Facts about Psoriasis

Do you know that there is World Psoriasis Day? Yes, this is a worldwide event where people around the world celebrate the WPD to give voice to millions of people who have psoriasis and I’m one of those people who have psoriasis. 

In the Philippines, we have National Awareness Week from October 23-29 since 2011 via Presidential Proclamation. But before that, PsorPhil is already celebrating World Psoriasis Day every year. People who have psoriasis, doctors, family and other supporters gather together to spread awareness about this skin condition.

This year, it will be celebrated on October 29, 2017 at San Andres Sports Complex. I haven’t joined all the parade but I was able to attend 2010, 2012, 2014 and hopefully this year, I can attend WPD event. 

If you have psoriasis or if you know someone who has psoriasis, let them know that there is a PsorPhil group or different clubs around the Philippines where you can join so you won’t feel alone. I am a member of Asian Psorclub so if you live in Laguna, Cavite, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Paranaque or anywhere in South, you can join our group. 

Anyway, since this is National Awareness Week let me inform you about psoriasis. I saw this flyer while I was cleaning. This is the flyer that we’re giving away during our Word Psoriasis Day walk.

Psoriasis in Numbers

Psoriasis affects 1-3% of the world’s population. (Clin. Dermatol. 2006;24;438-47) 
1.8 million Filipinos may have psoriasis. Psoriasis affects adult males and females equally. 
Studies have shown that 36-71% of patients with psoriasis have one relative who is also affected by psoriasis. 
Up to 10-20% of patients with plaque psoriasis also experience psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis develops in persons aged 35-55 years old. 
Approximately 50% of psoriasis patients >65 years old have at least 3 comorbidities and -67% have 2 or more comorbities, -10% of patients have ocular signs (blepharitis, conjunctivitis) which is more common in men than in women. (R. Arffa, MD, emedicine.com 2009) 
On the average, people with severe psoriasis have shorter life span of 4 years than patients without psoriasis, 3.5% years for men and 4.4 years for women. (Arch Dermatol. 2007;143(12):1493-1499)

Facts about Psoriasis 

What is psoriasis? 

Psoriasis is a common, chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disorder with a strong genetic basis. It is characterized be red, raised, itchy patches, with silvery scales, which can occur on any part of the body. 

Psoriasis is not an infection and therefore is not contagious. 

What causes psoriasis? 

The exact cause of psoriasis is still undetermined. Psoriasis occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Again, psoriasis is not caused by an infection and not contagious. 

What triggers psoriasis? 

The development of psoriasis has undoubtedly a genetic component, but certain environmental factors may also trigger the disease. These factors may include physical trauma, infections, stress, drug, alcohol, and cold climate. 

Is there a cure for psoriasis? 

At present, doctors cannot cure the disease, or even modify the course illness. Current treatments do not affect disease activity. This means that if the disease is active, then relapse will occur as soon as treatment is discontinued whatever therapy is used. 

However, psoriasis can be cleared with treatment that is currently available. 

Other Important Information about Psoriasis 

Psoriasis, being a common, chronic, complex inflammatory disease shares immunological features with other serious health disorders. 

Recent studies suggest that moderate to severe psoriasis is associated with comorbidities like metabolic syndrome and its components (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia), cardiovascular disease, Chron’s disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, depression, and inflammatory arthritis among others. 

Considering the link between psoriasis and comorbidities, it pertinent that a patient be aware of importance of regular follow-ups to their health care providers in order to be monitored for the said risk factors. It is also important for patients to adapt healthy lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise, to help prevent the development of comorbidities. 

Aside from these serious medical disorders, people with psoriasis are faced with a psychological and emotional burden aggravated by lack of awareness regarding the disease. Many of them face discrimination in public places like the hair salon, riding public transportation, workplace, swimming pools, and the like. It is important that people be made aware that psoriasis is not contagious and cannot be passed on by physically interacting with a person with psoriasis. Psychological and social support from family members, friends and support groups are very significant in decreasing the isolation of patient feels and increasing his/her confidence in living well with psoriasis.

Newton Food Centre in Singapore

Singapore is not only known for famous tourist spots like Universal Studio, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa and other famous attractions. Lion city is also popular because they have several food centres or hawkers in their country. 

Hawker is a vendor, peddler or costermonger who sells merchandise that can be easily transported like handicrafts, foods and other affordable items. It can be mobile or stationary. A Hawker Centre is an open-air group of food stalls that sell inexpensive foods. It is a one-stop destination where people can eat and drink different cuisines at an affordable price. Check below the top 12 hawkers in Singapore. 

Top 12 Hawkers in Singapore 

1.Maxwell Road Hawker Centre 
2.Newton Food Centre 
3.Smith Street 
4.Old Airport Road Food Centre 
5.Lau Pat Sat Hawker Centre 
6.Chinatown Food Street 
7.Tiong Bahru Market 
8.Tekka Centre 
9.Singapore Food Trail 
10.Chomp Chomp Hawker Centre 
11.Makansutra Gluttons Bay 
12.Satay By The Bay

I’ve been to Singapore thrice but I haven’t tried eating at a hawker centre. Last year, we stayed at Sheraton Towers Hotel which is located in Newton so the nearest hawker centre is Newton Circus or Newton Food Centre. It was first opened in 1971 and was renovated in the year 2005 and 2016. 

So when we went there last August 2016, the food centre was closed for renovation so we just went back to the hotel to eat our dinner. So the following days, we made sure that we eat dinner before going back to the hotel para tipid.

Anyway, my husband was in Singapore last week and he finally tried the famous Newton Food Centre. It is one of the best hawker centre in Singapore. It is just walking distance from Sheraton Towers and open only during the evening. The place is packed with tourists, students and workers. There are so many food stalls that you can choose from depending on the cuisines that you prefer. 

On his first visit, he forgot to take photos. Hehehe! Pero bumawi naman so I was able to see the Newton Food Centre. He ordered BBQ Sambal Stingray + Lime Juice. 

Hawker is the level up version of street food so rest assured that they are selling clean foods and drinks. In fact, in the year 2016, Hill Street Hwa Pork Noodle and Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle were awarded a Michelin Star for Excellence in Eating. It only shows that hawker centres and food stalls are serving high-quality food. 

Have you tried hawker centre in Singapore?

Glimpse of Silver Kris Lounge in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

My husband was on business trip last week, he went to Malaysia then to Singapore. He took Singapore Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. They (Boss and hubby) had an evening flight but since they arrived early at the airport, they tried to reschedule their flight. 

When my husband checked his reservation, he was surprised because he was on waiting list on his original flight. That was his first time to experience it, so totoo pala yung mga naooverbooked? Good thing they arrived early and his boss was able to reschedule their flight without a fee. What if hindi, naiwan pa asawa ko sa airport? 

Thanks to his boss again, he was able to stay in Silver Kris Lounge. My husband has Silver Kris card but since he is not a frequent flyer of Singapore Airlines, he is not yet qualified for lounge access. Buti na lang +1 siya ng boss niya. The lounge is exclusive for Singapore Airlines. 

The Silver Kris Lounge is just small he even compared it to the Mabuhay Lounge in Cebu International Airport. But nothing to complain because this is better than staying at the boarding gate. They have comfortable seats, complimentary food and drinks, you can watch TV or read magazines and newspapers. 

He already tried the Plaza Premium Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, you can check my review here ---> Glimpse of Plaza Premium Lounge.

Silver Kris Lounge
North Wing (C11-17) 
Mezzazine Level 
Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Read: 5 Ways to Get into Airport Lounges

Kogetsu

My husband went back to Malaysia last week and stayed at The Saujana Hotel and Resort, I already reviewed this hotel before, so check it here. I mentioned in that post that this hotel is quite far from the city center so most of the time my husband will just eat at the resort.

They have so few restaurants there but he likes eating Japanese foods. Kogetsu is a  Japanese restaurant in Saujana Hotel and Resort. Most of the time, he will just order from their menu but last Sunday, he was surprised because they are offering a buffet at RM145.

My husband told me that ala carte meals are expensive already so sulit daw yung buffet. He enjoyed the buffet so he forgot about his diet. Hehehe! According to him, masarap daw ang teppanyaki. He got a discount too for using his credit card, so from RM145 to RM125. But if I will convert it to PHP, ang mahal pa rin.

Update: November 2017 

My husband went back to Malaysia last week and arrived on a weekday so wala ng buffet promo but he still ate at Kogetsu. He got a discount again by using his credit card, so from RM79, he only paid RM67. One of the benefits of using a credit card, you can get discounts, promos, and others.

Read: How to Save Money by Using your Credit Card

Althea Korea Haul

This year, one of my personal goals is to take care of my skin, I’m not getting any younger so I have to take action. Actually, I feel that I’m already late because I should start doing this before I hit 30 but I’m really lazy in applying cream or anything on my face. But it is better to be late than never.

Last year, I started getting beauty product samples from Sample Room and I bought some kikay stuff from Beauty MNL site too. And now, I’m buying products from Althea Korea, I already shared my first shopping experience at Althea Korea here. I haven’t used all the products yet but because I’m interested in Korean beauty products, I kept on browsing their site and adding products to my wishlist. 

And because of the smooth transaction and price of their products, I placed another order again.

October 10, 2017 - ordered and paid via Paypal 
October 13, 2017 - order was shipped 
October 18, 2017 - I received my order. 

I wasn’t able to attend my friend’s birthday celebration because I was waiting for my package. Lol. Anyway, I’m happy that I got my package after one week. Here are the products...

1. Skin & Lab Vitamin Toner & Mist 

- You can use this product as a toner or mist which is perfect for hydrating your skin. I like that the product has a pump so it is easy to use. It has 5 kinds of vitamins such as vitamins A,  B, C, E and K which will make your skin soft, moist, elastic, and healthy. 

- Recommended for sensitive skin, rough skin or dull skin, dark skin tone, tired and dehydrated skin, and soothing needed skin.

When using as a toner:

1. After cleansing, put an appropriate amount on a cotton pad and gently wipe on the skin. You can do this in the morning and evening.
2. Pat lightly with your fingers to absorb into the skin

When using as a mist: 

1. Close eyes and spray directly to the face at a distance of 20cm whenever feeling dry.
2. Pat lightly in order to absorb into the skin.
3. Spray to the face whenever it feels dry or tired.

2. Althea Velvet Petal Powder P210

Inspired by Korean Althea petals, this translucent powder sets makeup and leaves behind a silky finish to the touch. Infused with oil from Althea seeds, this powder works to keep sebum production at bay without drying out the skin.

1. Makeup setting and long-wearing
2. Micro-fine particles and soft, smooth texture
3. Natural and cruelty-free ingredients.
4. Sebum control & pore blurring.

I like the color and packaging of Althea Velvet Petal Powder, it is compact and light so you can bring it everywhere. I love how fluffy the puff is, ang sarap gamitin. At first, I thought it is like the baby powder in the market na mamumuti ang face ko but I was wrong. The powder blends on my face, it is very light on the face too. The scent is gentle.

3. Missha The Style 4D Mascara P198

The packaging is really slim so the brush is also slim. Applying mascara on the eyelashes is so easy so no smudges. It gives volume but for the length, not that much. 

I've read before that mascara has only 3 months shelf life and this Missha 4D Mascara is only P198. 

4. 10pcs of Boomdeahdah Facial Mask. 

2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Lemon - Lime - Brightening - Lemon extract and lime extract deliver vitamins and moisture to seriously dry skin to keep it moisturized and fair. The scent is very light, I can barely smell the lemon scent. 
2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Rice - Brightening - It contains rice bran extract and sweet almond extract so as to make dull skin fair and healthy.  I thought this mask has no smell but surprisingly, I like the smell of this mask. 
2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Olive - Nourishing - Nutrients of olive extract full nourish dry, rough-textured skin so it can stay smooth and soft. I also like the smell of this mask. 
2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Berry - Firming - Containing strawberry extract, blueberry extract, and raspberry extract. It makes dull skin fair, transparently clean, and youthful. The scent is overpowering for me. I prefer a light scent. 
2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Pomegranate - Firming - It contains pomegranate extract and patented natural vegetable extract in order to soothe exhausted skin from the external environment and to keep it smooth. It has a fragrant scent na parang may perfume. 
2 Boomdeahdah Facial Mask Honey - Nourishing - It contains propolis extract, royal jelly extract, and honey extract to nourish and tighten rough-textured, dry skin. The scent is very light. 

How to use Boomdeahdah Facial Mask:

1. After cleansing, tone the skin.
2. Open the pouch and apply the sheet on the face thoroughly.
3. After taking a rest for 10-20 minutes, remove the sheet.
4. Tap the remaining essence gently to make it absorbed to the skin. 

I’m excited to try the facial masks sheets, I just bought few pieces so I can try each variant kung ano mas ok. Next time, I will buy the Green Tea and Aloe. I tried facial masks before (pasalubong) and it makes my skin soft and smooth but I find it expensive if I will use it every day. But this Boomdeahdah Facial Mask is not that expensive, it is only P30 per facial mask and I bought this at a discounted price. I only use this mask every weekend or if I feel stressed since I 'm already using Skin & Lab White Vita-C Essence every night.

The facial mask sheet is soft and it is easy to put on the face. The scent varies, depending on the variant that you choose. I like my mask cold so I store it in the fridge. It makes my skin soft and moisturized after using it, I even applied the leftover essence or serum on my arms. There is a little bit sticky feeling after you remove the mask but I just let it dried on my skin. There is no itchy feeling, redness or breakout the following morning.

I have more products on my wishlist, mukhang nakakaubos ng pera ang pampaganda noh? Beauty is an investment talaga. Walang panget na tao, wala lang pera pampaganda. Hehehe!

Now I have beauty routine every night, sana lang maging consistent. Hehehe! 

1. Missha Frui-Tea Cleansing Foam 
2. Skin & Lab Vitamin Toner & Mist 
3. Skin & Lab White Vita-C Essence (from Althea Korea Head to Toe Box)

Read: Althea Korea Head to Toe Box Review

So far, I like these products and I can feel and see na may difference na sa skin ko. If I have extra budget, pang morning routine naman ang bibilhin ko. 

Where to Stay in Norway: Radisson Blu Airport Hotel in Trondheim Norway

Our flight back to the Philippines is at 8AM so we had no choice but to book a hotel so we won’t miss our flight. The earliest schedule of the boat is 6AM so hindi na kami aabot if magbiyahe pa kami, at least 2 hours before flight dapat nasa airport na kami. So we reserved a room last April at Radisson Blu Hotel Trondheim. This is where my husband stayed too when he went back to the Philippines. Check here for my review.

Fast forward to our Iceland trip, we took a taxi, ferry boat, and bus to Trondheim Airport. We had 3 big luggage + 1 hand-carry trolley luggage. We did not have a hard time commuting because everything is accessible naman, yun lang mahabang lakaran to the bus station. 

Kanya-kanya kami bitbit, rain or shine tuloy ang biyahe. Thanks to our jacket at ni hindi kami makapagpayong sa bitbit. hehehe!

Upon arrival at the airport, we walked towards to Radisson Blu Hotel because we were going to leave our 2 big pieces of luggage. Though we have baggage allowance on Iceland Air, we didn’t want to bring it anymore. Good thing that the hotel allows us to leave our luggage even if our reservation is 4 days ahead. I experienced leaving luggage after check-out but this is the first time that I left our luggage before check-in. I was worried at first because nandun lahat ng pasalubong ko and of course damit namin ng anak ko. But my mom said, ano ka ba Norway ito, safe yan luggage niyo. 

After 4 Days in Iceland, we arrived back in Trondheim and walked to the hotel. We got our luggage and kung paano ko siya iniwan, ganun pa rin siya hindi nagbago. I took picture of it kasi for proof. Hehehe! 

My mom checked in and off we went to our room. As expected, the room is not that big, with its price, pang 5-star hotel na dapat yung laki ng room but unfortunately, rooms are not that big. This is the room, excuse me for the mess because I was repacking again. I need to fit our 4 days of laundry into our luggage back to the Philippines.

I was supposed to use the hand-carry trolley luggage of my mom but it was broken, nasira siya nung pag-uwi namin. Sinama kasi namin sa check-in and we can’t buy a replacement because it was holiday so closed ang mall so I have no choice kundi isiksik gamit ko sa 2 luggage. 

Anyway, this hotel offers basic accommodation if you need a place to sleep before or after your flight. The bed and pillows are comfy, and there is a TV pero wala naman mapanood (English Channel). hehehe! My mom requested an extra bed for NOK150. 

The bathroom is also small. There is complimentary soap, bath gel, conditioner, and shampoo. But there is no bidet. 

The hotel has a restaurant but when we checked the menu, we did not like anything so we walked to the airport just to buy food for our dinner. 

We had a buffet breakfast at Longhorn Restaurant and Bar. It is not that big and the buffet spread offers bread, cold cuts, eggs, salad, and drinks. When we're about to finish, I notice the breakfast menu on our table, sayang hindi ko agad nabasa, I want omelet and bacon pa naman.

Anyway, we did not stay long because our flight is 8AM so we checked out and walked to the airport. It was a nice feeling that we had a good rest before our flight, first-time ko yung naglakad lang papunta airport. Pag na-late pa naman kami di ba, ilang tumbling lang. 

P.S. They have free wifi and free ice cubes, I saw an ice dispenser after the elevator.

Read: Day Trip in Trondheim Airport

Radisson Blu Hotel in Brunei 

Glimpse of Trondheim Airport

Glimpse of Trondheim Airport

If you are going to Ørland, you need to book a flight to Trondheim. Trondheim Airport is the nearest airport in my mom’s place. I think they have airport in Ørland but the flight is limited and airfare is very expensive so people still choose Trondheim Airport which is located in Værnes in Nord-Trøndelag county.

Trondheim Airport is the fourth busiest airport in the country, they have two terminals, one for domestic and one for an international flight. The airport is not that big so you will not get lost and you have nothing to do if you are early. We experienced that when we went to Iceland, we were so early because we took the early ferry boat schedule para hindi naman kami maghabol sa flight namin.

Unlike in the Philippines, people here can go inside the airport. When we arrived in Trondheim, we were walking fast to the baggage carousel and I did not notice that my stepdad was already walking toward us. I was expecting na paglabas pa namin ng airport siya makikita. Hehehe! So he helped us in getting our luggage and off we went to the parking lot.

If you don’t have a service, don’t worry because you can ride a bus, train and car service, you can see those transportations outside the airport. From the Ferry Terminal, we rode the bus to the airport. The fare is NOK150 per person but my mom got a discount when she showed us our ticket from the Ferry boat. In Norway, they have different rates, meron for kids, for family, PWD, seniors and etc.

When we went back to the Philippines, my mom accompanied us to the check-in counter. After we checked in my mom went home na rin. She told me that she rode a train on her way back to Ferry Terminal. She went to the bus but the bus driver informed her that she can ride the train because the bus will not leave soon. Oh di ba, bus driver pa nagsuggest na magtrain na lang siya para di mainip. My mom did not know that so next time itry din naman magtrain. Fare is much cheaper too, I think NOK80+ lang per person.

There is a hotel near the airport, this is where we stayed before going back to the Philippines. You can check my Radisson Blu Hotel review here and here. This is the reason why I have top view photos of the Trondheim Airport because this is our view from our hotel room.

At the airport, you can check-in using the machine or at the counter. We checked in at the counter because when we tried the machine, our airline was not included in the option. In the lobby, there are few options for food and drinks but after the security check, medyo marami na rin choices. We tried 7-11, Pizza Hut and Simply Good Eats and Treats Restaurant. Food and drink are not cheap so it is best to bring an empty water bottle so you can refill water at the drinking station.

There is a Duty-Free Shop too, where you can buy pasalubong and souvenirs from Norway.

I saw an ATM too where you can choose the currency, though I haven’t tried it.

And because we’re so early, we experienced na wala pa kami 5 persons sa boarding gate.

Read: Day Trip in Trondheim 
Glimpse of Oslo Airport

Free wifi at the airport but for a limited time only (I'm not sure if 2hrs only). I used their wifi when we arrived from Iceland then when we checked in the following morning, I couldn't connect to the wifi, maybe because wala pa 24 hrs simula nung ginamit ko siya. Good thing our boarding gate is near Radisson Blu Hotel, so nakiconnect na lang ko dun. hehehe!

Read: Radisson Blu Hotel Trondheim Norway