Atma Prema

08/10/2026

08/10/2026

07/10/2026

Why are traditional backyard fruit trees like chesa gradually fading from Philippine daily life?

Before commercial produce dominated supermarket shelves, local communities relied on resilient, native, and naturalized backyard trees for seasonal nutrition. Rich in beta-carotene, niacin, and essential minerals, chesa required zero commercial cultivation yet offered dense energy. As urban land use shifts and younger generations opt for familiar commercial fruits, heritage crops like chesa, chico, and mabolo face a decline in active cultivation and food visibility.

Check out the full feature on preserving heritage backyard fruits and biodiversity via the link in the comments.

06/10/2026

Processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages, salami and hot dogs are classified as Group 1 carcinogens, or carcinogenic to humans, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research agency of the World Health Organization. The classification followed an evaluation of more than 800 studies examining associations between meat consumption and cancer across different populations. The strongest evidence concerned colorectal cancer, with IARC concluding that there was sufficient evidence that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer.

This does not mean eating bacon carries the same cancer risk as smoking ci******es. IARC categories describe how strong the evidence is that something can cause cancer, not how dangerous the exposure is or how large the risk becomes. In the studies reviewed, IARC estimated that every 50 grams of processed meat eaten daily was associated with about an 18% increase in the relative risk of colorectal cancer. For an individual, the absolute increase in risk is considerably smaller, and eating processed meat does not mean that a person will develop cancer. Risk generally increases with the amount consumed.

Scientists are still investigating the biological mechanisms involved. Processing methods such as curing, smoking and adding nitrites or nitrates can contribute to the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds, including N-nitroso compounds, while high-temperature cooking can produce additional chemicals of concern. Cancer risk is influenced by many factors, so processed meat should be considered within a person's overall diet and lifestyle. Limiting processed meat while emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other minimally processed foods is consistent with cancer-prevention recommendations from major health organizations.

Science Department |

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗗𝗢𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗧 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛?

Teaching can happen through a lesson, a question, a skill we practice, a story we share, a discovery we make, or simply the example we live.

For teachers, therapists, coaches, researchers, mentors, and others who help people learn, teaching is not always about having the answers. Sometimes, it is about creating the space for someone to understand, discover, practice, question, and grow.

And perhaps, in the process of teaching, we learn something too.

💭 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧:
Who is someone who taught you something that stayed with you ~ not just a lesson, but something about yourself, other people, or life?

🌱 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗:
What is one thing you have learned that you can share with someone else today?

This World Teachers’ Day (October 5), we celebrate those who help us learn ~ and the many ways learning happens between people.

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦’ 𝗗𝗔𝗬! 💙
May we continue to learn, teach, and grow together.

05/10/2026