Thursday, November 08, 2007
APPLE A DAY
Whenever I wasn't feeling well when I was a child, I'd stay on my parents' bed for most of the day with a favorite toy or two. My father, before heading out for work, would then ask me what I'd want for him to bring back from near his office. This was how he'd gauge how bad I was feeling that morning. If I said none, that would mean I was feeling very ill and lack the appetite for anything.
On the other hand, if I were to ask for more special foodstuffs like those imported roasted cashews or grapes or open-faced turkey sandwich from Sam's Restaurant near Santa Cruz Church with bola-bola siopao thrown in, he'd be assured I was back to my old self. And surely, at the end of the day, he'd have all those goodies for me and the rest of the clan. When I mentioned this to my friends in New York when I got older, they said in jest that I should have instead asked for a trust fund, and a power of attorney just before I was fully recovered.
Nonetheless, on those days I asked nothing from my father, he'd always come home with some apples. One would be peeled and sliced, put in a small bowl, and placed near the bed for my easy reach. So until today, whenever I see some apples, I'd sometimes think of my father and remember how concerned he would get whenever I was feeling ill.
Now, according to Wikipedia, "research suggests that apples may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. Like many fruits, apples contain Vitamin C as well as a host of other antioxidant compounds, which may reduce the risk of cancer by preventing DNA damage. The fibre content, while less than in most other fruits, helps regulate bowel movements and may thus reduce the risk of colon cancer. They may also help with heart disease, weight loss and controlling cholesterol, as they do not have any cholesterol, have fibre (which reduces cholesterol by preventing reabsorption), and are bulky for their caloric content like most fruits and vegetables."
Hence there must be some truth in the old adage, "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away."
posted by Señor Enrique at 7:46 AM
32 Comments:
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Watergirl said... I've been on a regiment of at least one apple in the morning or an apple and a pear during the day. It definitely helps cleanse the system!
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Señor Enrique said...
I usually have an apple as late night snack, MTan. It's light and sweet, and hits the spot, so to speak. I should keep it up then now that I know it really helps cleanse the system. Thanks!
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carlotta1924 said...
a trust fund? hehe that's funny. pano nga kaya if you asked that from your dad ano? =)
great pic btw, it made me rave for the apples we just bought yesterday hahaha =)-
Urbano dela Cruz said...
reminds me of Florentino's The World is an Apple
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ScroochChronicles said...
And you should eat the peel. All the phytochemicals are there. Hindi ba when you have LBM the doctor always makes you eat apples or drink apple juice.
Personally, I don't like them raw. But baked in a pie with a buttery streusel topping and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce...nakow..heaven :)-
mgaputonimimi said...
sarap! mas gusto ko gawing matamis ito. tapos lagyan ng cinnamon at sugar.. ^_^ yum yum...
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said... I really like those earth tones!---the previous contrast between the ivory-textured eggs and the rattan weave then now, those luscious red apples as against the sienna tinged wooden bowl. Ang sensuous taaga ng dating. Congrats!
As to apples, I only like drinking apple cider. I was a apple cider addict when I stayed with relatives living in Upstate New York :-). When with my husband naman in Germany, I cannot forget an apfel strudel we were feted with somewhere in the alps of Austria. It was sooo divine!
Your story about your very devoted father is quite moving. We're lucky to have very loving fathers!-
gmirage said...
Not just the doctor but also the dentist, so they say...its good for the gums and I remember my son likes it also even though he has no teeth yet...basta sobrang maliit lang, sinisipsip nya...
Great shot btw, just like the eggs and pear!-
said...
i am quite reluctant to have an apple a day because of what somebody told me that apples cause difficulty in bowel movement contrary to mtan's statement that it helps cleanse the system.
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Nashei said...
you're such a great storyteller senor..i am not fond of apples... i prefer oranges there's something about peeling them..patiently removing the white part slowly before eating them one by one.yum
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NOYPETES said...
Naku Eric "ispowel na espowil" ka pala sa tatay mo nuong maliit ka pa! Nuong bata pa tayo, tatlo piso ang mansanas sa tabi ng simbahan sa Quiapo, mahal na iyon nuon! Ako naman pag may sakit nuon, kalamansi juice, lugaw na maraming bawang at luya at may katiting na karne. Pero pag sinusuwerte, Royal Tru-"Oreng" at biskuwit na "Marie" ang miryenda ko sa harap ng 19" na Elitone TV habang palabas ang mga "matinee shows" na Our Gang, Last of the Mohicans at Highway Patrol...walang homework! Bulutong tubig, Bekeh at trangkasong pinoy tapos walang prescription required sa Botika sa kanto (Sison's Clinic and Pharmacy sa kanto ng Don Quijote at Dimasalang) at marami pa.....
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Aura said...
As usual, a simple but nice compo and informative post.
I should go into apple and carrot diet as they are both anti oxidant but now that winter is coming ,i must poatpone for the next summer..hahaha! excuse...excuse!Ang hirap mag dieta!!
Thanks for the info!
Best regards-
Señor Enrique said...
That's right, Aura, impossible to go on a diet when stricken with cabin fever during the wintertime ... hehehe! I remember in NYC how the delivery guys in the neighborhood all got to know me because we would just stay in and order pizza, Chinese food, and whatever came to mind. No one wanted to brave the cold weather outside :)
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Señor Enrique said...
The closest drug store in our neighborhood, Pete, was Pascual Drugs which stands to this day. And then the original Mercury Drug Branch over at Bambang and Avenida, which is no longer there.
I remember Highway Patrol (with that fat guy), Our Gang with Alfalfa and Spanky (I met that lovely girl in a party in NYC but she was already old by then), but not Last of the Mohicans. My friends and I were die hard Uncle Bob fans and members of the Dick Tracy Club ... hehehe. Our TV was an Admiral B&W. I also remember those Marie biscuits, Nabisco yun, di ba?
I wasn't really a spoiled brat. It was only in those occasions that I would ask my father for special pasalubong. Actually, I knew that if I asked for a lot of stuff, it would make him feel better and think that I was on the road to full recovery.
Apples now cost about 25 pesos each in Quiapo.-
Señor Enrique said...
I force myself to eat the apple's skin also, Nashei, for I heard it contains fiber and makes good roughage. I love oranges also and would sometimes leave the peel next to the air conditioner for its scent.
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Señor Enrique said...
Hi Bing! But the apple's skin contains fiber, no? But then again, the juice of grated coconut is truly an effective laxative. I sometimes drink half a glass once a month for cleansing :)
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks, G. Mirage! Remember, you can do these type of shots, too. I only use desk lamps for my lighting system. :)
Hmmm, I didn't know that apples are good for the gums as well. Thanks for the tip!-
Señor Enrique said...
My favorite, Bernadette -- apple strudels! Love them more than apple pies :)
How come apple cider is popular amongst New Yorkers? You go to any party and there'd surely be some apple ciders ... hehehe.
Did you and your husband ever go to Kitzbuhel? When I used to do a lot of skiing back in NYC, I always dreamed of someday spending a skiing holiday in Kitzbuhel. And then one of my best friends met and became very friendly with this girl at a kibbutz in Israel whose parents own a house up there. When she came to New York with her husband (they live in Paris), she invited me to stay at their house at that ski resort if ever I wanted to actualize my dream, but I got too embarrassed to take her up on it.
Many thanks for your kind words, Bernadette!-
Señor Enrique said...
Wow, Mimi! Great idea nga 'yan ... pero sira na diet ko ... hahaha!
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Señor Enrique said...
You and Mimi, Scrooch, are making me want to indulge in those heavenly foodstuff ... hehehe. Saan be may masarap na mabibilihan ng apple strudel dito sa Metro Manila?
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Señor Enrique said...
Whoa, what a heart-wrenching story, Urbano. Thanks for sharing!
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Señor Enrique said...
Hi Carla!
My father would probably get too heart-broken because for not being able to provide me with a trust fund if I asked for one ... hahaha. But in NYC, some friends of ours we used to tease as "trust fund babies."
Thanks, Carla!-
said...
Bingskee has a point.
As babies, when my kids had LBM, their pediatrician would recommend apples.. Prunes naman pag constipated. But of course, those are for milder cases only.
For me, I have my apples as they are - fresh and sliced, unpeeled. Dapat talaga di binabalatan ang apples, because it's the skin that provides most of the vitamins. Sometimes, pag tamad akong kumain, I just juice out one or two. Sarap. Feel na feel talaga ang detox effects niya.-
said...
parang painting yung combination of photography techniques and compositions mo S.E, this one in particular reminds me of my first ever painting project at age 7 - apples beside a blue flask, both sitting on a purple-draped table....
'love mulled apple cider during the cold months - nice treat while you curl up in bed with a good book to read. tonic pa.
thanks to your stories, i'm now torn between moving to NYC and Pinas...haha....yun nga lang, although NYC is such a vibrant artistically-cultured place, sukang suka na talaga ako sa madilim at mahaba ang lamig na lugar...so i guess, it's still Pinas, hands down for moi! Hurray!:).-
said...
Lovely picture, eric.
Sunkist oranges naman ang binibili ni mama sa amin nuon kapag may sakit kami.-
Unknown said...
'strengthen me with raisins and refresh me with apples for i am faint with love...' that's from king solomon. hehehe
i have my apple-diet after heavy meals or a weekend of binge eating. An apple and a glass of milk for breakfast and dinner for 3 days make me feel a bit lighter.-
said...
Hi senor Enrique! Just to answer your question---the only place I recall we went (the skiing area, that is) is a place called Erwald. According to my hubby, Kitzbuhel is quite expensive but then as compared to Erwald it has the same flair. I tried attaching a website about Erwald here but it wouldn't work.
As to skiing, I tried to wear and walk with some skis but then I guess, i'd stick to the apfel strudel :-). Thanks!-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Bernadette,
My best friend told me, "Don't ever share with us your dreams because even if we help you manifest them, you'd get too bashful in the end!" He was really upset I never accepted the invitation. He would have loved to go to Kitzbuhel as well. :)-
Señor Enrique said...
You guys are making me truly appreciate having a apple nowadays!
Many thanks, Luna :)-
Señor Enrique said...
I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like Sunkist oranges, Irene. I love them as well. Here in Manila they have the lighter ponkan variety which we always have on the table with the bananas.
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Señor Enrique said...
A choice between NYC and Manila? Now, that's a real tough one, Cacofonix ... hehehe!
But I'm sure you'll enjoy Manila very much. Besides, you can always visit New York during the warmer months.
Thanks much for your kind words. So you do some painting until now?-
Señor Enrique said...
Yes, Rhoda, I try to eat the skin as well :)
I guess, one apple a day day won't hurt, huh? Juicing is fun. I just don't like the cleaning afterwards ... hehehe.
