My nephew and his wife had lunch with me and my sister the other day. They helped my sister with some chores. It was not a planned visit and I did not have anything special to serve. I heated the left-over “arroz caldo” that we had for supper the night before and pulled out some [...]

The trees are green and the sun is out more often. Indeed summer has begun. Wow! People have wondered how to better enjoy this season. With so many choices around, they can’t decide what to do. Well, I have five suggestions.
 
 
Relish the moment
 
As human beings with all inherent weaknesses and frailties, we’ve mulled about [...]

My nephew and his wife had lunch with me and my sister the other day. They helped my sister with some chores. It was not a planned visit and I did not have anything special to serve. I heated the left-over “arroz caldo” that we had for supper the night before and pulled out some [...]

Clinical depression or major depressive disorder happens often. In fact, about 5% of the population suffers from this medical illness. Commonly misunderstood, clinical depression has caused decline in functioning, relationship problems, financial losses, and worse, even suicide and homicide.
 
Are you depressed? How do you know if you are indeed depressed rather than just lonely [...]

Can medical problems cause clinical depression? Or can depressed mood stem from physical ailments? In my practice, I’ve seen individuals with various medical concerns and some have developed significant emotional difficulties such as depression and anxiety.
 
What are some medical problems that can precipitate, cause, or increase the risk of clinical depression?
 
 
Multiple Sclerosis
 
Multiple Sclerosis, being one [...]

Problem gambling, a form of impulse control disorder, has caused intense misery among individuals and families. The problem is so complicated and deep-seated that it has become a societal menace, not just an ordinary medical disorder.
 
Some gambling, such as bingo, stock market speculation, and betting on games, can be considered as “subtle.” But some ways [...]

If you’ve lived long enough in this great Earth of ours, I assume that you’ve experienced excruciating pressures from family members, friends, and neighbors to do certain things although that “thing” may go against your conscience. Although that “thing” go against what is right.
 
How many times have you been invited to attend a party when [...]

Wow! What a game!
 
If you’ve been watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics on TV for the past two weeks, you should be thrilled by the players’ display of talent, skills, and sportsmanship. Also, you should be inspired by many awesome Canadian Athletes, especially those who have bounced back from defeat.
 
I’m proud of all the athletes [...]

It’s sports season! Schools are busy practicing and preparing for every tournament with the hope that this will be a winning season for their teams. In every competition, you can feel the intensity and hear the jubilation. As well, you can see the face of exhaustion and frustration.
 
As a basketball coach, I’ve heard people [...]

Lately, we’ve read and heard many discomforting news — death and destruction after Haiti’s unimaginable earthquake, endless war in the Middle East, political intrigue at home and around the globe, assault and robbery in our neighborhood, and many more.
 
After being bombarded with negativism and horrific stories, how can we stay positive?
 
Set a Positivity Rule
 
Let [...]