Daily Archives: April 2, 2020

Five-step Location Guide for the Katipunan Freshman

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Just passed the UPCAT, ACET, or MCAT? Congratulations! You’re probably excited to begin your college journey but unsure of what comes next. While going through high school was challenging, university is a whole new story. Before you become a certified Atenean, Iskolar ng Bayan, or Knoller, read on to get an idea on where to go.

Accommodations

Even before you’ve been to Katipunan, you’ve likely heard of the traffic situation. The Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines (UP) are two of the only universities where cars move as slowly as a turtle inside and outside the campus. Your best bet is getting a condo near Ateneo, which is great for space and freedom. You could also opt to stay inside the campus if you’re fine with sharing spaces with others. Since a 10-minute walk can turn into a 30-minute drive in the avenue, it’s best to walk to your destination over taking a car.

Study Spaces

Katipunan boasts of endless options for your cramming needs. There are several coffee shops and rooms with available plugs and free Wi-Fi. Your school of choice also offers study halls and libraries that you could maximize. Ateneo has the Rizal Library and Matteo Ricci Study Hall, while Miriam College offers the Innovation Center. If you’ve chosen to live in a condominium, it’s likely to offer a room for studying as well. Make the most of the various location choices and try them all. A study has found that alternating study spaces can help with retaining information.

Restaurants

Like every college student, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed with academic and extracurricular demands. After a long day in class, you wouldn’t want to stress about choosing where to eat. While you’re familiar with the fast-food staples, you should try out hidden gems along Katipunan. For vegans, there’s Green Light in the FBR Building and Go! Salads near Ateneo. Craving ramen and teriyaki? Roku is the place for you. But if you’re trying out only one Katipunan restaurant, it should be Sweet Inspiration.

Groceries

If you’re trying to save money or sick of take-out food, be sure to have a stock of food and other essentials at home. There are three main options for your snacking requirements. Robinsons Easymart is good for basics such as chips and toiletries. The Marketplace by Rustan’s has the most diverse offerings, from imported nuts to organic eggs. For fruits and vegetables, Savemore at Berkeley Residences is the place to go. Beyond these shops, there’s a Korean mart behind Regis Center where you can get your fill of fish-shaped ice cream and tteokbokki.

Laundry Shops

You can resolve your dirty laundry with several options while living away from home. You can either wash them by hand yourself, which is time-consuming and tiring. You can take your clothes to a laundry shop, but you run the risk of losing your items in the wash. Another alternative is going to a self-service laundry shop. You’ll save time and ensure that your clothes are complete, though you have to fold them yourself.

College is not a journey to be taken lightly. Expect to step outside of your comfort zone, especially if it will be your first time living alone. While you’re traveling the unknown, it’s best to find the places that work best for you and make a home away from home.

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5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System

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5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System

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Imagine your immune system as your body’s defense mechanism. Typically, it does a remarkable job of protecting you against invadersーmicroorganisms that cause disease. However, at times, the immune system falls short, letting an invader in, resulting in illness.

To ensure your immune system is able to perform, it’s important you make choices that strengthen it – even before you’re sick. Here are 5 ways to boost your immunity, ensuring you can remain healthy (in all seasons!).

1. Get Enough Sleep

Studies have shown that sleep and the circadian system exert a strong regulatory force on immune functions. It’s not uncommon for work and the daily callings of life to get in the way of a good night’s. However, without proper rest, your body produces fewer cytokines, proteins that target infection and inflammation. During sleep, your body both produces and releases cytokines – so get your recommended seven to nine hours in order to achieve optimal health!   

2. Eat a Healthy Diet

It’s common knowledge that a well-balanced diet is important. Studies say that optimal nutrition for the best immunological outcomes would be nutrition which supports the functions of immune cells allowing them to initiate effective responses against pathogens. Immunity begins largely with what you eat. So, eat a diet rich in fresh fruits, veggies, grains, and lean proteins – and be liberal with anti-inflammatory foods like citrus, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, and turmeric

3. Minimize Stress 

 Stress induces the production of cortisol, which in small amounts can limit inflammation and boost immunity. However, prolonged exposure to cortisol causes further inflammation, as the body becomes accustomed to its presence in the blood. In addition, stress reduces the body’s lymphocytes, white blood cells that combat infection. Limiting stress is plays a major role in fighting illness. While it may seem impossible, there are a number of simple ways to reduce stress – such as yoga, meditation, and exercise.

4. Exercise Regulary

Not only does exercise decrease stress, but it also improves defense activity and metabolic health, which in turn, positively affects the immune system. While the recommended amount of exercise varies per person, a good starting point is 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week.

5. Stay Hydrated

 As Larry Kenney, Phd, a professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State puts it, “Hydration is important because the body is comprised mostly of water, and the proper balance between water and electrolytes in our bodies really determines how most of our system function, including nerves and muscles.”  Not sure how much water to consume? Given your age and weight, this hydration calculator shows how much water you should drink per day.  

Through healthy lifestyle choices, you can build your immunity over time. That being said, IV drips are an effective way to quickly give your system a boost. If you are not receiving an adequate amount of nutrients through diet and supplements, your immune system can suffer. Unlike oral nutrient intake, IV drips deliver vitamins and minerals directly to your bloodstream. With IV drips, nutrients bypass the digestive tract, meaning that you receive their effect almost instantly at a much higher absorption rate. Plus, as mentioned earlier, your body needs fluids – especially when trying to fight off illness. IV drips deliver the hydration your cells require to function at their peak. 

There is no denying that a properly functioning immune system begins with simple healthy lifestyle choices. IV drips can act as an auxiliary measure in boosting immunity. Whether you need some added support or want to take precautionary steps in fighting illness, IV drips can be a great option for enhancing immune health.

With ivee, getting an IV drip has never been easier. Just download the app and choose your treatment. Enter your location, and a nurse will be on their way. In no time, your immune system will be on the fast track to functioning at its best. 

This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.

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Going Biophilic: Making Your Office Pop with Nature

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A trend in office design caters to workers’ well-being and the need for a better connection to their environment, and that is biophilic design. With this movement, designers are integrating nature and other natural elements into spaces that would otherwise feel cold and less conducive to productivity and interaction. It’s been proven by studies that the way a workplace is set up can greatly impact how efficient work is done.

You might be wondering how you can adopt this trend into your own space. Here are some neat ways to do so:

  • Install a green wall

Stress and fatigue are more greatly increased in office spaces that look completely urbanized and have no semblance of nature in them whatsoever. A manageable way to combat this is to install a fixture that even aesthetically creates a natural atmosphere, even if it isn’t legitimately a tree from the forest.

For instance, artificial green walls are produced in Malaysia to bring the benefits of plants and flora without the same need for upkeep (like direct sunlight and consistent watering). The mental relief that comes from seeing the presence of nature is properly triggered in mind, even if artificial greenery is used. As the imagery is curated, the brain perceives more natural elements and immediately creates a positive response.

  • Let in some natural light

One of the core elements in biophilic design is making use of natural light. Psychologically, people tend to feel tenser when there is limited access to natural light sources. Simply keeping a wide window without thick curtains or panels covering them can provide that relief to employees.

In areas that don’t have window access or see staff working at night, natural light can be generally simulated by using light fixtures that are warmer and less harsh. With the right set-up, this can even end up harnessing more creativity and collaboration than a space that is too dim and filled with harsh, cool tones. Letting in some sun also helps to make a space feel less cramped and makes way for shadows and such that produce more feelings of ease, contributing to an uptick of performance.

  • Mimic nature in your furniture set-up

While incorporating plants into your office space is the surefire way to go, you can also sustain this environment by mimicking the flow of nature with the way you set up your furniture. Even if you don’t overhaul everything to incorporate wood and stone elements, you can simply arrange your spaces in a way that feels more natural instead of completely structured and manmade.

This style can be seen in a lot of open working spaces, and you can still achieve it even if you need to create departmental partitions and closed areas for meetings. Incorporating patterns with intertwined movement and using placements that feel more organic can effectively simulate nature’s growth in workers’ subconscious, without sacrificing any cohesion in the workplace.

Try these design suggestions in your own office. You can watch the space bloom into a solid investment in productivity and employee satisfaction.

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