Whenever we have major typhoon catastrophes in the country such as Sendong, Ondoy, and the likes, a lot of attention is in the areas of illegal logging, weather warning process, population, drainage system, among others. Yesterday, I realized that if we want to help avoid such climate related problems and other pressing issues, it will need to start in each one of us. One important area is the food we eat.
While reading the book "Resonate" by Nancy Duarte, she asked readers to watch a PopTech video of Michael Pollan on how he used dramatization to get a point across. He showed how much fuel gets consumed to produce a quarter-pounder burger. I was impressed with the dramatization he made and just moved on.
However, while I was going through my usual eating habits, his points in the video suddenly start popping again in my head. How the food choices we make contributes to the crisis we have today.
One particular item of note is processed food that require several resources (ingredients) to put together. The making of our food: land, feeds, fertilizers, livestock, slaughterhouses, food processing, shipping to market, until it gets to us consumes fuel. There are so much "cheap processed food" choices in the market today that are not really that cheap at all - especially when you factor how they contribute to our ever increasing consumption on fuel alone.
So beginning today, I made the decision to lessen processed food intake. As much as possible, avail of products that had the shortest processing involve - which are mostly fresh products. By doing that, in its own small way, can help in resolving 3 major problems where processed food is a contributor.
Energy crisis Putting together processed food consumes a lot of resources, power, and fuel. This includes the land, fertilizer, feeds, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machinery, transportation, among others.
Health crisis Knowing how much calories, sodium, sugar, cholesterol, among others a lot of the processed food has, some learned to manage by picking "diet", "low sodium", "no sugar", and other variants. Some counter it by taking medicine, juices, food supplement that promises blocking of fat, carbs, and other benefits.
Climate change The greenhouse gases emitted from livestock waste are hardly regulated. The production of processed goods emits a lot of heat as well increasing carbon footprint further.
Some food to consider (this is an initial list based on the choices I made lately. Will update this as the days go by):
Eggs for breakfast (less on popular ones like hotdog, ham, and the likes)
Coffee (not the flavored ones, use brown sugar - not processed sweeteners)
Water (from the tap or dispenser - not bottled)
Fastfood (Go for the ones that had the least amount of processing involved - aware on what the food is made of - more than just being tasty. On drinks, coffee, tea, fresh fruit juice, water)
Coffee shops - Cafe Americano or brewed coffee. Eat less cake.
Convenience stores - mostly sell processed food and bottled products. Fruits and fresh juices are ok here.
Chocolates - eat less.
Meals - have more vegetables / seafood than meat.
On vegetables - if you can maintain a small vegetable garden, the better. (am in the process with this one)
The concept of the video must be on the dine-in experience.
File size of the video should not be more than 2 GB
Mandatory Components: The Panciteria Lido logo watermark to appear at the lower right hand side of the video. Logo is available at http://on.fb.me/lidologo
At the end of the video, state that: This video is a contest entry to I Like Panciteria Lido Video Contest sponsored by Panciteria Lido Chinese Cuisine (http://www.panciterialido.com).
Submission of entries will be from July 8 to August 26, 2011. All entries will be sent via CD or DVD (in a format that allows it to be uploaded via YouTube and Facebook) along with the printed and signed entry form (available at Panciteria Lido Stores and at http://bit.ly/lidoentry) mailed or delivered to Capital Towers, E. Rodriquez Sr. Ave. Quezon City c/o Robby Aquino.
Videos will be posted on Panciteria Lido YouTube Channel (http://youtube.com/user/panciterialido) from August 27 to September 8, 2011 for viewing and judging.
The Top 10 Video entries will be announced on September 9, 2011.
The Grand Winner and 2 Runner-ups will be announced after the tabulation of scores of judges on September 16, 2011, 3pm at Panciteria Lido Visayas Ave. Branch - 16 Visayas Ave. Diliman, Quezon City, with the presence of a DTI Representative.
Results of the competition will be announced on September 16, 2011 via registered mail, facebook, website and e-mail.
The decisions of the judges are final and cannot be contested with the concurrence of the Department of Trade and Industry.
All Panciteria Lido employees of participating outlets including their relatives up to the third consanguinity or affinity are disqualified from joining the competition.
All prizes are Tax Free.
ALL PARTICIPANTS SHALL ATTEST TO THE FOLLOWING:
Images, music and video footages used in the entry should be with the permission of its owners (composers, artists, producers, etc.) unless it is royalty-free.
The contest entry has never been used for any other competition.
The contest entry was not posted online, for public viewing, prior and during the contest proper.
You are giving Panciteria Lido Chinese Cuisine the permission to upload your entry in its website, Facebook, and YouTube page.
Joining the contest implies that you are giving Panciteria Lido Chinese Cuisine the right to use your video for promotional purposes.
CRITERIA FOR JUDGING
40% Originality of Story – Script/Copy
40% Relevance – Relevance of video to contest theme: “I Like Panciteria Lido”
20% Editing & Post Production – Quality of video on how it is presented
Total 100%
PRIZES
Best Entry (1) - P30,000
Two (2) Runner-ups - P15,000 each
1st Ten (10) to submit entry - P500 worth of Gift Certificate each
So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right? Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... you are getting the real thing.
I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... it has concentrated flavoring.
I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added. So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED! That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens! Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I... really love it.
So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna share it to friends in our next event.
Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)
(I am supposed to make a follow-up post for this but decided instead to update this one after going through the various cough medicine ads.)
My recent visit to EchoFarm re-lived my childhood fascination of owning a farm. Recall spending weekend mornings with Dad, during childhood days, watching the television program Ating Alamin.
At that time, was already thinking of studying at Gregorio Araneta University Foundation to take up agriculture or veterinary medicine and use our Sta. Maria, Bulacan lot to build a farm.
But then was introduced to the world of computers and my fascination to farm animals and crops disappeared.
What made that trip further interesting was Chit Juan's sharing on how her vegetable farm indirectly functions as a herbal medicine farm. People who took care of the place use the same plants to cure any ailments they have.
I rarely get sick. But last September, caught a virus while claiming a gadget - end up with sore throat and cough. Was doing a workshop for 2 days with barely any voice. Good thing, it created pressure to speak slowly, clearly (despite lacking natural voice), and focused more on doing hands-on which allowed participants to learn more.
In these times, took a lot of ginger tea, calamansi juice, Vitamin C (twice-a-day), and Strepsils.
Instead of Vicks vapor rub, got myself a spa in a can from EchoStore to also relax as needed. Bought 3 of this for P195 each at EchoStore Serendra when I visited the area with 2 Cebu blogger friends. Also shared mine to friends suffering from cough and cold who liked it a lot.
But still, definitely took cough medicine to recover fast.
Cough medicine of choice
For cough medicine, I prefer syrup-based medication like Benadryl, Solmux, Bisolvon, and Robitussin.
But when you have a lot of commitments that requires moving around and meet people, capsule form becomes an alternative, being easy to carry, and I am happy with Solmux. In less than a week, cough is gone and end up giving leftover capsules to folks met who need it. (Yes, I still have one in my bag.)
Synthetic versus herbal
The funny thing about cough, whether you have it or another person, it opens the door to conversation about preferred medications.
I had an interesting chat with DigitalFilipino Club memberJam Mayer about this. Jam is the kind of person who takes herbal medicine by choice rather than those that come in synthetic or chemical form.
I tried validating this with Chit Juan who answered me that taking herbal medicine is a choice as everything we ingest goes through our liver. It is therefore a decision for us whether we want plant based medicine pass through our liver or synthetic ones made from chemicals.
Politics of cough medicine
What I find rather odd though in these conversations about cough medicine, not limited to Jam and Chit, is whether my choice of synthetic-based was influenced by advertising.
As I hardly watch TV, my exposure to cough medicine ads is limited to radio depending on the station a cab is tuned to. Although that is only for a short while as I would naturally switch to house music in my gadget to zone out.
Although in my case, my choice of cough medicine is based on past experience and recommendation. Whichever is tried and tested, works fast, works best is fine with me.
However, it seems some of the brands took an aim attacking herbal-based cough medicine. Benj Espina discussed this awhile back and only realized now how political this has become.
Looking at the various TV ads of cough medicines online, it seems my brand of choice, Solmux, step up its campaign attacking natural or herbal cough medicines.
Watching the Solmux ads above gave me the following message:
1. Solmux is safe with FDA approval.
2. On the lower right side of the first ad, there is a text stating it has no reported side effect.
3. On the first ad, I assume it meant that when a product claims that they are natural, that can't be immediately equated as safe.
4. Solmux is most effective and faster in dealing with cough - based on capsule and syrup dosing. As the product dissolves faster than herbal cough medicine, therefore much more effective.
5. I heard the radio ad before but usually just ignore it. Listening to it intently gives me the message that taking Solmux is better and cheaper as herbal cough medicine takes a longer time to process therefore requiring you to take it more and therefore spend more.
Through Twitter and Facebook, I asked friends on their preferred cough medicine. Among those that fit the natural or herbal cough medicine category, lagundi and Ascof got mentioned. I'm still validating if it is true that Solmux and Ascof are the #1 and #2 cough medicines in the country today.
Watching the Ascof and Plemex ads above gave me the following message:
1. The first commercial I assume falls under the testimonial category where users attest to the effectiveness of the product versus chemical-based cough medicine. One even stated preference to "natural" products as much as possible.
2. The Plemex ad is the one I recall the most through radio (the kid's voice). The ad shows that instead of boiling lagundi, get Plemex as it has the same effectiveness of the plant and taste better.
3. The 3rd ad that of Ascof shows a more aggressive stance citing possible side-effects of taking chemical-based medicine.
My take as a consumer
1. Healthy competition among brands is encouraged. However, they need to be truthful. I don't agree with the Solmux ad citing it has no side effects. The same goes for Ascof. Both of them have side effects one way or another.
2. I have not tried Lagundi. However, I feel insulted if my choice of cough medication, Solmux, will imply that I am influenced or against natural or herbal cough medicine. In several instances where I offered my remaining Solmux capsules to friends who have cough, it is quite odd to get a "no" and asked on what I think of its ads against herbal cough medicine.
Also, one of its ad confuses me. The ad where Solmux and herbal cough medicine was dipped into water, Solmux dissolve right away. I tried that and it doesn't.
Being a non-doctor, I am not sure either how does being able to dissolve right away would equate to effectiveness or cost-saving.
If the herbal cough medicine it compares itself to cost more and slower in "dissolving", then I guess there is basis for that marketing pitch. But the mere fact that Solmux cost more woud also set expectation that it works faster and that is why I'm paying more for it.
As a leading brand, Solmux must act like one and not engage in distasteful advertising. Furthermore, it insults the loyal brand user by creating a perceived identity of being against herbal cough medicine. Definitely, that is the last thing in my mind.
