Our bodies are our temples. We are encouraged to take good care of it and treat it with utmost respect. Aside from eating healthy food and maintaining a good physique, keeping a good personal hygiene routine is also another factor to help us feel and look better.

Following a hygiene routine is effective in protecting ourselves from illnesses as well as beautification. It is recommended that we not only wash our faces twice a day, but also follow the basic skincare regimen of cleansing, toning and moisturizing to ensure that all dirt accumulated on our faces throughout the day are removed. Observing good oral hygiene is equally important, with dentists recommending that we brush and floss our teeth every after meal to prevent disease-causing plaque from forming.

Aside from following these routines, we also need high quality “support” products such as cotton and toothbrushes as choosing sub-par products may harm our bodies. This is why it’s important to scrutinize the products we use.

For 30 years, Cleene, the leading personal care brand, has been providing Filipinos with high-quality cotton, tissues, toothbrushes and rubbing alcohol. The range of Cleene personal care products under Philusa Corporation plays a huge role in cleansing and grooming our bodies that help us prevent infections.

“Philusa has maintained a strong commitment of providing Filipinos with a wide range of high quality yet affordable products. In the personal care category, we have the Cleene brand which is trusted for years,” Philusa President Neogin A. Evangelista said.

The brand’s most popular product is its Absorbent Cotton in

rolls and balls made from 100% pure and natural cotton that is not harmful to the skin. For beauty and skincare fans, Cleene has a new product – Cleene Cotton Rounds – that makes applying and cleansing makeup easier. It also has a wide variety of paper products such as bathroom and facial tissues, table napkins and kitchen towels.

  Cleene also has its own toothbrush brand, Cleene CLIO Toothbrush, that features a patented and state-of-the-art technology combining rounded and tapered bristles to thoroughly clean teeth.

There are many factors that make up an effective hygiene routine. Everybody does things in their own ways, but a good product is universal. With Philusa’s Cleene brand, we are sure that we are using high quality products tested by Filipinos for years.

For over 50 years, Philusa Corporation has been bringing high quality but affordable pharmaceutical and consumer products to every Filipino’s home. To know more about Cleene and Philusa Corporation, visit www.philusa.com.ph.

We may be living in an era where women not only rule our homes, they also run the world—from being leaders in the government to managing business enterprises, women now have more opportunities to realize their dreams.

The sad fact, however, is that every day, seven Filipino women die of cervical cancer, and may never get to complete their life goals, may be stripped of the chance to fulfill a successful career, start a family or even just find Mr. Right. All because of a disease, a kind of cancer that puts every woman at risk, regardless of race, age, lifestyle or socio-economic status.

Cervical cancer continues to be a major threat for Filipino women. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipinas. What’s worrisome is that two in three Filipinas diagnosed with cervical cancer may die within five years. Since culturally, Filipinas are known to be caring and selfless for others but tend to dismiss concerns about themselves, those who may have contracted cervical cancer may have been diagnosed at a late stage, when the chances of recovery are slim.

What Is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop and spread in the cervix, the entrance between the vagina and the uterus.  This is caused by persistent infection with the cancer causing human papillomavirus (HPV).

It is also estimated that up to 80 percent of women will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. Majority of HPV infections may come and go, some may clear spontaneously within two years, however if the immune system is weak, the HPV infections may persist and may eventually lead to the development of cervical cancer.

While HPV is primarily transmitted via sexual intercourse, skin-to-skin genital contact is also a recognized mode of transmission^,,. Lifestyle changes can help prevent the development of cervical cancer, such as being conscientious about one’s sexual activities. Beyond regular consultations and pap smears by your OB-GYN, vaccines that protect against cancer-causing HPV are also now readily available.

Who is at risk?

The incidence of cancer-causing HPV infection is actually highest at the young ages of 15-19.  One is at a greater risk of cervical cancer if one had her first sexual intercourse at a young age; have given birth for multiple times; have or have had sexually transmitted diseases; have HIV or whose immune system is weakened; a smoker; long-term use of oral contraceptives for 5 years or more and those who rarely or have not yet had any pap smear.

The World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (WHO-SAGE) on Immunization reiterates the importance of getting young girls protected through HPV immunization before their first exposure to HPV (i.e. before sexual contact), as young as 9 years old^,.

For older women, the risk of persistent infection with cancer-causing HPV (which is necessary for cervical cancer to develop) increases with age, and is highest when a woman is over 66 years old.  Thus, screening is recommended starting age 21 to detect cervical abnormalities that precede actual cervical cancer.  Studies further show that vaccination remains to be beneficial for older women to prevent HPV infections.

Power Over Cervical Cancer

In commemoration of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, research-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) furthers its advocacy to increase cervical cancer awareness efforts with the Power Over Cervical Cancer “You Can & You Will” campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage Filipinas to realize that they have the power to protect themselves and their dreams—simply by consulting their doctors and asking about ways to prevent cervical cancer.

“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Getting cancer may be a distant concept for women who are well and at their prime, but they should be aware that even the healthiest can be at risk,” says, Dr. Leah Manio, GSK Medical Affairs Manager.

In the Philippines, it is estimated that the financial cost of preventing cervical cancer through screening and vaccination could be 20 times more affordable than the cost of treatment,” she adds.

“The power to protect yourself from cervical cancer is in your hands, and NOW is the best time to consult with your physician and have yourself screened,” Dr. Manio stated.

GSK remains true to its commitment of increasing access to preventive healthcare through its initiatives to improve access to information through its disease awareness efforts.

To know more about cervical cancer, visit the Power Over Cervical Cancer Page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/POCCPh) and the Pangarap Mo, Protektado page on Youtube (www.youtube.com/ProteksyonPortal) containing information and short films conveying how protecting oneself against vaccine-preventable diseases is one important step in the achievement of one’s dreams.

ABOUT GSK

GSK is one of the world’s leading, research-based pharmaceutical companies with the mission to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. At the core of GSK’s business model is the use of knowledge and development of intellectual property. We create value by researching, manufacturing and making available products that improve people’s health and well-being. A healthier society enables people to live life to the fullest, allowing them and their communities to prosper. A sustained flow of innovative products enables our business to grow and replenish our value to patients and consumers.

GSK manufactures and distributes more than four billion packs of products to 150 countries around the world. With this extensive global presence, GSK is striving to make our products as widely accessible as possible.

To increase access to GSK products in the world’s least-developed countries, we have held prices of our patented medicines in this region at no more than 25% of our developed-world prices and we reinvest one-fifth of the profits we make from sales in these territories back into local healthcare infrastructure projects.

Our vaccines business is one of the largest in the world, developing, producing, and distributing over 1.9 million vaccines everyday to people across the world. In 2015, we distributed more than 600 million doses to over 150 countries. We believe that the protection from life-threatening diseases provides opportunities for improved healthcare, not just for individuals but for the communities in which they live.

Over the last forty years, the medicines, vaccines, and devices we have developed, together with insights from our scientific programs and our collaboration with healthcare professionals, have played a fundamental role in improving disease understanding and patient management.

For further information, please visit www.gsk.com.

Summer is here and everybody is on full vacation mode! But whether you are going to the beach, headed to an exciting overseas trip or just staying home for some bonding time with family and friends, remember that the scorching heat isn’t the only thing you should worry about.

The rise in temperature brings with it a variety of diseases and exposes us and our kids to a lot of environmental triggers that can ruin our fun in the sun.

GETTING TOUGH ON COUGH
Summer break is always a great time to yank your kids away from their mobile phones, tablets and gaming consoles and let them loose for some physical activities and exercise. Playing outdoors is a great way to get them to be more active and serves as an opportunity for them to socialize with other children. Moms, however, should be cautious with their children’s playmates especially if one or several of them are coughing.

Cough and colds are quite common even during the summer because of erratic weather patterns that causes a shift in temperature.

Coughing is a natural reflex and is usually a sign that your child’s body is trying to rid itself of an irritant, such as mucus or a foreign object. The most common cause of cough in kids is an upper respiratory tract infection from one of more than 100 cold viruses1. Other common causes of cough include infection, asthma, allergies/sinusitis or pollution.

Although cough is quite common, having a kid with cough is something you should take seriously as it may easily be passed on to other children with weakened immune systems. Cough caused by viral infections may result in fever, headache, and pains.

Transmission may happen when an individual makes direct contact with an infected individual, or even infected surfaces such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, and gadgets and then touching their nose and mouth.

There are generally two kinds of cough; dry cough and productive cough (cough with phlegm)2.

For productive cough, pediatricians can recommend protussives such as Ambrolex® (Ambroxol), to enable the cough to get rid of excess mucus in the airways3.

Unfortunately, a lot of cough medicines have a bitter aftertaste, which children dislike and often spit out, making medicine time difficult for moms. Ambrolex®, however, has a sweet blackcurrant flavor that kids will love, making cough medicine time easier for moms, and allowing their children to get better, faster.

Should moms or their husbands also suffer from cough, Ambrolex® comes in thrice-a-day tablet and once-a-day capsule formats for adults that are both easy on the budget.

READY FOR ALLERGIES
Another common problem of children during summer is allergies. To have allergies is to have the body’s immune system overreact to foreign substances or even a change in the environment.

When the body detects a foreign or potentially harmful substance, it produces antibodies and histamine, which are then released into the blood stream to fight it off. At that point, an inflammatory reaction happens. Some of the common symptoms of allergy are asthma-like symptom such as rapid, shallow breathing, wheezing, and cough. Other symptoms that can be observed are sneezing, itchiness, or development of rashes4.

Allergic reactions may also be triggered by allergens or substances that can be found in food such as peanuts, milk, eggs, seafood, etc. A lot of children also develop allergies to plants, pets, house dust mites, mold spores, or medications, especially antibiotics4.

Of course, allergies are not limited to children — moms and their husbands can develop allergies too. When allergy happens, use the antihistamine that is trusted for 20 years, Virlix® (Cetirizine). It contains Cetirizine, an antihistamine that helps you manage the symptoms of your family’s allergies.

“Allergies don’t have to ruin your family’s summer fun. All you have to do is take note of what causes allergies among your family members and try to avoid them, so as to manage your allergy symptoms”, says Dr. Sheila Chua, GSK’s Medical Affairs Manager, and a practicing Dermatologist. “It also helps to always have a trusted allergy medication in your bag whenever you travel so you can easily address the symptoms of allergies when they occur.”

GSK EXPERT MOMS
Led by celebrity-host and Expert Mom herself Rica Peralejo, the campaign seeks to educate mothers on how to correctly and promptly address cough and allergies for the entire family.

“As a mom, I want to make sure that summer would become a memorable time for the whole family. My husband and I always make sure we take care of ourselves first so we can take care of our son, Philip. Being in tip-top shape allows our whole family to have the best summer and enjoy our vacations. Of course our priority is to keep Philip healthy, so we always make sure we are prepared with the necessary medications whenever we travel just in case he gets sick.

I think being an Expert Mom is all about ensuring that the whole family is happy, healthy, and free from disease. I’m very happy to be part of the Expert Moms campaign because I think it’s exciting to meet other moms who are keen on keeping themselves healthy in order to take care of their families,” says Rica.

To know more and share tips on how to be an Expert Mom, visit: www.facebook.com/MommyDoc

About GSK
GSK is one of the world’s leading, research-based pharmaceutical companies with the mission to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. At the core of GSK’s business model is the use of knowledge and development of intellectual property. We create value by researching, manufacturing and making available products that improve people’s health and well-being. A healthier society enables people to live life to the fullest, allowing them and their communities to prosper. A sustained flow of innovative products enables our business to grow and replenish our value to patients and consumers.

About Ambrolex®
Ambrolex®, GSK’s medicine for cough, is an Over-the-Counter (OTC) brand which is available in leading drugstores nationwide. Its generic name is Ambroxol, which works by making the phlegm thinner, less sticky, and therefore easier to transport out of the lungs. Ambrolex® is available in both Pediatric (Syrup and Infant Drops) and Adult Formats (thrice-a-day tablets and once-a-day capsule). It is more affordable than the leading Ambroxol brand by as much as 6%, allowing patients to enjoy savings on their cough medication.

About Virlix®
Virlix® (Cetirizine), is a second-generation antihistamine that works by reducing inflammation, swelling, congestion, mucus production, and other symptoms of allergies that are caused by histamines. Histamine is a naturally occurring substance produced by the body after being exposed to an allergen. Virlix® is less-sedating than its counterparts such as Hydroxyzine and Chlorpheniramine, and works faster (i.e. in 42 minutes) than Loratadine (which works in 3-4 hours). It is available in both Pediatric (Syrup & Infant Drops), and Adult Formats (once-a day tablets), and is available nationwide in leading drugstores.