My nickname “Sea Princess” stems from my immense love of the ocean and all the creatures in it. I formed a deep connection with the ocean over countless years of being a beach lover, but staying by the sea during quarantine further intensified our bond—one that has healed me tremendously.
Living in Batangas for weeks has been a perfect way to relax my mind and reduce stress, mental health issues, and all the anxiety brought about by the pandemic.
From a purely therapeutic perspective, the healing powers of the sea have several physical and mental benefits. The ocean provides a playing field for everyone to connect with nature and with the deepest parts of our soul. It bombards us with multisensory stimulation: we feel the grains of sand, we taste and smell the salt in the water, the wind rushes over our face and body, we hear the waves crash and feel them caress our skin. It is a complete sensory immersion that nourishes our bodies and leaves us with no choice but to remain in the present.
Getting out in nature provides a wonderful escape from negative thoughts. Nature has the ability to positively impact our health, including improving short-term memory, increasing levels of vitamin D, improving sleep quality, decreasing anxiety and depression, reducing inflammation, and even increasing creativity.
Current studies suggest that we may need more vitamin D than presently recommended to prevent chronic disease. With summer approaching, many of my friends are reminiscing about their favorite beaches to relax, swim, and get that good vitamin D.
Ocean water is significantly higher in minerals, including chloride, sulfate, magnesium and calcium. It can also be highly soothing for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
The ocean is one of our planet’s most important resources. It covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, provides much of the food we eat, supplies 50 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere, supports more than 90 percent of the trade between countries by ship, and houses half of the world’s communication cables underwater. Yet just 10 percent has been explored by humanity—and what a beautiful 10 percent it is. It is vital for us to take care of the ocean as much as it takes care of us.
Sustainability
In 2020, the European skincare brand Bioten was launched on Philippine shores by Iface Inc. I was delighted to be part of their new campaign, because Bioten puts the environment at the forefront whenever creating or formulating new products for their line.
They are known for being a skincare brand that prioritizes sustainability in all efforts, from packaging to the sourcing of materials. They advocate the use of natural ingredients and even place the percentages of each natural ingredient present in their products.
Early this year, Bioten launched its Honest By The Numbers campaign, where it engaged three personalities known in their fields to be champions of their respective environmental causes. With Bioten, “caring for nature” becomes more than a brand catchphrase—it is a concrete and honest commitment by the number, together with their partners who do the same.
Each environmental champion takes their personal advocacies to heart, and Bioten is there to aid their efforts: Nadine Lustre, actress and singer, who is the brand endorser of Bioten’s Skin Moisture Line; Issa Barte, founder of the youth advocacy group For the Future; and yours truly!
Nadine teamed up with Bioten to raise funds for 88,000 trees as part of an effort to reforest the ancestral lands of the Aetas in Yangil, Zambales. The 88,000 trees are representative of the 88 percent ingredients of natural origin found in Nadine’s favored Bioten Skin Moisture Line.
Bioten is supporting her efforts by matching the funds raised by Nadine—44,000 worth of seedlings from Nadine and 44,000 seedlings from Bioten. Issa Barte’s organization For the Future (forthefutureph.com) is one of the groups leading the reforestation efforts in Yangil, among many of their other environmental causes.
Personally, I have committed to keeping our oceans clean by seeding clams off the coast of Nasugbu, Batangas. Unknown to many, clams are actually a vital part of the sea’s ecosystem. Given the amount of damage and pollution our seas have suffered, clam seeding will go a long way in restoring these ecosystems.
For this campaign, Bioten is donating P93,000 to my cause—93,000 being representative of the 93 percent ingredients of natural origin found in my preferred Bioten Hyaluronic Gold line.
Check out the wonderful campaign feature at the site metro.com, where it highlights the efforts of Bioten, launched on World Earth Day 2021.
‘Forced pause’
The most positive thing that has come out of this pandemic is how our collective “forced pause” has allowed people across the world to see that our wellness depends on the wellness of the planet. Given the state of the world, perhaps there’s never been a better time to “just be”; go hug a tree, listen to the birds chirping outside, feel the fresh breeze on your face—not just to heal ourselves, but to heal our earth. Recognize that without a healthy planet we will not be able to enjoy all these natural gifts given to us. As health and wellness become our deepest treasures, we need to prioritize the collective healing of our planet, as well as the communities within it.
In closing, I would like to share the fund-raising project of Assumption College (AC) San Lorenzo ’96. The Silver Batch is proud to present the AC96xHogsmith BACK TO B(AC)ICS apron—a black cotton canvas apron with plaid accents, designed by the girls of AC ’96 in collaboration with Hogsmith Aprons.
These limited edition and premium-quality aprons come in two designs (with or without the AC ’96 logo on the front pocket), and are sure to take us all back to our days of preparing pansit, turon and other dishes in our beloved high school cooking lab.
Each apron retails for P1,996, or $40, and is available for preorder via Instagram (@acsanlo96) or SMS (c/o Lillian, tel. 0917-5417222 ). They are available for nationwide and international shipping. All proceeds go directly to the Assumption Mission Schools. INQ
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