Healthy Options

I've decided to have a healthy lifestyle to help me conceive next year. Since I was diagnosed to have anovulatory cycle (meaning, I don't ovulate regularly) due to PCOS, I will do whatever I can to alter my body's physiology to make it conducive to pregnancy.

Articles about PCOS recommends the patient to have a high protein-low carbs diet. White rice, pastas, white bread and potatoes are a no-no. Also, a big NO to refined sugars, pancakes, jams and syrups. All the things I love! Now, it's YES to brown rice, multi-grain muesli, organic and dark leafy veggies and unprocessed foods.

To jumpstart my healthy living goal, I checked out Healthy Options for some healthy food options. I bought Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli. A bag costs P249.

You can take the muesli hot by boiling ¼ cup muesli with ½ cup water or milk. If you want it cold, pour 1 cup milk to ½ cup muesli. Let the muesli soak the milky goodness before eating.

The bag is transparent so you can see what the muesli contains. It has raisins, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and oats.

Healthy Options
2/F SM Megamall Bldg. B

Off to Salcedo Market

Salcedo Saturday Market is a once a week event wherein different purveyors of fresh ingredients and cooked foods come together. Located in a parking lot, vendors from nearby residents and towns put up their stalls to display and sell their wares. Locals and foreigners alike come to this market to enjoy freshly cooked meals, organic produce and other merchandise.

My sister and I went to Salcedo Market to see for ourselves what's the buzz about this market. The market is open from 7am-2pm. Buyers are advised to come early in the morning. We came around 8am and already saw a lady with plastic bags full of fresh vegetables from Salcedo,

We window shopped first to see what's in store for us. We saw stalls offering different local cuisines from Pampanga and other Filipino dishes, to foreign ones such as Chinese, French, Australian, Spanish and Thai. There are products from Batangas, sausages from Vigan and Lucban and wood products for the kitchen.

I saw bottles of chili garlic sauce for P150 each and I bought two. The label says it is made from chilis, garlic and olive oil. When we tried it at home, we liked it very much and it reminds us of the hot condiment used when serving siomai. And we love siomai!

I also bought organic rice (P85/half kilo) and muscovado sugar (P50/half kilo). The seller said, “Masarap siguro kayo magluto.” as he smiled and gave my change.

My sister bought wooden salt and pepper shakers for P125. Since it's wood, you can't see what condiment is inside but, the clever wood carver shaped the holes on top as “S” for salt and “P” for pepper. Nice.

A stall wherein there's a lot of customers is the Z stall which offers freshly cooked Hungarian sausages. We ordered one in Ciabatta. It's big enough for the two of us. In Salcedo Market, there is an area where tables and chairs are set for eaters but it was full so we just looked for a bench under a tree to eat the sandwich.

Before we left, we bought organic vegetables, to complete our Salcedo Market trip.

Being in the Salcedo market makes you forget that you are inside a very busy, commercialized place. The market is surrounded by tall buildings and condo units but there are lots of trees and plants, children's playground and semi-secluded benches where you can take your shoes off and unwind.

Salcedo Saturday Market
Saturdays
7am – 2 pm
Barangay Bel-Air, Makati City

New Infertility Specialist

I have a hard time dealing with the term “infertility specialist". It somehow connotes that I'm sterile, which I'm not. Trying to conceive puts a lot of pressure to husbands and wives and saying you are consulting with an “infertility specialist” puts unnecessary pressure. I should look for another diplomatic, more humane term for “infertility specialist”.

I went to Friendly Care to consult with my second infertility specialist, Dra. Angela Aguilar. After reading women forums and searching the Internet for a specialist near where I work, I found Dra. Aguilar.

At Friendly Care, you can get your queue number before the doctor's clinic hours start. The nurses will get primary information of the patient. You can stay and wait in the clinic's waiting area or you can come back at a later time, when the doctor is in.

I was a bit nervous of my consultation. Here, I am meeting the person who might help me get pregnant next year. This is the doctor whom I will expose my self to.

At first, she thought I was her patient before but I corrected her. She got her netbook and got my information on her prepared patient's data template.

She discussed with me the four phases of assisted reproduction technology. After each phase, the patient has to rest. It seems I'm through with Phase 1 which is ovulation through drugs and timed intercourse and is now on Phase 2. She suggested I get hysterosalpingogram (HSG) before Hubby arrives.

HSG is a test which I dread. My previous OB told me about HSG in passing, saying she doesn't recommend it yet at that time. HSG is a test of the fallopian tubes. A catheter-like device will be inserted in the woman's vagina. A colored dye will be released through the device as an X-ray machine will take shots of the dye's journey inside. If the dye spills through the tubes, it means you have patent tubes or clear tubes. The egg and sperm can have a date. If the dye doesn't come out, it means that one or both your tubes are blocked, which means no dating place.

I'm scared of HSG. Maybe because I've read that there are women who faint or scream because of the pain. I deduce these women are those with blocked tubes. If the dye is not spilling out, then the pressure of the dye coming in continues, making it uncomfortable and painful.

Since Hubby is not with me and HSG may be done in July, Dra. prescribed that I get vaccinated with MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) and HPV (human papillomavirus). I'm really getting good with these acronyms. MMR costs P700 in Friendly Care and HPV is P2,000 per dose, I need 3 doses. These vaccines should be administered 3 to 6 months before pregnancy. I told Dra. Aguilar that I will start vaccination on January. This will give me time to save money and the courage to undergo body piercing which I'm not a fan of.

Friendly Care

Now that Hubby's not with me (physically), we decided that I should consult an OB-GYNE again to ask what I could do in these 9 months so I could prepare my body for conception.


I've searched the Internet for ways to increase my fertility without taking any invasive drugs. I've read Dr. William's book The Fastest Way to Get Pregnant Naturally. I'll post a review later. I've read forums about PCOS, finding fertility doctors near me and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, reflexology, Chinese medicine, etc.


Now, I'm in my first step. I've found a new fertility doctor, Dr. Angela Aguilar. According to The Filipino Doctor website, she is affiliated with St. Luke's - Global (expensive and popular hospital for the rich and famous), Cardinal Santos Medical Center and Friendly Care. I decided to go to Friendly Care since it's the nearest hospital where I live.


I called the day before I went to Friendly Care to check whether Dra. Aguilar will be present for consultation. I wouldn't want to waste my time and money going there and then learn that she is on leave or something. The nurse said she is available and advised me to come at least an hour before Dra. Aguilar's schedule which is from 12nn-2pm.


The night before, I prepared the things I will bring. I foresee lots of waiting. I have my lab results and prescriptions from my previous OB, a book and laptop. I also brought my water bottle and some snacks. Yes, when I'm nervous, I overpack, it seems.


At 10am, I arrived at Friendly Care. You can't miss the sign of red with bright yellow background. Each doctor has a queue number which is color-coded. I got the white one which is Dra. Aguilar's. The nurse also gave me an info sheet which I filled out.


At the Nurses' Station, there is a PA system where they call out the number. You'll hear "Number 26 Blue color..." After a few minutes of waiting, I heard "Number 9 OB-Endo". Not sure if it was me who is being called, thinking that the nurse would instead say "Number 9 white color". The nurse called a few times, the woman next to me in the waiting area said that it is indeed me who is being called. Bloopers!


I immediately went to the Nurses' Station. The nurse was attending to Number 10. I apologized saying it was my first time and I didn't know that it was my number which was being called. The nurse took Number 10's weight and blood pressure (BP). Then, I was next.


Since a first timer, the nurse, Karel, informed me of their different health cards. They have a health card for P980 which includes free doctor's fee (any doctor), 10% discount on lab tests including ultrasound and another discount which I forgot. This card is valid for a year. I got a form and said I would think about it. This card is what I need. Fertility workups cost alot and this card will save us some money on consultation fees. I don't think I need it now so I said that I'll just apply next year, when Hubby is here.


Nurse Karel is very accomodating and kind. I asked her about Dra.'s fee (she said P350) and ultrasound fee (P500). Way cheaper from my previous hospital fees! Woohooo!


After getting my weight and BP, Nurse Karel asked if I would be waiting for Dra. Aguilar or I would just return for my turn. She said I could return around 12:30pm. Yes! I could stroll at the mall and relax.


I have a good feeling about Friendly Care. Hopefully my consultation with Dra. Aguilar will be fruitful. I hope I can ask all the questions I've written down.

What's Missed?

It's been days since my last post.

Here's what's this blog missed:

• Hubby started his overseas contract last November 4. I went with him to the airport twice. The first one, he and two other crew members did not have a transit visa in one country so their flight was postponed. The following day, they were able to acquire the transit visa and then they were off.
• I was not able to get pregnant. :(