Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

Sunday, April 03, 2016 • allergy, Ambrolex, bento, bento box, Bento by Kat, bloggers event, cough and colds, Event, health, health and wellness, kids health, Lifestyle, mommy blog, Virlix, wellness

Vitamin Sea, Beach Please, Halo-Halo, Graduation, and a whole lot more means one thing- Summer! Summer is here and everybody is on full vacation mode. I know a lot of you are going to the beach this month or heading to your most-awaited overseas trip while some will just do their vacation at their homes. It's a season full of relaxation and enjoyment but there are things that we should take in consideration while we are on vacation.

Summer is fun but the scorching heat can be a problem for some. The rise in temperature brings with it a variety of diseases and exposes us and our kids to a lot of environmental triggers that can ruin our fun in the sun. Don’t let cough and allergies stop you and your kids from enjoying the sunny season. Sharing with you below the highlights of what we learned from the Expert Moms Get Expert Help from GSK this Summer event held at the Patio of Makati Shangri-la last March 30, 2016 below :)

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

During the event, experts from GSK explained to us the difference of cough and allergy plus we also learned how to make our own bento boxes from Kat Maderazo of Bento by Kat. Well, bento box is a fun way of preparing kids' meal. I presume that you've seen different bento box designs and some of them are too cute to eat. The event was hosted by one of the GSK mom experts- Rica Peralejo Bonifacio.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Dra. Shiela Chua, Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, and Kat Maderazo

It was a fun afternoon because of this bento making class. It's my first time to make a bento box and I think I'll be doing it from time to time now that I've learned different tips and tricks from Kat Maderzo. Look at my bento box, isn't it to cute to eat? Bento box is a sure and fun way to let picky eaters eat healthy and nutritious food, right?!

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
My black cat bento box :)

Rica is a GSK expert mom and during the event she shared to us some of her experiences on how she handle her son's cough and colds and how to combat allergies. His husband is prone to allergies that's why she gave us tips and what medicine to use should the need arise.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
GSK Expert Mom Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio

“As a mom, I want to make sure that summer would become a memorable time for the whole family. My husband and I always make sure we take care of ourselves first so we can take care of our son, Philip. Being in tip-top shape allows our whole family to have the best summer and enjoy our vacations. Of course our priority is to keep Philip healthy, so we always make sure we are prepared with the necessary medications whenever we travel just in case he gets sick.

Sharing with you the difference between cough and allergy below and what are the important things you should consider if you or your kids encounter these diseases this season. It's important to know the difference so that proper medication will be given to the patient.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Mascots Allergenius and Barry the Berry

Cough and Colds

Cough and colds are quite common even during the summer because of erratic weather patterns that causes a shift in temperature.
Coughing is a natural reflex and is usually a sign that your child's body is trying to rid itself of an irritant, such as mucus or a foreign object. The most common cause of cough in kids is an upper respiratory tract infection from one of more than 100 cold viruses1. Other common causes of cough include infection, asthma, allergies/sinusitis or pollution.
Although cough is quite common, having a kid with cough is something you should take seriously as it may easily be passed on to other children with weakened immune systems. Cough caused by viral infections may result in fever, headache, and pains.
Transmission may happen when an individual makes direct contact with an infected individual, or even infected surfaces such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, and gadgets and then touching their nose and mouth.

Two kinds of cough: dry cough and productive cough (cough with phlegm)2.

For productive cough, pediatricians can recommend protussives such as Ambrolex® (Ambroxol), to enable the cough to get rid of excess mucus in the airways3.
Unfortunately, a lot of cough medicines have a bitter aftertaste, which children dislike and often spit out, making medicine time difficult for moms. Ambrolex®, however, has a sweet blackcurrant flavor that kids will love, making cough medicine time easier for moms, and allowing their children to get better, faster.
Should moms or their husbands also suffer from cough, Ambrolex® comes in thrice-a-day tablet and once-a-day capsule formats for adults that are both easy on the budget.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Ambrolex 7.5 mg/ml Oral drops for kids
Ambrolex OD 75 mg Capsule for adults

Allergies

To have allergies is to have the body’s immune system overreact to foreign substances or even a change in the environment.
When the body detects a foreign or potentially harmful substance, it produces antibodies and histamine, which are then released into the blood stream to fight it off. At that point, an inflammatory reaction happens. Some of the common symptoms of allergy are asthma-like symptom such as rapid, shallow breathing, wheezing, and cough. Other symptoms that can be observed are sneezing, itchiness, or development of rashes4.
Allergic reactions may also be triggered by allergens or substances that can be found in food such as peanuts, milk, eggs, seafood, etc. A lot of children also develop allergies to plants, pets, house dust mites, mold spores, or medications, especially antibiotics4.
When allergy happens, use the antihistamine that is trusted for 20 years, Virlix® (Cetirizine). It contains Cetirizine, an antihistamine that helps you manage the symptoms of your family’s allergies.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign LaunchVirlix® (Cetirizine)

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Dr. Sheila Chua, GSK’s Medical Affairs Manager

“Allergies don’t have to ruin your family’s summer fun. All you have to do is take note of what causes allergies among your family members and try to avoid them, so as to manage your allergy symptoms”, says Dr. Sheila Chua, GSK’s Medical Affairs Manager, and a practicing Dermatologist. “It also helps to always have a trusted allergy medication in your bag whenever you travel so you can easily address the symptoms of allergies when they occur.”

Led by celebrity-host and Expert Mom herself Rica Peralejo, the campaign seeks to educate mothers on how to correctly and promptly address cough and allergies for the entire family. Thank you to GSK for having me and for sharing all the tips on how to protect my family from cough and colds and allergies. I know that this diseases can be prevented but not all the time.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

I think being an Expert Mom is all about ensuring that the whole family is happy, healthy, and free from disease. I’m very happy to be part of the Expert Moms campaign because I think it’s exciting to meet other moms who are keen on keeping themselves healthy in order to take care of their families,” says Rica.

To know more and share tips on how to be an Expert Mom,

visit: www.facebook.com/MommyDoc

Good Times!~

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign

Thursday, March 31, 2016 • Calpol, Feature, health, health and wellness, kid's health, Lifestyle, mommy blog, Paracetamol Calpol, wellness

I cannot count how many parenting mistakes I've done in the past years. My son will turn seven years old this year and I'm so happy and blessed to have raised a sweet, smart, and respectful child. I know we still have a long journey and there will be numerous mishaps along the way. It's a mother's instinct to worry so much when something is wrong with her child. I can say that my waterloo when it comes to my son's health is when he has fever.

Here's a trivia: Would you believe that 20% of parents have forgotten their child’s birthday? The number is as high as 36% in other Southeast Asian countries. Right here in the Philippines, we have 1 in 2 parents admitting that they have fallen asleep while reading their kids a bedtime story. Has this happened to you? These are a few of the surprising findings uncovered by a recent global survey on parenting mistakes, conducted by Paracetamol Calpol®. See, it's okay to make parenting mistakes but there is one thing where mothers should make no mistake. Scroll down below to find out!

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign

Becoming a parent is a journey of trial and error, also known as the world’s most widely played game of improvisation. No amount of reading or preparation is going to save a first-time parent from a child left to their own devices. That’s often when the most amusing, albeit messy, mishaps happen. In fact, more than half of parents believe that they can’t take their eyes off their children, otherwise chaos would reign.

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign
Kenzo's facial expression when mommy makes a mistake!

Here are some of the parenting mistakes that happened to me more than once that I'm sure had happened to some mothers too:

When Kenzo started going to school, there were few instances that I overslept thus my son was thirty minutes to one hour late at school.
I also made a mistake of forgetting to pack his baon or snack.
I made him wear mismatched socks and sometimes let hum wear reverse shirt.
When Kenzo has fever, it's always a type of it-breaks-my-heart feeling to see and feel his temperature is high, like 38 degrees that will suddenly rise to 39 degrees at night. I had a mistake in giving the right amount of paracetamol as I already forgot the dosage that was prescribed to him by his pediatrician.

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign
Paracetamol Calpol 60 ml (6-12) - Php123.75

Since we're talking about our child's health here, giving the right dosage of medicine especially paracetamol is very important to ensure maximum effect and avoid side effects in the long run. One handy tip is to always consult a dosage calculator with your child’s latest weight in hand when giving medication.

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign
Paracetamol Calpol 60 ml (6-12) - Php123.75

I'm surprised that when I received Paracetamol Calpol® bottles weeks ago, they had included a dosing wheel to help me give him the proper dose. Children come in all shapes and sizes, it’s not very accurate to dose them based on their age alone, which I've done a couple of times in the past :(

The Paracetamol Calpol Make No Mistake Campaign
My dosing wheel which you can also see and use on their website :)

Using their weight in the calculation makes it possible for medicine to work more effectively. A dosage calculator takes the guesswork away, making it one less thing to worry about. So to mommies out there, you can use the dosing wheel which you can find HERE. Feel free to share it with your family and friends. It’s a sure hit and an essential tool in caring for your sick child.

I've shared a fun photo of my mishaps in my Instagram account to make other moms feel that they are not alone in their parenting boo-boos! I'm glad that Calpol and the dosing wheel will help me combat pain and fever. So next time that an unexpected fever arises, always remember that when it comes to pain and fever, make no mistake—Paracetamol Calpol is there for you.

For more information about Paracetamol Calpol, visit their website:

http://www.calpol.com.ph/

Good Times!~

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch

Wednesday, March 30, 2016 • fashion, flip flops, footwear, Ipanema, Ipanema Philippines, Ipanema with Starck, Lifestyle, sandals, women's fashion

Hello dearies! I'm excited to share with you the latest foot wear collection of Ipanema- one of the famous Brazilian shoe brand here in our country that's been producing high quality and stylish sandals and flip flops for both men and women. Ipanema teamed up with world-renowned creator Philippe Starck in this collection called Ipanema with Starck that was launched earlier at Discovery Primea in Makati.

This new collection that reimagines footwear. Starck lends his talent for minimal and organic design to re-envision a collection of modern, elegant sandals accessible to purveyors of stylish and smart innovation worldwide. I have an Ipanema sandals and to tell you honestly, my pair shows no signs of wear and tear even if I use it every single day! With this collection, I'm sure that Ipanema quality meets timeless elegance and accessible style. Highlights of the event plus what's in store for you in this collection below.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch

The Ipanema with Starck Collection:

A collection of flats, flip flops, and sandals in four distinct designs, offered in a myriad of colors. These dynamic sandals are inspired by various possible lifestyles and moods to recognize all dimensions of the modern woman, such as arty, glamour, nature and sophisticated chic.
The Ipanema with STARCK collection offers wearers the freedom of choice.
There are different strap designs and colors that represents own unique style statement. You will see below the four styles that I'm pretty sure will amp up your outfit this summer.
The collection’s palette is a blend of neutral and citrus tones including white, black, smoke, acid yellow, orange, rose, transparent yellow, and transparent orange.
The simple and sleek silhouettes are infused with an imaginative quality illustrating each of the four sensibilities.
Organic elegance, purity, lightness and honoring the silhouette of the human form are quintessential to the design of the collection.
Focusing on sustainability, Ipanema with STARCK was developed with 30% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable.
The production process employs proprietary plastique injection technique to guarantee product comfort and delicate quality.
The shoes handcrafted assembly of the straps to the sole allows a perfect fit for the women.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch

Like what I've said above, the Ipanema with STARCK collection consists of four styles that fits every lifestyle of woman today. Since it's already summer here in our country, I see myself wearing a pair in the beach, while doing grocery shopping, night out with girlfriends, or simple lounging. Here are the designs that you should not miss:

GLAMOUR- citrus tones including white, black, smoke, acid yellow, orange, rose, transparent yellow, and transparent orange perfect for beach party, beach wedding, and other occasions that will require you to wear a summer-inspired outfit.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch
Glamour

ARTY- be artistic and play colors with you outfit in these combination on neutral and bright tones.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch
Arty

NATURE- neutral earth tones like that of nature.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch
Nature

SOPHISTICATED CHIC (my fave)- consists of simple and sleek silhouettes in an all black color that exudes sophistication in every style.

Ipanema with Starck Collection Launch
Sophisticated Chic

Ipanema with Starck Collection LaunchPhilippe Starck

“The Ipanema with STARCK collection explores the territory of high elegance paired with the utmost minimalism. When you reach elegance with a few dollars or euros, this is no longer magic; it is a modern miracle,” says Philippe Starck.

This new and intense collaboration joins an impressive bevy of Starck creations spanning lifestyle products such as furniture and windmills, to revolutionary mega-yachts and inspiring hotels and restaurants. The result is a collection of lively sandals designed to enhance the lifestyle of modern women through innovative fashion and Starck’s innate passion for bettering an object.

For more updates on Ipanema’s newest collection,

Like them on Facebook: IpanemaPhilippines

Good Times!~

Feature: Authentica by Journey Spiritual Craft

Tuesday, March 29, 2016 • accessories, Authentica, Energy Gold Corp., fashion, Feature, home, Journey Spiritual Craft, Lifestyle, men's fashion, mommy blog, women's fashion

In this modern age and time, we often forget to look back in the past- our history and things that we learned in our religion class. We are all busy with our careers, businesses, and daily life that sometimes we don't have time to reflect. I noticed that in our culture, religion is very important, as it is already a part of our lives. For Roman Catholics, there are different relics displayed at homes. Even the smallest piece of accessories shows our faith. But whatever religion we have here in our country, symbols that shows religion and history still matters to us.

When I was young, I like wearing rosary bracelets. I have a Christian friend who had pin buttons on her bag with bible verses. My relatives in the provinces have different figures of Mama Mary and other saints. I can say that in this act we're showing our faith but we hadn't have a glimpse of Holy Land. What if the bracelets, pin buttons, and religious display came straight from Holy land? That would be nice but it will also be more expensive, right? Last year, I was invited to the launch of Authentica. I have no idea about the brand but when I saw what's in store for me, I was so amazed because they have one-of-a kind fashionable items that's also inspirational. Let me present to you Authentica by Journey Spiritual Craft