De La Salle Health Sciences Institute’s Angelo King Medical Research Center has once again been tapped by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development to undertake an important study in the continuing fight against drug-resistant Tuberculosis. The study, officially titled the Community Approach to Control and Halt Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (COACH -DRTB), will aid the country’s National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) in formulating the policies and guidelines in investigating the household contacts of active TB cases and in enhancing the support of local partners in managing TB in the community. The study will also assess the effectiveness of the community approach in detecting and treating drug-resistant TB cases. Another goal of the study is to create a "Biobank” where a collection of body samples and specimens from TB patients will be stored in a laboratory so that future researchers can use the specimens to study TB or other diseases that can affect TB in the future. DLSHSI’s Vice Chancellor for Research and noted TB expert Dr. Charles Y. Yu will be the principal investigator of the study. He will be aided by sub-investigators Dr. Victoria Dalay, Dr. Melchor Frias, Dr. Jovilia Abong and Ms. Naida Marcelo, all from DLSHSI’s Angelo King Medical Research Center. The project will run for five years and has an approved budget of Phpi23 Million. COACH -DRTB is one of the biggest funded projects of PCHRD. PCHRD’s Department of Science and Technology Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya shared they are truly blessed to be working with Dr. Yu’s team and they fully trust the leadership of Dr. • Yu who is also known for his passionate advocacies prandum of Aflreomont Sion. K * • ■ Community App/r. W ^ w o n tr o l and in TB control not only in the Philippines but all over the world. Dr. Montoya hopes that through this project they can significantly contribute to controlling tuberculosis in the Philippines. “As a national coordinating agency for health research, your success is our (PCHRD) success and that we all work for a common goal and that is to provide the best quality healthcare for each and every Filipino. We hope will be together and look forward to the successful conclusion and maybe even better future partnerships with DLSHSI with the group of Dr. Yu," said Dr. Montoya during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the project at DLSHSI. DLSHSI President Br. Gus Boquer expressed his gratitude to PCHRD for trusting DLSHSI and its experts in this noble effort to help other people by improving healthcare through scientific research. DLSHSI’s President Br. Gus Boquer and Vice Chancellor for Research Dr. Charles Yu MSc, FPCP, FPCCP; and PCHRD’s Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya and Division Chief Merle Opena were present during the MOA signing.

ADOPTING a healthy lifestyle is the best way to achieve physical, mental, and emotional health for the whole family. However, following them can be challenging. The key to success is to slowly integrate changes into the family. Once each member get into the habit of maintaining healthy practices and making them a part of the routine, the family will start to see its benefits to well being. To help get started, The Mania Times and Sante listed five daily habits each member of the family can start integrating into their daily lives. Get m oving Daily physical activities are essential to maintaining a healthy body and reducing the major risk factors for chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, non-coronary heart disease, hypertension, among others. Exercising is not only good for the body, but also for the mind. According to FNRI-DOST, exercise helps enhance psychological well being, improve self-esteem, and maintain motivation. Simple activities like walking, running, biking, or even stretching, can help maintain weight loss. Committing to regular exercise may be challenging at first, but over time, as you continue doing it, you will start to see the benefits it can provide to your body. M anage distress There are many factors that can lead to distress, such as work, school, traffic congestion, and relationship problems. Distress is a natural reaction and, is the body's ways of responding to the mental or emotional strain or tension from adverse or demanding circumstances. However, chronic or long-term distress can be a precursor to issues such as depression, anxiety, and even memory loss. Thankfully, distress is something that can be managed. One good way to deal with it is through a balanced schedule. Try to find time in between work and social life. This allows a person to have a new perspective and to feel less overwhelmed. Having a social support to share concerns can also help relieve distress. Eatingm ealthv is'qoodifor, the] bod yj However, it is important to note that everyone is different. Thus, it is essential to experiment and find out what works best. Avoid sm oking It is no secret that tobacco has negative impacts on health. In fact, smoking remains as one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills more than seven million people each year. More than six million of these deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 890,000 are caused by second-hand smoking. By refraining from smoking tobacco, the risk of getting illnesses, such as lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, asthma, among others are also reduced. In addition, you also get to protect the people you love, especially the vulnerable children, from the dangerous second-hand smoke. We've all heard of it before, but it's true — eating healthy is good for you. By making smart, healthy food choices, you help your body get the nutrients it needs every day and lowers your risk to health problems. The key to eating well is to enjoy a varie ty of n u tritio u s foods from the five food g ro u p s nam ely: (1) v e ge ta b le s and le gu m e s/b e a n s, (2) fruit, (3) grain (cereal) foods, (4) lean m eats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nu ts and seeds and M ake better food choices Get more sleep Sleep, just like exercise and a healthy diet, plays an im portant role in health and well being. Loss of quality sleep not only impacts the mood and performance but, can also result to health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Getting enough sleep — seven to eight hours — poses tremendous benefits to achieve both mental and physical wellness. legumes/beans, and (5) milk, yogurt cheese and/or alternatives, m ostly reduced fat. Consum ing foods from every food group help support optimal health and prevent diseases. Leading a healthy life may be difficult at first, but if you establish simple daily practices now, then the end result will definitely worth it. •