Supporting Passion, Health, and Hard Work

I’m so grateful to be surrounded by passionate and kind people. Seeing their consistency and dedication to their craft is truly heartwarming.

Yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation with Tito Ernesto, a man who has long advocated for Health and Wellness in our town. He’s actually one of the first people here who openly talked about holistic health and nutrition. I’ve been a loyal customer of their restaurant since it started — haha, I can’t even count how many times I’ve eaten there.

Yesterday, I brought my mom to his restaurant/house/wellness center for a hilut — a traditional full-body massage — because she’s been going through some tough menopausal symptoms. The session included a bit of chiropractic adjustment too. While my mom was being treated, Tito Ernesto and I talked about his work, his experiences, and the many people he’s helped.

Our conversation turned into a spontaneous plan — I told him I wanted to try subscribing to his food program for 30 days. Each meal would cost ₱200, twice a day for a month. I want to document this as an experiment to test the benefits of his healthy food program.

He asked me to prepare some basic health data before we start — things like my

Vital Signs - Basic measurements that show how well your body is functioning, including body temperature, pulse (heart rate), respiration rate (breathing), and blood pressure.

Lipid Profile – A blood test that measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels to assess your risk for heart disease.

CBC (Complete Blood Count) – A blood test that checks different types of blood cells (red cells, white cells, and platelets) to evaluate overall health and detect conditions like anemia or infection.

FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar) – A test that measures blood glucose levels after fasting, used to check for diabetes or prediabetes.

I told him that my goal isn’t to build a bulky or muscular body.

My goals are simple:

1 See if two meals a day within a six-hour eating window is sustainable.

2 Support local — tangkilikin ang sariling atin.

3 Promote a healthy lifestyle.

4 Bring awareness about discipline, because discipline is freedom.

True freedom is found in limitation — not in having unlimited choices.

I’ll be starting this experiment next month, November, and I’m genuinely excited. For now, I’m preparing myself by adjusting my daily routine: sleeping earlier, controlling my activities, and avoiding overeating.

Later that same day, I brought my bike in for repair. The mechanic fixed my gear and pedal issue perfectly and only charged me ₱200. It felt unfairly cheap, so I gave him ₱250 instead.

It’s not about pity — it’s about respect. I feel sad sometimes because many hardworking people don’t see their own value, or maybe they’ve just gotten used to lowering their prices to attract customers.

Like Tito Ernesto — his two-hour health session costs only ₱500 despite his expertise. So, I made a promise to myself: as long as I can afford it, I’ll always pay a little more than what’s asked, even if it’s just a small gesture. Because I know what it feels like to be underappreciated.