When Adobe Flash ended on the 31st of December, Generation Z (both my children included) grieved. It held their precious childhood online games. Y8, Friv, and so much more I couldn’t name. More than 10 years ago, my 6 year-old daughter always wanted to go on Y8 so she could play her favorite ‘food serving’ games. She loved to play mini-games, in contrast to her brother who is into RPG and Gacha games. Their tastes in gaming might be different, but because they grew up with modern technology, it is understandable for them to have a soft spot for online games. 

My childhood games were mostly outdoors. If I remember correctly, it was only when I had the Nokia 5110 that I played a lot of Snake. Then sometime in my life I tried playing the famous “Candy Crush”. Games are addicting and fun, and it has a ridiculously huge variety. It’s impossible for everyone to not have a game they like. 

Ever since quarantine was implemented, my kids had been very stressed with online classes. I understood, since it is a huge advancement in terms of set-up. Inevitably, screen time is extended for multiple hours in just a day. It was a wonder for me, as an adult who works from home (and also faces so much radiation in a day) for my teens to cope so well with being stuck at home. I noticed my son staying up late these days. I was curious as to why, so my daughter told me that ever since we’ve been stuck at home, he’s been playing games to cope with the stress.

It wasn’t much of a surprise to me. What IS a surprise though, is my daughter telling me that she’d also used games to cope with quarantine. I thought she’d moved on from her mini-game addiction. Turns out, she did, but she accidentally found a website that offered new games. I think it was the sense of nostalgia that she held on to, it was a really nice website, too.

She was coping well so much that I tried out playing what she was playing too. It’s called Tap Supermarket, and categorized as a simulation game. As a stressed out person who has no coping mechanism, it was so refreshing to have fun again. I didn’t know how the rush and thrill of a clicker game can bring back so many happy memories. 

The colors were refreshing to my sight, since all I face on my screen everyday are grays and blacks and neutrals. Strangely, I was drawn to the simplicity of the game. I had to mention this because it was just that good.

Anyway, because of these games, I remembered to take a break. Whenever things would go messy, I held on to the idea that there’s something out there that will give me joy. Even for a minute. 

The rise of online gaming increased drastically in the past few years. I always thought it was ridiculous for these teenagers (and even adults) to sit in front of a screen and play all day. Now I understand. So much that sometimes I question myself, “Am I a gamer now too?”

Who does not love coffee? I bet most of us had coffee as part of their everyday routine, most especially in the morning to give oneself that little push to keep up on the entire day. Do you like sugar, cream, milk or anything that goes along with?

For decades, coffee had received a bad reputation. Besides allegedly triggering high blood pressure, insomnia, and hyperacidity, the Filipino habit of adding lots of sugar and cream to one’s cup has been said to aggravate diabetes.

While there’s no denying the Pinoy coffee fan his morning cup, there is concern over the amount of sugar present in commercial 3-in-1 coffee mixes. The leading brand has 14.6 grams of sugar in one 20-gram sachet alone. Imagine how much sugar you’re taking in if you drink an average of three cups of coffee a day.

What About Sugar-Free Coffee?

For health-conscious individuals, especially diabetics, turning to sugar-free coffee mixes seems to be the only option. This meant enduring tasteless cups of coffee just to satisfy their caffeine fix —until Stevia came along.Stevia is the low calorie, zero sugar sweetener that tastes so much better than artificial sweeteners.

Stevia is an herb with a sweet-tasting extract that comes from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It has been enjoyed since pre-Columbian South America where indigenous people used the herb to sweeten their tea and other drinks. The plant’s taste stems from steviol glycosides, molecules which are 250–300 times sweeter than regular sugar.

It became popular among health-conscious individuals because stevia has a very low caloric content. This makes it perfect for dieters and people who are trying to lose weight. Moreover, Stevia makes coffee and tea taste so much better without adding any calories. Aside from beverages, Stevia is also used as an alternative sweetener when cooking or baking.

The Health Advantages of Stevia

Stevia is a safe, healthy sugar substitute that can sweeten up food without the negative health effects of refined sugar. It’s also associated with several impressive benefits such as reduced calorie intake, managed blood sugar levels, and minimized risk of cavities.

Additionally, while other sugar substitutes like Aspartame have been linked with cancer, there’s no evidence linking stevia to cancer since it is a natural ingredient.

This means you can add stevia to dishes and drinks without fear that you’re taking too much sugar, or that you’ll get sick a few years down the road.For coffee lovers, it’s also good to note that locally-made Glorious Blend coffees and instant beverages have Stevia as its natural sweetener.

The blend of natural and healthful ingredients make the drink not only refreshing and safe, but also good for one’s overall health.

The Glorious Blend boasts a full line of healthy drinks, including a 7-in-1 healthy coffee mix. This special blend is made with proven medicinal ingredients like Malunggay, Mangosteen, Calcium, Gotu Kola, and sweetened with Sweet & Fit Stevia.

What’s even better is that the Glorious Blend 7in1 Coffee is non-acidic and promotes regular bowel movement. The Glorious line-up also includes the 3-in-1 coffee mix with Stevia; 7-in-1 choco mix; 4-in-1 coffee with Malunggay; 5-in-1 coffee mix with Brown Rice; and the MaxiTrim coffee.

All Glorious Blend beverages use Stevia which has no calories, no carbohydrates, and zero glycemic index. All of their instant drinks will keep you alert and energized throughout the day. Also, Glorious Blend products are locally sourced and manufactured.

Their company supports local farmers, stevia growers, and other agricultural communities.So if you’ve been cutting back on drinking coffee because of health problems like diabetes or hyper acidity, Glorious Blend coffee mixes are here to help. You can enjoy all the aroma and flavor of freshly made coffee all day —without the guilt!

Now, you can drink coffee for better health! Glorious, isn’t it?For more information about Glorious Blend coffee mixes, check out https://www.facebook.com/gloriousblend

One year into quarantine and our mental health has been spiralling from different reasons. One of them is not getting enough physical activity. We’re all just stuck at home, sitting, if not lying down in bed. Fatigue is a familiar feeling and back pains have become recurrent. As time passes by, we will become more and more unproductive. We need to make an effort.

With tumble mat, having an active lifestyle won’t seem to be an effort. You can practice gymnastics or other sports that need safe landings with this product! Like a trampoline, this mat is tons of fun.

This fresh blue tumble mat certainly would look good in your yard. Of course, there are a lot of other colors to choose from. TUMBLEMAT sells high quality products for a low price. Their tumble tracks are sold to countries around the world with good customer reviews.

Another product of theirs are the air tumble mat rolls . These tools can help you practice with tumbling tricks, walkovers, and other gymnast moves! Like the tumble mat, these rolls are also made from quality materials and products.

We don’t know how long this pandemic will last, so we should make good decisions for our health and have some fun. With TUMBLEMAT, you’re doing both.