O O
n et tina 2smexa had her s al mammogram which she religio s l s mits herselI to e er ear he Io nd o t she had earl stage reast cancer ,t wasn t a l mp the said it was microcalcifica tion like cl sters oI sand ettina relates , had a sec ond and third opinion and mastectom oI the right reast was the onl reco rse or it wo ld ha e progressed to something serio s eca se it wasn t locali ed it was er widespread t , was ass red the ca ght it at the est time it was reall st starting or , wo ldn t e here now
hen she Io nd o t she had cancer the first thing she did was to stop smok ing er h s and enator erge 2smexa stopped smoking in the edroom too he tried to eat health tr is the operati e word here too
nd we tried to e strong sa s et tina t least we were gi en all the Iacts a o t m cancer so we knew e actl what , was dealing with
ettina had three s rgeries incl ding a reast reconstr ction
ettina recalls , co ldn t look at m reasts ma e , didn t see them Ior
,
three to four years. I avoided the mirror all the time, I was so scared. Then one day, I Must said, O., get it done and over with. ook at the mirror ’ I did and it wasn’t so bad O Because I had a cousin who kept telling me, our breast is going to look like a monster.’ Oh, *od, that really stuck in my head ”
:hile battling the Big C, Bettina found a “breast friend” in Bing Bing 4uiros, who’s now also her business partner.
“:hen she had cancer, I had another close friend who was fighting cervical cancer,” says Bing Bing. “I was Must in my room feeling depressed. I was the one feeling depressed and I wanted to say, Snap out of it. :hat’s wrong with you ’”
Bettina found more breast friends when she Moined ICanServe Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote early breast cancer detection. It was founded by .ara 0agsanoc- likpala, herself a cancer victim who was only years old when she had breast cancer. Bettina once served as chairman of ICanServe. t ICanServe, there are enough stories of pain and suffering, of faith and courage, of hope and triumph to go around.
“I come across so many breast cancer survivors on a daily basis,” says Bettina. “I’ve had friends diagnosed with Stage cancer. Fortunately, the mortality rate has gone down because science has improved so much in the management of breast cancer.”
In , ICanServe Foundation only had active members; now, there are more than all over the 3hilippines. “:e give them information on breast cancer, how to get funding for their surgery, etc.,” Bettina shares.
Bettina goes on to relate, “Recently, a T9 personality (whom Bettina will only identify as a young mom) gave me a cold call and she said she was Must diagnosed with breast cancer which was identical to my case. She didn’t know me personally, but of course, I know who she is. She had a little lump removed and she had radiation. She got through the whole ordeal because from the onset, I told her, ou’re not going to die, that’s sure so we have to celebrate.’”
Indeed, the two women went out for a drink to celebrate life. Bound by a common ordeal and a sterling determination to triumph over the odds, they’re now friends on Facebook.
“I’m alive ” Bettina gushes. For her, what counts is not so much adding years to one’s life as adding life to one’s years. :ith best friend Bing Bing 4uiros, she has put up the Organic Basket that carries certified organic products made with the purest ingredients.
The first time we met Bettina Osmeña was over lunch of fresh greens and other healthy stuff (some of us went to 0cDonald’s after that) at her lovely home, where she launched two products loeCure 3ure loe -uice and Organic loe Chunks.
“Two years ago, I had a friend who was having chemo and I gave her aloe vera to be able to cope with it,” says Bettina. “1ow, I have another friend undergoing chemo after being diagnosed with cancer of the blood (leukemia) and I gave him bottles of aloe vera as a gift.”
One of Bettina’s customers told her he could only sleep sitting down because he had acid reflux (which may cause heartburn and indigestion). fter taking aloe vera, he can now sleep lying down and soundly, 8 too. sed in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century D, aloe vera contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids ( out of amino acids, which not only build cells and repair tissues but also form anti-bodies to fight bacteria and viruses). It’s got vitamins , C, and E known for their antioxidant properties, your best bets against cancer-causing free radicals; beta carotene for better vision and clearer skin; B-Complex, the energy vitamin which converts carbohydrates to glucose for a healthy nervous and neurological system which leads to better memory. 0ore, aloe vera’s got selenium to mimic the action of insulin, leading to better management of diabetes; chromium for efficient metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and for lowering blood sugar; zinc for healing wounds; calcium for bone health; and malic calcium to reduce the production of stomach acids, making it very effective against ulcers, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal disorders. It is also rich in saponins, the best colon cleanser which washes away the toxins from the stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, and bladder.
In . the 8S FD approved the use of aloe vera for the treatment of I9. ighly concentrated aloe Muice stimulates the production of white blood cells to effectively fight viruses.
Researchers have found that this wonder plant has the ability to activate the immune system to attack cancer cells. It switches on the immune system by activating macrophages (white blood cells which swallow antigens), causing the release of immune-activating and anti-cancer substances such as interferons and interleukines. :hat’s more, aloe vera promotes the growth of normal (noncancerous) cells.
nd yes, aloe vera promotes weight loss. “I lost pounds after taking aloe vera every day,” says a beaming Bing Bing. “I didn’t realize I was getting so fat after my menopause. It also gave me the energy to exercise (and do Zumba, play sTuash, and do the punishing 3lana Forma workout).”
This time around, Bettina and partner Bing Bing are bringing in the loe Derma hair care line consisting of shampoo, conditioner, and hair tonic. 0anufactured by * * ( merican *lobal ealth *roup), the products are made from organically grown aloe vera with eco certification. 8nlike commercial products that probably only have a trace of aloe vera, loe Derma’s hair care line has the highest concentration of aloe vera and is so affordably priced, too (a ml shampoo at 3 , ml for 3 ). They’re now available at all :atsons stores, ealth Express branches, Rustan’s Flower Shop, andmark 0akati and Tri1oma.
“The beauty of our hair tonic, for instance, is that it’s . pure aloe vera so you don’t have to buy the plant (sabila), open it up; it’s so messy and smelly,” asserts Bettina. Bettina had really thin hair, but after using aloe vera, even the strand of her hair became thicker. nd aloe vera has kept her hair black she doesn’t have to dye. “Commercial hair products are full of chemicals that damage hair,” says Bing Bing. “:e have enough pollutants around us so why add more to our bodies ”
Bettina and Bing Bing are also happy they have their aloe gel product, which has helped a lot of women undergoing radiotherapy for cancer. “Radiation burns and this gel can help ease the burn,” says Bettina. “It makes a big difference after radiation. So, now, we make ourselves available in the gift shops of premier hospitals like 0akati0ed and St. uke’s.”
Bettina also highly recommends that every kitchen should keep an aloe vera gel handy as first aid. “Did you know how the * * chairman Douglas -ewett discover aloe vera ” Bettina asks. “ e had a friend whose mother got badly burned in the kitchen from an oil spill. is friend had an aloe vera plant in the garden and they Must put and put it on the burnt body of the mother. It was like a miracle, as it nothing happened to his friend’s mom :hen Doug heard about it, he got really intrigued and he did a lot of research on aloe vera. e found out it was good for the digestive system as well.”
Bettina confesses she’s bringing in all this healthy stuff as an offshoot of her bad eating habits. “I guess the key to good health is balance. I don’t eat badly every day. But last night, I ate O F at a friend’s birthday party. I had to stop a friend from getting a third helping of the O F If I eat badly, I counter balance it with all the supplements I take (she takes more than assorted supplements) and I’m doing rebounding minutes on the rebounder is like a one-hour workout.”
Bettina and Bing Bing agree that more than money, they get psychic income from running their Organic Basket business. “:e help improve the lives of people like those suffering from indigestion who can now eat and sleep better, or those suffering from hair loss who now have better self-confidence,” Bettina happily declares.
Surely, the two friends agree that health really is wealth. “I have come across rich people who have all the money in this world, but they’re not truly living well because they’re in poor health,” says Bettina.
aving battled the Big C, Bettina believes one must make the big decision to live a clean, healthy life.
) L L L 2 LF F OO 2( 2( ELO E ( LO L O F LOL L F L L O F LOL L F O LOL L F