefits -- mental as well as physical. But what do we really know about how having a cat affects our health?

There have been all these studies about toxoplasmosis, the cat-borne parasite that can get into human brain tissue. Some scientists think that there's a link between this parasitic disease and mental-health problems, especially schizophrenia.

Even if your cat doesn't give you toxoplasmosis, it may not be wonderful for your mental health. There are a few troubling studies that show that having a cat can decrease your likelihood of surviving a heart attack and increase high blood pressure.

People who have cats are less likely to be outside in the world, walking their cats, meeting other people in cat parks. And cats may not be as good a substitute for human companionship as other kinds of pets. Dogs and their owners have this lovely synergy -- they gaze into each other's eyes, and both of them have this flow of oxytocin going.

That doesn't happen so much with cats. In nature, cats don't live near other cats, and they don't have a good expressive repertoire. One way they communicate is by leaving pheromones and other smells around, which humans are completely oblivious to. We're really not built to communicate with each other.

One of the fascinating things about cats is their adaptability. Even though they are fundamentally asocial animals, they've figured out how to manipulate their human hosts. Feral cats don't meow much, but in the presence of humans, cats learn how to communicate to get what they want. They purr in a manner that embeds this insistent, annoying, almost infantlike cry inside of a pleasant purr, to condition their owners to get them food.

One justification people give for keeping cats around is that they hunt rodents. I was surprised to learn that cats aren't even that good at killing rats.

Cats are magnificent hunters, and they can hunt anything from butterflies to wallabies. They can kill rats but they have no reason to, in our cities. There's plenty of garbage for everybody. Cats and rats have been photographed sharing piles of trash. Why would these animals fight and risk their lives, when they could just comfortably graze together?

People have tried it before -- letting a feral cat colony go within a certain area, with the goal of keeping rat populations down. While they might kill a few rats, the populations of rats are so big that there's no way the cats can ever repress them.

In colonial Australia, there was this act called the Rabbit Suppression Act of 1884. The Australians released hordes of house cats, because they wanted them to kill off these invasive bunny rabbits, which the British had also released. They even built them little cat houses out in the wilderness, so they would have a place to live. But the cats didn't end up killing off the rabbits.

Cats can kill a gazillion rabbits, and there are still more rabbits -- they breed like rabbits. What the cats ended up doing was killing off other more vulnerable, native animals. Cats don't do their assignments the way that dogs do.

So how did they trick us into feeding them and taking care of them?

For a long time, it was probably just an accident. But there are reasons that cats made the transition, but we don't have badgers or foxes as pets today. One reason is that cats have a set of physical features that, for completely accidental reasons, remind us of human babies.

Cats have big round eyes located right in the middle of their faces, because they're ambush predators and need good binocular vision. They have little noses, because they don't hunt by smell. They have round faces because they have short, powerful jaws. This set of features, which is actually just an expression of the way the cat hunts, looks to us like our infants. That gave them a leg up on the competition, and made them an intriguing and charming presence, rather than a straight-up nuisance, like a raccoon.

You write that cats are a rather unlikely house pet. Why is that?

Cats are uniquely ill-suited for domestication. When people set out to domesticate the first animals, we targeted animals that were easy to keep in confined spaces, and animals that would eat a variety of things -- think of a pig or a goat, which will eat any old swill left over from your kitchen. Cats eat only fancy food, meat that we could eat ourselves.

We also tended toward animals that had social hierarchies that we could dominate. Dogs and cattle have lead animals, and we can control them by acting the alpha dog or the lead steer. But cats are solitary animals that don't have social hierarchies. They're hard to physically control, and they don't tolerate confinement well.

Usually, you don't have to write a 200-page book to figure out why we domesticated an animal. There's a purpose for the animal, and it's really clear: We want its meat or its milk or its fur or its labor. But what on earth did we want cats around for?

As I talked to scientists, it dawned on me that we weren't necessarily the ones who were driving this relationship. House cats sidled up to our first settlements 10,000 years ago, because of big changes we started making to the environment. All of these animals crept into our settlement and were eating our trash -- animals like badgers and foxes, in addition to small wildcats. They got into this new niche and exploited it.

Humans' relationship with cats is rife with paradox. There are an estimated 100 million pet cats in the U.S., and their ranks are only growing. "Cat culture" flourishes online. The cat-less can get their fix at "cat cafés" opening across Asia, Europe, and North America.

In "The Lion in the Living Room: How Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World," journalist Abigail Tucker traces cats' journey from fearsome Near Eastern predator to global intruder, shedding light on how this baby-sized beast worked its way into so many homes.

Science of Us spoke with Tucker about the disturbing similarities between cats and lions, the reason cats failed to uphold the Rabbit Suppression Act of 1884, and the somewhat baffling question of why people put up with them.

'Mysterious power over humanity': How cats affect health

By Alice Robb
Science of US


Story highlights

The cat is one of the most powerful animals on the planet, author says

Even if your cat doesn't give you toxoplasmosis, it may not be wonderful for your mental health

When a stray cat wandered onto the tracks of a midtown 7 train in New York City last month, the MTA halted the entire subway line until the animal was out of harm's way. At the same time, the U.S. government euthanizes millions of stray cats each year.

They're a disaster for the environment: One conservancy organization has called cats the "ecological axis of evil." American cats kill between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds each year, and they've been implicated in dozens of mammalian extinctions. (The Australian government has funded research into the most efficient methods of cat control -- yielding products like a poison-laced kangaroo sausage called "Eradicat.")

Nearly half of house cats have physically attacked their owners.

However, in a decision penned on June 25, 2019 by Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta in the cases Inmates of the New Bilibid Prison vs. Sec. Leila De Lima et al. and Reynaldo Edago vs. Sec. Leila De Lima et al., the SC, in a full court ruling, declared portions of the IRR invalid, and applied its provisions retroactively, meaning, in cases that were concluded before the law was signed.

In both the original and the SC amended version of the law, it excludes "recidivists, habitual delinquents, escapees and persons charged with heinous crimes" from coverage, and so it remains uncertain whether Sanchez and his co-accused could actually be granted an early release from Bilibid.

It also remains to be seen if Sanchez is actually eligible for parole on good conduct. In 2010, he was caught with P1.5 million worth of shabu hidden inside a Virgin Mary statue in his prison cell during one of the random inspections. Prior to that incident, he was also caught with marijuana and shabu in his cell in 2006. An air-conditioning unit and a flat screen TV were also seized from his cell during an inspection in 2015.

Aside from the Sarmenta-Gomez case, Sanchez is also serving double life sentences for the murder of Nelson and Rickson Peñalosa in 1991. He was already in prison for the former case when the Supreme Court upheld the lower court's conviction for the latter case in August 1999.

https://onenews.ph/

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra during a press conference on Sept. 4, 2018. Guevarra announced on Tuesday, Aug. 20, that over 11,000 inmates and possibly including Antonio Sanchez could be released due to a Supreme Court ruling on a law that increases good conduct time allowances for prisoners. Photo by Edd Gumban, The Philippine STAR

The case of Mary Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez has come to the fore again, more than 25 years since the crime was committed, after the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that Sanchez is one of over 11,000 inmates that could be released in the next two months following a recent Supreme Court decision retroactively implementing Republic Act No. 10592.

The law, which amended Articles 29, 94, 97, 98 and 99 of the Revised Penal Code, increased the good conduct time allowance of inmates, enabling them to reduce their sentences upon computation.

When former president Benigno Aquino III signed the law in 2013, its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) indicated that the law could be applied only prospectively, meaning, in new cases after the law was signed.

In their defense, Sanchez and his co-accused tried to pin the blame on professional forger Edgardo Lavadia and Teofilo "Kit" Alqueza, son of police Chief Superintendent Dictador Alqueza, who at the time was being linked to criminal activities.

On March 14, 1995, after a 16-month trial, Judge Harriet Demetriou of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court convicted Sanchez and his six co-accused of raping and murdering Sarmenta and killing Gomez. Each defendant was sentenced to seven life terms and ordered to pay the victim's families a total of P11 million in actual, moral and other damages.

According to Gomez's brother, they haven't received a single cent of damages from Sanchez, which could be a ground for denying Sanchez parole.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo during a press briefing at Malacañang on May 21, 2019. Panelo, who served as Sanchez's counsel in the Sarmenta-Gomez case, denied involvement in the potential release of his former client due to a Supreme Court ruling on a law increasing good conduct time allowances for convicted prisoners.

From the date the crime was committed, it took authorities 47 days to pinpoint Sanchez and the six men's roles in the rape-slay of Sarmenta and the murder of Gomez.

It took the testimonies of Aurelio Centeno, the driver of the ambulance that the six men used as the getaway vehicle, and former Calauan policeman Vicencio Malabanan, for the authorities to issue arrest warrants for the perpetrators.

The students were loaded back into the van that brought them to the rest house and driven to Barangay Imok in Calauan, where Gomez was killed and dumped on the side of the road.

The men then drove to a sugarcane field in Sitio Paputok, Calauan, where they took turns raping Sarmenta. After the rape, one of the men shot Sarmenta and left her lifeless body inside the van, which they abandoned.

The following day, the bodies of Sarmenta and Gomez were discovered, shocking the sleepy town at the foot of Mount Makiling.

The six men — Sanchez's nephew Baldwin Brion, brothers Luis and Rogelio Corcolon, former policemen Zoilo Ama and George Medialdea, and Sanchez's gardener Pepito Kawit — presented Sarmenta as a "gift" to Sanchez.

Sanchez then proceeded to rape Sarmenta while the men tied and tortured Gomez.

After several hours, at around 1 a.m. of the following day, Sanchez emerged from the rest house with the disheveled Sarmenta. He told the six men that he was finished with her and that they could have her. He also told them to deal with Gomez when asked what they should do with the boy.

August 22, 2019

Backgrounder: Eileen Sarmenta Was 'Gift' To Mayor Sanchez

As convicted rapist and ex-Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez is set to be released due to a new Supreme Court ruling on good conduct allowances, The Philippine STAR looks back at the controversial case that put him behind bars.

Epi Fabonan III 
Thursday, August 22, 2019


The March 15, 1995 issue of The Philippine STAR that shows the banner headline "Sanchez Guilty" following the conviction and sentencing of Antonio Sanchez for the killing of Mary Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez. Photo by Epi Fabonan III, The Philippine STAR

As Mary Eileen Sarmenta and fellow student Allan Gomez sat and chatted in the front passenger seat of a Toyota Tamaraw van inside the Agrix Complex of the University of the Philippines - Los Baños campus on June 28, 1993, little did the two know the tragic fate that awaited them.

Both agricultural students at the university, Sarmenta and Gomez just wanted to go home after a busy Monday of classes. But as they waited for the van to fill with passengers, six heavily armed men commandeered the vehicle and took the two students. They were brought to the Los Baños rest house of then Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez.

Citi protects their credit cards from fraud by safeguarding your account information.

For one, you can register to Citi Alerts® to receive email or SMS notifications on account activities such as bank account balances, large purchases, or withdrawals. This allows early detection of suspicious activities.

There is also the 2-Way SMS feature that verifies a suspicious transaction by sending an SMS to your registered mobile number. The SMS will contain the amount of the purchase and the merchant where the item was purchased which will be sent thru the number 29480 or 447786201777. You will need to confirm your transactions by replying "1" for YES and "2" for NO. To take advantage of this facility, please make sure your mobile number is updated.

An even better way is to download the Citi mobile app for more real time updates. The Citi mobile app lets you monitor all transactions on the fly once push notifications are turned on, and view due dates and balances more conveniently, among others.

If suspecting of an unauthorized access on your account or notice transactions that you did not initiate, you can also call Citi Phone® at + 63 2 995-9999. — With Gerald Dizon

https://www.philstar.com/

5. Avoid games and quizzes on social media

When playing games and quizzes on your social media accounts, Rodriguez advised to look at the developer. Local developers are obliged by the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines to disclose what they will do with the data, how long they will store it and if they are going to give it to a third party. Apps done elsewhere are not bound by such policies so they may not be as transparent about what they will do with your information.

6. Protect your computer from viruses and malware

Lastly, Rodriguez advocates investing on legitimate protection programs such as anti-virus, anti-spyware and malware detection software, which will only set you back by about P650 to P1,000. Do not rely on free anti-virus software, as they do not offer full coverage and protection. Avoid viruses by not clicking on dubious links, or downloading pirated movies and music.

3. Be prompt once alerted

Ilagan talked about the importance of activating alerts. If you get an SMS or email alert about a transaction you yourself did not make, you must contact your bank immediately to dispute the transaction(s) (s) and allow them to block your card. This prevents further fraudulent transactions from being made using your card.

4. Invest in RFID protection

According to Rodriguez, there are now wallets and bags that provide RFID protection. This feature deter scammers from picking up your credit card information from a distance. If you are going to pay for a restaurant meal with your card, it would be preferable to have the waiter swipe your card tableside or where you can see it.

Safety measures

Our experts share tips on how to protect your credit card account and personal information safe from scammers who would use it to steal from you.

1. Be wary giving away your information

When encountering emails asking for your personal information, "Think before you click" is Rodriguez's golden rule. Be vigilant of online sellers asking for your account information. If they are offering deals and promos that seem too good to be true, there's a good chance they're scammers. Also check your account and recent transactions regularly and immediately report any irregularity.   

2. Visit only secure websites

"Fraudsters use bogus websites that look like legitimate online retailers or banks to draw unsuspecting cardholders to provide confidential information," Ilagan said. One way to tell if the websites you visit are safe is to look for "HTTPS" at the beginning of the URL. HTTPS is the more secure version of the HTTP, this makes communications between your browser and the website encrypted.

"There are newer credit cards that have an RFID chip, allowing you to just tap the card when you make a purchase. Scammers who have the correct equipment for it can steal your credentials even at a distance. Even as you pass by with your card in your bag or your wallet, the equipment will pick up your information without you even have to tap it on the machine," he said.

"All they really need to do is walk around in the malls picking up information from people they pass by," he added.

It gets creepier

There is a more technical way of harvesting information, which Rodriguez identified as key logging. As people log into their online banking accounts via their phones, laptops or PCs, hackers can too.

Phishing is a point of entry. Victims may inadvertently click on a link that allows swindlers to plant a virus into your computer. This renders the unit vulnerable to hacking of credit card details, social media accounts and email information. 

Rodriguez issued caution against a recent way to steal credit card information, which does not involve much effort on crooks' part. All they would need is a special gadget.

Phishing scammers send emails posing as customer service representatives of a bank or a credit card company. They even have the letterhead and communicate properly.

"They say things like 'we are undergoing system maintenance, and we are emailing you through a temporary website to check if your credentials are secure.' The customer, who trusts the bank or credit card company, will key in their information, including birthdays and PIN, and (the scammers) will use those information to make purchases using your account," Rodriguez continued.

Fraudsters can also call their victims directly, with most of them using "prepaid mobile numbers instead of a landline to avoid being traced easily," according to Alex Ilagan, executive director of the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) in a separate interview.

"The bank will also never ask for your CVV or Card Verification Value, the special three-digit code at the bank of the card, as these can be used for fraudulent transactions," Ilagan said.

Experts share tips on how to protect your credit card account and personal information safe from scammers who would use it to steal from you.

Ways to protect yourself from credit card fraud and identity theft

Maan D' Asis Pamaran
(Philstar.com)
August 8, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — A new breed of high-tech thieves can take your money with only a few clicks, using information you may have unwittingly given them.

Chino Rodriguez, a data privacy officer of a BPO company, explains how easily credit card fraud can happen.

"The easiest one is called social engineering, where they basically fool people into entering their sensitive information through ways like phishing," Rodriguez told Philstar.com in an interview.

Conclusion



Baking soda is probably one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen, great for baking, cleaning, and health and beauty purposes. These 7 benefits are just the start of what you can do with baking soda – it is also a key ingredient in those working volcano models everyone has to do in school at some point!

Since it is also extremely inexpensive, buy a couple of boxes to keep in various places throughout your house. That way you can always find some when you need to treat a canker sore, whiten your teeth, or soak away the aches of a long day.

http://hhdresearch.org/

7. Soften Calluses



Calluses are hard, rough patches of skin that form in areas that receive a consistent pressure or friction. Guitarists have distinctive calluses on their hands, for example. Calluses are also common on the feet because they are frequently under pressure. Any consistent repetitive action can tend to cause calluses at the point of impact.

Calluses are not dangerous; in fact, they are protective. But sometimes they can be unsightly or uncomfortable and you may want to soften or reduce them. Baking soda can help with that, too. Soaking in a baking soda bath can relieve soreness and soften calluses enough to shave off rough spots.

6. Soothe Itchy Skin and Sunburns



Baking soda is a good treatment for all kinds of skin ailments. It is especially good at taking the chronic itchiness and irritation out of bug bites and stings. For this, make a thick paste with baking soda and water and apply it to the affected areas.

If your itchy skin is the result of a sunburn, try a baking soda bath. Simply add 1-2 of baking soda to a warm (not hot) bath. Then soak for at least 30 minutes, making sure that the affected areas are completely covered. Some evidence suggests that sunburns respond even better when cornstarch and oatmeal are added to the bath as well.

5. Rock Your Workout



Baking soda is actually quite popular among endurance athletes. Certain studies have shown that baking soda allows you to perform at your peak for a longer period of time, especially during high-intensity training. During this type of exercise, your muscle cells produce something called lactic acid. Lactic acid is the reason you feel a burning sensation while exercising hard. It also lowers the pH inside your cells, which causes the muscles to fatigue.

Baking soda has a high pH and can compensate somewhat for the lactic acid. This may help keep you going longer. One study found that people who ingested some baking soda before exercising went for about 4.5 minutes longer than those who didn't. Remember that this is 4.5 minutes longer at peak exertion. It may not sound like a lot in terms of an everyday workout, but when you're running a race, it can make all the difference.

4. Use as Deodorant



Deodorant is another product that often contains baking soda because it is excellent at absorbing odors. This is the same reason that some people leave an open box of the stuff in their refrigerators or bathrooms. It works because of its antimicrobial properties.

Did you know that human sweat is actually odorless? It only starts to smell when the bacteria on our skin begin to break it down into acidic waste products. Baking soda doesn't fully halt this process, but it makes the result significantly less acidic and therefore, less pungent. Try patting some onto your armpits in a pinch as a natural deodorant.

3. Treat Canker Sores



Canker sores cause a lot of pain for how tiny they are! They are simply small circular ulcers that form inside the mouth (not on the lips). They aren't contagious and often occur after a period of overindulging in rich food. Canker sores usually heal by themselves but can be quite uncomfortable until they do.

If you are bothered by a canker sore, use the baking soda mouthwash we described in #2 – ½ teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a half cup of water – on a daily basis. Research indicates that this can significantly reduce the pain as well as speed healing.

2. Freshen Breath & Whiten Teeth

Baking soda is an excellent tool for oral care as well. Studies show that toothpaste containing baking soda is better at breaking down plaque and whitening teeth than toothpaste without it. But you don't necessarily have to buy the toothpaste to enjoy the benefits. You can make a small amount of paste with baking soda and water, and then dip your toothbrush right in there before brushing.

Baking soda also has strong antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that make it an excellent mouthwash. Just ½ teaspoon of baking soda in half a glass of water is enough – swish it around your mouth and spit it out just as you would any other mouthwash. The mixture is great for reaching crevices between and around teeth that might be missed while brushing.

1. Treat Heartburn

Heartburn is one of those relatively harmless conditions that make you feel like your chest is going to explode. Also known as acid reflux, heartburn occurs when stomach acid creeps up out of your stomach and enters the throat. Chronic heartburn can cause permanent damage to the esophagus, but even if you just get hit after overindulging in rich or spicy food, the pain is enough to make you crazy.

Baking soda can neutralize stomach acid and provide rapid relief from acid reflux. Just dissolve a teaspoon of it in some cold water and drink the mixture slowly. (Gulping it can lead to a lot of froth in your stomach that will make you feel bloated.)

7 Benefits of Baking Soda for Hair, Skin, and Body



Baking soda is a critical element in a lot of baked goods because it causes food to rise. Without it, all cakes and cookies would be flat bricks. You don't need very much baking soda in any given recipe, but the box it comes in is relatively large. Wouldn't it be nice to have another use for the product?

Well, there are actually a ton of things you can do with baking soda that don't involve baking. It's a pretty handy natural cleanser, for one thing. But even more exciting are 7 great things baking soda can do for your hair, skin, and body. Dollar for dollar and use for use, it is probably the most affordable and versatile health & beauty product around.

We feel confident in saying that these 7 uses qualify as actual life hacks. If you've ever been in desperate need of #4, you'll know what we're talking about.

Like humans, many species engage in "non-reproductive sexual behavior." And if there are more females than males in a group, same-sex partnerships are more than likely, according to the study.

For penguins, monogamy of any sort is convenient and necessary: One partner can hatch the chick while the other forages for food. Plus, huddling with a loved one can make the Antarctic cold a bit more bearable.

So here's to Skipper and Ping; may the two embrace parenthood as openly as they've embraced each other.

https://edition/.cnn.com/

Bonobos, apes closely related to humans, have been extensively recorded engaging in sexual activity with males and females, with female-female pairings particularly popular. Studies of bottlenose dolphins have found that half of males' sexual encounters were with other males. And more than 30% of female albatross in a Hawaiian colony bonded for life, sharing chick-rearing duties, researchers wrote.

Animal behaviorists are split on exactly why animals couple up with members of their sex when there's no reproductive potential.

Sure, some animals might not be able to discern a male from a female, but often, animals pair up because they're seeking a strong bond and a co-parent, researchers said in the review.

Perhaps most famous, male chinstrap penguins Silo and Roy found love at the Central Park Zoo in 1998 and hatched and raised a chick named Tango. Their family inspired an award-winning children's book.

Their love soured in 2005 when Silo left Roy for a female named Scrappy. Roy ended his tenure at the zoo alone before transferring to another facility.
Hundreds of animals partner up with members of their sex

Gay coupling certainly isn't limited to penguins. They're one of at least 450 species observed to partner up with another member of their sex, according to a 2009 review of same-sex animal behaviors.

Other notable gay penguin pairs

Jäger said the zoo's seen plenty of same-sex penguin couples, and now, Skipper and Ping might join a storied lineup of gay penguin parents.

In June, the ZSL London Zoo celebrated longtime lovers Ronnie and Reggie with a banner that read, "Some penguins are gay. Get over it." The two Humboldt penguins hatched an abandoned egg in 2015.

Keepers at Sydney's Sea Life Aquarium in Australia welcomed a baby gentoo penguin, Sphengic, lovingly named for her adoptive dads, Sphen and Magic.

The couple, who had taken turns nursing rocks and bits of food between their feet and trying to hatch them, were more than willing to oblige.

Staffers aren't sure whether the egg is fertilized, and incubation typically takes about 55 days, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. But if the egg is viable, it'll be the first penguin at the zoo born to two fathers, Jäger said.

Though staff members are thrilled for the prospective parents, Jäger said they're celebrating the news by "giving them as much calm as possible," essential for a successful hatch.

A gay penguin couple adopted an egg in a Berlin zoo

By Scottie Andrew, CNN
August 13, 2019


Gay penguin couple adopts egg together

(CNN)After fruitless attempts to hatch stones and fish, a gay penguin couple at a German zoo may finally be able to parent a chick of their own.

Zoo Berlin officials announced that two of its male king penguins, Skipper and Ping, have eagerly adopted an egg. It'll be the pair's first chick, if all goes well.

The couple arrived together from a zoo in Hamburg in April, and their bond was evident as soon as they arrived, zoo spokesman Maximilian Jäger said.

In July, keepers decided to give Skipper and Ping a real crack at parenthood. One of the zoo's female king penguins laid an egg, but because she had never hatched her previous eggs, staff members decided to donate it to the pair, he said.

mao man tingali ni ang nganlan ug tapusok sa ato.

To determine the antiangiogenic properties of horn snails, the researchers obtained extracts from bagongon from Iloilo and tested it on partially opened fertilized duck eggs.

Po said these enabled them to observe the growth of the blood vessels, or the lack of it in those that had the horn snail extracts applied on them.

The researchers concluded that a certain type of compound called sterols or steroidal alcohols found in horn snails primarily contributed to its antiangiogenic property.

https://www.philstar.com/

By looking at the potential of locally abundant organisms like the horn snail, Po said they wanted to establish initial research that may pave way to the development of an anti-cancer treatment that could benefit Filipinos.

Asked why they specifically selected bagongon, she cited research showing the potential of horn snails for various antitumor agents and medications for the immune system.

"The marine ecosystem is recognized as an important source of bioactive compounds having medicinal potential," added the authors in the paper.

"About two percent of the major sources of biomedical compounds obtained from invertebrates come from the phylum Mollusca," they noted, referring to the taxonomic category where horn snails belong.

'For Filipinos'

Po, who is now a medicine student, said they worked on the research in 2017 as their undergraduate thesis for the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Pharmacy program of the university.

They also presented the results of the study at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2017.

She said they decided on the topic as they wanted to address a major issue affecting Filipinos, noting that approximately 59,000 people in the country die due to different types of cancer every year.

"By preventing angiogenesis, cancer cells are starved and do not grow and spread," read an abstract of the study released by the UP office of the vice president for academic affairs.

"Therefore, the use of anti-angiogenic agents has been an advantageous therapy for cancer. This study evaluated the potential antiangiogenic activity of Telescopium telescopium locally known as Bagongon," it added.

The paper was co-authored by industrial pharmacy graduates Milany Anne Luay, Mary France Gonzaga and Sharmaine Kae Po, along with their adviser Erna Arollado, currently the director of the UP Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Po, in an interview with The STAR, clarified that their research is only an initial step into finding an actual cure or treatment for cancer using extracts from horn snails.

She said more studies and trials are needed in order for a cure to be made available to the public.

UP students discover cancer treatment in horn snail

Janvic Mateo
(The Philippine Star)
August 14, 2019


Telescopium telescopium, locally known as bagongon, is gathered from mangroves in Southeast Asia for food.
Images courtesy of the University of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Compounds extracted from a species of horn snails, locally known as bagongon, were discovered to have properties that may be used for the development of a cancer treatment.

Students from the University of the Philippines-Manila, in a study published in the journal Acta Medica Philippina last month, found that certain extracts from locally abundant horn snails (Telescopium telescopium) may prevent angiogenesis or the formation of blood vessels from existing ones.

The blood vessels, according to the authors, supply oxygen and nutrients for the growth of cancer cells, making angiogenesis a significant mechanism of growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.

Even fewer appreciated her consistent call for easing our traffic crisis through calibrated (rather than carte blanche) emergency powers. For her, you need sufficient internal safeguards against abuse, while giving the administration enough leeway to institute urgent reforms.

Similar to California senator and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Poe appears to believe in concrete, gradual and meaningful change rather than grand exhortations and ideological battles. By choosing her battles carefully, she seems to be working toward creating the best possible impact within her limited time in office — what may be called the Grace Poe doctrine.

This way, she avoids the trap of what philosopher Slavoj Zizek aptly termed as "principled opportunism": Self-righteously taking the high road, while avoiding the tough, dirty and difficult job of helping ordinary people on a daily basis.

rheydarian@inquirer.com.ph

https://opinion.inquirer.net/

At the same time, her greatest tragedy is the almost willful lack of appreciation by certain sectors of society, especially those who prefer either left-leaning or right-leaning conviction politics. For instance, few progressives appreciated the fact that she actually called for the regulation of fake news, a dangerous move in our current information ecosystem. Instead, they focused on her supposed schmoozing with notorious proregime online propagandists.

Poe was also among the leading senators who consistently raised the alarm bells over President Duterte's China policy. She took up the cudgels on the potentially adverse national security implications of the entry of China Telecom, the prospective purchase of Hanjin by Chinese companies, and the untrammeled influx of illegal Chinese workers into the country.

Few also appreciated the fact that she was one of but two senators (along with Nancy Binay) who refused to fall into the fist-bump bandwagon during her inauguration. In times of shameless co-optation and unbounded opportunism, these were radical acts.

Poe is at once among the most appreciated and underappreciated political figures of our times. Back in 2016, she was cumulatively the most preferred candidate, if one were to combine the first and second preferences of voters. And, far from an empty shell, she dominated the presidential debates with a commendable mixture of accessible delivery and substantive depth.

Were she not sabotaged by her rivals on a highly questionable citizenship issue, there would have been a clear path for the daughter to accomplish what her father didn't back in 2004.

Despite lacking machinery and expressly refusing to bandwagon with the ruling administration, Poe still managed to almost top the Senate race once again this year. Were it not for the "solid south" phenomenon, with an organized Mindanao systematically voting down independents like Poe, she would have likely ranked first.

In short, "political will" and a linear style of leadership is a double-edged sword. Winston Churchill may have rightly utilized conviction politics during the darkest hours of Nazi ascendancy, but there are many other cases of decisive leaders wreaking misery and pain on their helpless citizens with such leadership. Think of the horrors brought about by Joseph Stalin's or Mao Zedong's rule as the most potent expression of the inherent dangers of the single-minded, unchecked and hubristic exercise of power. As I have always argued, for every tempered authoritarian like Lee Kuan Yew, I can cite a dozen Mugabes and Gadhafis who ravenously enslaved and recklessly ruined their nations.

And this is where the value of centrists such as Grace Poe lies. In times when an authoritarian populist is ruling with whimsical fiat and arbitrary relish, tempered and calibrated leadership can at times serve as a radical break from the status quo.

HORIZONS

Grace Poe's tragedy and triumphs

By: Richard Heydarian
Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 13, 2019

"Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides," the late former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher warned.

For "The Iron Lady," leadership was a matter of conviction politics — pushing your policy priorities to their preferred destination at all costs, regardless of the magnitude of obstacles and depth of objections. Despite vehement opposition, Thatcher oversaw the vitiation of the social welfare system, the aggressive deregulation of the economy and financial liberalization at the expense of the manufacturing sector.

She was a woman of unparalleled conviction and steely will, confidently disparaging middle-of-the-road political posturing, especially in times of tortuous upheaval and excruciating transition. Yet her single-minded style of leadership also brought about tremendous suffering, especially among the working class, while weakening the foundations of the British economy in the long run.

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The Bottom Line

Bitter melon is a fruit in the gourd family with a unique appearance and flavor.

It's not only rich in several important nutrients but also linked to numerous health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and cholesterol levels.

Note that people who are pregnant or on certain medications — particularly blood sugar-lowering medications — should speak to their healthcare provider before consuming high amounts or taking supplements.

Still, in moderation, bitter melon makes for a flavorful, nutritious, and easy addition to a healthy, well-rounded diet.

https://www.healthline.com/

Potential Side Effects

When enjoyed in moderation, bitter melon can be a healthy and nutritious addition to your diet.

However, consuming high amounts of bitter melon or taking bitter melon supplements may be associated with several adverse effects.

In particular, bitter melon has been linked to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.

It's also not recommended for women who are pregnant, as its long-term effects on health have not been extensively studied.

Due to its impact on blood sugar, you should consult with your healthcare provider before eating it if you're taking any blood sugar-lowering medications.

Also, talk with a healthcare professional before supplementing with bitter melon if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking any medications, and be sure to use as directed.

SUMMARY

Bitter melon may be associated with adverse side effects. Pregnant women, people with underlying health problems, and those taking blood sugar-lowering medications should consult their doctor before use.

6. Versatile and Delicious

Bitter melon has a sharp flavor that works well in many dishes.

To prepare it, start by washing the fruit and cutting it lengthwise. Then use a utensil to scoop out the seeds from the center, and cut the fruit into thin slices.

Bitter melon can be enjoyed raw or cooked in various recipes.

In fact, it can be pan-fried, steamed, baked, or even hollowed out and stuffed with your choice of fillings.

Here are a few interesting ways to add bitter melon to your diet:

-Juice bitter melon along with a few other fruits and vegetables for a nutrient-packed beverage.

-Mix bitter melon into your next stir-fry to bump up the health benefits.

-Sauté bitter melon alongside tomatoes, garlic, and onions and add to scrambled eggs.

-Combine seedless bitter melon with your choice of dressing and garnish for a savory salad.

-Stuff with ground meat and vegetables and serve with a black bean sauce.

SUMMARY

Bitter melon is easy to prepare and can be used in many different dishes and recipes.

5. May Aid Weight Loss

Bitter melon makes an excellent addition to a weight loss diet, as it's low in calories yet high in fiber. It contains approximately 2 grams of fiber in each one-cup (94-gram) serving.

Fiber passes through your digestive tract very slowly, helping keep you fuller for longer and reducing hunger and appetite.

Therefore, swapping higher-calorie ingredients with bitter melon could help increase your fiber intake and cut calories to promote weight loss.

Some research also shows that bitter melon can have beneficial effects on fat burning and weight loss.

One study found that consuming a capsule containing 4.8 grams of bitter melon extract each day led to significant decreases in belly fat.

Participants lost an average of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from their waist circumference after seven weeks.

Similarly, a study in rats on a high-fat diet observed that bitter melon extract helped decrease body weight compared to a placebo.

Note that these studies were performed using high-dose bitter melon supplements. It remains unclear whether eating bitter melon as part of your regular diet would have the same beneficial effects on health.

SUMMARY

Bitter melon is low in calories but high in fiber. Human and animal studies have found that bitter melon extract may also help decrease belly fat and body weight.

4. Could Decrease Cholesterol Levels

High levels of cholesterol can cause fatty plaque to build up in your arteries, forcing your heart to work harder to pump blood and increasing your risk of heart disease.

Several animal studies found that bitter melon may decrease cholesterol levels to support overall heart health.

One study in rats on a high-cholesterol diet observed that administering bitter melon extract led to significant decreases in levels of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Another study noted that giving rats a bitter melon extract significantly reduced cholesterol levels compared to a placebo. Higher doses of bitter melon showed the greatest decrease.

Still, current research on the potential cholesterol-lowering properties of bitter melon is mostly limited to animal studies using large doses of bitter melon extract.

Additional studies are needed to determine whether these same effects apply to humans eating the gourd as part of a balanced diet.

SUMMARY

Animal studies show that bitter melon extract may decrease cholesterol levels, which could help support heart health. Nonetheless, human research to confirm these effects is lacking.

3. May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties

Research suggests that bitter melon contains certain compounds with cancer-fighting properties.

For example, one test-tube study showed that bitter melon extract was effective at killing cancer cells of the stomach, colon, lung, and nasopharynx — the area located behind the nose at the back of your throat).

Another test-tube study had similar findings, reporting that bitter melon extract was able to block the growth and spread of breast cancer cells while also promoting cancer cell death.

Keep in mind that these studies were performed using concentrated amounts of bitter melon extract on individual cells in a laboratory.

Further research is needed to determine how bitter melon may affect cancer growth and development in humans when consumed in the normal amounts found in food.

SUMMARY

Test-tube studies show that bitter melon may have cancer-fighting properties and could be effective against stomach, colon, lung, nasopharynx, and breast cancer cells.

2. Can Help Reduce Blood Sugar

Thanks to its potent medicinal properties, bitter melon has long been used by indigenous populations around the world to help treat diabetes-related conditions.

In recent years, several studies confirmed the fruit's role in blood sugar control.

A 3-month study in 24 adults with diabetes showed that taking 2,000 mg of bitter melon daily decreased blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c, a test used to measure blood sugar control over three months.

Another study in 40 people with diabetes found that taking 2,000 mg per day of bitter melon for 4 weeks led to a modest reduction in blood sugar levels.

What's more, the supplement significantly decreased levels of fructosamine, another marker of long-term blood sugar control.

Bitter melon is thought to improve the way that sugar is used in your tissues and promote the secretion of insulin, the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.

However, research in humans is limited, and larger, more high-quality studies are needed to understand how bitter melon may impact blood sugar levels in the general population.

SUMMARY

Bitter melon has been shown to improve several markers of long-term blood sugar control, including levels of fructosamine and hemoglobin A1c. Still, more high-quality research is needed.

1. Packs Several Important Nutrients

Bitter melon is a great source of several key nutrients.

One cup (94 grams) of raw bitter melon provides:

Calories: 20
Carbs: 4 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin C: 93% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Vitamin A: 44% of the RDI
Folate: 17% of the RDI
Potassium: 8% of the RDI
Zinc: 5% of the RDI
Iron: 4% of the RDI

Bitter melon is especially rich in vitamin C, an important micronutrient involved in disease prevention, bone formation, and wound healing.

It's also high in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes skin health and proper vision.

It provides folate, which is essential for growth and development, as well as smaller amounts of potassium, zinc, and iron.

Bitter melon is a good source of catechin, gallic acid, epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid, too — powerful antioxidant compounds that can help protect your cells against damage.

Plus, it's low in calories yet high in fiber — fulfilling approximately 8% of your daily fiber needs in a single one-cup (94-gram) serving.

SUMMARY

Bitter melon is a good source of nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, folate and vitamin A.

Bitter melon — also known as bitter gourd or Momordica charantia— is a tropical vine that belongs to the gourd family and is closely related to zucchini, squash, pumpkin, and cucumber.

It's cultivated around the world for its edible fruit, which is considered a staple in many types of Asian cuisine.

The Chinese variety is typically long, pale green, and covered with wart-like bumps.

On the other hand, the Indian variety is more narrow and has pointed ends with rough, jagged spikes on the rind.

In addition to its sharp flavor and distinct appearance, bitter melon has been associated with several impressive health benefits.

Here are 6 benefits of bitter melon and its extract.

The real worry is the "middle-income trap" that could easily ensnare Southeast Asia's fifth-biggest economy. At roughly $3,100, nominal per capita income in the Philippines is a long way from the $10,000 mark at which many developing nations stall out. Still, little is happening under the hood to raise incomes broadly and sustainably. That is courting a future GDP crisis as a young population goes underemployed.

In Tokyo just over a week ago, Duterte expressed deep concern about the U.S.-China trade war. "There must be a resolution soon," Duterte said. Yet there also must be a resolution to his government's GDP blinders.

It's great that, depending on the news source, Manila expects to woo between $12 billion and $24 billion of mainland investments. Not so great if Dutertenomics doesn't augment this largess will big reforms at home. Upgrades are needed to make productive use of foreign capital and level playing fields for the Philippines masses to enjoy today's 5%-plus growth.

At the halfway mark of his presidency, Duterte might want to look less to Beijing and more under the hood of a Philippine economy losing thrust.

https://www.forbes.com/