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On Taking Care of Our Self: 3 Easy Ways to Care for Your Skin

May 31, 2017 by Tina

This post is brought to you by VPharma.

I mentioned in an older post that “Our Self” — particularly, our health — is one of our “treasures” here on earth. God gave this world just one YOU, and there is no reason why you should not take care of your self. After all, God loves you and created you for a special purpose, and if we are not OK, how can we do the mission He has entrusted to .us?

So, yes, it’s OK to take care of your self. In this post, let’s talk specifically about how to care for your skin.

Now, just a disclaimer here, I am NOT a skincare expert, and I am not very consistent in caring for my own skin. But I do hope to do better in this aspect, and I’ve gathered a few “simple” tips that I hope you and I will benefit from.

1. Drink more water.

Many skincare advocates say that keeping yourself hydrated is actually one easy, doable way to take better care of your skin. In an article on WebMD.com, dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Ellner was quoted to have said, “Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration.”

As someone who admittedly does not drink enough water every day, this is one tip I must put into practice!

2. Use a moisturizing soap.

We have been using natural, moisturizing soap for our family for quite some time now — soap like Naturali Premium Cold-Pressed 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Soap. As you may (or may not! Ha, ha!) know by now, I am personally a fan of virgin coconut oil or VCO because of its awesome benefits.

Naturali VCO soap has antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties and cleanses our skin thoroughly and naturally. It’s unscented and uncolored to avoid skin irritation, and is gentle enough for babies and kids to use. It also moisturizes your skin — the natural way, of course!

3. Protect yourself from the sun.

The sun can do great harm to our skin if we are not careful, though it is also good to get exposed to sunlight at the proper time. This article from the Mayo Clinic puts it best, with the following tips:

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen.
Avoid being under direct sunlight between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Wear protective clothing.

Of course, these are not the only things we can do to care for our skin. If you’re looking for more skin care tips, especially those that dermatologists themselves apply to their own skin care, try checking this article on Prevention.com for starters. 🙂

I pray that these tips will help you somehow — please feel free to share your own self-care / skincare tips below! 🙂

One Simple Way to Boost Your Health (and Your Own Milk Supply!)

May 20, 2017 by Tina

This post is brought to you by VPharma.

Over here at Truly Rich and Blessed, we try to emphasize that one of our “riches” is actually something that is often overlooked (or, in my case, neglected at times!). And that is “Our Self.” I am quite guilty of this actually, so I have been *trying* to take better care of myself, including my health!

This journey actually started a few years ago, when I started consulting some friends of mine who consider themselves as “crunchy moms.” I even declared my One Word to be “Health” that year. I must confess, though, that I (along with the rest of my family) still have a long way to go to be considered 100% healthy and health-conscious as we do sometimes indulge too much in not-so-healthy things.

Having said that, we do try our best to keep healthy. I also discovered one simple but effective way to boost your health (at least it works for me and my family, plus some of my friends, too!). I actually got this tip from Chefs Jon and Raquel Chua, during one of their cooking workshops held at The Parenting Emporium. They mentioned it and I have been doing it ever since.

Can you guess what that one simple way to boost your health is?

Here you go:

Put malunggay powder in your food.

The Chuas actually recommended Mega Malunggay at the time, to be exact. It comes in capsule form but you can easily open the capsules and use the powder. Malunggay or Moringa Oleifera contains more vitamin C than oranges, 3 times the amount of iron in spinach, and 4 times the calcium amount in milk. It also contains essential proteins, helps heal inflamed joints and tendons, and helps normalize blood pressure and sugar level. Furthermore, Mega Malunggay also contains 100 mg of sodium ascorbate, a non-acidic form of vitamin C.

So I started putting malunggay powder in our food, especially the viands that have sauce and soup. I also sprinkle the powder in the kids’ rice (we eat red or brown rice) and they are already used to it. I also put malunggay powder in omelettes, pasta sauce, chocolate drinks, and even mix it with instant noodles during the rare times the kids are allowed to eat them (read: “emergencies” when Mama has no time to prepare something healthier and more nutritious! Yes, we still let the kids eat food like that sometimes. I know, I know! Huhuhu! We really should lessen those occasions or even eliminate them.)

Actually, if we baked our own bread and other goodies that would require an oven (which we don’t have), I’d probably add malunggay powder to the ingredients as well. That’s how convinced I am about its health-boosting properties!

Of course, it’s already a well-known fact that malunggay also helps boost one’s milk supply if you’re a breastfeeding mom. So adding malunggay powder to your food will also help you provide the best nutrition for your child. (You can also consume the malunggay capsules directly, of course.)

Personally, I am so grateful to God for providing us what we need to be healthy in nature — in this case, in the humble malunggay tree. Having malunggay capsules ready to consume or to be split open (to get the malunggay powder) is an added bonus though, and makes it more convenient for busy people (especially moms!) like me to get a dose of healthy, natural, organic goodness.

Now, I’d like to hear from you: Do you have any tips for boosting one’s health? Or even one’s milk supply? Please feel free to leave a comment below.

When God Has A Better Plan For You

April 5, 2017 by Tina

A little over a year ago, I wrote one of the most honest, heartfelt and emotional posts that I have ever written here on Truly Rich and Blessed, entitled When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers. I cannot believe how quickly time has passed since I wrote that post. I am so amazed by the Lord’s ways and miracles, and how He has brought me and my family to where we are now.

You see, even before our youngest was born, when I was still pregnant with him, there was a time when I really, really questioned God’s ways. I actually wanted to write about it much, much earlier than now but I would always back out. I am not sure why this was so.

However, after reading this very honest article by Rebecca Frech, and how she — at one point in her life — had an “unwanted pregnancy,” and when she first found out, she “wanted nothing more in that moment than to be unpregnant,” I felt as if God was nudging me to write this.

So, here I am baring my soul again. #KeepingItReal as I like to say on and .

Here is the truth: When I first found out I was pregnant with our fourth baby, I had mixed emotions. The majority of which were negative. I cried. I was in semi-shock. So was my husband.

In fact, we took two home pregnancy tests (or was it three?!) just to be sure. And waited until our first check-up (when the OB-Gyne confirmed the pregnancy via an ultrasound) before we told other people about it.

Why the mixed, mostly nega emotions? The tears? The semi-shock, etc.?

Well, we had already made so many “grand plans” for the future. This included booking and paying for Cebu Pacific tickets for our whole family (my husband, our three kids and me) so we could spend part of our Christmas and New Year with my sister and her family in Brunei. We were supposed to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and renew our vows there, too.

But when we found out I was pregnant, and counted forward to when my estimated delivery date would be, we knew that all our plans would not push through. I was to give birth in January 2016. Our tickets were booked for the last week of December 2015.

So you can imagine how sad I was. I struggled to not feel that way though. I even felt guilty about feeling sad. Which made me feel even worse.

Which is why I thank the Good Lord for the dear “mommy mentors” I have — women in whom I confided when I first found out about my pregnancy. They “heard” me out (well, more like read me out, since we conversed via chat), prayed for and with me and our family, shared their own experiences, gave tips, sent virtual hugs (and chocolate! 😉 ). The older, more “experienced” ones even told me that it is perfectly normal to “grieve” for a time; to tell God that, “Lord, puwede ba akong magtampo muna?” and then move on, choosing to accept His will with peace and joy.

And that is what I did. I allowed myself to “mourn.” I allowed myself to feel sad about not being able to go to Brunei anymore. About our plane tickets going to waste. About our plans getting “destroyed.”

After that, I started choosing joy. Gratitude. Surrendering to God’s plans. Because I believe that is part of what being “Truly Rich and Blessed” is all about. And I quote:

Drawing inspiration from Matthew 6:25-33, we hope to help you lead a richer and fuller life in all aspects, while “keeping it real” at all times. Life is never perfect, but we can find blessings all around if we actively seek them!

Long story short — I went through my pregnancy with joyful anticipation, knowing that God held our future in His hands. I chose to believe that “God has a better plan.”

But then, as I previously mentioned, when our baby was born, I felt as if God did not answer our prayers again. He got sick and took a while to recover fully from his health issues. But recover he did, and God even used his situation — our situation — to bless other babies via #TeamTitus 🙂

A post shared by on Oct 1, 2016 at 4:47pm PDT

A post shared by on Jan 21, 2017 at 1:26am PST

Fast forward to today.

Our family is slowly getting back to our usual routine after spending two weeks in Brunei, courtesy of God’s angels on earth (i.e. my parents, who treated us to Cebu Pacific tickets at very affordable, promo prices)!

A post shared by on Mar 17, 2017 at 9:09pm PDT

Do you see what God did there?

He showed us how His plans are way better than our plans.

He “delayed” our trip to Brunei so we could go there at His appointed time, with His chosen people, i.e. not just me, my husband and our three kids, but also my parents AND our new baby — the baby He gave to us. The baby He chose to give us at His appointed time, according to His perfect plan.

Why am I sharing this here?

Over the past year, I have had friends who have had what could be considered “unplanned” pregnancies, too. A few had/have mixed reactions, too, and I want to tell them (and maybe you who are reading this now and need to know this too):

It’s OK if you are not feeling what you think you are “supposed” to be feeling.

It’s OK to feel sad. To grieve. To throw an “adult tantrum.”

Feel all your feelings.

Then move on. In faith. Because God has a better plan for you.

This message is not just for my fellow moms out there — it’s also for every person who is dealing with disappointment. For every person who is questioning God’s ways. For every person who is doubting God’s plan.

Rest in His promise in Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Declare the truth of Romans 8: 28.

Take comfort in Isaiah 55:8-12.

God is not finished with you yet. He is purifying you, preparing you for something better, bigger and brighter.

While He is doing this, please be encouraged by the knowledge that you are not alone. You are in my/our prayers. God bless you today and always!

Did this post bless you somehow? Please feel free to share it with others if it did! Or leave a comment — I would love to connect with you in that way. Thanks for reading!

Why We Don’t Need to Make New Year’s Resolutions

January 5, 2017 by Tina

We’re only days into the New Year but so much has already happened in our little corner of the world. Mostly what people would consider “bad” things — kids getting sick one after another, with the baby being the sickest of all! 🙁

Praise God for His healing and the prayers of people all over the world though — these are partly why my husband and I consider ourselves #trulyrichandblessed. It has not been easy but I recall what I wrote last night on and Instagram, after a trip to the emergency room.

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No matter what we go through, we can choose to count our blessings.

We can choose to be grateful.

We can choose to focus on the needs of others, more than our own.

We can pray for others, too, especially those in need.

And this is why I am going to say this here, for everyone to see:

We don’t need to make New Year’s resolutions.

Yup, you read that right.

Now don’t get me wrong. If you’re the type to make New Year’s resolutions — and, hopefully, stick to them — go ahead. To each his/her own, right?

But if you’re the type who is just done with New Year’s resolutions because they just.don’t.seem.to.work. I’ve got a suggestion for you.

Don’t do it. Don’t make New Year’s resolutions.

Instead, forge into the year ahead with intention.

If you want, choose that One Word that will help you do so. (I usually choose One Verse and One Saint to go along with my One Word; I shared a few tips for doing so here.)

Don’t be fooled though: Living intentionally this year will probably be challenging, just like trying to keep one’s New Year’s resolutions.

However. I think it will be more do-able for many of us.

To be intentional means to do things with purpose; to be deliberate.

And what better purpose for doing things than for the greater glory of God?

As Saint Paul says in Colossians 3:17:

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Further on, in Colossians 3: 23-24, he also says:

Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.

So if you’re going to strive to do just ONE thing this year, I encourage you: Live an inspired life, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Live with intention, all for God’s glory.

This is what I am going to try to do. Pray for me, please?

Did this post inspire or encourage you in any way? Please feel free to share it with others!

5 Ways to a Less Stressful Holiday Season

December 13, 2016 by Tina

The holidays are almost upon us and we all know what that means, right? Traffic! Shopping for presents and other holiday-related whatnot! More traffic! Christmas parties and family reunions! Even more traffic! Food galore and Christmas carols! (And did we mention the traffic?!)

Kidding aside, everyone knows that the holiday season is a time for joy and celebration – but many times, it also becomes a source of stress and tension, especially among family members.

Does it have to be so though?

The answer is no. We can actually avoid stress during the holidays and truly enjoy every bit of it! Here are five suggestions that we hope can make this possible for you, based on the acronym R.E.L.A.X.:

Remember what the holidays are all about.

Don’t forget “the Reason for the season”, i.e. Christmas. If you’re a Christian (and yes, all Catholics are Christians, too!), you’d know that Jesus is the main reason for the holiday season. It is His birthday we are celebrating, after all. Don’t let the busyness of the “holiday rush” make you lose focus.

Instead, spend some time every day leading to Christmas Day in silence – even just a few minutes will do. Think about the true meaning of Christmas, and teach your family members to do the same, too. If it helps, post different images of the Nativity or the Baby Jesus around your home to help you remember the essence of the holidays.

Exemplify giving and sharing.

Christmas is a special time to model giving and sharing to others, especially to the people in our own family. Focusing on others instead of ourselves gives us more opportunities to remember the “essentials” in life, and how we can bless others.

When we are preoccupied with sharing of ourselves and what we have, there is a tendency to be less stressed. We learn to be more grateful for what we already have, and not be focused on what we can get or receive from others.

Look around you.

Sometimes we find ourselves so overwhelmed by all the glitzy and shiny holiday decorations around us that we lose sight of what is truly important.

Take time this holiday season to really look and observe the things around you. The beautiful Christmas lights that remind us of the star that shone over the manger where Jesus was born. The gifts that remind us of the best gift we could ever receive – Jesus. The family and friends who are our greatest blessings in life.

See Christmas through the eyes of a child, and allow yourself to be wrapped in the wonder of Christmas. Be grateful for everything you have.

Avoid the holiday crowds and traffic.

On a more practical note, if you find yourself getting stressed out at the thought of Christmas shopping and being stuck in holiday traffic, find out how you can simplify your purchasing process.

Maybe you can consider online shopping or buying presents from stores in your neighborhood. Make a list of all the holiday parties and gatherings you have been invited to and maybe choose only those you really need or want to attend. (It’s OK to say “no” to people, you know!)

Inhale. EXhale.

This may be a silly suggestion to some, but you’d be surprised at how many of us actually find ourselves super stressed out and breathless during the holidays. When you start feeling so, stop and take deep breaths.

According to the American Institute of Stress, focused breathing actually helps evoke our body’s “relaxation response.” (Check out this link online for more details, plus helpful breathing techniques.)

So, there you have it: just some ways to help avoid stress during the holidays – or at least decrease it somehow. May we always remember that as long as we are able to make meaningful memories with our loved ones, the holidays will be a memorable time for all!

*This article was originally written for the monthly e-newsletter of Family Reborn, a special membership club that helps families build stronger relationships. It has been edited for the purposes of this site and is used with permission.

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