VALENZUELA CITY, Metro Manila – Adapting to a fast-paced lifestyle has already become the norm for today’s working class. As demands for better results grow, it is but necessary for the economy to function like a well-oiled machine. However, modern society forgets that health and wellness are still salient points for greater efficiency, and this is what the National Conference on Current Health Issues 2018 endeavored to emphasize.
On August 4, 2018, Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) staged the National Conference, “Live Healthy, Work Happy”, with the theme “Towards Health and Wellness in the Workplace: A Multidisciplinary Approach” at the Allied Medical Sciences Auditorium of the Valenzuela Campus.
Formally welcoming the attendees, Fatima University Medical Center President, Dr. Vicente Santos, Jr., said that people, as workers, tend to assume a “superman or superwoman” role by exceeding limits, yet the body can only do so much. “The reality is that we are just human beings; we feel the aches and pains of daily grind,” he pointed out.
According to conference chair, Dr. Mary Anne Santos, the forum “seeks to restore what might get lost in the process of working”. Such goal was manifested in the National Conference’s talks and discussions on balancing wellness and workplace duties, courtesy of notable experts: Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods by Dr. Trinidad P. Trinidad of the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas; Proper Hydration in Health and Wellness by Dr. Jovencio G. Apostol of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Santo Tomas; Exercise and Ergonomics: Creating Harmony between Body and Workplace by Bryan Yadao, PTRP of St. Luke’s Medical Center; Gene Profiling and Nutrigenomics for Healthy Lifestyle by Dr. Rylan Flores of Delos Santos Medical Center; and Acupuncture and Acupressure by Dr. Angel Erich Sison of the College of Medicine of Our Lady of Fatima University. A video segment on computing macronutrients by The Six Pack Chef CEO Karl Jude Boo was also included in the lineup.
Health and wellness advocate Cory Quirino enlightened the crowd as the conference’s keynote speaker. In her talk, she shared a doctor’s discovery: “the word ‘wellness’ embodies the definition of the harmony of body, mind, and spirit.” She later added that while food is important in living a life of wellness, it is not the sole element. “It’s not just about what you eat; it’s also about what you feed your mind and heart,” she said.
The National Conference on Current Health Issues 2018 was organized by OLFU’s College of Physical Therapy, College of Pharmacy, College of Nursing and College of Medicine. An event endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education, it welcomed professional educators and students from the medical and allied medical sectors as its audience.
