Francesca Dolendo Villonco, MD, MHS

24/07/2024

Excess sugar intake can increase your risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer. 😱 Limiting or avoiding added sugars is a good step towards decreasing your risk. ⭐️

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars consumed per day to:

➡️ 36 grams or 9 teaspoons for men
➡️ 25 grams or 6 teaspoons for women

Sugar sweetened beverages frequently contain added sugars that far exceed these limits! This includes soft drinks, juice, iced tea, coffee drinks, milk tea and other flavored drinks.🥤

For example, just one 12 oz can of regular Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of of added sugars - more than you need in a day! 👎

Limiting sugar sweetened beverages can drastically decrease the sugar and calories you take daily. This can help you manage your weight and decrease your risk of chronic disease.

Best to stick to just water💧, brewed/black coffee ☕️ or brewed tea 🫖. If you truly can’t help your habit, schedule your fix just a few days a month to limit your exposure.

06/09/2023

The way we think about obesity is changing. ⭐️ Join me live as we talk about how excess weight impacts health and how managing weight has evolved!

See you on Saturday, September 9 at 9:00 am via DZRV 846 and Philippine College of Physicians. 🙌

Mark your calendar this September 9, 9am dahil magbibigay kaalaman si Doc Villonco tungkol sa Obesity 2.0: Ang Bagong Hamon sa Kalusugan.

Abangan LIVE sa:
Radyo Veritas page
P*P page
Sky Cable 211
DZRV - AM, Veritas 846

05/09/2023

There are places in the world where people live longer and healthier than most. 🌍 Dubbed “Blue Zones,” these areas have a higher than average number of centenarians, or people who live longer than 100 years old. 😯 People in these places are reported to liver longer, healthier lives. ⭐️ Here are 5 places that have been called “Blue Zones”:

1. Ikaria, Greece 🇬🇷
2. Okinawa, Japan 🇯🇵
3. Sardinia, Italy 🇮🇹
4. Nicoya Penninsula, Costa Rica 🇨🇷
5. Loma Linda, USA 🇺🇸

What sets them apart? 🤔 People from these areas of the world practice some simple health habits, which no doubt contribute to their longevity 🌱:

🏃‍♂️ Maintaining high levels of movement
❤️ Having a sense of purpose or “ikigai,” i.e. why you wake up in the morning
🛌 Prioritizing quality sleep and time for rest
🍽️ Eating only until you are 80% full
🥗 Having a plant-predominant eating pattern
🏡 Having a strong sense of community
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Putting family first
🙏 Belonging to a faith community

Some of these “Blue Zones” also include moderate alcohol intake in their lifestyle. 🍷 However, this association with longevity is more likely attributed to the social connections associated with alcohol intake, rather than alcohol itself.

Remember, extending the lifespan should be intertwined with expanding the healthspan. ⭐️ Incorporate better health habits daily and create your own “Blue Zone” community!

30/08/2023

Exercise has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. ❤️ There are many types of exercise - do you know which ones are best for improving blood pressure? 💭

A recent study compared different types of exercise to see which ones were best at reducing blood pressure. It found that all types of exercise significantly reduce blood pressure, but isometric exercise training was the best. 🥇 Resistance training and combined (resistance + isometric) training also topped the list. 💪

What is Isometric 🤸 vs. Resistance 🏋️‍♂️ Exercise?
In isometric exercise, you contract a specific muscle or muscle group, and hold it in one position without movement. 💪 Examples include leg lifts, planks, or squats. These exercises can help enhance stability and maintain muscle strength.

In resistance exercise, muscles are strengthened by moving them against a force. You might use free weights, resistance bands, or your own weight as a force. 🏋️‍♀️ Unlike isometric exercises which are static, resistance exercise involves moving your muscles. Lifting weights is a common example.

Include at least 2 days of isometric and resistance training in your physical activity routine to help improve your blood pressure and maximize the benefits of movement. ⭐️

22/08/2023

Do you do shift work? ⏰ We live in a global economy, and shift work has been on the rise in the Philippines for the last decade. 📈 Data has shown that shift work is associated with increased rates of anxiety and depression. ⛈️ But did you know that lifestyle behaviors are partially responsible for this association? 🤔

A recent study showed that 3 lifestyle behaviors are responsible for >20% of the association between shift work and anxiety:

1️⃣ Current smoking
2️⃣ Sleep duration
3️⃣ BMI

Additionally, sedentary time plus the above factors explained more than a third of the association between shift work and depression. ‼️

Shift work is an occupational hazard. ⚠️ But adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors may reduce this risk. ⭐️ If you do shift work:

✅ Make steps to quit smoking 🚭
✅ Aim to achieve at least 7-8 hours of sleep 🛌
✅ Maintain a healthy weight ⚖️
✅ Incorporate more movement into your routine 🏃‍♀️

12/08/2023

There aren’t a lot of parks and open spaces for exercise in Metro Manila, but we do have a lot of malls! Glad to see this space at Alabang Town Center being used for a session of Pound. 💪 Are you planning to spend some time for physical activity and movement today? 🤸‍♀️

03/08/2023

Did you know that even if you have ⬆️⬆️ weight, if you maintain good cardiorespiratory fitness, you still have a ⬇️ risk of mortality compared to those with normal body weight and low physical fitness? 🤯

Good health doesn’t rest solely on healthy weight! Being physically fit matters for health, and in some cases it might matter more. 🏋️ Studies show that regardless of BMI, unfit individuals have 2x ⬆️ mortality risk compared to fit, normal weight individuals. 😲

So if you haven’t taken on an exercise habit, it’s not too late to start! 🏃‍♀️ And if you feel like your physical efforts don’t seem to help you loose weight, keep going - it’s not just the weight you loose but the health you gain that matters. ⭐️

01/08/2023

You’ve probably heard that we need at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week to stay healthy. 🏃‍♀️ How exactly do we know if our activities are “moderate” in intensity? 🤔

Here are 3 ways to find out:

1️⃣ The talk test
While doing the activity, can you talk but not sing? 🗣️ If so, then you’re doing moderate intensity physical activity. 👍 If you can neither talk nor sing during the activity, you’re doing vigorous intensity activity.

2️⃣ Your target heart rate
While doing moderate intensity activity, your heart rate should be at 64%-76% of your maximal heart rate. Calculating your maximal heart rate is simple - just subtract your age from 220.📱Multiplying the result by 0.64 and 0.76 will give you the your target heart rate range for moderate intensity activity.

3️⃣ Perceived exertion
You can also use the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to determine if you’re at moderate intensity. This scale is based on your physical sensations during the activity - how fast your heart is beating 🫀, how fast you’re breathing 🫁, and how tired your muscles are 💪. A rating of 12-14 suggests moderate intensity activity. See the scale in the comments!

⭐️ Bonus tip: Walking at a rate of about 100 steps per minute is moderate intensity walking.

26/07/2023

Adopting an eating pattern that emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods can ⬇️ your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. ⭐️

Do you know if your food is whole? Here are 5 tips: 🌱

🥦 Check the ingredient list
Look for foods with short ingredient lists containing recognizable, whole-food items. Foods with a long list of unpronounceable or unfamiliar ingredients are likely more processed.

🥭 Assess texture and appearance
Whole foods often retain their natural appearance and texture. A whole mango or banana looks like the fruit you would find on a tree, while processed versions like fruit snacks or fruit juice concentrates have a very different appearance.

🍞 Look for whole grains
In the case of grains, choose products that explicitly state "whole" as the first word in the ingredient list. For example, "whole wheat flour" instead of "enriched wheat flour."

🛒 Shop the perimeter of the grocery store
The outer aisles of the grocery store generally contain the freshest, least processed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and dairy. Try to avoid the heavily processed and packaged foods in the center aisles.

⏲️ Consider shelf life
Highly processed foods often prioritize convenience and have long shelf lives. Fresh, whole foods typically have a shorter shelf life and may require refrigeration.

Bonus tip ⭐️: Plan and cook meals at home. Home cooked meals are less likely to be processed and more likely to have whole ingredients. Steaming, boiling or baking are better than frying or grilling.

22/07/2023

It’s finally the weekend! ☀️ Did you know that “weekend warriors” - those who concentrate their physical activity over 1-2 days a week - still reap the same health benefits of regular exercise as those who spread it out during the week? 🏃‍♂️

A recent study showed that concentrating at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity over 1-2 days a week can still confer the same cardiovascular benefits as spreading it out over several days a week:

⬇️ risk of cardiac arrhythmia
⬇️ risk of heart attack
⬇️ risk of heart failure
⬇️ risk of stroke

If you’re unable to carve out time to exercise during the work week, you can still squeeze it all in over the weekend and gain health benefits! 🙌

21/07/2023

Back to work after a well-deserved break! 🌻 Stepping back and taking time to recharge can reset your mind and allow you to be more effective in your daily life. When was the last time you took a break?

31/05/2023

Did you know? 🤔😱‼️

High blood pressure can be checked, lowered and controlled. To keep yours in a healthy range:
🥗 Eat a healthy diet
🧂 Lower salt intake
🚶 Move more
⚖️ Maintain a healthy weight
😌 Manage stress
🚭 Don’t smoke
💊 Take prescribed meds
🍷 Limit alcohol