Ever since getting my Belle de Jour Power Planner last year and joining various planner girl groups on Facebook, I’ve been extremely obsessed with planner stickers! I just feel like making creative planning a long-term hobby since it helps calm myself and regulate my mood swings. It really benefits my mental health.

At first, I’ve been lured by the different overseas shops on Shopee–who would be able to resist cute washi sticker flakes for only Php40 per set?

Eventually I was taken by the cute locally owned and made planner stickers being mentioned in the groups. And while most of them cost a fortune, they are functional and pretty to look at. If somebody asks me which ones I highly recommend, though, I would immediately drop the names of only three. And it’s mostly because these shops have the trifecta: they are easy to deal with, the owners seem nice, AND the stickers are right up my alley.

#3 Saidie and Me – There is a nice story behind this local, mom-owned shop. Basically, the owner wanted to help with the medical costs of treating her daughter so she went ahead and used her artistic skills to design lovely daughter-inspired stickers. A very touching story that makes me love her specially made foiled functional stickers all the more! I got a nice, personalized note, too, in my order, so it made the brand very endearing.

#2 Poring Prints by Usagi HQ (Curly and Twirly) – Anime fans will love these cute chibi-fied stickers from Poring Prints. They are functional, the stickers are relatively affordable and the shop owners–a couple–are easy to chat with.

#1 Whimsical Cat Studio This is a local brand of quality stickers a lot of customers all over the world just love. The price point is for international customers as well, but the drawings are just too cute to resist!

There you go, my top three shops for planner stickers–cute, functional and exactly what I need to liven up my planner. They are highly recommended planner brands (and I swear I’m not even paid to promote them! They might not even be aware that a fan like me exists T T) Of course, buying from all these shops will take a toll on my wallet. I have recently chosen to stop obsessing and make my own drawings and stickers instead. But since these brands are just super fab, I could not resist talking about them online.

In the US and most parts of the world, spring is here and you are looking for an excuse to get out of the house to do something fun. What activity is there that allows you to enjoy the warm sun, spend quality time with your friends and get a little exercise? It’s time to book those lessons and learn to golf. Golfing is a sport that can help you relax and make your summer a little brighter. Here are a few reasons to get started.

How Does Someone Start Golfing?

If you have never golfed before, you should start by purchasing a set of clubs and golf balls. Gold clubs are built specifically to a player’s height and choice of dominant hand. You will only need a handful of clubs to learn how to golf. A golf professional can help a golfer determine which are the best to start with and can set you up with a bag, balls, tees and gloves to go with them. Once you have your equipment, the next step is to schedule lessons at a local course. It is important to work with a paid instructor who can teach you proper technique instead of learning from friends or a spouse. Before you head out for nine or eighteen holes, you can head to the driving range to test out your ability until you are confident that you can play a full game. Once you have a hang of the sport, you can give set up a Pensacola tee times. Then you can hit the course with your family and friends and have fun.

Why Should You Learn to Golf?

Aside from the fact it is fun, there are many other reasons to learn to golf. Being outside for a large length of time gives you Vitamin D from the sun. The green grass and vegetation can reduce stress. Unlike other sports, golf gives you time to socialize with others as you play. Walking eighteen holes of a very large course instead of using a golf cart burns calories and attributes to weight loss and carrying a bag or pulling it along with you builds muscles. Concentrating on aiming the ball in the right spot and trying to get the lowest score improves brain function while trying to track the little ball improves a golfer’s vision. Taking such a long walk and getting exercise in the warm sun also can give you a better night’s sleep.

An estimated 8.9 million people have died from various forms of cancer in 2016. From this number, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer claimed the largest number of lives at more than 1.7 million. An estimated 42 million people across the world suffered from different forms of cancer in 2016, according to the World Health Organization.

In the Philippines, cancer is the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality after heart and vascular diseases, according to the Department of Health.  About 189 in every 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with cancer while four Filipinos die of cancer every hour or 96 cancer patients every day.

The DOH found that the most common cancers among Filipino men and women in 2010 were lung, liver, colon/rectum, prostate, stomach, leukemia, breast, cervix, and ovarian cancer. Each type of cancer has symptoms. For example, a cough that does not go away or coughing up blood may be a sign of lung cancer.

In the Philippines, the Hope From Within movement advocates early detection of cancerous cells before symptoms appear or when it is not yet too large and has not yet spread to give treatment a higher chance of success. It focuses on fighting lung cancer which is the top cause of cancer-related deaths among men, and the third for women.

For the other most common cancers such as colon cancer, the signs and symptoms include long-term constipation, diarrhea, and change in the size of the stool or blood in the stool.

Pain when urinating, blood in the urine, or needing to urinate more or less often than the usual can be related to prostate cancer. Abnormal vaginal bleeding could be due to cervical or endometrial (from the lining of the uterus) cancer. Alarmingly, bloody nipple discharge could be a sign of breast cancer.

Indigestion or swallowing problems that don’t go away and unexplained weight loss may be signs of cancer of the stomach.  Ovarian cancer symptoms are bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, feeling the need to urinate urgently or often, fatigue, upset stomach or heartburn, back pain, pain during sex and constipation or menstrual changes.

Symptoms of leukemia are weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath when doing basic everyday activities, fever, bone pain, unexplained weight loss, pain or a feeling of fullness below the ribs on the left side due to an enlarged spleen, and night sweats. For liver cancer, the symptoms are pain, especially at the top right of the abdominal area, near the right shoulder blade or in the back, unexplained weight loss, a hard lump under the ribs on the right side of the body, which could be the tumor or a sign that the liver has gotten bigger, and weakness or fatigue.

Early detection of cancer is done through screening or tests which include physical examination, laboratory tests on blood, urine or tissue samples, imaging such as x-ray exam, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scans and gene tests.

Another method is biomarker testing. Biomarkers are molecules that appear in the body when a certain condition is present. A well-known example is the human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) hormone, which usually signals pregnancy and is often detected using home pregnancy test kits. Another is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is used to diagnose prostate cancer. Biomarker screening is specifically important in the treatment of lung cancer because if a patient is found to have a certain biomarker called PDL-1, that patient becomes ideal for pembrolizumab immunotherapy, which has been proven in clinical trials to drastically reduce side effects, increase the number of patients who respond to treatment, and improve overall survival. Immunotherapy functions by eliminating the use of toxic chemicals to fight cancer cells. Instead, it helps the body’s own immune system recognize and combat cancer cells. Talk to a medical oncologist to know more about cancer testing, biomarker screening, and treatment options available.

Many people who are struggling with addictions may ask themselves “What do I do next?” They are caught in a cycle of despair that they feel hopeless. This is why it is such a big step when they decide to commit themselves to an inpatient drug rehabilitation program. It is really necessary for someone who is experiencing addiction to enroll themselves in a program? The answer is yes! Benefits of drug rehab may include many of the following:

The most immediate effect that you can feel from entering a drug rehab program is the physical effects. You will feel much better when receiving professional help than you would be trying to quit the drugs on your own. When an addict stops using whatever drug they are abusing, they will almost certainly go through some form of withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms will vary widely but can go from mild with some drugs such as marijuana all the way up to potentially fatal with other drugs such as opiates. This is why it is the best idea to have professional staff on hand to ensure that medical attention is available if required.

Another benefit to using an inpatient rehab center such as pinnacle recovery center is that the addict is removing themselves from the external stressors and triggers that are causing them to use in the first place. When it comes to addiction, there are many things that can set off a relapse. This being said, it is very important for the addict to educate themselves on how to remove themselves from these situations in a safe and helpful environment. One unsung benefit stemming from this is that the chance of a fatal overdose is greatly decreased while the chances of success are greatly increased.

There are usually many different psychotherapy programs that a rehab center can offer. These are great programs for transitioning the patient into their new life of abstinence and sobriety. No two people are ever the same and in that spirit, no two therapy programs will ever be the same for an individual. Some patients may respond well to one program while another does not. This is why there is a wide selection for medical experts to choose from in regards to treating the addicts under their care.

Depending on what philosophy the program adheres to, the rehab center may push a spiritual benefit to quit using drugs. If there is no spiritual bent to the program then there will still be positive mental benefits which are stressed. There should never be any minimalization of the emotional benefits the patient can hope to attain by enrolling themselves in an inpatient drug rehab treatment facility.

By enrolling in a treatment center, the addict is able to remove themselves from the “real world” temporarily until they can re-educate themselves on how to better deal with life’s obstacles. They are taught how to deal with stress in a way that does not involve abusing alcohol or drugs. But to do this, they need to separate themselves from the world and the everyday stressors that many people simply do not think about. Things such as paying bills, communicating with bosses or co-workers, or even dealing with personal relationships (or lack thereof) can set off the addict on a downward spiral of drug use and despair.

The longer an addict stays in their inpatient facility, the better their chances of success in staying off substances once they finally rejoin the rest of the world. While it may seem odd at first to be away from friends and family for a lengthy period of time, the addict will be a better person for it. Many studies have shown a direct link between the length of time the patient stays in the facility and their chances of relapse. While it may be inconvenient at first, in the long run, it will definitely be worth it.

As you can see, there are many great reasons why an alcohol or drug addict needs to enjoy the many benefits that an inpatient drug rehab facility has to offer. Not only will they enjoy better health, but they will be a better person in the long run.

A few weeks ago, Happy Days Club sent me a package via Xend. The package was heavy–clearly filled with a lot of goodies–so I was thrilled to rip open the package and see what was in store for me. For those who haven’t tried the Happy Days Club subscription service, here’s something to look forward to:

Clockwise from top: Lipton green tea bag, Softex Hello Kitty panty liners, Softex Hello Kitty napkins in different variants, Ladouce tampon samples, David’s Salon GC worth php200 (birthday gift <3) and pH Care wipes. The liners, napkins and tampons can last me about 3 days, which is enough, since lately I’ve only been bleeding for 2 days a month.

A 30 ml bottle of Scent Swatch’s Pink Sherbet – the right fruity-floral fragrance that’s fun, feminine and young.

Honey and Sea Salt Nutso and ChocoNutso– really awesome sugar coated peanuts!!

Aurora’s Choice Salted Caramel Spread – a jar won’t last long–it’s super addicting!

Skin Correct PH’s M Gentle Cleanse and M Emollient Cream – together they’re a php650 value!

One of the things I like about every box is the inspirational quote that comes with it. <3 Thank you, Happy Days Club for being this thoughtful to your members!

The Verdict

Overall I’m very happy–more like ecstatic–that I received these goodies just for getting a year older! Having a goodie box shipped to my house is super convenient and very much needed by working moms like me. I mean, who doesn’t want to cut down the number of hours spent/wasted going through traffic, parking and waiting in line at the grocery store???