Same mediocrity again
Grounding
When we were kids, nature was our playground. We play outdoors under the heat of the sun. Armed with slingshots, we would go on bird hunting trips at the public cemetery. We would cap our adventure with a splash at the Quitangil River, still unpolluted during those times. On lucky days, we would go home with our catch for the day- birds, fish and snails.
I would not forget the games we played on unpaved and dusty roads: tambubung, tumbang presu, syotong, maro, piku and salikutan. We would go home tired, happy and dirty, with soil in our hands and feet. I can say that these Pinoy games have made us healthy and strong in our growing up years. We seldom get sick. It seems that apart from the exercise we get, the ground,
dirty as it is, has some therapeutic effect.
A recent research confirmed that touching the ground indeed has a health benefit. Experts call it grounding or earthing. It is technically defined as direct skin contact with the surface of the Earth, such as with bare feet or hands. has been studying the physiological A group of effects researchers of grounding from a variety of perspectives. Their main hypothesis is that connecting the body to the Earth enables free electrons from the Earth’s surface to spread over and into the body, where they can have antioxidant effects.
The study authored by James L Oschman, Gaétan Chevalier, and Richard Brown concludes that grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the day–night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity. A summary has been published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health.
Sadly, kids today no longer play outdoors. Oftentimes, they are locked up in their bedroom playing with gadgets. They hardly go out, and don’t have much contact with nature. Their overprotective parents would not allow them to play with dirt too.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, there are several benefits in playing outdoors. Foremost is sun exposure. We need sun exposure to make vitamin D, a vitamin that plays a crucial role in many body processes, from bone development to our immune system. The benefits of Vitamin D were highlighted in this COVID 19 pandemic.
Kids need to appreciate nature. They need to experience walking among trees and grasslands, taking a bath in the river, seeing birds and animals in their natural habitat and most importantly walking barefooted on the ground. They need playtime outside their homes. The future of our planet depends on our children so they need to learn to appreciate it.
Let’s connect with nature. Let’s keep our bare the ground. feet on
SHOULD SEN. Manny Pacquiao win the presidency (God forbid!) in 2022, we should expect another lackluster performance after Duterte who has nothing to show except the boastful Build, Build, Build program.
Lacking good and solid academic credentials and background, Pacquiao would rely only on his advisers for technical knowhow. And what about one-on-one meetings with world leaders like the US, UK, France and others? Would Pacquiao just shadow box?
The Philippines is so unfortunate to have a succession of ugly and brainless presidents. It is the voters who should be blamed for the fiasco. After all, and most often, they do not use the stringent standards in choosing the leader who would steer the country out of the quagmire of poverty if not perdition.
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And now, the race for the presidency is on. With the exception of the son and namesake of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Bongbong has yet to officially firm up his stake to the presidency.
Representing the Kilusan ng Bagong
Lipunan (KBL) party, he counts on the support of his father's bailiwick and the socalled Solid North, defiantly revising history in order to hide the atrocities and cruelty of his father's martial law regime.
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And the opposition? Many expect incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo to lead a strong opposition to the administration candidate but, at this time, she hems and haws on her plans to run for the presidency and puts up lame excuses and claims to obfuscate her real intent i ons.
At most, she may slide down to governor in her home province, Camarines Sur where her chances of winning may be better.
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And there is now Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso who promises to heal and unite the nation, using his determination to build a better Philippines.
His style of management seen in Manila has been much appreciated by the masa, who he pledged to elevate from poverty and mediocrity. A former lowlifer, he struggled so hard to rise us to the level of cognizance. A way to go for this former basurero and mangangalakal!