Sunny Health

The Goodness of Gossip

2012-02-10T09:58:00.000+08:00

The more you know, the more knowledgeable you are, but theheavier your burden becomes too. It’s like looking at a plate piled with foodfrom a buffet table and wishing you had someone to share it with. Good news orbad news, useful information or pointless musings, it is human nature to wantto get it off our chests. That is why people talk, blog, write, tweet, post on forums andwebsites.

But when you have nothing to shareabout yourself, what do you do? You talk about other people and other occurrencesaround you of course. But this sounds like gossip, something that is often regarded in the negative light, And unhappily, we hold back our words, afraid of being labelled agossip monger.

However, gossipis actually a healthy social activity that relieves frustration and stress,medically proven by scientists of the University of California, Berkeley, who were studying the effects ofprosocial gossip.

The keyword here is ‘prosocial’, describing a form ofgossip that protects others from harm or exploitation by spreading the wordabout someone else’s bad behaviour. For example, if you know of a promiscuous acquaintance who really gets around, telling people around you about him/her doesnot make you a backstabber; you keep be saving someone from an unsauvoury relationship and or even a risk of getting sexual diseases. Of course, if your information are hearsay, do not be so quick to fan the flames as you could risk facing a lawsuit for slander.

When you share your concerns and worries with others, youfeel less irritated and more relieved because you are sharing your burden with others.I mean, notice how happy those girls look, gossiping in the picture above? In the meantime, sharing your opinions and criticisms about others helps you tocommunicate your own values, and build alliances or even strengthen friendships withthe people who share your viewpoint.

Gossip is not always criticism, it is also aboutpassing on information, for example, when you tell someone, “So-and-so is getting marriednext month!” or “Did you know that shop is holding a lucky draw eventtomorrow?” In fact, the above mentioned study also states that people who areprone to gossiping also tend to act generously towards others. After all, telling people what you know is a form of caring and sharing!

As long as your words do not harbour malicious intents oruntruths, gossiping can be a healthy and useful social skill. So what are youwaiting for? Go ahead and share this new tidbit of knowledge with someone you care for!

Why Cancer Screening Matters

2012-02-03T19:54:00.002+08:00

Just last month, prostrate cancer was discovered in a 2,200-year-old Egyptian mummy of a man who died in his forties. And this is by no means the oldest known case of prostratecancer. The oldest was found in a 2700 year-old skeleton of a king in Russia.

This suggests that contrary to what many think, cancer isnot just the unfortunate result of pollution and unhealthy diets of the modernday. Genetics could be a major factor inthe cause of cancer. If it wasn’t the problem with polluted environments andunhealthy lifestyles, why then does it seem that more cancers and death-relatedcancers, along with other strange diseases that were never known to exist, keepmaking headlines in recent years?

The idea that these diseases came into existence recently couldbe flawed. Rather, they had impacted the human population all this while, butwere only discovered when medical science became more advance. After all,humans passed on at much earlier ages than most of the current generation ofhumans do, and there had been mentions of ‘mysterious illnesses’ that couldwell be cancer or some of the illnesses that even we find baffling in our time.

But that is not to say that you should start panicking aboutyour health immediately if you know of a relative with cancer, or throw asideyour healthy lifestyle since it’s no guarantee of a cancer-free life. Thepossibility of cancer has become more unfathomable; even perfectly healthyyouths in their teens have contracted cancer. The only sure-proof way ofkeeping cancer at bay is to go for regular health screenings. Treatment forcancer that has been discovered early is often more successful and lesscomplicated compared to advanced-stage cancer. A healthy lifestyle is stillabsolutely necessary for your well-being. Furthermore, certain poor habits docontribute to cancer risk factors. Smoking, for example, is a main risk factorthat may lead to lung cancer.

As stated, the probability of cancer could begenetics-related. As such, some cancers are more prominent among certaincommunities, ethnic and age groups. The Singapore Health Promotion Board has ahandy chart showing the most common cancers in Singapore affecting both sexes, andwhich age groups should go for regular screening:

Click for larger view

Where to go forscreening?

Many polyclinics and private clinics offer health screeningservices. You can visit your nearest doctor to get more information.

For those who worry about the costs, vital health screeningtests for common cancers in Singaporehave actually been subsidised and made more affordable for Singaporeans withfinancial problems.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB)’s national health screening programmes offersubsidised screening:

Integrated ScreeningProgramme (ISP):

Aimed at encouraging Singaporeans aged 40 years and older tobe screened for diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, obesityand cervical cancer at a Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP)–registered General Practicitioner (GP) clinic.

The blood test to screen for diabetes & lipid disorders(cholesterol) is $8 while Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer (for femalepatients) costs $15. Costs exclude GST and consultation fees.

Cervical ScreenSingapore (CSS):
Aimed at encouraging all women aged 25 years and above who have ever hadsex or are sexually active to go for Pap smear once every three years. Papsmear is offered at subsidised rates of $15 at Polyclinics for Singaporeans and$22.50 for Permanent Residents (PRs).

BreastScreen Singapore(BSS):

Aimed at encouraging women aged 50 years and older to go forscreening mammograms once every 2 years. The test is offered at asubsidised rate of $50 at polyclinics for Singaporean citizens and $75 forpermanent residents (PRs) at the polyclinics.

You may use your Medisave account or the account of animmediate family member (excluding siblings) for your screening mammogram atall Medisave approved screening centres. All BSS screening centres areapproved centres for use of Medisave.

The Singapore Cancer Society also offers free Pap smear and Faecal OccultBlood Test kit to screen for cervical and colorectal cancer respectively.

Those in need of further financial assistance or wish to inquire more aboutmedical subsidies can speak to the medical social workers at the polyclinics.

Beating the queue at the doctor's

2012-01-27T16:46:00.000+08:00

It’s backto work or school after a very long weekend of Chinese New Year celebrations, arather stressful point of time as we attempt to readapt and deal with work thathas piled up over the holidays. Contributing to post-holiday blues are ailmentslike cough and sore throats that prey on us while we let our guard down withthe feasting and late nights. The erratic weather isn’t helping matters.

Accordingto a news report on Channel News Asia, clinics saw a spark in patient load onWednesday. Upper respiratory tract infections including cough and sorethroat are among the most commonly treated ones.

The symptoms of cough and sore throat are easily identified.They usually start off with itchy dry throats, some phlegm and a bit ofcoughing. In the early stage, cough and sore throat can actually be preventedfrom escalating, and you can avoid a visit to the doctor and his nastysleep-inducing cough syrup if you take the right steps to care for your health(Of course, if you need an MC, that’s another story).

Cough and sore throat are caused by the drying New Yeargoodies and alcohol, rich, heaty foods, and lack of rest and exercise. It isessential to get back to your dailyroutine of getting up early and going to bed early to ensure that if youhave ample amount of sleep. Getting up early is probably no issue for those whohave work and school. For those who plan to do late nights to finish your workfrom over the holidays, bear in mind that working with a tired mind reduces productivity and may lead to more mistakes in your work, slowing you down instead.

Drink lots of waterthroughout the day to replenish your body fluids, and soothe your throat. Avoid cold water andsoft drinks as these could irritate your throat and aggravate your cough. Warmwater is best for your throat, or at the very least, go with water at normaltemperature.

Dislike the tastelessness of water? Whether you preferWestern or Chinese medical remedies, almost everyone who has tried the lemon honey water home remedy wouldagree that it works for throat discomforts.

Honey helps because it has antibiotic properties. Itreleases hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an antibacterial, antimicrobial, andantiseptic compound, disinfecting the infected area and killing germs. Beforeantibiotic was invented, honey was used as an antiseptic on wounds to preventinfection and hasten healing. It was even used as medicine for other ailments,including diarrhoea, stomach upset, and of course, coughs and sore throats.Lemon is also an antiseptic, and taste-wise, it complements the sweetness ofhoney.

Best of all, the recipe is very simple. Fill a mug with water. Stirin a table spoon of honey and heat it in the microwave for about one and a halfminutes. Remove the mug and stir in a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon. Youcan drink it immediately!

Warning: If the sickperson is diabetic, regular honey may be detrimental to his condition. Be sureto choose organic honey instead. Honey should also not be consumed by babiesbelow one year old. Honey may contain spores of a bacterium that can grow inthe baby’s immature digestive system, causing infant botulism which is a fatalillness.

Another fuss-free method to supplement this home remedy isto gargle with warm salt water a fewtimes a day. Salt is a natural disinfectant and it can help to reduce the germsin your mouth.

Ginger tea alsobrings quick relief to coughing symptoms. While it may be tedious to prepare itfrom fresh ginger, traditional Chinese medical halls sell them ready-made, andsupermarkets sell instant ginger tea in the form of powder and teabags.

Bear in mind that depending on the severity of your cough orsore throat, such home remedies may have limited effects. If your condition isserious or does not improve, you will still need to seek medical treatment.

Last but not least, abstainfrom heaty New Year goodies like shrimp crackers and bak kwa until your throatgets better, and when it does, consume these goodies with lots of water andample rest!

Simple Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2012-01-18T17:51:00.002+08:00

Just whenyou’d lost those extra pounds gained from the Christmas and New Year holidays,along comes Chinese New Year, a festive that boasts of much feasting, deliciousgoodies and late nights! And oh, you couldn’t possibly turn your nose up at thedishes that your elders so painstakingly prepared for the reunion dinner, orreject generous offers of delicious nibbles when you go visiting. It isn’tabout missing the good food, but being polite and socially appropriate.

The goodnews is, you can be polite and enjoy your festive goodies without sacrificingyour health! Here are some ways to go about it.

Take smaller helpings, eat slowly

Whereverpossible, take your own servings before someone else helps you to scoop up amuch more generous helping than you usually eat. Eat slowly, enjoy your foodand enjoy conversation. This prevents zealous offers for second helpings.Chewing your food thoroughly also aids with digestion.

Inform beforehand

If you haveto refrain from eating certain types of foods due to health concerns or you donot wish your diet to be disrupted, inform your hosts beforehand. This is apolite thing to do as your host would not over-prepare, and you can thenrightfully reject food without coming across as being rude and wasting food.

Choose the lesser of evils

There areall sorts of Chinese New Year goodies. Some are a little healthier than others.Pineapple tarts and green tea cookies for example, are kinder on your healththan snacks like peanut cookies and shrimp crackers, which tend to be oilierand heatier.

Drink tea

Chinese teaand Green tea aid in digestion, and are great relief when taken with heavymeals and oily snacks. Green tea especially is known to have detoxificationpurposes. However, do not drink them too late at night if you want to turn inearly, as tea can keep you awake.

Don’t overcater to your guests, stock up onhealthier alternatives

Because atthe end of the festival when you end up with excess, you are going to be theone responsible to finish them up, and this will certainly do no favours toyour weight gain prevention attempts.

Avoidbuying too many goodies to cater to friends and relatives who may pop inunexpectedly. Indeed, during Chinese New Year, it is rude to turn visitorsaway, and having nothing satisfactory to feed them could cause you to belabeled as a stingy host! Instead of buying snacks, why not stock up onmandarin oranges instead? These are delicious festive fruits that arepresentable to guests. Dried fruits and sour plum sweets are good alternativestoo.

Don’t be tempted by specials after Chinese NewYear

As early asthe night of Chinese New Year eve, new year goodies will start going at slashedprices as sellers of makeshift stores and pasar malam stores hasten to pack upfor a well-deserved holiday. Don’t give in to temptation. No matter how cheapand tasty the goodies are, you will regret going near them after having thesame things for breakfast days in a row after the festive season. If you’reitching to spend some money, splurge on some new year plants instead!

Don’t stop exercising

The festivemood induces laziness in everyone, but don’t cease your fitness routine justbecause it’s the holidays. Even if you are busy with gatherings and visits, itcannot be difficult to squeeze in a 15-minute jog or work-out in the morning. Don’tallow your biological timetable to be disrupted by one night of ‘shou sui’ (apractice where young people stay up over midnight on Chinese New Eve as anauspicious practice to promote longevity of their parents). Continue to wake upearly in the morning. Exercising in the morning has the added benefit ofkeeping you awake and alert for the rest of the day’s activities.

Remember the main purpose of Chinese New Year

One of themost meaningful purposes of Chinese New Year is spending time with family andreuniting with relatives and friends whom you have not met in a long time. Makean effort to spend more time interacting with your loved ones instead of yourfood.

Here’swishing everyone a happy and prosperous year of the Dragon!

Keep Fit the More Relaxing Way!

2012-01-13T17:10:00.002+08:00

Find lifting weights too tiring and boring? Hate puffing like a buffalo at the end of a run? Brisk walking is a simple, low intensity sport that is suitable for people of most ages and health conditions! If you haven’t been exercising in a while and want to start getting fit, brisk walking is a good way to start slow and build up momentum.

In fact, most of us already engage in some form of brisk walking daily. As the world’s fastest walkers, we keep even the densest of crowds moving at top speeds during peak hours. Like personal trainer Lucy Knight rightly states in this article,"It (Walking) is free, enjoyable and already a part of everyday life. All you need to do is correct your technique, walk faster and for longer and you will lose weight."

In spite its low intensity, brisk walking shares benefits of other higher intensity sports:

- Helps you to lose weight if you walk briskly for 30 to 60 minutes each day
- Keeps you active, and therefore prevents you from gaining weight when you get older
- Improves immune system
- Improves brainpower because walking stimulates the blood flow, and sends oxygen to the brain.
- Reduce chronic diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes

It also has these added benefits:
- Prevents osteoporosis (thinning of bone tissue and density) since it is a weight-bearing exercise

- Enhances your mood and reduces depression, especially if you walk in a scenic place filled with greenery, such as the park.
- Helps prevent peripheral artery disease, an illness that impairs blood flow in the legs
- In pregnancy, brisk walking protects against miscarriages. It can reduce fatigue and related pains, helps lose weight easily, lowers risks of gestational diabetes and prevents spontaneous abortions by lowering the hormonal fluctuations which cause uterine contractions.
- In weakened cancer patients, it is a suitable exercise that helps to improve blood circulation and lessens the side effects of chemotherapy.

Now that we know how good brisk walking is, how do we go about it appropriately?

It is very important to note that just because its low-intensity doesn’t mean you should start walking as and when in inappropriate attire. If you do not wear appropriate footwear, you may end up with feet ailments.

As with indulging in other sports, wear loose fitting clothing and sports shoes with well-cushioned soles to make walking comfortable for you.

To get the best out of brisk walking, you should walk with the right posture and technique. There are many different techniques for brisk walking, and Knight recommends this:

1) Stand tall with your arms by your sides and pull your navel towards your spine so that your core muscles are working.

2) Focus your eyes five to six meters ahead and keep your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle and cup your hands lightly, rather than clenching your fists.

3) Leading with the heel, take a step forward with your right foot and move your arms in opposition (i.e. as your left arm moves forward, your right moves back). Transfer your weight through the heel of your right foot.

Finally, how often and how long is probably another popular question. It really depends on your health condition. If you have any special conditions like pregnancy, or illnesses, you should consult your doctor before launching your brisk walking programme.

If you have no ailments or special conditions, you can base the frequency and speed of your brisk walking based on your preference. If you have not exercised in a long time, you should start slow. A recommended routine for starters would be 20 minutes of slow to moderate walking per day. When your body gets used to the daily work out, you can then increase the duration of each work out, and the speed.

Need more advice or encouragement to start your routine? The Health Promotion Board has a National Brisk Walking Programme, whereby briskwalking clubs have been established at all CDCs. More details are available here: http://www.hpb.gov.sg/programmes/article.aspx?id=6606

Additional sources:http://health.sify.com/11-benefits-of-brisk-walking/

Back to School

2012-01-06T10:26:00.000+08:00

The long holidays are over and school’s back, a period of blues for many school-going children and teenagers. After weeks of fun and freedom, it is rather trying to readapt to the highly disciplined and taxing lifestyle of a student. It is especially more difficult for those who are making a transition from a different education level, or those who switched schools.

At the start of the school year, students may feel stressed about their new lifestyle and the daily pressure from having to comprehend lessons and complete homework. They may miss the holidays and feel blue. Having to get up earlier in the morning, as compared to during the holidays when they could get up later, may make them grumpier and more tired.

While having to meet their classmates again is at least exciting for some, it may mean social pressure for others, especially the less sociable ones, and those moving to a new environment. All these pressures can be overwhelming for both children and teenagers. In more severe cases, they may feel depressed, or even develop headaches and health problems. Parents should not assume that prolonged displays of tantrums and surliness are normal. Furthermore, such behaviour could affect the student’s studies and ability to assimilate in class.

What parents can do to help:

Talk to your child – Set aside some time to ask your child about his day at school. It helps your child to get problems and worries off his chest, and knowing what ails him, you may then be able to offer solutions to help. If anything, it assures your child that regardless of problems faced at school, he has family to fall back on for support and friendship.

Preparing healthy food and herbal drinks – Making drastic changes to one’s lifestyle can have a negative impact on one’s health. After getting out of bed at 10am or later during the holidays, having to wake up a few hours earlier on school days is a torment. Your child may also have difficulty falling asleep at night, either due to needing time to adapt, or having to complete homework. Ensure that your child eats healthily and cools down the heatiness in his body with plenty of fluids and herbal drinks to cope with the upheaval. Breakfast is very important – it energises you and keeps you alert and focused throughout the day. Make sure your child has breakfast before going to school, no matter how early the hour.

Be your child’s alarm clock – Put a stop to it if your child is going to bed later than he should to achieve the required eight hours of sleep, or gaming when he should be doing homework. Do wake your child up in the morning to ensure that he gets up with sufficient time to have breakfast and get washed and dressed properly. Feeling ill-prepared for school can instil a sense of anxiety and insecurity.

Don’t deprive your child of his favourite activities – Just because he’s back to school doesn’t mean he should live like a jailbird. If he has finished his schoolwork, allow him some time to indulge in his favourite past times, like watching television or gaming. This will help him to relax and take his mind off the pressure and anxiety from school.

Observe their behaviour – It is generally normal for students to feel depressed for the first week or so, but after that, they should have adjusted rather well to school life, especially with the help of their classmates. If your child is still gloomy and upset about school after as long as a month, displaying lack of appetite and interest in his usual hobbies, complaining about feeling unwell and developing headaches, and yet refusing to open up to you about his problem, you might want to consider speaking to his teacher or roping in professional help from your General Practitioner, who might refer him for counselling if required.

Do look out for signs of bullying. Check if he has attained any mysterious wounds and bruises. Is he spending his pocket money too quickly? Victims of bully, especially young children, may not dare to seek help or get the attention of an adult as they may have been threatened against doing so.

How students can help yourselves:
Make friends – Friends make even troubled times feel better. If you find yourself in a class with people you don’t know very well, introduce yourself. Chances are, your fellow classmates may be nervous about making new friends and shy to break the ice. Most people are willing to warm up if you display no ill intentions. If someone won’t accept your friendship, simply turn to another person, instead of indulging in self-blaming and feeling self-conscious. At least you tried, as there is bound to be someone who appreciates you.

Join clubs – Join a club with activities that interest you. It will give you something to look forward to in school, and you can also widen your social circle and make friends with people who have things in common with you.

Express your emotions – If you have problems or fears, it is healthier for you to get them off your chest. Talk to your parents, friends, or blog about it. You may get some solutions.

Have something to look forward to – As you attempt to drag your heavy feet to school, think about your favourite tv programme that night, mum’s delicious cooking or that movie you are going to catch with your friends on the weekend. Time passes more quickly and happily when you have something to look forward to.

Set yourself some goals for the year – Going to school should not be perceived as a torture that you are forced to go through. Learning academic skills and working with others are beneficial to you and a crucial part of growing up. Think about how less fortunate children from around the world are deprived of an education, or have to travel far to take lessons at a dilapidated school, and you would feel more fortunate about being able to attend school.

Consider some school-related goals you would like to achieve in school, for example, scoring better in certain subjects, adding all your classmates to your Facebook friends, or being picked to play in the school team, and focus on working towards them. The process of achieving your goals will make your school life more meaningful.

Have a healthy, happy school year ahead!

Holiday is for Family

2011-12-30T15:49:00.000+08:00

Having a good relationship with your family is important. Not only does it make life at home more interesting and fun, it is also good for health. If you have people close to you whom you can depend on in times of trouble and sickness, you can cope with your problems more easily, and are less likely to fall into depression. You also tend to be happier, and as we all know, happiness is a solution to longevity and good health.

Yet these days, the youngsters tend to prefer spending holidays with their friends and significant others. They would do dinners and count down parties outside of home, while parents consider the holiday a well-earned rest. But the holiday season is the best time for family get-togethers as it is a rare time when everybody gets time off work or school. It would be such a waste not to spend this precious free time together!

Parents may perhaps attribute this lack of interest to celebrate holidays with family to generation gaps and differing interests. Indeed, few parents would like to go to the foam party or clubbing with their children. But regardless of generation gap, family members should enjoy their time together and have strong bonds with each other. If you find yourself leading your life separately from your children, the problem may be more of a lack of communication than an age gap, and you should consider ways to mend the gap.

Here are some ideas to get you started!

1.     Studieshave shown that children who regularly eat dinner with their parents havebigger vocabularies, earn better grades, are less likely to do drugs and lesslikely to be overweight than children who don’t. This is because they adopt interaction skills from their parents, as well as enjoy their parents' attention. Start making family dinners compulsory from the start of the New Year!

2.     The family that plays together stays together. Ifdinner is usually followed by the television, laptop and telephone, it’s timeto pull the plug. There are board games and card games for every age andtemperament, as well as creative games like charades and active games likeTwister. Teenagers may groan, but which are they more likely to look back onnostalgically, the time spent staring at the television or the timespent defeating mum overwhelmingly at Monopoly?

3.       There is one common saying that every parent knows, "time flies". The baby you held yesterday has become an adolescent, and will be on his/ her own before you know it. You can’t catch time in a bottle, but you can watch it go. Don't spend all your time at work, or all your time in the kitchen. Set aside some time every night to interact with your child.

4.        Give yourselves the gift of time. While all sorts of entertainment are available these days, from movies to theme parks, it is often time spent relaxing at home and doing activities together that we remember most fondly. Set aside some regular time with each other. Just one day per week or per month when the entire family says no to other commitments and just hang out together.

This year, arrange an interesting family activity for countdown night. Have a movie marathon at home, play card games and board games, game together as a family, go to Marina Bay to catch the fire works, just to name a few. Time passes quickly, and it helps to retain beautiful memories whenever you can.
Happy New Year and happy holidays! Enjoy a healthy year ahead!

Gear up your brain power for the year-end chaos!

2011-12-16T11:56:00.000+08:00

The end of the year is just round the corner. There is so much to do and so many appointments to tend to! If you have a poor memory or poor organisational skills, this will be a trying time as you try to remember all your appointments, meetings, names of new people you meet, to-do lists for the year end holidays and Christmas shopping lists!

Having a good memory is not just crucial for Christmas. The ability to store, retain and recall information is one of the most important aspects of success. If you can’t even remember to do something or how to do something, you may unintentionally miss many opportunities, which would be a great pity.

Poor memory isn't something that can be quickly treated by medicines, but you can improve your memory and focus by making some dietary and lifestyle alterations.

Having sufficient sleep are crucial to allow your brain cells to rest and repair. Regular exercise increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Whether you’re studying, working or trying to juggle life’s many demands, sleep deprivation is a recipe for disaster. Make sure you get at least seven hours of sleep daily to promote learning and memory consolidation.

Six types of food that can boost your brain power:

Salmon: A great source of healthy fats that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It is expensive, but for good reason. Not only is it good for your brain, it also improves your mood, fights depression and gives you glowing radiant skin!
Olive oil: This healthy oil is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K. It has a compound called oleocanthal, which helps your synapses function smoothly, preventing nerve cell damage often associated with Alzheimer’s.
Berries: Both blueberries and blackberries are rich in antioxidant polyphenols that help boost brain cell function and prevent memory loss. They increase brain energy production and keeps your brain youthful!
Greens: Vegetables such as celery contain luteolin, an antioxidant that helps tame brain inflammation. Broccoli is rich in folic acid, which contributes to better memory and faster information processing.
Whole grains: They’re full of fiber and antioxidants, especially Vitamins B to E. Whole grain cereal are also rich in folic acid.
Chocolate: This sweet treat comes with antioxidants known as polyphenols, which increases blood flow to your brain, hence triggering growth of new blood vessels and brain cells.

Now, before you get excited about chocolate, sweet things like table sugar and refined carbohydrates contribute to high blood sugar, which can damage the part of your brain responsible for short-term memory. Everything has to be taken in moderation!

Is there such a thing as cancerous cosmetics?

2011-12-09T12:21:00.001+08:00

The supposed link between cancer and cosmetics was once again thrown intothe limelight following a study by the NTU which was published in the Straits Times. The study said that zincoxide, a common chemical used in beauty products such as cosmetics or evensunblock, could be cancerous. The notion that cosmetics contain cancerous products is not new. Years ago, researchers have brought up the link, but have always been disputed. Sadly, nobody seems to be able to make up their mind or say for sure whether the link between cosmetics and cancer exists. A lot of research findings are in premature stage, and there has yet been any study that demonstrates a direct link between cancer and cosmetics.

Still, it is better to be safer than sorry. There are some products in cosmetics that have potential to be cancerous. When taken in significant amounts, they may eventually cause cancer.

Here are some chemicals in cosmetics that are known to be harmful to health.
· Fragrances: May cause allergies and cancers
· DMDM hydantoin and imidazolidinyl urea: Comes with toxic contaminants.
· Hydroquinone: May lead to allergies and cancer.
· Oxybenzone: May lead to allergies, developmental toxicity and hormone disruption.
· Triclosan or triclocarban: Contains thyroid.
· Triethanolamine (TEA): May lead to allergies and comes with toxic contaminants.
· Parabens or -paraben: May lead to cancer or hormone disruption.
· PEG or -eth: These ingredients can come with hidden toxic contaminants.

Products that may have adverse effects on health in the long-run:

· Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA and BHA acids.
· Hair dyes, especially dark permanent dyes.
· Liquid hand soaps with triclosan/ triclocabron.
· Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde, DBP or toluene.
· Skin lighteners with hydroquinone.
· Heavily scented products.

Mercury is well-known to be toxic. In significantly high amounts, it can cause brain damage and death. Mostly found in household cleaning products, it has recently been introduced as an additive for the cosmeticsindustry. Mercury is found in eye products such as mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow. While exposure to mercury is not initially harmful in small quantities, mercury does accumulate in the body and could cause health risks in the future. Unfortunately, not enough people are taking this threat seriously, Minnesota, USA, is the only place that has banned mercury in cosmetics this year.

This lack of interest and caution is also attributed to the fact that many young people think that they have a good immune system, and therefore, not likely to contract cancer or diseases in their youth. But this is clearly not true, as people in their teens are known to contract cancer as well.

That said, this article does not mean to scare you off grooming and using make-up. Just remember to read the ingredients of the products you are buying and lay off those that are known to be potential health hazards. There are also organic and natural beauty and skin products that utilize more health friendly ingredients. Of course, they also tend to cost more, but health is more important than money after all! Bodyshop, Botani, Logona, Living Nature, Nature's Essence are some examples of more health-friendly beauty and body care products, just to name a few. Unfortunately, many organic brands hail from overseas and are more costly. It may be cheaper to purchase direct from the retail websites of these brands, and get some friends to join you and save on shipping fees.

So, is there such a thing as cancerous cosmetics? Well, there's a popular saying, "There's no smoke without fire." One can never be too careful!

“Do you mind if I sit back a little? Because your breath is very bad” – Donald Trump

2011-12-02T12:45:00.001+08:00

It is very embarrassing when someone tells youthat you have a bad breath. With the end of the year coming round, bad breath is bad news in this peak season of socialising. Bad breath is no joke. It can ruin a first impression. break a business deal, even damage relationships!. The poor victim of this condition may develop poor self-esteem and depression as a result.

Bad breath is also known as Halitosis. It is mainly caused by the occurrence of the bacteria in ourmouth. It affects lots of people in all over the globe. The problem is that most people aren't aware that they have bad breath until someone tells them so.

Many often associate bad breath with consuming garlic oronion. While these cause momentarily bad breath, they can be gotten rid of by brushing one's teeth, Halitosis is here to stay for awhile. Some causes of it include oral problems such as tooth decayand dry mouth or other health problems such as diabetes, gastro-intestinaldisease and respiratory system problems. Most causes of bad breath canbe prevented if we adopt proper oral hygiene. If bad breathis due to medical conditions, one should consult a doctor and get therequired treatment.

The following list tells you where you can get help for bad breath!

http://www.whatclinic.com/dentists/singapore/bad-breath

Besides getting the appropriate treatment, here are some ways to prevent bad breath:

Store toothbrush inmouthwash – Store your toothbrush bristles-down in a glass of mouthwash.This will minimise the germs you put in your mouth. Don't forget that like everything else, exposed tooth brushes come into contact with germs too!

Change toothbrushesoften – Well-worn brushes host bacteria and yeast associated with stomachulcers, strep throat, upset stomach and diarrhoea.

Scrap tongue – Usinga toothbrush or a tongue scraper, scrap your tongue to clean bacterialbuild-up, food debris and dead cells from the surface of the tongue.

Floss, Floss, Floss– Flossing is ten times more important than brushing. The areas between yourteeth (which are unbrushable) are loaded with garbage. If you can’t floss afterevery meal, at least do it once a day.

Rinse After Lunch – If you haven't got toothbrush or toothpaste with you, at least rinse your mouth with water after lunch. This willreduce the bacteria in your mouth, which significantly cuts your risk ofcavities. Rinsing flushes away sugars and food particles, and wets the mouth andthroat.

KeepAn Apple Handy – If you don’t have any mints or oral strips around, chomp on an apple.Fresh fruits and vegetables are effective in cleaning your tongue. Crunchyfruits like apples or pears also get in between the cracks of your teeth togive you a bonus clean-up job.

Saying farewell to your home of years

2011-11-25T11:03:00.001+08:00

For many young people, moving to a new home is usually anexciting experience. More often than not, a new home means a more refreshingenvironment, more privacy, perhaps even bigger space. New is generallyperceived as something novel and better.

On the contrary, moving can be an emotionally-overwhelming and stressfulexperience for senior citizens. It's akin to a large, deeply rooted tree, beingforcefully uprooted to be moved to a strange new place. If not done properly,the tree may fall sick, or even die.

Recently, the enbloc exercise and eviction of residents at Rochor Centre hasgenerated plenty of buzz in the mainstream media and online. While some areexcited at the prospect of getting a brand new house and extended lease, on topof some profits, in exchange of residence at Rochor Centre, others, especiallysome older folks, are extremely worried and confused. To them, moving meanspossible separation from their neighbours of 30-something years. It meanshaving to get used to a new environment all over again, something that isusually not easy for the elderly. For some, it means saying goodbye to the veryfirst home they owned since HDB began encouraging home ownership in the 1960sand 70s.

Nevertheless, what happens, has to happen, and rather thangripe over it, one should make the best preparations for it. Moving elderly parents and grandparents may involve complications, especiallythose who are emotionally and physically fragile.

Deciding what to move over

You're glad to leave your moth-eaten sofa behind, but Grandma wants to bring italong because it reminds her of the happy moments she and Grandpa spentcuddling on the sofa and watching tv together. She also wants to bring alongthat antique spitoon and ancient wedding lamps that even musuems wouldn't want.She makes a big fuss when you tell her that you don't intend to bring themalong.

What should you do? You don't want to upset her, but you don't want your houseto turn into a warehouse! Old people tend to be very attached to theirpossessions. They want to preserve memories, and they are afraid of forgetting.They also worry that once they throw it away, they will never be able to buyanother identical item.

That's why it's important to start planning early. Gently explain to yourseniors why you don't think it's a good idea to move the item, and then subjectthem to trial test; you'll keep the items out of their sight for a trialperiod, and observe how they cope without it. When they realise that they canindeed cope without it, they will be more willing to let go of it.

But never, ever dispose their possessions without their permission. You couldupset them badly. Put yourselves in others shoes. You wouldn't like it whenothers dispose your things without permission.

Create a To-do checklist

Old people tend to have poor memories, so it is advisable to always keep achecklist at hand and take note of the things they have to do, or want to do assoon as possible before it is forgotten. This is especially crucial if youaren't living with your seniors. You will need to make sure that they doexactly what to do when you're not around to help them. Examples of such thingsinclude transferring prescriptions or filing a change of address with thepolice post.

You can also use some checklist templates to speed up the process and keepthings organised. For those with iPhones, try the mobile inventory in My MoveiPhone app (http://www.mymovingreviews.com/mymove/)it’s free! Create a timetable forpacking, moving and unpacking to guide you through the whole movingprocess. This will also help you to decide when to take leave to help your seniors.

Saying farewell to your current home
Help your seniors to document the memories. Take pictures and videos of them in their house and around the estate, so that they can look at these photos and videos and reminisce.

Familiarise them with the new residence

Help your seniors to familiarise themselves with their new home. Bring them to visit their prospective new home often, show them all the great new facilities and important ameneties like supermarkets and clinics, which they'd undoubtedly be concerned about. Show them how they can continue to work their daily routine and favourite activities into their new home. With growing familiarity and affection towards the new home, your seniors will feel less upset about moving. They may even grow to look forward to it!

Hire a good moving company

In Australia,there are senior companies who specialise in moving elderly people, offeringcomfort for the seniors and the rest of the family. (Examples: http://www.xpressmovers.com/local-moving.htm,http://www.beltwaymovers.com/resources-movetips_senior-moves.html).Currently, such services are not known to be available in Singapore. But given our ageingpopulation, it is probably a matter of time before we do.

In the meantime,start scouring classifieds and reviews on reputable moving companies with goodcustomer service and integrity. In event that your seniors move house when you arenot available, these people are going to be the ones fully in charge of themoving process. Some movers are lazy and even ask occupants to do their ownmoving. Some will blatantly ask the home owner for additional tips and paymentwhich you have already paid to the moving company. You do not want your seniorsto have to deal with such people.

Relieve your seniors of physical stress

Do your seniors have difficulties moving around? You may need to rent a wheelchair on the day of the move, or even hire a vehicle to move them to their new place. You might even consider hiring a nurse or caretaker to tend to them as moving is a tedious activity and may take a whole day, even days!

Sometimes, they may feel paranoid to leave their more important possessions in the hands of the movers. Moving them in a car or van allows them to take along some of their most treasured belongings.

Be There for Them

Wherever possible, be there for them throughout the movingprocess, whether it’s helping to pack their things, or directing the movers onthe moving day, or bringing them around to explore their new home and estate. Sometimes,they may need a listening ear when they feel stressed and scared about theprospect of moving. Talking to them will make them feel soothed. When they have moved to the new home, observe them for signs of depression. Some senior citizens may be afraid to leave their homes due to lack of familiarity. If they are cooping themselves up, not eating well or not going about their daily routine as per normal, be sure to talk to them and have them open up to you. If necessary, seek help from the neighbourhood doctor.

A house may contain many memories, but ultimately, thesememories are created from the occupants, and moving out does not mean destroyingthese memories. At the end of the day, your love and concern will prevail their fears and they will start enjoying the new memories created in their new home.

Seaweed - Not as weedy as it looks

2011-11-18T15:55:00.001+08:00

Seaweed is popular in Asian cuisine, especially Japanese cuisine. It's widespread usage in Japanese meals may account for the Japanese people's long lifespans and good skin.

You must be wondering how that frumpy thin piece of weed-like substance is so good. Seaweed growsin the ocean, where it picks up a range of minerals and other nutrients. It isnon-complex, making it easy for the body to break down andrelease the minerals and nutrients inside. Seaweed also has no fat or other unhealthy component. It is usuallyprepared without any oils.

How eating seaweed benefits you!

Seaweed can help control your appetite– Seaweed is low in fat but packed with soluble fibre, which helps control blood sugar levels and keeps your bowels moving. The fibre can help you feel full on very few calories.
It's chock-full of vitamins and minerals – Seaweed is a great source of vitamins A, C, E, K and B vitamins. It's also rich in minerals, including iodine, selenium, calcium and iron.
Lowers cholesterol – Seaweed helps block fat absorption so it increases weight loss.
Better skin – Seaweed contains methionine and cysteine-rich in algae so it can prevent skin drying, often fresh or dry skin rich luster and oily skin may improve oil secretion.
Increases immunity against some types of illnesses – The protein extract of seaweed polysaccharides boost immunity against various viruses.

The optimal diet focuses on a variety of fruits and vegetables. Since seaweed grows in the ocean, it contains certain vitamins and minerals that aren’t even available in land-grown vegetables. This extra variety makes seaweed a good food to mix into your diet.

It's very easy to mix seaweed into your diet! You can simply sprinkle dried seaweed flakes to your food, or roll your rice and ingredients into dried seaweed wrappers. You can find pack of these wrappers, which are called “nori”, in most supermarkets like Cold Storage, NTUC Fair Price, Isetan Market and Cheers. You can also add dried seaweed to soup. Soggy seaweed tastes just as nice as a crisp sheet of seaweed!

If you feel like snacking, seaweed is a great substitute for chips. Dried seaweed is crispy, and it is sometimes flavoured with chilli flakes and other flavourful substances for a greater variety of tastes. Do watch the salt content of such flavoured seaweed though!

Adding sesame seeds to a bowl of dried seaweed strips makes a delicious and healthy snack too!

Sleep Your Way to Success

2011-11-11T09:56:00.001+08:00

Ah no, don't take it the wrong way. This article about the type of sleep where you go 'zzz', and yes, it is a key to success! How so?

Many people think that by working a lot, they can achieve success. This is of course, true. But it also depends on the manner you work. As you know, too much of a good thing can backfire. In Singapore,many people are finding it so difficult to get sufficient sleep that some wellness companies have set up spaces in the CBD where customers canget a power nap of thirty minutes during lunch hour. Unfortunately,Singaporeans are such workaholics that some people skip lunch, let alone sleep!

It is common knowledge that not getting enough shut-eye cancause all sorts of health and behavioural problems. One common cause ofsleeping late is work. When we knock off late, we have little time to do thethings we have to do, such as household chores, and we end up pushing backbedtime. Some people even bring their work home to do!

But far from raising productivity, staying up to get more work done actuallydoes the opposite, by affect your learning and memory power negatively. Sleephelps the brain grasp new information and direct it to memory. The process iscalled “memory consolidation”. Lack of sleep interrupts this process, thusweakening the memory. Sleep deprivationcontributes to falling asleep during the daytime, because it makes you tiredand unable to focus.

Insufficient amount of sleep may result in mood swings characterised byimpatience, irritability, inability to concentrate and moodiness. Hypertensionand increased levels of stress are a fall out of chronic sleep loss. If youlose your temper at your boss or a client due to lack of sleep, no amount ofextra work you put in could possible remedy that mistake!

Far more serious, long term sleep deprivation can result in weakening of theimmune system, reducing the body’s ability to fight diseases. Falling ill meanspoorer work performance and the need to leave your work post for sometime whileyou recover!

Therefore, to improve your work productivity, good health and ample rest isreally important!

And here’s a bit of good news to those who really have no choice but to turnin late. Eight hours of sleep is the ideal amount of time you need, but if youcannot achieve that, at least make sure that the amount of time you spendsleeping is quality time!

Simple ways to improve your quality of sleep:

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, going to bed at night and waking up inthe morning. Even if you slept really late the night before, you should stillwake up in the morning as usual. Sleeping until noon will not give yousufficient sleep. (In fact, late nights are basically irreversible and youcan’t just make up for it by sleeping in on weekends)

Sleep with an excellent supportive and comfortable pillow so that you will havean easier time falling asleep, and will not wake up with aches and pains.

Avoid meals and any liquids, especially alcohol and soft drinks, for atleast two to three hours before your bedtime. Absolutely no snacking!

Wind down at least two hours before bedtime. Television, computers and otherstimulation can alter your time clock, making it difficult to fall asleep. Ifyou must do work, try the primitive method of writing and reading off paperinstead, and transfer your work to the computer when you get up early in themorning!

Building new habits takes time. What is important is your desire and mindsetto change the way you are sleeping. Sleep is essential for the body to remainhealthy. Think of how an improved health and work productivity may cinch you apromotion, just by having ample rest! Remember the popular Chinese adage: 休息是为了走更长远的路 Rest is the first step to a long journey ahead!

Don't get bugged by the flu bug

2011-11-04T11:11:00.001+08:00

The weather has been blowing hot and cold these days, alternating between sunny andrainy, several times in a day! Small wonder that more people are falling sick from having their bodies toyed with in this manner! Among the illnesses that patients sick treatment for, flu is one of the most common ones. In Singapore. flu season typically begins inNovember and can last until May. Flu outbreaks can peak in any month during theflu season.

The flu is a contagious respiratory disease caused byinfluenza viruses, and it affects people of all ages. However, certain groups of people get it worst. They include elderly people aged 65 and older, young children, and people with chronic medicalconditions whose immune systems are comparatively weaker than others.

Flu is transmitted through the air by coughs and sneezes. The virus survives in the open in the moisture that's expelled. Flu viruses can be deactivatedby sunlight, sterilizer anddetergents. As such, frequent hand washinghelps to reduce the risk of infection.

Simple things to prevent yourself from falling prey to the influenza virus!

1. Keep your handsoff your face – Your nose and your eyes are vulnerable areas for germs to enter your body.

2. Get sufficient sleep –Bed time is when your body rests and repairs itself. You should get atleast eight to ten hours of sleep every night. A good night’s sleep is essentialfor the immune system to recharge itself.

3. Work out – Working out regularly strengthens your immune system. However, if you're down with the flu, you'll have to go easy on your body and get ample rest.

4. Eat healthily - "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is an evergreen adage. Consuming plenty offresh fruits and vegetables improves your immune system and makes it eaier to fight off the flu virus.

5. Every time you shake someone’s hand, wash yours– Wash your hands as much as possible with soap to get rid of the germs. If you often find yourself in a situation whereby its difficult to find a place to wash your hands, bring a bottle of hand-sanitizer with you.

6. Stay away – Keep your distance from people displaying symptoms like sneezingand coughing. If you have to care for sick family members and friends, have the patient wear a face mask to prevent virus-ridden saliva and mucus from spreading all over the place.

7. Get a flu shot - Accordingto the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a flu shot is the best way to prevent the flu. The vaccine is reformulatedannually to protect against strains of the flu virus predicted tobe most widespread, so even if you've had a flu shot last year, you should get another this year!

Enjoying a Healthy Halloween

2011-10-31T10:41:00.001+08:00

The spirits are high tonight (no pun intended, or not……) asHalloween is celebrated all around the world. Halloween is a day when childrenand adults alike have fun trading candy, dressing up as spooks, and beingspooked. Although it originated from the West, it has been gaining popularityin Asia, including Singapore.The large variety of Halloween spook events held by various places of interestsand renowned organizations is a testament of this.

An important component of Halloween celebration is partiesand candy. In a popular event called “Trick-or-treating”, children, sometimeseven adults, go around their neighbourhoods in Halloween costumes, knockingdoor to door asking for candy. While not common in HDB estates, it occurs inprivate estates. Not forgetting that Halloween parties is a common form ofentertainment at homes, clubs and entertainment venues to commemorate this day,where candy is commonly given away.

And here’s when I step in to be the party pooper. Consumingtoo many sweet treats is bad for health. If you’re diabetic, obese or havechronic heart problems, you should refrain from sugary foods. That doesn’tmean that you can’t participate in the festivities like a wet blanket. Here aresome tips to avoid the sugar mountain, while being a considerate host or a goodpatient.

·        Substitute candy with healthierfood: Fruits are healthier choices in place of candy. You can add providefondue or chocolate dip (low sugar ones) to spruce it up. You can alsosubstitute with fruity gums, though bear in mind that supposed fruit candiesare nowhere as healthy as the actual fruit.

·        Promote ahealthy Halloween: Hand out goodies like pencils, stickers and tradingcards instead of sweets. Nobody will spook you for being a miser then.

·        Give away your candy: If you end up with alarge amount of candies, give them away, just a little to every one each so youwon’t feel like you’re committing a sin. Having them in the house is too muchof a temptation for everyone. You may also try donating to some children’shomes or orphanages to brighten up the occupants’ Halloween.

Make your own healthy Halloween sweet treat!

Honey-coated Green Apples

If you're familiar with Caramel Apples (see picture above), this dish is actually something similar, but uses honey in place of caramel. Honey is a good substitute because it is sweet, but far healthier than caramel.

Ingredients

· Green apples

· Wooden ice creamsticks

· Honey

Directions

1. Refrigerate green apples for one day to chill them

2. Insert wooden sticks intothe stem end of each apple so that some of it sticks out at the end, enough tobe held in the hand.

3. Dip each apple into honey until the apple isfully covered.

4. Some people like to roll their apples in things like chopped pecans and chocolate rice. Well, don't do that as it would defeat the purpose of a healthy treat. If you like having a little something more to your apple, you can try chopped walnuts.

Green apples are a great balance to honey asit is sour. In addition, green apples are healthier alternatives to red applesas they convert less sugar in the digestive system.

There are always ways to have fun without compromisinghealth! Happy Halloween!

Beware that silent killer

2011-10-21T13:54:00.000+08:00

Pancreatic cancer is by no means a rare disease or a recent discovery, but it had been a lesser known evil compared to other more well-known cancers like breast cancer and lung cancer, until recently when it claimed the life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. More people have since been wondering about pancreatic cancer.

What is the Pancreas?

The pancreas is a gland, surrounded by the stomach, small intestine, liver, spleen and gallbladder. It is portrayed by the organ coloured yellow in the above illustration. The pancrease produces enzymes that help with digestion, as well as hormones.

What is Pancreatic Cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a disease characterised by out-of-control cell growth, which begins in the pancreas. Rather than developing into healthy and normal pancreas tissue, these abnormal cells continue dividing and form lumps of tissue called tumour. Tumours interfere with the main functions of the pancreas. If a tumour stays in one particular spot and demonstrates limited growth, it is generally considered benign and harmless.

It is more dangerous when tumours from the cancer cells spread to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph systems. When a tumour successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, they are invading and destroying other healthy tissues. The result is a more serious condition that is very difficult to treat.

Risk Factors

There are no specific reasons as to why people get pancreatic cancer. However, researchers have identified some potential risk factors.
• Higher occurrence in men than in women
• Smoking cigarettes and smokeless tobacco
• Alcohol consumption. Long term, heavy drinking leads to chronic pancreatitis, which is a known risk factor.
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Diet low in vegetables and fruits but high in red meat

Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer

The symptoms are quite varied and dependent on where the cancer is located, where it has spread and how big the tumour is. Pancreatic cancer is a “silent” disease because it rarely shows early symptoms. Tumours of the pancreas cancers are usually too small to cause any symptoms.However, when the cancer grows, symptoms include:
• Pain in the upper abdomen from the tumour pushing against nerves.
• A painless yellowing of the skin and eyes, darkening of the urine called “jaundice” (created when the cancer interferes with the bile duct and the liver).
• Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
• Significant weight loss and weakness.

These symptoms are not exactly unique to pancreatic cancer. Hence, it is difficult to diagnose the disease before it is in an advanced stage. If the cancer spreads, additional symptoms can present themselves in the newly affected area. Symptoms ultimately depend on the location to which the cancer has spread.

Therefore, it is best to go for a body checkup annually. Have a balanced diet, eat more vegetables and fruits, and avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and heavy alcohol assumption that can have negative repercussions on your body!

“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”

2011-10-14T16:01:00.000+08:00

Today is Steve Jobs Day. As we mourn the great man who invented many gadgets that improved our lives, let us not forget his advice:

“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.”

Cancer is one of those diseases that can be a real mystery, akin to a brick that falls out of nowhere and strikes. Although it is mostly associated with people who lead unhealthy lifestyles and have unhealthy diets, perfectly healthy people fall prey to cancer with absolutely no inkling on why it happened to them. The number of young cancer patients has also been increasing, with some barely out of their teens. In fact, the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) is organizing a Rays of Hope Charity Concert to raise funds for young cancer patients.

Life is unpredictable. If you fall sick, you can’t turn back time and change that fact, no matter how much you question it. The best way would be to harbour faith and deal with it positively. Something good could come out of it, like remission for example.

Shock is often the first reaction when a doctor pronounces that you have cancer. You may not believe what is happening, and interrogate the doctor with the same questions repeatedly. Your brain just can’t take in any information.

Shock usually leads to denial. Some may choose to cope with their situation by pretending that it’s not happening. You may find that you don’t want to know anything about your cancer or treatment, or prefer to talk about it as little as possible or not at all. Because by accepting that you need treatment, the fear of not being able to lead a normal life, or death, becomes real.

While shock and denial are completely natural reactions, they are helpful and even harmful, possibly causing delay to your remission process. You must come to terms with your illness, and then speak with your doctor on all available options, be it remission process, or ways to improve end-of-life journeys for those with terminal-stage cancer. Death is everyone's destiny. Why not approach it with joy and contentment, instead of sorrow and remorse? If you mop around and fall into depression, your loved ones will be even more upset. For their sakes, you must pull yourself together.

Here are ways to instil some optimism in your life:

Share your fears. The more people to share your burden, the lighter the burden becomes. Join a cancer support group, where you can share experiences with and get support from fellow cancer patients and cancer survivors. Your hospital may have one, or at least a helpline for cancer patients who need to talk to someone.

Seek financial support if you need it. Worried about the cost of your treatments? Don’t feel embarrassed to approach your hospital staff to inquire about relevant welfare schemes and financial assistant programmes. Your cancer support group can also give you advice on seeking assistance from community welfare schemes.

Have someone accompany you to appointments. They serve as a pillar for emotional support, and they can also be your extra pair of ears, helping you to note down important things that the doctor says. They may also help you with making decisions.

Find a venue to express your thoughts and vent your emotions. Sometimes, listening ears are not always available. You may also have some pent-up frustration, which you would not want to vent on your loved ones and caregivers. You can consider keeping a journal. Writing down your feelings helps you better understand them. It can also be a great way to release stress. Many cancer patients even go one step further by publishing their thoughts and experiences online. This is a meaningful thing to do as you are being a source of inspiration and resource to others. You may even get to make friends with people from other parts of the world!

Eat well. As a cancer patient, your diet may have plenty of restrictions. If you have to undergo chemotherapy, your appetite becomes poorer, and you may feel nauseous. However, you need to eat well, or you will not have the strength to do the things you want to do, or there may be repercussions after remission. "Sharing Plates" is a locally produced book that not only contains inspirational stories about cancer patients, but also recipies written by the cancer patients' families.

Do your favourite things to relax. Keep yourself entertained to avoid your mind from wandering. Listening to music, reading a book, watching dvds of your favourite movies, knitting, origami, playing computer games are just some of the entertaining activities that do not require much energy on your part.

Make a list of things you want to do when you get well. They can range from simple wishes like eating a bar of chocolate to more complex ones like enjoying a boat ride down a street in Venice. It will give you a sense of purpose. Some cancer patients find that they are suddenly at a loss for what to do after remission, when they have no more treatments and appointments to go to. Reflecting on a hopeful future will make you feel optimistic, as well as fill your void as you try to get life back to normal.

Spend more time with your loved ones. Enjoying each others company will lift your spirits as well as theirs. Even a simple activity like watching television together helps.

Last but not least, take it easy and enjoy every moment. Life is always a learning process. Whether you are learning something tangible, or something intangible, such as learning to have courage, you are doing something productive. Your life is not a burden, and never should be.

Feeling sore about sore muscles?

2011-10-07T13:10:00.009+08:00

Many of us city dwellers often experience aches and discomforts in the body from time to time. Aches used to be signs of muscle strains and infections, but these days, they are also telltale signs of lack of activity and poor posture. In fact, body aches and discomforts are no longer signs of age. Even a teenager might complain about backaches due to slouching in front of the computer all day!

While minor aches are usually not life endangering, they do prevent us from sleeping well and affect our moods. If they happen on a day-to-day basis, they can greatly hamper our productivity. Many of these aches are constant reminders to us to get out of that offiice chair and move around. They can be prevented or reduced with in some simple ways.

Lower back pains

The Cause: Tight thigh and hip muscles can cause the lower back to rotate as you stride. Lower back pain is usually triggered by some combination of overuse, muscle strain and injury to the muscles, ligaments, and discs that support the spine. For office workers and students, it can also be a result of not sitting up straight. For students, carrying heavy bags may also cause strains in the lower back muscles.

The Fix: Correct your posture. Make sure you're sitting up straight as you lean against the back of a chair. You may consider putting a small cushion behind you to support your lower back. Do not carry heavy things or bend over suddenly as you may risk putting further strain on your back. Students should look into excluding unnecessary books, or using a pull-along bag if the need arises. If your back hurts acutely, do see a doctor.

Swollen fingers

The Cause: Swelling is often the result of fluid buildup in a particular region. Swelling can be caused by trauma and strain. As we often use our fingers to do work, the fingers are susceptible to swelling. If you spend a lot of time typing on your keyboard or fiddling with your Nintendo DS, your fingers may be prone to swelling and aches.

The Fix: Make a fist and release several times, stretching your fingers out to help the blood flow properly. Do this regularly and as often as you can. It is a simple exercise that you can squeeze in while watching TV or when out for walks. This can prevent arthritis in the fingers too.

Tingly Feet

The Cause: Too snug shoes and tight calf muscles can restrict blood flow to the toes. If you often sit in one position with your legs bent inward, you may experience that tingly feeling in your feet. If serious, you may even lose sensation of the floor, which can be a rather alarming experience, and dangerous when trying to stand up.

The Fix: Don't wear shoes that are too tight. Make sure you can fit one finger in the back of your shoe. At the office, leave your narrow pumps under your table and wear comfortable flip flops. Swinging your feet around should usually shake some sensation into your feet, but if it is not effective, you can stand with the balls of your feet on a rolled-up towel, keeping your heels on the ground. Then lean forward to loosen up tight muscles. Above all, do not sit in one position for too long. You should get up, walk around and wriggle your toes a little every half an hour.

Sore Knees

The Cause: Apart from obvious causes like straining your knees while climbing stairs or carrying heavy things, poor posture counts too. If you often lean your upper body forward while walking, you tend to place more stress on your knees.

The fix: Straighten up when you walk, avoid slouching. Your head and shoulders should be parallel to your hips.

If left unchecked, sore muscles can lead to muscle imbalances and dysfunctional movements. If aches and pains are prolongued, or acute, they may be red flags to serious injuries, illness or disease. Do not hesitate to visit the doctor if these aches and pains are making themselves felt. Problems are often more easily rectified when detected early!

Go Green for Good Health

2011-10-03T11:48:00.000+08:00

When you look at the title of this article, are green vegetables and salads the first things that are called to mind? Indeed, greens in your diet is good for health. However, veggy-haters need not despair, because using greens to improve your health is not limited to your diet, it extends to your surroundings as well.

Most of us keep our windows closed even when we are at home to keep out haze and dust. However, this results in the air indoors becoming very stuffy and humid, and we end up having to resort to switching on the fan or airconditioning despite a nice breeze blowing outside.

In1989, a study conducted by NASA showed that indoor plants can removeair pollutants. Chemicals found in the air are absorbed by the roots,leaves, soil and micro-organisms to degrade the chemicals. This study showedthat by adding a potted plant for every 100 square foot of space in yourhome or office, you can significantly reduce the level of air pollutants. The more plants there are, the cleaner the air becomes!

Accordingto Plant Culture and research by the International Society of Arboriculture, the addition of indoor plantsto an office resulted in less stress and a12% increase in productivity among workers. This is because common chemicals found in our air include benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene which can cause symptoms such as irritation of the mucus membranes, weakness, headaches and loss of appetite, which in turn contribute to stress and decrease in productivity. Prolongued excesssive exposure to such pollutants can even lead to liver and kidney damage and cancer. Plants purify the air of these chemicals, consequently helping to decreasestress and increase productivity!

Some plants have better detoxifying effects than others. Top plants for pollutant removal include aloe, spider plants, orchids,pothos, poinsettias, English ivy, philodendron and lilies.

You do not need to have green fingers to care for plants. Many indoor plants are small, affordable, and easy to maintain. They can be conveniently purchased at departmental stores and supermarkets like Cold Storage, Carrefour and Ikea. For more varieties and special breeds, try local nurseries and florists. You may even purchase them online as some nurseries have websites and delivery services.

Caring for your plants and watching them grow and blossom can be a therapeutic activity. In addition, plants also beautify and brighten up your home and office, and have a soothing effect on the eyes. You can never go wrong with some green in your life!

Eight fun and fuss-free ways to Maintain A Healthy Living

2011-09-28T17:44:00.000+08:00

The Health Promotion Board’s "Make Active Lifestyle Your Way of Life" is in full swing. You are now seeing more people jogging around your estate or working out at the gyms. You want to be as active and trim as them, but you just feel too tired, busy and lazy to move! Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Do you envy the fitness freaks who seem to enjoy exercise while you consider it a chore? What about people who eat healthfully and still enjoy their meal? Why is it so easy for them and such a struggle for you? One common reason is adaptation. If you have been leading a sedentary lifestyle, or eating rich foods and snacking on tidbits on a daily basis, it is going to require time and effort to adapt.

Trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle may be difficult in the beginning, but the longer you adopt healthy behaviours, the easier they become, and the best part is, you will actually start to enjoy them as part and parcel of your life. Your first step in getting to that happy place is to change your attitude.

What is it like leading a healthy lifestyle? Those who dislike exercise may consider it a burden and a bore. You have to slog through boring workouts, avoid having your favourite meals at the fastfood restaurants and force yourself to eat an apple a day when you hate fruits.

In truth, there are other options if you are just starting to get into a healthy lifestyle. The trick to healthy living is making small changes, taking small simple steps like adding fruit to your favourite cereal or having an extra glass of water per day. Leave the drastic changes to later when you are accustomed to your healthier lifestyle. By then, you will probably consider them natural transitions, rather than drastic changes!

First steps to a Happier Healthy You!

1. Use the stairs instead of the elevator: You need to get up there anyway. Why not kill two birds with one stone and lose some calories while at it? Climbing stairs improves cardiovascular function. It also helps to strengthen and tone the leg muscles.

2. Stretch in the morning when you get out of bed: It helps to relax your muscles while increasing blood flow. It is a great and refreshing way to start the morning! You might feel more inclined to go out for a morning walk or jog.

3. Grab a friend or anyone to exercise with you: Exercising with a friend is a lot more fun. You can motivate each other, while maintaining and improving your relationship.

4. Slowly reduce consumption of unhealthy food: Gradually cut down on eating fried, oily foods and snacks. You do not have to cut out all oily food and snacks out of your diet immediately. Start slowly, for example, by limiting the number of times you consume them and the amounts. Constantly remind yourself that unhealthy food may give you temporary pleasure, but the outcomes – obesity and obesity-related diseases, are there to stay. If you feel hungry, snack on a fruit. If you don’t like apples, there are always other delicious alternatives, like pears, strawberries, bananas etc.

5. Eat breakfast everyday: Research indicates that eating breakfast helps you to lose weight. It boosts your metabolism, giving you more energy and motivation for activities. You also tend to feel less hungry, reducing the urge to eat snacks or pig out during lunch.

6. Drink healthier beverages instead of soft drinks: Soft drinks are high in sugar content and regular consumption can lead to obesity and diabetes. Go for healthier and tasty alternatives, such as iced tea, milk, soya bean milk and fruit juice.

7. Do chores at home: Housework is a form of exercise that keeps you active . Cleaning and cloth-rinsing strengthens your arm muscles. Ironing is a good way to put your shoulder, neck and upper body muscles into use. Just be sure to adopt comfortable postures and not to stand in one position for too long or you may end up with vascular problems. By doing your own housework, you safe money from hiring a maid, and you are also exercising filial piety duties by relieving your parents of strenuous chores!

8. Whenever possible and safe, take the scenic route for a walk or jog: Compared to jogging on a running track, jogging past pleasant greenery, the romantic seaside, the group of hot babes or hunks at the basketball court, is guaranteed to make your walk or jog more fun, and keep you coming back for more! Do also keep altering your routes to prevent monotony from setting in.

Once you partake in these regularly, you will find that they will integrate naturally into your lives. You'll even derive joy from doing them!

To exercise or not? That's a hazy situation!

2011-09-13T17:28:00.010+08:00

Recently, our island has once again been blanketed by haze that resulted from forest fires from a neighbouring country. While the haze levels are not at health endangering levels, a person who is exposed to hazy environment for a long time can suffer from health problems. When you inhale air which is affected by haze, the particles along with the haze will be deposited in the lungs. The situation will be worse for someone who has a history of respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic lung diseases.

Coincidentally, HPB has recently started a campaign to champion for a healthier lifestyle with at least 150 minutes of physical exercise per week! What a bummer! Just when we finally convinced ourselves to take out those dusty running shoes, we worry about whether exercising in the haze is a health hazard itself!

This can be determined by the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), the smoke levels of haze measured every three hours.

PSI Value PSI Descriptor
0 – 50 Good
51 – 100 Moderate
101 – 200 Unhealthy
201 – 300 Very unhealthy
Above 300 Hazardous

Outdoors exercise should be avoided when the PSI Value is above 100. Hit the gym, work out at home or sweat it out at the community centres and indoor sports facilities instead.

What happens when you exercise outdoors on a hazy day?

Typically, when pollutants are inhaled, the main effects are on the respiratory tract. The nose hairs serve as filters and remove large particles and highly soluble gases very effectively, but smaller particles and agents with low solubility pass easily. During exercise, when mouth breathing plays an important role, this air filtration process is much less efficient, and more pollutants reach the lungs.

This can cause irritation of the upper respiratory tract, respiratory discomfort and reduction in the oxygen transport capacity of the blood.

Smoke inhalation can result in bronchoconstriction (tightening of airways). Penetration of particles into the upper respiratory tract may cause inflammation, congestion or ulceration. As you breathe deeper, harder and more frequently during exercise, such conditions can be triggered.

Research has found that a combination of high temperature, humidity and air pollution is the worst combination to increase health risks – which makes Singapore a little incubator for problems as we tick all of these boxes.

You should pay close attention to health warnings issued by all advisory boards and follow them as. Before you exercise, tune in to the news, visit http://weather.nea.gov.sg/ForecastToday.aspx or call up the weather station at 6542 7788 to get the latest update on the PSI value. If you have iPhone, you can also get your daily weather forecast, including haze conditions, from the myENV iPhone app.

That said, the current PSI levels which are hovering in the 50s and 60s are still safe for outdoor exercise. You do not have to lay off outdoor exercise completely, and you absolutely have no excuse to hole up at home. Obesity is as much a major health problem as air pollution is!

Other things you can do to battle the haze:
• When outdoors, nose breathing strongly reduces the amount of inhaled pollution compared with mouth breathing.
• If you are asthmatic, you should avoid exercising in pollution.
• Avoid exercising in peak/rush hours to avoid too many pollutants in the air.
• Avoid cigarette smoking
• Keep the amount of time spent in high pollution areas (like the heavy industrial areas) to a minimum as the side effects are dose dependent

A special reminder to all smokers: Smoking 20 cigarettes per day is about the same as an average 24 hour PSI of 24,000!

Information sources: NEA, Haze A Threat to Your Health,

Should You Exercise in Smoke Haze?

More Good Doctors Please

2011-05-31T12:58:00.005+08:00

In the surprising major reshuffling of the Singapore cabinet last week, Mr Gan Kim Yong takes over Mr Khaw Boon Wan as Health Minister and has made a blog post to the official MOH blog yesterday.

He pinpoints 3 areas of concern with regards to health care in Singapore - supply of healthcare professionals and workers, healthcare costs and aging-related health issues. Correctly identifying the mistakes is always a good start, so that's half the battle won. Let's hope he perseveres with practical issues to solve them.

The short supply of healthcare professionals has always been a sore point among many locals. In the past, it was incredibly difficult to get into the medical courses in the local universities because requirements were so stringent, doctors-to-be had to literally be perfect to gain entry, and then subsequently be charged exorbitantly high tuition fees. One practically had to be rich, intelligent, have a great attitude, a good heart, ability to keep calm in a crisis, among many other things.

Probably like the doctors from ER. Haha.

Now, we face a shortage of doctors and nurses and hospitals are importing them from foreign countries. Apart from numerous complaints about communication breakdown between patient and health care staff due to language barriers, doctors (both local and foreign) are making headlines for lack of professionalism and poor ethics. What happened to the perfect doctors we were in pursuit of?

Importing doctors and nurses may be a short term solution, but in the long run, there are still many thorns in the flesh, for differences in work culture and ethics, language and and understanding of local issues cannot be overcome by a few technical courses. Furthermore,truly good doctors and nurses are supposed to help troubled patients feel at home and at ease, and there's little chance of that happening if the patient and medical staff can't even communicate effectively with each other.

MOH should work with the local universities, reduce entry requirements, but increase requirements and demands in the course of study (after all, skills and ethics can be improved more quickly during full-time study), so that in the years to come, we will enjoy the care of homegrown medical professionals who truly comprehend the healthcare needs of Singaporeans.

Braving the Haze

2011-05-16T15:00:00.004+08:00

It has been awhile! Apologies for the inactivity. The General Elections has been keeping me and just about every eligible voter in Singapore busy for the past weeks. I don't think I've had a less healthy week than the last. I was out until near or past midnight when I attended rallies. I always ate supper with my friends before I went home. To top it off, I've braved the rain and been sardine-canned among crowds of people, and come down with a bit of cold, either from the rain or germs from someone in the crowd, I do not know. On the night of the GE, I snacked on potato chips while I stayed up well into the wee hours of dawn.

Oh well, GE has never been so exciting in Singapore since the early days of independence, so it's all right to be unhealthy for a bit. After all, the election candidates probably have it far worst. The most important thing, however, is to nurse myself back to health. If you've read my previous blog entries, I mentioned that there's no such thing as making up for sleep loss by getting lots of sleep the next day. Once sleep is lost, it's lost forever. That's why it is ever so important to revert back to your daily, healthy, routine as soon as possible.

The return of the haze is an added burden to stuffy noses and weakened lungs. When I visited my GP, the queue of patients was so long that I waited more than an hour for my turn! In the following weeks, unfortunately, I believe more people will be dropping by the clinics (well we Singaporeans are a pampered lot). It's best to seek prevention rather than a cure.

All the more, a healthy lifestyle and a light diet is especially important during such times.

- Eat more fruits and vegetables. They help to keep those defense mechanisms in your body active.

- Drink lots of fluids, including water, soups and fruit juices, but stay away from soft drinks

- Porridge is a healthy dish, especially suitable for those nursing sore throats.

- Avoid exercising outdoors. Hit the gym, or if you live in a HDB flat, do some stair-climbing.

- If you're down with a flu, or your nose is irritated by the haze, wear a mask.

- Get lots of rest, sleep early and wake up early!

Good luck battling the haze and post-election blues!

A Slice of the Pie

2011-03-11T17:37:00.004+08:00

So the Budget 2011 has been drawn and it turns out that the Ministry of Health will receive a $4 billion dollar budget. What does it mean for people like you and me ? Well I paid a visit to MOH’s website (http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/cos.aspx) and let’s just say several new plans are in the pipeline (eg. New general hospital to be built in Sengkang and new polyclinic in Punggol, redevelop 5 Polyclinics in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Geylang, Tampines, & Yishun, thank you very much).

The ones which may interest you the most would most probably be:

“Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed in Parliament that those aged 50 and above can now tap on Medisave for colonoscopies, which detect colorectal cancer, and mammograms to screen for breast cancer.”

That doesn’t sound too bad does it? In fact, it’s a brilliant idea! Colorectal cancer is the top cancer here, with 1,455 new cases and 638 deaths a year. Breast cancer is the top cancer in women, with about 1,430 new cases and 329 deaths annually.

But wait did I read that correctly? 50 years and above? Um why the age limit? Shouldn’t patients get screenings as early as possible to increase the chances of detecting cancerous tumours? These days, patients as young as in their teens and early twenties are getting diagnosed with cancers that we previously associated with the middle-aged and aged crowd, and various public service ads are directed at younger people to get their health check-ups done. A practical way to do so, instead of spending money on advertising campaigns that do not always promise results, would be to remove the age barrier and provide free or subsidized check-ups even for the younger population. Why splurge on something that delivers half-way results over a sure-win solution, especially when it's for something as important as healthcare?

An Ounce of Prevention

2011-03-03T14:55:00.003+08:00

So it’s just been reported in The Straits Times that free colorectal cancer test kits will be made available to the public (Free DIY kits to test for colorectal cancer, ST, March 3 2011).

For the uninitiated, the SCS is giving away free test kits. Anyone can redeem the kits and they can do so at the 56 Guardian pharmacy outlets located across the island or from your local polyclinic from 14th-18th March. If for some reason you aren’t able to make the listed dates, the kits can be collected throughout the year from the following places; the SCS centre at the National Cancer Centre Singapore in Outram or the SCS clinic located in Tanjong Pagar.

With a little research, it was found that in 2009, nearly 30, 000 people picked up the kits (yes, the SCS have been giving away freebies for some time now) and 609 people out of this number were found to have blood in their stools and promptly referred for colonoscopies. This could potentially be a lifesaver. Literally.

I for one am quite pleased that the Singapore Cancer Society is actually making things happen instead of just talking about helping the public. Add to the fact that the campaign is to run in conjunction with the SCS Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (1st – 31st March 2011), we have run out of excuses to ignore the very serious threat of colon cancer. Bravo SCS!

So why do you still not have your very own FREE test kit? Get moving!

How to be a Happy Caregiver

2011-02-10T12:18:00.005+08:00

Hi everyone! Hope you had a great long weekend! Time passes so fast. Last month, I listened to friends lamenting about new year preparations, from discussing ways of avoiding relatives’ nosy questions to lists of dishes to prepare for the reunion dinner. And now it’s almost all over. I guess it’s good news for some people, while bad for those who did enjoy their holiday.

However, another exciting event that we can look forward to is the announcement of the Annual Budget 2011! And from various speculations in the papers, we might be anticipating some good news.

As usual, healthcare would be a major talking point, given our aging population and the impending inflation. Recently, the the issue on caring facilities for the aged and sick was brought up. Government announced that they were looking into making day rehabilitation programmes more accessible and affordable to reduce the burden on caregivers of the aged.

This is great news as support for caregivers is really lacking in Singapore, despite the immense mental and physical stress they come under from their duty. Although these are targeted at those with elderly parents to care for, perhaps owing to increasing rates of cancer patients every year, more government support may be available for cancer caregivers.

The caregiver has a lot to live up to. First there is the problem of having to cope with tragic news of health problems or even imminent death, whereby it is impossible to not be grieved by it. Then there is the arduous process of caring for the patient, which includes helping the patient to move around if his mobility is restricted, paying for medical bills, helping him with his rehabilitation exercises, ensuring that he observes his diet plans, putting up with his tantrums etc. After all, he is virtually the pillar of strength for the patient, a motivation for the patient to live on.

As a caregiver, you must keep yourself in tip-top condition at all times, as best as possible! Remaining in good health is extremely vital. You cannot care for someone else if you are in poor health.

Make some time to exercise daily. Exercise is a healthy way to relieve stress too.

Go to bed early and wake up early. Get ample sleep, at least 8 hours a day.

Have a balanced diet and drink lots of fluids. Your charge is usually subject to a healthy diet too so have the same or similar diet with him if possible, and encourage other family members to do the same. This ensures that he will not feel left out and also reduces time needed to cook for multiple people.

Don’t exhaust yourself. If you have a job that is taxing, get a less demanding job. Remember that life does not revolve around wealth and career prospects. Besides, if you turn in a poor performance, it will affect your job anyhow. If income is a problem, the National Cancer Centre Singapore has a comprehensive support programme that can provide counseling and assistance to cancer caregivers on various issues including means to you lighten your financial burden.

Don’t feel the need to watch your charge’s every move. He is not a baby, and it’s absolutely all right for you to step out of the house for awhile to get some fresh air. If you want to go out for a longer period of time and do not feel safe leaving him alone, have a neighbour, relative, friend or engage a professional caregiver temporary to stand in for you.

Keep yourself in good spirits! Your mood really affects the way your body functions. If you’re happy, you’re likely to enjoy what you do and perform it well. As a caregiver, the last thing you want to do is inflict more grief on your charge.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Care giving is indeed a tough job and cannot be done to perfection. If you made mistakes, learn from them and move on. When your charge loses his temper at you, don’t take it to heart. Bear in mind that patients usually vent their anger on their loved ones out of helplessness. They do not actually mean the hurtful things they say.

Just because your charge is sick does not mean that he is not entitled to enjoying life. Spend time with him doing something relaxing that you both enjoy, such as reading, listening to music or watching TV. It keeps both your spirits up.

Maintain an active social life. By this, I do not mean going for shopping trips, clubbing, overseas trips and other high-energy and time-consuming social activities. Confidantes will be very important when you need to let off some steam. Don’t shy away from your friends. Like some housewives, caregivers shut themselves away from the world so that they can concentrate on their charges. This is not a wise thing to do. Let your friends know what is going on in your life, that you are not avoiding them on purpose. Call them up for a chat, invite them out for a meal if possible.

Learn to let go. You may have to give up your favourite activities and a lifestyle you enjoyed due to your role as a caregiver. Let it go, and let it go peacefully. Dwelling on how much you missed will not make it any easier on you. Consider instead, the difference you're making to a loved one's life and be glad that you have the chance and ability to care for him and prolong his life while others look on in vain as their loved ones fade before them. Be proud of your achievement. This mindset is more energizing and positive than any other activity you may be deprived of.

Every Inch A Rabbit

2011-02-02T12:55:00.002+08:00

In a recent article dated 1st February 2011,

Taiwan

health authorities “urged the islanders to watch their weight during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays”.

According to the article, The Bureau of Health Promotion gave the warning because its survey of 1,077 people showed that 43 per cent of them gained weight during previous Chinese New Year holiday.

The bureau further added that “it is easy to gain weight during the festivities, especially when family members and friends sit in front of the television chatting and nibbling on biscuits, sweets and nuts. A mouthful of snacks turns into many calories. It is easy to eat a piece of fat meat but hard to get rid of it.”

It went on to recommend a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, prepared with 'low oil, low salt, and low sugar.'

Personally the fact that the Taiwanese authorities need to emphasise this issue (on the eve of New Year no less), speaks volumes about how serious they take their health.

Anyway, last I checked, no such statements were issued by our very own Health Promotion Board. So that means we’re safe right? We can go on Yu Sheng, Seafood, Fa Cai, Pineapple tart binging sprees now if we want to RIGHT? Then again, our health is our own responsibility, so regardless whether our Government issues such a statement, the onus is on us to take care of our health.

By all means go ahead and enjoy yourself during this festive period but remember, Moderation, is the key word whenever it comes to food.

As it turns out this is likely my last post for the Year Of The Tiger. See you all in the Year of The Rabbit!

To Good Health

2011-01-21T17:25:00.001+08:00

In a study conducted in February 2010, researchers discovered that consuming two or more soft drinks a week increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The study, a joint collaboration between the University of Minnesota and the National University of Singapore, was conducted in Singapore and monitored over 60, 000 men and women across 14 years.

According to Dr Mark Pereira, one of the chief researchers from the University of Minnesota, he found “those consuming soft drinks ... on a nearly daily basis ... their risk was about two, almost two times greater for dying of pancreatic cancer compared to the Chinese men and women in the study who were not consuming those beverages”.

When pressed for a reason as to why soft drinks cause this health risk, Dr Pereira added that “Lots of insulin is secreted when you consume these beverages in high volumes and insulin has been shown to promote the growth of cancer cells”.

Before you ditch your soft drinks in favour of healthier alternatives, several parties have spoken up to cast doubts on such findings. The American Beverage Association has rejected the findings. It says leading scientific bodies such as the National Cancer Institute still do not list soft drinks as risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Further echoing this sentiment is Professor Ian Olver, Cancer Council Australia CEO, who believes further research is needed.

"The research from the University of Minnesota shows an association between drinking soft drinks and getting pancreatic cancer but it can't demonstrate that one causes the other," he said.
Mr Olver is critical of the research method, which he says doesn't control two risk factors known to be associated with pancreatic cancer, smoking and eating red meat.

"I think that there needs to be further studies done to determine precisely why the association was found, was it the soft drink and the sugar or was it something else that they were doing as well?"

The research is published in a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Whether or not soft drinks are cancer risk factors, we can't be sure for now. However, if we wait until it has been scientifically proven to practice abstinence or reduce intake, it may be too late. Soft drinks are indeed potential causes for obesity, which is bad for general health. Whether or not soft drinks are dangerous, it is still good to start looking for healthier and equally tasty alternatives.

Somebody Called for the Doctor?

2011-01-12T16:14:00.002+08:00

I believe most of us have fallen ill before. If your answer happens to be no, give me your contact details so I can arrange for an interview for next week’s blog entry. My point being if Singaporeans can expect new hospitals anytime soon. I mean it’s getting just a little too crowded in here (those who commute to work daily by the MRT especially during morning and evening rush hours know exactly what I mean.) What if one of them decides to fall sick and spread the virus to his fellow passengers?

In that regard, let’s take a look at the most recent hospital to be established in Singapore: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Located in Yishun, KTPH was established with the intention of providing basic healthcare and all the amenities and benefits of a community hospital to Singaporeans living in the north.

Reports of a new 550 bed hospital suggest that a new hospital is to be established in the western region of Singapore. Construction of the hospital, known as Jurong General Hospital, is expected to be completed by 2015.

This is in view of the growth of the eastern housing estates, which is expected to grow substantially in the next 10 years. Building new hospitals will certainly ease the burden on the already overworked Emergency Department of NUH as well as Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

With Singapore’s population expected to rise to 6.5 million in the near future, it is imperative that more hospitals be built in anticipation of the influx of new citizens. Good to know that the Ministry Of Health has already earmarked the north which ‘definitely needed two to three hospitals‘. According to the Health Minister, future sites to be considered include Woodlands and Bukit Batok.

Any plans for a new hospital in the East then Minister? Pretty please?

Festive Cheer

2010-12-21T16:14:00.004+08:00

As the festive period draws near, how many of you are still not done with your Christmas shopping? At a loss at what to get for your loved ones? Fret not dear readers! Here's a list of healthy and actually useful gift ideas that we're sure you'll enjoy.

Water bottles. They offer a healthy alternative to the ever-present temptation of carbonated soft drinks. It helps that they're available in an assortment of colours and designs too.

Harvest gift baskets. Fill a basket with packages of whole grains, such as wild or brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, oats etc. Squeeze in a recipe or two and voila.

Lunch bags. Thermal bags are a fun way to pack healthy fare and save calories and money. Tuck in reusable sandwich or snack bags for added fun.

Assorted teas. This antioxidant rich beverage is available bagged or loose. Pick green, black or herbal, or some of each. For a finishing touch, add a tea strainer or infuser.

Chocolate. Ah, the infamous chocolate. For those of us blessed with little creativity, chocolate can turn out to be the simplest gift but really who can resist this sweet treat? The healthiest chocolate is at least 70 percent cocoa, so check labels. It doesn't take much - about 52 grams - to enjoy chocolate's health benefits.

Gym Membership. Always wanted to join the local gym but never really had the time? Well now you can! Give your loved ones no options but to (finally) get into the gym to tone those muscles. There're always the optional spa and sauna included in the packages too.

Gift Vouchers. Drop by your local CC to enquire about vouchers for classes. You'd be surprised at the variety of choices available nowadays, with classes ranging from yoga, performing arts and life skills to name but a few

Pedometer. This one's taken from the Health Promotion Boar's website; a pedometer (step-counter) is a great gift to motivate someone to exercise and keep track of the number of steps taken daily.

Running shoes. A brand new pair of shoes may just be the kick-start that someone needs to change his/her life. Besides, who'd be crazy enough to turn down a new pair of shoes?

Blender. Great for crushed fruit and ice smoothies. Couple this power with a great warranty and easy cleaning and you have got one of the best gifts this holiday season.

We hope this list has given you some ideas for those last-minute shoppers among us.

Happy Holidays !

Mobile phones, Cancer and You

2010-12-08T18:01:00.004+08:00

It's not hard to find horror stories about mobile appliances and cancer. On the other hand, numerous studies have sprung up to debunk these theories. So what should you believe? Is it time you ditch the Iphones and Blackberrys? Let's find out.

What's the link between mobile devices and cancer you might ask? Reports of a link between the two have periodically surfaced ever since cell phones became common appendages to people’s heads in the 1990s. There has been no concrete evidence as The National Cancer Institute in the US and Time Magazine (May 17) seem to think so. No big deal right? Not quite. It seems a growing number of independent researchers beg to differ.

Let's start with what the people who support the fact that the prolonged usage of mobile devices is one of the factors for brain cancer are saying.

1. Statistical evidence from research and studies show that there will be an increase in the number of brain tumours over a period of 30 years.

2. People who started using mobile/ cordless phones as teens have a 420% higher risk of getting brain cancer.

3. Use of cell phones inside buildings or in cars increases cancer risk, as it increases the radiation a phone must emit to function.

4. People are advised against carrying cell phones against the body, even in pockets.

5. It is ill advised to sleep with mobile phones placed under pillows. (Uh, I'm guilty of that.)

6. Use of text messaging and non-wireless headsets can reduce cancer risk.

* all data was extracted from the findings of the International Electromagnetic Field Collaborative

In fact if these same folks had it their way, they want parents to ensure that children below the age of 18 not be allowed to use mobile phones except in emergencies. It's happening right now in France actually where children in elementary schools can only use their phones for texting.

But it wouldn't be a fair article if we didn't take a look at what the detractors say right? So here we go.

1. Cancer generally requires mutation, i.e., DNA damage, and cell phone signals, radio waves, WiFi - none of these have enough energy to break the chemical bonds that hold your DNA together.

2. Experts believe that there was too much inconclusive data to link mobile phones and brain cancer. The observation period has been too short to because 20 years ago mobile phones did not possess the popularity they currently have.

3. Electromagnetic energy from cell phones and radio towers are categorized as non-ionizing radiation and are generally thought to be harmless.

4. Basically the microwave radiation waves used for mobile phones are already in the air anyway. If mobile phones caused cancer, we'd all be in trouble - not just mobile phone owners.

In my opinion sure. Mobile phones CAN kill - the biggest proven health risk of cell phones is traffic accidents caused when talking on the phone while on the road.

Maybe tomorrow things will change, and we'll find that cell phones are harmful. But till that day comes I'll be holding on to my Iphone for a little while longer.

Battle of the Bulge

2010-11-26T17:49:00.004+08:00

In a recently conducted survey by the Heath Promotion Board (HPB), it was discovered that one out of ten Singaporeans were overweight.

*Horror*

Granted, we’re still a long way off the obesity rates of countries like the US and UK (in the US, one in three people were obese). But don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. It seems that Singapore’s rate of obesity among its population – a 0.65 per cent increase from the year 2004 – is similar to these countries. What this means is that if nothing is done to curb this trend soon, we’ll end up having to shop for clothes a few sizes larger than usual in the not too distant future.

So what does this boil down to? Simple. Singaporeans are not getting enough exercise and they’re not eating healthily. What’s even more worrying is that all of this is happening in spite the efforts of the HPB in promoting awareness, healthy living programmes with emphasis on exercise and a healthy diet.

Remember, taking small steps is often better that asking to drastically change entire lifestyles overnight. Let us not kid ourselves with instant fixes. The changes we seek can only come about with diligence over time. So immerse yourself in supportive environments, skip the finger food, be an informed customer when it comes to nutritional values of food. The list goes on. With every small success, won’t you feel motivated to do much more? I know I am.

We’re losing the battle of the bulge but we can still win the war.

Cancer Biomarkers: Are You Ready?

2010-11-19T16:52:00.002+08:00

A biomarker can be any substance in the body that can be measured to indicate or predict the presence of a disease or a condition in the body. It is also used to find out how well the body responds to a specific treatment.

Wait what? You might be thinking “That’s nice and all Mr Writer, but what in blazes does it have to do with me?”

Good question.

Detecting biomarkers early can significantly improve the chances of diagnosing a cancer tumour at its earliest stage. Well consider the fact that for most cancers the chances of a cure are significantly higher if found and treated early. Wouldn’t that be reason enough to find out more about biomarkers?

There are numerous types of biomarkers that have been identified to date. Examples include protein biomarkers, DNA biomarkers, pathological biomarkers and so on. So how do doctors examine you for biomarkers? Well, you walk into the doctor’s office, nurses and doctors will take samples of your blood and usually in a few weeks you will be asked to return to collect the results of your blood tests.

If you learn from your doctor that you have cancer and the only way to make sure was to perform some tests, you probably wouldn’t want to wait for a few weeks to find out what’s going on. You’d want to know right away. So some good people in the US have developed a new micro-device that cuts the waiting time of a few weeks into mere days.

All this good news comes at a price. For all its uses, proper validation for most of the cancer biomarkers has not been achieved. What this means that because it is a relatively new clinical method, not much data can be concluded from the various types of biomarkers that organs, diseases and conditions release.

Ultimately, for all the new ways used to detect cancer early, the best cure for cancer is still prevention.

Tranquility

2010-11-12T15:29:00.002+08:00

So you’ve tried the conventional methods to treat cancer. You’ve gone for endless sessions of chemotherapy, made return trips to the treatment rooms more often than you’d like and suffered from nasty side effects. Surely there must be other options?

Few people realize that psychology can play an important role in cancer treatment. There has been evidence that a positive psychological approach reduces emotional distress, enhances communication between patients, family members and medical staff, reduces side effects of treatment and improves patients’ quality of life.

There’s the case of a Kip Little who was diagnosed with cancer in 1986. In 1990, she was given 3 months to live. Kip worked with a psychologist at the Ontario Cancer Institute and began the transformation of a lifetime. Together with fellow cancer patients, they met weekly to discuss their feelings, learned meditation and other relaxation techniques and explored ways of coping with grief, depression, pain and fear.

Most people don’t associate psychology with cancer treatment. However they should as Kip’s story illustrates, psychology can help extend patient’s lives beyond what conventional medicine can hope to achieve.

A paper regarding the effects of psychology was published in 1989 by psychiatrist David Spiegel. Dr Spiegel discovered the people who worked the hardest at transforming themselves psychologically lived at least 3 times longer than predicted. The least active patients died not far from the doctor’s stipulated date.

Perhaps Dr Sandra Haber, a psychologist from New York, said it best when she said "Patients get caught up in the physical aspects of their illness. That's understandable. But in dwelling on the medical possibilities and diagnostic procedures, patients tend to minimize the role of their feelings and the role that psychology can play."

So what are some things that can be done while battling cancer? Examples include learning how to express or manage emotions better, achieving inner tranquillity, gaining self-confidence and hopeful attitudes. Generally people who swear by these methods are not negative about conventional medical therapies, but they do attach great importance to psychological factors in managing their conditions.

Learning to relax/meditate might not cure cancer outright but it will definitely help to restore some feeling of control over cancer’s traumatic emotional experience, and give patients a way of achieving calmness and peace of mind. Now that’s not too bad right?

Slim Pickings

2010-11-04T17:09:00.001+08:00

With Deepavali round the corner (tomorrow as I type this) it’s only a matter of time before everyone tucks into their favourite mithai (sweets). Couple that with the fact that Hari Raya Haji is only 12 days later. Cue entry the kueh-mueh. That does sound like a bit too much calories aye?

Watching what you eat during festivies would seem to be a paradox because carbonated drinks, deep fried goodies, CHOCOLATE and holidays go hand in hand. Keeping fit is also difficult because shopping trips, traffic, and fatigue (because of the shopping and traffic) disrupt your regular fitness routine.

In addition to being a religious event, Deepavali/Hari Raya is also a food festival. Dishes like roti, channa (chick pea), aloo (potato), fish head curry are commonly served to guests. Unfortunately festive periods can never be used as an excuse to overindulge in food.

As we are ever so concerned about your well-being and health dear readers, here are some suggestions for you guys to follow this Deepavali/Hari Raya to keep a check on your calorie intake.

Get enough sleep

There’s ALWAYS one more party to attend. So it’s easy to suffer from a lack of sleep. Believe it or not, some studies have shown that when people are short on sleep, they eat more. It’s as though the body is trying to obtain energy from food that was meant to come from adequate rest.

Drink lots of water

It not only helps in detoxifying the body but has been proven to curb hunger. A couple of sweets are OK but don't let yourself have too much of carbonated cold drinks. Heck, even fruit juices provide more nutritional value. Long story short, you end up eating less without putting any extra conscious effort.

Balance

Moderation is the mantra to enjoy festive food. Eat fatty foods, sweets and other fried snacks in little amounts. If you are making sweets yourself, use low fat ingredients- like low fat milk and other dairy products. Use natural sweeteners like honey and dates to make sweets and avoid using refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead of loading your plate to the brim with sweets, just take a few, may be one or two, items and eat them slowly and gradually. If someone serves fruits along with sweets, try to take more of them in your plate.

Have realistic expectations

Let’s be honest. Deepavali/Hari Raya is not the time to try and lose weight. Consider yourself successful just to maintain your weight. Don’t feel guilty either if, in spite of your best efforts, you put on a pound or two. A few pounds are easily taken care of when your schedule gets back to normal in December.

Beware the “all-or-nothing” attitude

This time can be deadly if you have the “all-or-nothing” attitude towards food. This attitude says: “What’s the use? I overate during the party. I might as well stop watching what I eat and go all the way”. Going all the way means giving up all control, eating every fattening morsel that comes your way, feeling terribly guilty, eating some more, etc. So what if you succumbed to the chocolate cake? It’s not the end of the world. You can always eat a light low-calorie dinner to balance it out.

We hope these options will help make your festive celebrations a little healthier.
Happy Holidays!

Spirit of Altruism

2010-11-01T11:37:00.011+08:00

I was walking down town with the boss yesterday and we had a few interesting conversations. One of them was the story of how a certain school principal was hesitant to provide details to assist in the plight of an unfortunate family who were in need of financial assistance.

I don’t want to bore my beloved readers out there (yes, you) with needless details but the gist of the conversation was the spirit of volunteering in Singapore, or in this case, rather the lack of it. Apart from the fact that altruism is really important for the progress and wellbeing of the community, doing charity work is actually good for health. It helps with your emotional well-being because you feel happy and useful when you know you're doing something good. As you work with volunteers and the less unfortunate, you learn to cope better with your emotions too. Doing charity work also gives you an excuse to get out and about. That certainly beats lounging at home as a couch potato.

For those of you who want to do something about this, you’ll be pleased to know that there are numerous organizations that welcome volunteers with open arms. With the focus of this blog on cancer and health in general, I’ve narrowed down the list to groups that focus their efforts on cancer, health and well-being. I’ve provided you with a list of organizations for your reference. Enjoy doing something really worthwhile!

Name: Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF)
Address: 138 Bukit Timah Road / 6835 6465
Web: www.ccf.org.sg
Description: Provides counselling, education, parent support groups, family outings, financial assistance and promote public awareness. Needs volunteers who can involve children with cancer in structured play activities, clean toys, tutor and befriend children with cancer.

Name: Singapore Cancer Society
Address: 15 Enggor Street, #04-01/04 Realty Centre / 6421 5839
Web: http://www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg
Description: Volunteers required to assist in the following areas -
Befriender Programme
Administrative Duties
Transport
Public Education
Tuition
Fundraising
Support Group
Photographers

Name: Breast Cancer Support Group
Address: Outram Road / 6321 4474
Web: http://www.sgh.com.sg/Patient-Services/Support-Groups/Pages/breast-cancer-support-group.aspx
Description:
Engages breast cancer patients to share personal experiences of how to cope with illness and treatment
Shares and updates knowledge of current treatments, prevention, rehabilitation and coping strategies.

Name: Make A Wish Foundation
Address: 190 Clemenceau Avenue #07-02 Singapore Shopping Centre/ 6334 9474
Web: http://www.makeawish.org.sg
Description: Grant wishes to youths aged 3-18 with life-threatening illnesses like cancer, leukaemia and metabolic disorders. Requires volunteers for administrative support, wish granting and fund-raising activities.

Going Pink for Good Health

2010-10-19T15:36:00.004+08:00

HAPPY BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH EVERYONE!

*pops champagne bottles and runs off in celebration*

Back to the topic at hand October is a month where most countries in the world observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). Even in good old Singapore, from shopping malls to parks to beaches to grocery stores, it’s not an uncommon sight to see women with some form of pink in their dress-up repertoire. With BCAM currently in full swing, let’s take a look at some of the breast cancer-related events that are running concurrently.

1. Pink Ribbon Party

One for the ladies. Round up your girlfriends for one of the most fabulous parties in town – THE PINK RIBBON PARTY!

Party for a good cause as you contribute to the prevention and control of breast cancer. Sit back and relax to music arranged by DJ Ginette Chittick and be enthralled by the fashion show brought to you by Envy.

Did I mention the travel voucher worth $800 from Jetstar? Good food, good music AND a grand prize? Sign me up already.

Date: 23 Oct, Sat
Time: 7.30pm to 10.00pm
Venue: Velvet Underground @ Zouk

2. Special Rate for mammogram screening

To encourage more women to go for their mammograms, the good folks at the National Healthcare Group Diagnostics (NHGD) and Diagnostic Radiology at SingHealth Polyclinics will be offering $10 discount off the usual price of a mammogram. If the discount isn’t enough for you, they’re giving away coupons and Guardian Pharmacy vouchers. This offer is valid throughout the whole month of October.

Date: 1st – 31st Oct 2010
Time: As per operating hours
Venue: Any SingHealth Polyclinic

3. Nutrition After Breast Cancer and Cooking Demonstration
Date: 23rd October 2010
Time: 10am-12pm (Session 1); 2-4 pm (Session 2)
Venue: National Cancer Centre Singapore, Function Room, Level 4

Celebrity Chef Philip Chia will share tips on eating right after breast cancer diagnosis. He will show the audience how to prepare simple and healthy dishes. Might I add that admission is FREE.

So many events, so little time. Excuse me while I make my way down now. Now where did I put my pink ribbon pin-up…..

Much ado about poo

2010-10-11T18:12:00.002+08:00

The nation recently mourned the loss of Dr. Balaji Sadasivan who passed away a week ago. While our thoughts and prayers are with his family through these trying times, let us take a closer look at his cause of death – colon cancer.

Definition

Colorectal cancer, better known as colon cancer, is cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. The colon is the large intestine or large bowel. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus.

Colon cancer, when discovered early, is highly treatable. Even if it spreads into nearby lymph nodes, surgical treatment followed by chemotherapy is highly successful. In the most difficult cases — when the cancer has metastasized to the liver, lungs or other sites — treatment can prolong and add to the quality of life.

Colorectal cancer affects both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people aged 50 years or older. For men, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after prostate and lung cancers. For women, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer after breast and lung cancers.

Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Screening can find precancerous polyps—abnormal growths in the colon or rectum—so that they can be removed before turning into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer at an early stage, when treatment often leads to a cure.

Perhaps one of the more alarming facts regarding colon cancer is that it is not easily detected during its earlier stages.

Signs & Symptoms

These include:
• bleeding in the stool that is often painless
• change in bowel habits
• persistent diarrhoea
• mucus in the stool
• reduction of stool calibre
• a recurrent need to defaecate (tenesmus)
• anaemia
• an incidental abdominal mass
• unexplained weight loss
• fatigue
• the feeling that your bowel isn’t completely emptying

It is important to know what to watch out for, especially if your lifestyle puts you at high risk of being afflicted with the condition. Some of the signs and symptoms of colon cancer are a change in bowel habits (e.g. experiencing diarrhea, constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool for more than two weeks), rectal bleeding, and persistent abdominal discomfort (including pain, cramps, and gas).

Risk Factors

Reviewing your family history and current lifestyle may help you determine if you are at risk of developing the condition. Other risk factors include older age (most people stricken with color cancer are older than 50), a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, and alcohol. If you can relate to any of these risk factors, you should know that these increase your chances of developing the disease.

Raising Awareness

Everybody knows about lung cancer, breast cancer and the other more prominent types of cancers. Having said that, are you aware of huge disparity in terms of awareness between colon cancer and other types of cancers? It has become the most common cancer in Singapore with almost a thousand new cases diagnosed annually over the last few years. It is only second to breast cancer in the female and lung cancer in the male.

Conclusion

The seriousness of colon cancer cannot be overstated. It is one of the most common types of cancer in Singapore but one gets the feeling that people are still not aware of it. This certainly is a cause for alarm not because it is more dangerous than the others, but because of the lack of community awareness among Singaporeans regarding colon cancer.

Into the Great Beyond

2010-09-24T13:58:00.004+08:00

Recently, an acquaintance passed away from Cancer. While I don’t know her well, her death touched me. From what I heard, this lady was a very strong-willed person who did not believe in bowing down to fate. After being diagnosed with cancer in its fatal stage, she spent a year and lots of money traveling the world to seek treatment before the grim reaper finally caught up with her. She passed away last week, leaving behind a pile of debts and lots of regrets for her family.

It’s well and good to want to challenge an undesirable fate, but there’s a fine line between having a strong will and being stubborn. When it’s time to let go, it’s time to let go. Clinging on relentlessly will only break your support, just like how the poor lady broke her family’s hearts when she spent her last months flying around instead of spending quality time with them. Worst, they even had to pick up the pieces for her.

Anyway, this episode inspired me to write about coping with death. Morbid stuff.

I can’t claim to be an expert because, well, because truthfully I’ve been fortunate enough not to experience it myself.

What, you’re still here?

Fine.

This is going to be awkward. But I’ll try. So as I was saying, when it’s time to go, it’s time to go. Just have to take it on the chin and deal with it. So how can you deal with death, be it yours or anyone close to you?

Well here are some ways:

1. Face the facts. Ok you’re dying. You just got the news. You’ll need some time to get over the initial shock. Most important thing is not to go in a state of denial.

2. Get help for you and your family. Chances are, despite getting over your death, you’ll experience the occasional urge to tear at your hair and scream “It’s the end of the world!” Now it’s perfectly normal to be upset, but don’t let yourself slip into depression. In NCCS, there are cancer support groups that cancer patients and their caregivers can turn to for help. Support groups are usually formed by a bunch of nice and knowledgeable people who’ve shared your woes, understand your fears and will have the relevant resources to help you with your doubts.

3. Leave your job. It would be sad having to work on your last day on Earth. Not to mention, you wouldn’t want your colleagues cursing you for dumping a pile of unfinished work on them. If you’re the sole breadwinner, arrange for your family to seek financial help. Support groups, as mentioned in point 2, will be able to give you relevant advice for this.

4. Trim off the loose ends. Nobody likes to pick up after someone else’s mess. Settle all outstanding issues like mortgage, rent, bills and other stuff. If you have to go, you’d rather do it with peace of mind. Likewise, don’t create unnecessary debts for them. It’s one thing if you’re seeking legitimate medical treatment for your condition, but a waste of time and money if you’re experimenting with alternative medicines. Why not spend the money on something nice, like a holiday for yourself and your family?

5. Writing your will. This can be in a form of an official document signed by a lawyer or even a video. Anyone that has helped you in a way, don’t forget to mention them.

6. Religion. Some of you may cringe at this but it’s ok if you don’t believe in an unseen power. For most of you, if ever there was a time to get close to your maker, now would be a pretty good time. Often meeting up with your local priest, Imam, monk will put your mind at ease better than most activities so it’s definitely worth a try.

7. Family/Friends This is often the most important but unfortunately the hardest part. Most of the time they’ll take it much harder than you. Maybe you don’t think too much of yourself but there are people who look up to you in more ways than you’ll ever know. So remember to show your love and appreciation for them as often as you can before it’s too late to do so!

Ok. That’s enough doom and gloom for a day. All this talk about death isn’t doing anything to keep my SPIRITS up? See what I did there? OK fine I’ll shut up now.

But seriously, make peace with this world. Tell the people who you’ve never had the courage to talk to what you think of them. After all, you wouldn’t want any regrets in your final moments would you?

Hari Raya Confessions

2010-09-13T17:38:00.003+08:00

OK so it’s the 4^th day of Eid Al-Fitr/Hari Raya Aidilfitri. By the time you read this, chances are hearty servings of Rendang, Sambal Goreng, Sayur Lodeh, Ketupat and my biggest weakness (cue drumroll) FRIED CHICKEN WINGS have already found its way into my digestive system (and possibly yours too, yes?). It doesn’t help when I have aunts who are excellent cooks and constantly shoving things onto my plate. (No really, I couldn’t eat another bite, but what’s that Auntie? Chicken wings? Aw, you shouldn’t have.) It’s really hard to resist chowing down on Ketupat (glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in woven banana leaves) best eaten with chunks of Beef or Chicken Rendang (dry curry cooked in sinful amounts of coconut milk)

However being the caring netizen that I am (but mostly because I believe strongly in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle) here are some tips to fight the calories without compromising on the festive spirit.

When it comes to crunch time, moderation is the key. I know, I know it’s easier said than done when you’re faced with mountains of delicious food and overzealous aunties but try to eat in limited quantity and don’t overstuff your tummy. Overeating causes acidity imbalance (Eno anyone?) and digestive related issues.
Skip the finger food – generally these are your typical kueh lapis, tapioca chips, pineapple tarts and so forth. (I’ll stick to my chicken wings thank you)
Eat slowly and concentrate on enjoying the flavours of different foods. Eating slowly will help you not to overeat.
Remember to keep drinking lots of water. Ensure you drink lots of water as it not only provides numerous health benefits but also prevents overindulgence on unhealthy foods.
Did you know that you tend to overeat when you’re tired? Exhaustion makes you overeat to restore energy.
If you find it difficult to continue with your normal weight loss over the festive season, at least try to maintain your weight at where it is now and start putting in more effort again as soon as you are back to your normal routine.

With that in mind, I'm not asking you to abandon meat and go vegan for this festive season. Instead, just be mindful of what you eat and things should work out fine. After all I only tend to overwork my arteries during Hari Raya, right?

RIGHT?!

You say tomato, I say tomahto

2010-07-21T11:35:00.003+08:00

We all know that eating well is as important as breathing. Ok maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point. Eating the right food can do wonders for our bodies, making us feel and look good. BUT, there is a fine line between eating well, and eating too well.

In fact, nutritionists have constantly urged us to eat as many as five meals a day. This method of eating keeps our bodies constantly fed, so that it’ll never get into an angry fit with us and refuse to work to break down all those calories. In busy Singapore, many of us are guilty of skipping meals like breakfast or lunch and replacing them with a grande Starbucks Mocha Frappe or the like, but we can still do way better than that. There is really no reason to substitute a proper nutritious meal with caffeine. On the other hand, there are some of us who simply can never stop munching. 24/7, and our mouths are gnawing endlessly at a bag of chips, or fries and the list goes on.

But sometimes, when an illness like cancer looms over us, the appetite for food no matter how alluring the aroma, may no longer be whet. Nonetheless, it is important to note that food during this time is crucial. When undergoing treatment or chemotherapy, the energy to sustain the procedure shouldn’t be underestimated. Many patients return feeling tired and worn out, and it has been proven that 30% of all cancers are linked to poor diet. This is because, cancer strikes when a cell or a DNA gets damaged. The damaged cell grows unchecked, and turns into a tumor that spreads and grows uncontrollably. Now, during any one of these steps, a lack of certain nutrients, or an excess of some other factor can affect what happens next. That’s why there is never-ending emphasis on eating right. Like the American Cancer Society says, “While genes influence your risk of cancer, diet and physical activities are the most important lifestyle factors that contribute to cancer.” Yes, it is definitely no easy task, but eating the right kinds of food, a little each time, can make a huge difference in making one stronger and emotionally, mentally, and physically fulfilled.

Here’s a sample cancer fighting diet taken off the Diet Channel. They have very thoughtfully incorporated the top 10 anti-cancer foods, to get you started on a healthier, invigorating food journey.

Cancer Fighting Diet

Breakfast
Yogurt smoothie with mixed berries and soy milk

Morning Snack
Apple with peanut butter
Green Tea

Lunch
Spinach wrap with mandarin oranges and broccoli sprouts
Cottage cheese and pineapple
Tomato Juice

Dinner
Baked wild salmon with caramelized onion and garlic
Stewed Tomatoes
Pumpkin soup or baked sweet potato
Black Tea

Happy Eating guys!

Fourty going on Fifty…

2010-06-15T16:38:00.001+08:00

For some reason, having to blow out more candles on a birthday cake becomes a dreadful event each coming year. Maybe it’s the breathlessness we fear that might envelope us after wiping out all 50 candles, or the overwhelming sight of candles making up the entire cake topping. Yet just like how the candles are an inevitable reminder of those dwindling years, so are graying hair and blurring sight. Sometimes, even our bones crack mockingly, soundly reminding us of our dying youth. Ah! The signs of old age.

I’ve recently been obsessing about my own health, thanks to a frightful encounter with the mirror, when I noticed patches of my scalp, almost naked from hair, staring rudely back at me. It then dawned on me, that this was just a noticeable part of me that was aging. For all I knew, I could be wrinkling up inside! Be it for vanity or health purposes, I decided to embark on a healthier lifestyle. I started scouring through blogs and articles on health-related issues and what a comfort it was when I chanced upon an article by the New York Presbyterian Hospital, crying out “Message to Elderly: It’s never too late to prevent illness!” Just what I needed to hear.

While it had been discovered that majority of old people suffer from diseases like osteoporosis, or diabetes, cataract, sometimes even dementia, it doesn’t mean we’re doomed to a sad, live-out-of-the-tube life. In fact, there are ways we can enjoy those gray bits of hair and that wise-looking wrinkled face as much as we did our youth.

Remember back in the days when we were full of life, and mother’s nagging to down that glass of milk seemed like such a redundant chore? Well, for those of us who have been obedient, it might have saved us from developing the breakable bone disease, osteoporosis. What’s more, it has been proven that women are at a far more greater risk of succumbing to this illness because of the changes in estrogen level while leading up to menopause. Thereafter, they lose bone at an even higher rate, possibly 2 to 5% per year, after menopause. But this isn’t just a girl thing, as men are equally prone to this “silent disease”, though they tend to develop it later. The funny thing is, this is the one disease where those of a smaller body frame are at a higher risk of having their bones crack under their weight.

So for those of us who ran away from ‘milk-time’, how do we deal? Your bones determine how you stand up to the world. So exercise regularly to work those muscles that will maintain bone density and strength, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk in the park. Sit up straight if you don’t want to be mistaken for the hunched-back of Notre Dame. Fill yourself with vitamin d – an absorbent for calcium, and have a diet rich in calcium. You’ll see how grateful your bones will be for pampering them.

But don’t let it end there. Give your eyes some pampering too. After all, they get tired too after having seen the world for, what fifty years? So don’t be too harsh on them or yourself when they get a little blurry, or swell a little. Take it to the doctor’s where they’ll get some tender loving care and be given immediate attention. And while the sun may be a good thing, you wouldn’t want your eyes to be exposed to the glary light. Put on some shades, give your eyes a wash every now and then, and infections like conjunctivitis can be delayed, if not prevented. But if you experience a significant vision loss, a cataract surgery might just let you see the world through new eyes. Remember early detection can save you all the hassle.

This reminds me, just the other day while looking for something to while away my time, I came across this movie on the Hallmark channel. I don’t know if you’ve seen it, it’s called “More Than Meets the Eye”. It’s a story about a 32-year-old woman who teaches at a school for the blind. In a stroke of tragedy, she succumbs to blindness because of a muscular degeneration, and her luck spirals down when her husband dies soon after leaving her to care for their young daughter all alone. The story is moving and captivating all at once, and tells of the capabilities within each individual. I was awed just watching her strength and willpower to survive. Here’s the trailer of the movie to get you guys hooked on it:
http://www.joanbrock.com/more_than_meets_the_eye_movie_update.htm

And did you know that another notorious illness among the elderly that promotes eye problems is actually diabetes? In fact, according to a study by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness among adults, and what’s more, those with diabetes are 25 times more likely to become blind than those without it. Worse still, diabetes tend to strike more, those who are 50 and above. Because as you age, your body’s immune system goes down and its capacity to produce the important metabolic catalysts diminishes.

However, all’s not lost. There are loads of therapies and products available to treat diabetes among the elderly. But the minute you experience symptoms like fatigue, weakness, or if anyone in the family has diabetes, seek medical attention! Most importantly, follow a diabetic food pyramid religiously, and adopt good eating habits. We are after all, what we eat.

So there, growing old means accepting life’s many challenges, and embracing it. No matter what comes our way, there is no reason not to wake up with a smile and a raring attitude to face the world. Let’s all age gracefully then, shall we? Do catch the movie when you have the time. I hope it inspires you as much as it did to me. Happy watching, all of you!

Till next time. Have a wonderful week ahead.

To pop or not to pop?

2010-05-20T10:42:00.002+08:00

Back in the day, there were no such things as pills. People lived off their environment. They ate the reddest apples fresh from their gardens, succulent oranges and mangoes from the tress in their backyards, delightful bananas which they grew abundantly along roads and the juiciest strawberries which they plucked from the fields. Like their fruits, they lived till a ripe old age.

These days, however, pills in all shapes and colours are taking over nature’s gift. And they are fast becoming as popular as rice. Like the latter, people pop them into their mouths, (sometimes even spoonfuls!) one for their daily dose of vitamin c, another for their vitamin b intake, another for their vitamin d, and the list goes on - a never-ending routine. Do we really need all these pills? And yet, we hear more and more cases of people contracting diseases and illnesses these days.

Vitamins are an essential part of our diet, no doubt about that. They are needed to help our bodies’ work the way they ought to, and can easily be found in most of our dietary sources. But why spend a bomb on a bottle of expensive packaging and heavily advertised pills, when you can get the same amount, or even more, for half the price?

Well, here’s the breakdown of what actually goes on in there, once you pop that pill. Do you notice how sometimes after taking a few vitamin pills, your pee turns a greenish-yellow colour, instead of the crystal-clear colour you get after eating a bowl of fruits? That’s because, some of the vitamins are being lost. You see, when vitamins are packaged into pills, they are isolated, and are thus poorly absorbed by the body. In certain cases, it may even cause imbalances in body chemistry. Whole foods on the other hand, contain nutrients like fiber and phytochemicals which together, help prevent cancer and heart diseases. Our bodies operate in a way that require these compounds to work together to enhance our health. Alone, it is hardly as effective.

In fact, studies have been done on people who take vitamin supplements and those who don’t. And guess what, there’s really no difference in mortality rates whether you pop that pill or not. So we go full circle again, to pop or not to pop, that is the question.

Supplements and vitamin pills will continue flourishing in the market. Companies and the pharmaceutical industry will keep on bombarding our TV screens, mailboxes, and newspapers with “pill propaganda”. No, these supplements are not bad. Don’t get mistaken, because they are handy and they are vital for those sick, allergic, or pregnant who can’t get their daily dosage of vitamins through whole foods. It has even become a blessing for those who despise the taste of fruits and vegetables, or those who have no time to crunch heartily on an apple. But if you have the luxury of variety, why not try tasting and smelling the fruit as it is? It will stimulate your senses as much as your health. Whichever your preference, remember that ultimately, some sort of vitamin is better than none at all. So the answer to the popping question? The choice is yours.

Fruit vitamin

Vs

Pill vitamin

When the beat stops...

2010-05-12T17:35:00.002+08:00

The loss of a loved one is always difficult and painful. But the sudden loss of a healthy, young person, even a complete stranger, feels unfair and tragic. Yet, every year, a heart failure robs the lives of at least a quarter of Singaporeans.

This illness, often associated with the elderly and diabetic, doesn’t spare anyone. Like a vulture hovering above, it springs on the most appealing target, sudden and deadly, where even the fittest may fall victim. Remember the incomprehensible tragedy of scuba-diving instructor Carlson Victor Lee, known for his strength in countering oncoming currents while others fled for their lives, who died during one of his diving escapades because of a heart attack? Or the 20-year-old national serviceman recruit, Andrew Cheah Wei Siong, who died after fainting during training at Pulau Tekong? When news of these cases broke out, a wave of uncertainty and helplessness drowned most of our thoughts. ‘If it can happen to the fittest, surely it can happen to us too’, was probably what went on in our heads at the time, or at least mine.

However, all’s not lost. There are ways we can avoid it as far as possible, and that is by knowing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, or even a sudden cardiac arrest.

Classic & Common Symptoms:
• Chest discomfort - Also widely known as the “elephant sitting on the chest” symptom, this pain usually occurs in the middle of the chest, and lasts for several minutes. Usually feels like pressure or squeezing.
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations
• Fainting spells
• Nausea, dizziness, cold sweat, anxiety
• Discomfort in other parts of the body – jaws, back, arms, neck, stomach

Sometimes, these symptoms are vague and often ignored, mainly because they seems insignificant or totally unrelated to a heart problem. However, symptoms aren’t always what you expect them to be. They can come in the mildest of fashions, and attack mercilessly.
So what do we do then? Instead of just waiting around for one of these signs to pop by and gamble with our life, we should try as hard as possible to immune ourselves from this fatality.

Unfortunately, some of us are born with greater vulnerability to an attack than others because of our genes. If family members, immediate or distant, previously had a heart condition, the chances are, we might too. Whether or not we’ve been genetically “labeled”, we need to be as aware as ever and take precautions, because a heart attack isn’t going to pass you, just because.

Furthermore, some people insist that they can eat anything they want, as long as they exercise. Yes, the truth is, you can, but in moderation. If you were to run a marathon weekly, and treat yourself to a feast of fried chicken, char kway teow, fast food, or sugar-pounding desserts every time you do so, it would merely defeat the purpose of burning all those pounds. Worse still, the arteries you made room for, will now be blocked by fats, and everytime you free the pipe up for them, the devil of the fats will choke it up again. So eat healthy. If you really need to cave in and indulge in some good old burgers and fries, limit yourself. All it takes is a little bit of practice to eat right, and eventually you’ll be amazed at how naturally you push away those sinful buggers.

Stress also often contributes to the weakening of the heart. Sometimes the daily pressures of life can be worrying and taxing. We spend hours just thinking about the what-ifs and picturing the worst scenarios. Instead, take a breather. Do what you can, and leave the rest to take care of itself. After all, what use would a few hours of worrying do? A few extra wrinkles, a little more gray hair and a weaker heart perhaps.

In fact, it really is our lifestyle choice that plays a huge part in preventing the chance of an attack occurring. The less we smoke, the less we drink, the less we worry, the less we will be putting ourselves in the limelight of heart attacks. So yes, exercising is and always will be necessary to maintain a healthy heart, but never over exert your body. Like everything else, do it in moderation.

A heart attack will always pose a threat. But life goes on, bills have to be paid, work has to be done. By consciously living a healthy life, and staying in the know of the precautions and symptoms, we can be one step ahead in the battle of life.

Wash up to great health!

2010-04-29T17:11:00.003+08:00

With World Hand Hygiene Day just round the corner, let’s lather it on with the rest of the world and practice good hygiene! I’m sure you’ve seen posters plastered all over walls of toilets, hospital wards and health bulletins in recent years screaming at you to wash your hands, what with all the pandemics threatening to pile germs down our backs.

It seems so simple and obvious to just wash one’s hands after a meal, or after using the bathroom, or basically after touching something dirty. But do we really understand what this means, and the criticality of it all?

Imagine someone down with a cold, sneezing and coughing away. He goes into a lift, presses a button and goes out. The next person goes in, touches the same button, and so on. The number of fingers that got into contact with that contaminated button, and roaming around touching many other little things, then back to their faces, is unbelievable. The journey of germs and bacteria is indeed a long and flighty one, hopping from one person to the next like little parasites. However, it can be kept to a minimum if each individual puts in that extra effort to keep their hands clean.

And it really isn’t that difficult. Here are seven easy steps from the Health Promotion Board and Tan Tock Seng Hospital that will leave you with spotless hands. (And it only takes a minute or two!)

Seeing how simple it is to keep germs at bay, there really is no excuse for dirty, grimy hands. And I’m sure you don’t want to be caught by the new health “spies”, now that the University of Florida has come up with a special hand-washing detector, called HyGreen.

Currently aimed at hospitals where hygiene is of top-most priority, these detectors are able to sense if a medical staff has washed his hands before attending to the patient. When a staff enters the patient’s ward, he will wash up and run his hands under a HyGreen sensor that will activate a green LED light on his ID badge if his hands are clean. The system also has a monitor by the patient’s bed that sends out infrared and acoustic signals to the staff ID badge verifying the green light is illuminated. If the staff has not washed his hands, the badge will vibrate, alerting him to do so. When this happens, an alert will also be sent to a database which hospital infection staff can monitor.

You can read more about this innovation here:
http://news.discovery.com/tech/hand-washing-tech.html

Though still relatively new, when it does make its way to our little island, I’m pretty sure this technology might just boost hygiene practices, and hopefully confine the spread of infectious diseases like the common cold, gastrointestinal illnesses, diarrhoea and pneumonia to a minimum.

So if you haven’t gotten into the habit of washing your hands the proper way or often enough, let this international health campaign be a start to wash away your old habits and kick in some soapy new ones. Make this your new daily regime, not just every 5th May, and you’ll see the difference some clean fingers can do. So pop that sanitizer into your bag, and you’re good to go.

Is Your Job Stressing You Out?

2010-04-26T16:55:00.003+08:00

Do you wake up each morning dragging your feet to work, wishing you could hide under the covers, safe from the realms of yet another hair-wrenching day at the office? Or are you one of those lucky ones who jumps straight out of bed the minute your alarm goes off, bouncing with every step, eager-eyed to take on the world?

Well, whichever you may be, here’s a list of the top ten most stressful professions I have come up with, based on personal observations and research, to help you find out if your career choice might just be the reason you’re pulling your hair out. And just for the fun of it, I've also uncovered a list of the top ten most laid-back professions for you to compare if you're considering a career switch to recuperate from your hectic lifestyle!

Top 10 Most Stressful Jobs

1. Air Traffic Controller
With Singapore’s Changi Airport ranked one of the best in the world, it is no wonder this profession comes in tops as the most stressful job to hold. These people ensure the safe arrival and departure of flights and have to constantly be alert, especially when one slight error can put hundreds of lives at stake.

2. Nurses
These angels deal with all the petty issues of patients as well as major ones. Not only do they take care of their patients, they have tons of paperwork, administrative duties and other miscellaneous matters to take care of. The “limbs” of the hospital, not even the most technologically-advanced medical institutions can do without them.

3. Restaurant/ Bar Manager (F&B and Service Sector)
Now that the Integrated Resorts are up, such positions are not only becoming more widely available, but are also causing stress levels to increase. More customers are expecting excellent service and these people have to cater to whatever whims and fancies that come their way, including managing employees and the restaurant itself.

4. Salespeople
Getting people to part with their money to buy your product is always a challenge. What's more, sales targets add on to the stress levels. In a competitive society like Singapore with both customers and retail managers expecting the best performance, this is indeed an aggressive job to keep up with.

5. Teachers
Notice how kids these days are getting more opinionated, vocal and pampered? When away from their parents, who are the ones in charge of these young “bosses”? Teachers! Try imparting knowledge, instilling discipline, and juggling administrative work all at once without stepping on the toes of the parents and you’ve got a handful.

6. Taxi Drivers
I’m sure most of us have experienced this weird phenomenon of cabs appearing in front of you when you don’t need it, but never coming when you're stranded in an out of the way place and desperately need one? Or when you come out of a club in the wee hours of the morning and see a throng of cabs waiting to pick you up? Well that’s the strange but competitive lives of taxi drivers, vying for the best spot and time for their daily catch.

7. Surgeons
In that operating theatre, the patient's life is literally in the hands of the surgeon. Every ounce of concentration has to be put into each movement. One small mistake and it could be the end of the road, for both surgeon and patient. Not to mention, intense guilt and sleepless nights arising from a patient death.

8. Judge
Playing God is possibly one of the most nerve-wrecking professions ever. Being paid to decide whether a man lives or dies is not as glamorous as it may seem. Whoever’s in this position, not only has to be strong, confident and meticulous but ethical in judgment, be it determining a punishment or letting a man free. Furthermore, whether his sentence is justified, 9 out of 10 times, someone is bound to be unsatisfied.

9. Public Relations Officer
Making contact with clients and the media, writing speeches, preparing publicity and churning out press releases against a tight dealine, all for that one event where there is no room for error. The life of a public relations officer is all about a mad race with time.

10. Police Officers
A job which requires guts and excellent fitness, these people maintain the safety we very much take for granted. Exposed to all sorts of criminals and dangers possible, this is a job not for the faint-hearted.

Wonder what’s it like over in America? Take a look at their top ten list of heart-thumping, nerve-wrecking, nail-biting jobs derived by CareerCast.com.
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109379/americas-most-stressful-jobs-2010?mod=career-worklife_balance

Top 10 Laid-back Jobs

Laid-back jobs are not necessarily simple jobs. They too, require specialized skills and good work etiquette. But with the absence of tight deadlines, serious competition and responsibility for other people's lives, they usually incur much lower stress levels.

1. Florist
Everybody loves beautiful things. Wouldn’t you love to work in a cozy little shop on the outskirts of town, or in the heartlands, being surrounded by colourful, sweet-scented florals? Around such pretty things, whatever stress you may have just melts away.

2. Gardener
If you love plants, it would be a joy spending time in a green house caring for things you love. Though the sun can be a nightmare, at least the untainted oxygen produced from the greenery keeps your lungs and minds fresh.

3. Lecturer
Unlike their teacher counterparts, these educators have a much easier time, what with a much higher paycheck, independent older and more mature students, minus disciplining headaches and demanding parents breathing down your necks.

4. Hair stylists
Gifted with the skill of creating a work of art with a pair of scissors, the talented ones can make quite a good living just fussing with hair. Of course, there are those long hours of standing to contend with, but hey, making good money is rarely breezy.

5. Lifeguard
These people have the perks of getting a tan on the job, keeping themselves fit, and relaxing in the sun, diving into the water every now and then only when required. Small wonder swimming lessons have been included in some of their jobscopes!

6. Food Critic
Tasting the best food in town and getting paid to gush about it! Of course, there are the occasional flukes, but few establishments would call you in if they have nothing to boast about, unless they wish for their business to end with a bang. Unless you're vegetarian, what’s there not to love about this job?

7. Movie Reviewer
Watching movies for a living, who’s complaining? Even if many movies are pure crap these days, at least you're being paid to vent your anger on it with your writing.

8. Piano Tuner
All they need is the musical ability to identify the right pitches and know which knobs to twist and keys to thump to get pianos perfect-sounding for their clients! This job is music to the ears, and while it may not provide stable income for a freelancer, it is at least a decent paying and relaxing sideline!

9. Technical Writers
A professional and skilled writing career free of the inevitable writer’s block or dry spells most writers face!

10. Mathematician
A job that scares people away by its mere title, this position isn’t as daunting as it seems. In fact, with knowledge in this area and the knack for figures, applying mathematical theories and formulas to solve problems is known to be one of the least stressful jobs around, though it only applies for those who are good with Math.

Here’s CareerCast’s list of top ten least stressful jobs in America for comparison's sake:
http://www.careercast.com/jobs/content/ten-least-stressful-jobs-2010-jobs-rated

Don't be too anxious to ditch the rat race for the simpler life, or despair over your lack of skills to make that career switch! In fact, changing your work environment or taking on entirely new responsibilities may even contribute to more stress due to the need for adaptation. Before you decide on a career change, ask yourself why you chose it in the first place, or if it is something you have always wanted to do. A job that you're passionate about is a job that you'd be happy to slave over for. Living a healthy lifestyle - by eating well, exercising, having sufficient sleep and having quality time to yourself and loved ones, is an effective way to curb stress levels. On the other hand, a relaxing job that you dislike is going to do little to get you bouncing out of bed in the mornings.

As you can see, holding the right job for yourself is crucial to a healthy and happy lifestyle too!

There’s so much more in life than to let it burn up in a smoke

2010-04-20T16:15:00.001+08:00

We all know about the hazards of smoking, especially the smokers. Yet, they still puff away senselessly throwing away health. Why? For most, the toll on the body takes effect not now…but perhaps 10-20 years later for most and for others even longer.

By then, many will come to regret. One public figure whose testimony is etched in my memory is the late Yul Brynnar, American actor fame for his roles in the Ten Commandants, the King and I, Magnificent Seven. Before he passed on from cancer, he did a public education recording to advise young people not to smoke.

Alas like all other public messages, they fell on deaf ears.

A stick of cigarette contains over 4000 types of chemicals, of which 400 are poisonous and 40 are cancer-causing. The litany of chemicals contained in a single cigarette, given by the Health Promotion Board Singapore, includes:

Nicotine: Causes addiction and withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. It stimulates the brain so that the smoker feels alert at first but eventually, it dulls the brain and senses. Nicotine causes the release of adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and work harder. Nicotine also makes blood clot more readily, increasing the smoker's risk of heart attack.

Carbon monoxide: A dangerous gas found in car exhaust smoke. It replaces as much as 15% of the oxygen which would normally be carried by the red blood cells, so the smoker's heart, which needs more oxygen, gets even lesser. It also makes the smoker suffer from shortness of breath and lack of stamina. Carbon monoxide damages the inner lining of blood vessels and can lead to increased risk of heart attack.

Tar: Used to cover surface of roads. Many cancer-causing substances are found in tar. Some of these are benzo, pyrene, nitrosamine and B-napthylamine, cadmium and nickel.

Acetone: Paint stripper.
DDT: A pesticide which kills mosquitoes and ants.
Arsenic: White ant poison and used by many famous murderers.
Cadmium: A chemical found in car batteries.
Formaldehyde: Used to embalm dead bodies.
Ammonia: An active ingredient in floor cleaners.
Hydrogen cyanide: A poison used in gas chambers.
Naphthalene: A killer ingredient found in mothballs.
Polonium-210: A radioactive substance.
Vinyl chloride: Chemical used to make plastic.

As a one time heavy smoker, I find it easier to give up smoking altogether via the “cold turkey” route. I gave up smoking not once but twice in my life time. The first was when I was 21, and I stopped for some 12 years before I went back to smoking. Why? Because I went on a holiday to Paris, bought a carton as part of the holiday and got hooked again. The second time was some 20 years ago when I realised that I was smoking more than 20 sticks a day, and still urging for more.

I decided enough was enough. I took up weights and running as a motivation. Sports and smoking don’t go in tandem because you lose stamina when you smoke. In many ways I suppose I have a strong will-power. To permanently nail the old habit, I went to church and made a promise never to smoke again. Today I can empathise with those who smoke but will not touch another cigarette. I run regularly, and have no regrets giving up smoking. If I can do it, why not you?

Mismanagement kills, not the stress.

2010-01-29T14:59:00.003+08:00

Everyone copes with stress differently. One may turn to their family and loves ones, while others through sports and entertainment. However, it is of utmost importance to unwind oneself in this high-paced society.

"We have deadlines for assignments every other week," said a student of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Mr Sow. "But it certainly helps to have friends around to cheer you on when the going gets tough."

The two students suicide of NTU have reignited debates surrounding the high level of stress faced by students in Singapore. According to reports from mainstream media, stress has been attributed as a major factor. All the local universities are well equipped with vast networks of student support, and one such services is counselling.

"The school's environment is very competitive. Everywhere I go, I will see students mugging for their exams," said a student of Singapore Management University (SMU), Mr Ho. "Although counselling is available, there is a huge stigma attached to it."

Stress is an inevitable and constant force in society. Although it is unquantifiable in scientific terms, one usually pegs the level of stress to the pace of that particular society. Thus, Singapore being a fast moving society, the demands placed on her citizens have also increased their stress level. Since stress is unavoidable, one must therefore always remember to unwind and relax.

Go for a stroll, take your children to the park, walk your dog, play some sports and release that tension. Loosen up! Do not allow yourself to be at the mercy of stress, if not, you will find that it will deal a fatal blow to your well-being.

Beauty Rest Twarted By Junk Sleep

2010-01-21T10:28:00.004+08:00

How many times have we woken up from a long 'hibernation' as we had a late night, but yet the number of hours of sleep 'invested' does not tally with the alertness we are 'reaping' in the day? In fact, there are days which we are more tired after a 14hr sleep, as compared to an 8hr rest. As if it was not bad enough, we suffer from irritability, memory lapses, headaches and daytime sleepiness. Therefore, lecturers, the times when your students doze off are not indicators of the 'super dry and dead' topic nor your monotonous delivery (but sometimes it is).

Here at Sunny Health, we hope to bring to your awareness of Junk Sleep. According to a local campaign, Good In Bed, Junk Sleep has been defined as the lack of sufficient amounts of quality sleep due to the preoccupation with technology

"After a dreary day of school and assignments, sleep is hardly the first thing on your mind because there are always more interesting things to do. Like Youtube videos to watch, Facebook profiles to stalk, and people to chat with online,” said Good In Bed. “And the chilling thing is that you’re suffering from this health hazard without even knowing it.”

Besides the short term symptoms mentioned above, research done by Good in Bed has also revealed that the long term harms are increased risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, accelerated aging.

Therefore, the solution proposed is easy. Simply ‘unplug’ yourself one to two hours before intended bedtime so that your mind begins to register the need to shut down. Thus, here at Sunny Health, we highly urge all of you to be responsible with the use of technology as it does adversely affect your well-being.

For more information about the campaign, Good In Bed, please go to http://goodinbed.sg/.

Lose Weight the Happily and Healthily!

2009-12-31T12:19:00.003+08:00

The New Year will be here in a few hours! What are your resolutions? Like most girls, to lose some weight is one of my dearest New Year resolutions. However, it is very important to lose weight healthily and gradually. You wouldn’t want to fall ill or have wrinkly skin from crash diets and starvation!

Here are some common myths pertaining to weight loss! Get your facts right and you’ll be able to draw up an effective weight loss plan for the new year!

Myth: I can slim down quickly by only eating vegetables and fruits

Truth: Research indicates that there are fewer obese vegetarians in comparison to non-vegetarians. However, if you intend to turn vegetarian, you must plan your diet carefully to ensure that you do not leave out any types of nutrition essential to your wellbeing. Vegetables and fruits alone will not provide you with all your body’s necessities, such as iron, calcium, vitamin D, VitaminB12, Zinc and animal protein. So be sure to include non-vegetable foods that contain these in your diet.

Foods rich in iron: Cashew, Spinach, Bean products, black fungus
Foods rich in calcium: Diary products, soybean products, tofu, rice, flour, spinach, cabbage
Foods rich in Vitamin D: Skim milk, cheese, nuts
Foods rich in Vitamin B12: Soya bean, Tofu
Foods rich in zinc: Bean products, peanuts, rice, carrot, cabbage

Not all meat is fattening. You can also include lean meats in your diet.

Myth: High impact exercises will turn me into muscle woman

Truth: High-impact exercises like weight-lifting, sit-ups, push-ups etc are good for weight loss. They also tone your muscles. It’s not so easy to turn into a muscle woman. Doing high-impact exercises for a few minutes twice or thrice a week won’t generate so much muscle. You get hard muscles, not big ones. Athletes on the other hand, exercise vigorously on a daily basis so small wonder that they develop muscles!

You can do medium-impact activities on a daily basis, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking a day, and inculcate sit ups, push-ups and weight-lifting into your exercise regime thrice weekly.

Myth: Eating food containing starch will make me fat

Truth: A lot of food products contain starch, so if that was true, there would be a lot more overweight people in the world! Food like bread, rice, spaghetti, oats, soya bean, potatoes, even fruits are rich in starch, but they contain little calories. Overeating such food or adding all sorts of sweet and fattening ingredients are the reasons why people seem to get fat from it.

Myth: People who claim they can eat anything they like without getting fat are liars!

Truth: Pretty sure most of them are being honest as there isn’t much point in lying about such matters. The lucky ones can count on their high metabolism rate to utilize energy fast so it doesn’t stay in their body and become fats. Others just do lots of exercise to burn off the energy. If you don’t have illnesses, you are pretty much free to eat any sinful food without worrying as long as the amount of calories you consume is equivalent or under what you can burn off. And of course, eat with moderation.

Myth: Cutting down 1 or 2 meals a day is an efficient way of losing weight

Truth: Research indicates that people who skip breakfast and meals are more likely to become fatter than those who eat 4 meals (breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner) a day. Eating little at each meal helps to contain your appetite, whereas skipping meals, especially breakfast, only makes you ravenous and over eat for the next meal.

In short, don’t skip any meal, but keep your servings small.

Myth: Fast food must stay outta my sight if I want to lose weight!

Truth: While most fast food is indeed unhealthy, there is no need to avoid it like plague. Depending on what you choose to eat, fast food isn’t so scary!

Don’t choose the set meals. One burger and drink are usually sufficiently filling for most people, especially girls. You really don’t need fries or mash potato to go with it. Going ala carte is the best way to prevent yourself from eating more than you need, or share the meal with your friend. Choose skimmed milk, tea or plain water in place of soft drinks. Choose a salad to go with your meal.

Myth: Eating after 8pm will make me fat

Truth: Putting on weight isn’t related to when you eat, but rather, how much energy you consume. People put on weight when they eat at night because they tend to consume extra energy that they do not need, such as TV snacks and supper. However, it is still good to avoid eating late at night because it disrupts your sleep by overworking your digestive system.

Myth: Diary products contain fats and are unhealthy

Truth: Diary products are necessities because of their calcium content and shouldn’t be avoided just because they contain higher fat content. Choose skimmed products instead, these contain less fat while still retaining equal nutrition value. The downside is that it doesn’t taste so good.

Myth: I'll just starve myself until I lose weight which won't take long, and then I can easily get back to eating proper meals!

Truth: Never go on crash diets or low calorie diets. They may produce results within a short amount of time, but having been put on a stringent diet for a long time, most people fall back to their past eating habits, even binging on the unhealthy stuff because they’ve missed it so much. And thus it’s back to square one. Worst, food ends up putting some people off and as a result, succumb to illnesses like anorexia or bulimia. Unnaturally quick weight loss (3 kg and above within a fortnight) results in gallstones. If your daily energy intake is less than 800 calories, you may contract heart diseases in the future.

The best way to lose weight is to exercise regularly, eat small but regular meals and eat unhealthy food in moderation. If you’re enjoying your weight loss regime, you’ll stick by it!

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Healthy Recipe: Black Fungus with Fried Eggs

2009-12-23T11:46:00.000+08:00

It’s been awhile since I last updated! I have been putting in a lot of overtime recently to finish up all my work so I can relax during the holiday season, but I’m well otherwise. Many thanks for all the well wishes to me and my Aunt! We appreciate it a lot! My Aunt was especially touched that mere strangers she’d never met in her life would ask after her and offer all sorts of healthy recipes and tips! Emotional health is very important for cancer patients, so your care and concern means very much to us. Once again, thank you very much!

Today, I’m sharing a healthy recipe from one of my readers. Christmas is a time for eating (delicious but unhealthy food), drinking (alcohol) and merry making (doing all kinds of fun but tiring stuff). Unfortunately, this means that cancer patients miss out on a lot of holiday fun due to their poor physical condition.

Traditional Christmas dinners especially are heavy and not suitable for cancer patients, who should keep their diets simple, healthy with not too much seasoning. I was delighted to learn about this recipe that is not only nutritious and light but also very tasty! It’s very simple to make too. My Aunt loves it!

Ingredients: Egg 200g, Black fungus 250g (water expanded)

Seasoning: Onion 10g, Coriander 12g, Salt 5g, Sesame Oil 2g

1. Rinse the black fungus in clean water. Set fungus in a dry bowl for later use.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and into an even mixture. Set aside for later use.
3. Prepare wok for frying. Heat up wok and add a little vegetable oil. Pour the eggs in and fry. Set aside.
4. Fry the fungus in the same wok, adding more oil if necessary. After fungus has softened and emits fragrance, add the fried egg, followed by all the seasoning.

And that’s it! Simple, isn't it? :)

Whatever will be, will be...

2009-12-02T16:33:00.005+08:00

I am one of those fortunate chaps who grew up in a family where there were many aunts (my mum's sisters) and we all lived together under one roof. Over the years, inevitably age catches up with them and some 10 years ago one of them passed on. Now one of my other aunts is fighting for her live, after being diagnosed with nose cancer about a year ago. It was first thought to be sinus, when she was bleeding from her nose. But as it turned out the diagnosis was worsed off and she had to undergo bouts of chemotheraphy. Because she has a sturdy built, she could withstand the toll from the cocktail of medication. However, her immune system was weakened and she, at one stage, had a bad pneumonia and lung infection. Off she went to the intensive care ward, complete with face mask, oxygen tanks and all as the doctors kept her going. At one stage, she slipped into unconsciousness and her family members were told to get to her bedside. Alas, her determination to live brought her back to her feet. She was discharged and returned home to recuperate.

A year has passed since that harrowing moment. Now the cancer has relapsed. Not only that, in true tradition of the disease, the cells spread to her liver. The diagnosis, after a scan last week, was that 40 per cent of the liver is affected. She underwent another bout of chemo, more medication, and she is again sort of "living on the edge". The cancer is not only inflicting a heavy toll on her, but also her daughter who is looking after her. I believe her two sons would also be emotionally affected but perhaps not as much as her daughter who has been ferrying her to and from the doctors because she was living with her.

While often the focus is on the patients, and rightly so I must say, we should also not overlook the needs of the other family members. Here's where emotional support and encouragement from family, friends and colleagues are important. The journey for cancer patients, as I have seen through my encounter with my own parents, is a roller-coaster ride. Just as we have to give encouragement and assurances to the patient, we need to prepare the family members for the inevitable. We need to talk about after-life and the taking away of all the pain and suffering that the patient has to endure. In the meanwhile we have to talk about what the family members will have to do, to keep the flame burning and carry the torch for the next generation.
It's sad to have to be prepared to take a loss but someday, if there's one thing that is sure, we all know that all of us will just have to go. The National Cancer Centre Singapore has team of psychosocial counselors, professionally trained, and they are the ones who handle the difficult moments with the family members and the patients in their last walk together. I just hope and pray my Aunt can make it to the New Year.

How to stay healthy during wintertime (for people from tropical parts of the world)

2009-11-26T17:24:00.005+08:00

Singaporeans love cold weather. We know this when we walk into our shopping malls where our air conditioners are turned on at full blast as if we want to recreate an all year round winter season in them . However, there are still those who, unsatisfied with the rainy weather in Singapore choose to flock to colder regions and experience what a truly White Christmas feels like.

However, when it comes to truly cold, Christmas time weather, many of us fall prey to bone chilling cold. We’re talking about a freezing minus five degrees temperature here. It is the kind of weather that will send you running for shelter as soon as you see one. Just talking about it makes me want to put on an extra shawl. Brr..

Under these circumstances, it becomes even more important to have a stronger emphasis on a proper, healthy regime. As the weather becomes colder, viruses are in a better place to breed. A proper daily health regime is one that ensures a balanced, nutritious diet. It is also one where you maintain good hygiene practices such as washing your hands before you eat or whenever you finish you business in the toilet. Also one should remember to have lots of rest to prepare the body to fight off viruses.

Many online health websites suggest getting the flu shot. There are many opinions about the H1N1 jab, but I personally feel a flu jab is necessary, especially if you are one who foregoes a proper health regime. (Tips on staying healthy, having a proper health regime are scattered throughout this blog…)

There are also those that suggest taking multi vitamins. My mother, if she were to read this, would strongly disagree. In her opinion, proper nutrition should be taken from the source itself. Say you need a dosage of Vitamin C, she would suggest you drop that Vitamin C pill and eat some oranges instead. However, a traveler has to contemplate the availability of certain food sources overseas. They may not be as easily available, or in great abundance, as those in Singapore. In such a case, I think that vitamins are a great source. They are easily portable and have a small chance of being subjected to query at airports.

The air in colder climates can be pretty dry. What you need is a good bottle of moisturizer to prevent your skin from drying up tearing. Dry skin is especially apparent in older people, but any young person from these tropic parts are at risk of dry skin as well. Dry skin can become irritating and if inflamed will cause much discomfort and your White Christmas holiday will probably not be an enjoyable one.

(For tips on skin care do visit http://facegood.blogspot.com/, where author Lydia shares her tips on skin care.)

Personally I like a hot bowl of soup when I’m in a wintry place. Nothing warms your body and soul better than a good delicious bowl of soup. Well, nothing except maybe a hot cup of Milo. No, not hot chocolate, but Singapore’s favourite morning drink, Milo. The taste and warmth reminds me of home and really, when wrapped under those blankets in your miserably cold room, sneezing while watching the rerun of yet another CNN program, don’t you just miss Sunny Singapore?

Bottling up work woes increases heart risk: study

2009-11-25T18:02:00.002+08:00

LONDON : Men who bottle up frustrations about unfair treatment at work are twice as likely to have a heart attack, a study published in Britain on Tuesday suggests.

Those who express their feelings openly, for example by getting angry, have no increased risk of heart problems, said the study which warned of the dangers of "covert coping."

"Covert coping is strongly related to increased risk of hard-endpoint cardiovascular disease," said the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The research, led by experts at the Stress Research Unit at Stockholm University, grouped men according to how they react to conflict, including by saying nothing, walking away, or taking their anger out at home later.

Men who sometimes or always walked away from conflict had three times the risk of a heart attack or dying from heart disease, while overall those who avoided conflict had twice as high a risk.

In contrast those who reacted to unfair treatment in an open way, such as talking directly to the person with whom they were in conflict or getting angry, had no increased risk of heart attack, it said.

"We all find different things stressful and symptoms of stress can vary," said Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse for the British Heart Foundation, responding to the study.

"But the important thing is that we need to find ways of coping with it in our lives in a positive way, whether at work or home," she added.

The average age of the more than 2,700 participants was 41 at the start of the study. None had had a heart attack when screening started in 1992. But by 2003, 47 had suffered a heart attack or died from heart disease.

- AFP/il
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/health/view/1020389/1/.html

I am speculating a link between depression and unhealthy eating in these cases. Picture this; unhappy man comes home to nagging wife, gets more stressed and starts drowning in alcohol and potato chips. There could be many other factors of course.

Culturally speaking, it seems hard for Asian men to show true emotions. The Chinese saying ‘Men bleeds but does not cry’ says this too well. Asian society has drawn out the roles for men and women. These are roles that, despite the huge wave of modernization, refuse to be washed away and stand stubbornly in many corners of many Asian societies.

Another factor of stress is the increasing amount of pressure put upon working adults in today’s offices. As time progresses, people’s lives become faster and there is an expectancy for people to work faster and create better results. There are more who become increasingly stressed, and a horrifying pattern of suicide cases start to add on.

Anger and sadness are strong emotions that can affect the mind and body. These emotions can not just lead to heart problems as presented in this article, but depression, which can lead to equally disastrous consequences.

It has also been shown in other research that laughter, and expressing your true emotions can give you a longer life. Also, being happier also means having a healthier quality of life.

Moral of the story: Emotional management is an important skill we all need to learn.

In time to come, we see ourselves learning to adapt better and as men evolve, perhaps they begin to see the significance of expressing oneself. Hopefully, in time to come, we will all learn to be more expressive in our emotions

Learning to laugh can help alot. Confront the problems that bother you and try and share it with a friend, remember not to keep these feelings to yourself. Laughing and enjoying humorous entertainment never seemed to hurt either.

Confronting your emotions does not mean having to shed your manly image, it could mean to just take things at a slower pace and not let yourself be burdened by your workload. You can choose to lead a stress free lifestyle.

How to eat healthy and eat cheap

2009-11-24T17:11:00.004+08:00

It should be a God given right that humans are able to eat well, but eat cheap. Here’s how:

1. Cut out the junk
Stop buying snacks you know are going to make you put on those pounds. If you know they are artery clotting, why waste your money on them? Instead put your money to good use and buy useful ingredients

2. Cook in
By cooking at home, you can be sure of the nutrition that you put in your food. Rather than paying a stranger to cook you up a dish in an overpriced restaurant where you wont even know what goes into the food.

3. Write a grocery List
By writing a grocery list, you can plan out what you will be buying and stick to it. This will lessen the temptation to buy unwanted groceries.

4. Buy the important healthy foods first
If you buy the necessary ingredients, you will be less tempted to fill up an empty shopping trolley

5. Cook large portions ahead
This will allow you to not only save costs, but save time. By cooking ahead of time, you are planning of what to eat in the following days ahead. By planning ahead, you will be therefore planning your nutrition in advance, and you can cut costs and plan your daily nutrition with much more ease.

6. Try going meatless on certain days
Certain vegetables such as beans are a cheaper alternative to meat but do not discount you of your daily protein source.

7. Reuse and recycle
Just like new water, you can reuse your food, but not in a gross way. You can find recipes that can turn leftovers from previous nights into delicious meals. In American online websites, they suggest that people make burritos out of their meals. The thing is, American meals, unlike Asian ones contain meat for the most part of their meals. A typical Asian dish, however, would probably contain more carbohydrates such as rice. The best thing to do probably is to eat your dishes with different carbs such as noodles, if you had rice the night before. Or if you cooked too much rice, you could always use it for fried rice.

8. Make your own snacks
Fruits juices can not just be drank but poured into popsicle makers to make fruit popsicles – a cheap, healthy and delicious snack. You can also make your own yoghurt by buying a huge tub of yoghurt, you can add in your own fruits and create your own tasty desert sans extra calories.

9. Borrow/Search for healthy and cheap recipes
There are some very tasty and healthy recipes out there that won’t burn a hole in your pocket

Another reason to eat cheap ? Keeping in shape is also one of the best ways to stay away from an expensive visit to the doctor’s.

IS H1N1 safe?

2009-11-23T18:20:00.007+08:00

People all over the world are getting cold feel about the new vaccination for the H1N1 flu. Is it really safe?

Some reports say that complications have developed after some people took the jab. There is even one report that says a boy fell sick and had to be sent to the hospital after having taken the jab.

In the United States, most of the flu cases are H1N1 related. It has been reported that more than a 1000 Americans have died from H1N1. It is probably a good idea to have taken the jab if you intend to travel to the U.S

Three weeks ago, I took the jab myself. Sure enough, there were side effects. I felt light headed, I had some loss of appetite, my arm felt numb but it did not affect my daily routine. I was carrying out my day without much difficulty. The next day, the numbness in my arm was gone and what was left with was a yellow mark. However, it faded off within the next few days. In these three weeks, I have not experienced further side effects.

However, the debate continues as doctors discuss the necessity of the vaccine. Some doctors have decided to not get the vaccine themselves.
In the online portal ChineseMedicineTools.com, a forum is provided to doctors, the topic being ‘What to say to Patients about the Swine Flu vaccination’
A doctor named Ryan says ‘Recently I have been asked on a daily basis "should I get the swine flu vaccination? ".

‘What if anything are you other practitioners saying and passing along. Do you pass along any evidence or research based information to help them make a decision or do you just leave them to make the decision on their own…’

One doctor tells them to be neutral about it and not give their second opinion:
Don't take the risk, be neutral.

The states are requiring all hospital workers in California and New York to get immunize, so don't have much of a choice in this economy

It worries one that doctors would think that way. Doctors are the walking and talking encyclopaedias of medicine. If they are unsure of the H1N1 vaccine, who would be willing to take it?

As a reader however, it seems to me that the chances of having adverse effects seems very rare. Looking at the odds, it seems like many of those who have taken the jab have survived and seemed to have handled things fairly well. As for the reports of those who have suffered the adverse effects from H1N1 jab, well, it seems it is a minority.

Personally, after having gone for the jab, I still feel alright. And of all the comments regarding the H1N1 vaccination, my own experience is most worthy to me.
Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it but you can read about the vaccine yourself from http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/vaccine_safety_qa.htm

It is true that the H1N1 vaccination contains some mercury; however it is lesser than that of a can of tuna (yup, better take a second look at that can of tuna). Also, there are certain groups, such as pregnant women or people who are have a serious life threatening to substances in the vaccine such as egg, who should not take the jab.

As one concerned mother, a nurse by profession, stated in an online Canadian article, “I'm not going to risk my health, my family's health, or my patients' health because of the small chance of a reaction," she said.
"Honestly, people who don't get vaccinated irk me because the whole principle of vaccines is that they work best when everyone is vaccinated."

Amen to that.

Think alcohol is bad for you? Think again

2009-11-20T17:45:00.004+08:00

Studies in Spain show men who drink daily see nearly one third reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease.

According to the study, those drinking moderate, high and very high levels of alcohol all had a lower risk of coronary heart disease compared with non-drinkers.

For those, who were classified as former drinkers, the risk was 10 percent lower, for those drinking little (0.5 grams of alcohol per day). For those drinking little (0.5 grams of alcohol per day), the risk was 35 per cent; for moderate drinkers (five-30 grams per day), the risk was 54 per cent lower; and for high (30-90 grams per day) and very high drinkers (more than 90 grams per day) it was halved.

Women too, it was found, benefitted from alcohol, but not as much.

Spain is one of the largest producers and consumers of alcohol. Despite this, they have the lowest death rate in the world.

However, the research paper showed still warns against the risks of alcohol abuse.
Read this Channel News Asia article:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/health/view/1019410/1/.html

It is still a mystery to me how alcohol does not affect the Spanish man where clear studies have shown around the world the how alcohol has affected the lives of many

Perhaps this unique phenomenon is seen is Spain due to other contributing factors such as the heavy consumption of olive oil, olives and perhaps a relaxed lifestyle.
The Spanish summer is also one that involves a lot of sunshine.

If you wish to start consuming alcohol due to its health benefits, and have not done so in the past, it is best not to. Yes, there is truth in that alcohol reduces hea

Perhaps they key here, is that one should learn how to live and enjoy life. Do what you want, but yet be careful. My personal health motto has always been to keep a good balance in everything. Work hard, yet play hard.

The Spice Factor: Can chilies be bad for you?

2009-11-19T17:14:00.002+08:00

The chili is a demi-god in the local eating scene. There are hardly any Singaporeans who do not eat chilies. Our love for chilies is a romance in a Bollywood flick, colourful, musical and romantic. The explosion of flavour in your mouth is the colours in a bollywood movie, while the accompanying heat is the music. Indeed, we love our spice.

How much of it is good for you though? Can it be, a health food? Now, I present to you, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Chili:

Pros

- Chilies can help aid digestion

- Chillies act as antibiotics. Chillies brings fresh blood to the site of the infection. The fresh blood fights infection. The white blood cells and leukocytes present in the fresh blood fights viruses.

- It can act as a pain killer. Chili stimulate endorphins that act as natural painkillers. It relieves pain caused due to shingles (Herpes Zoster), bursitis, diabetic neuropathy and muscle spasm in shoulders, and extremities. It also helps in relieving arthritic pains in the extremities.

- The vitamin C, beta-carotene and folic acid found in chilli reduces the risk of colon cancer. Chillies such as red pepper have cartonoid lycopene which protects you from cancer disease.

Cons

- Well, it is very spicy, not everyone can take the spiciness.

- If taken in excess and can cause gastritis, renal irritation, inflammation, strangury. It can cause a host of digestive problems.

- Over consumption of chili can cause you to pay more visits to the toilet. It can be especially bad for people with irritable bowel symptoms

- Also, do note that chili sauces, such as manufactured packets of sweet thai sauce use a large amount of excess sugar. Diabetic patients, you have been warned.

- Chronic ingestion of chili products may induce gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) (acid reflux disease).

It seems that chilies can indeed have disastrous results if taken in large amounts. Also, do note that if you take chilies with another ingredient, say coconut milk, it is not necessarily healthy. It can mean a larger calorie intake. That means, no, that bowl of laksa does not count for a healthier diet despite the spice factor.

Brocolli Noodles

2009-11-18T16:01:00.005+08:00

Dietitian's tip: Broccoli is high in vitamins A and C, which are considered antioxidant vitamins. Broccoli also has isothiocyanates, indoles and flavonoids — phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Serves 2

Ingredients
1/3 pound rigatoni noodles
1 cup broccoli florets (tops)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DirectionsFill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
While the pasta is cooking, in a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the broccoli, cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta and broccoli. Toss with Parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic. Season with pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)

Calories 358 Cholesterol 4 mg
Protein 13 g Sodium 97 mg
Carbohydrate 60 g Fiber 3 g
Total fat 7 g Potassium 278 mg
Saturated fat 2 g Calcium 95 mg
Monounsaturated fat 4 g

Staying healthy while flying

2009-11-17T16:27:00.004+08:00

It’s the end of the year, and once again, Singaporeans decide to leave their warm sunny island in search of cooler destinations. Of course, this means more flying

Every seasoned traveler knows that flying in a plane can be daunting. Think 2 to even 18 hours of being stuck in the same position. Airplane food is of course notorious for its taste and not to mention the constant coughing and sneezing sounds from your fellow passengers, reminiscent of a hospital bedroom. It’s also not exactly the favourite place of the claustrophobic traveler.

- Drink plenty of fluids (drink a glass every hour, if possible). Keep yourself hydrated as the weather in the air can be very dry. Keeping hydrated will also lessen the possibility of jet lag
- The dry air in a plane can be so bad it can cause your lips and the skin on your hands to crack (make sure you mosturise)
- Don’t wear contact lenses during your flight. These will irritate your eyes during your flight. Leave the beauty factor for after you leave the plane
- Take whatever medication you need with you. If you require and inhaler for your asthma, don’t forget to bring it
- If you have connecting flights get out of the plane and try and get as much fresh air as possible while outside the plane
- When you land, get a soothing hot shower to clear you mind
- Opt for the seats near the exits to allow more leg space.

Also to note, the cramp conditions in the air jet may give opportunity for germs to breed

When are you too unhealthy to travel?

-If you’ve had a heart attack within the last month, a stroke within last two weeks, have severe high blood pressure or heart disease, or any other conditions that weaken the heart, you should seriously consider postponing travel.

-Those with severe respiratory illnesses should remain on land.

-If you have the flu, a cold, allergies, acute sinusitis, or middle ear infections, avoid flying if you can.

-If you’ve had abdominal surgery within two weeks of your flight, consider postponing your trip. You should not fly if you have acute diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, acute esophageal viruses, acute gastroenteritis, or an intestinal virus.

-If you have epilepsy you shouldn’t fly unless your condition is under sound control or you know that you’ll only be flying at altitudes below 8,000 feet.

-If you’re suffered a recent skull fracture or brain tumor, you should stay on the ground.

-Those with severe anemia or hemophilia with active bleeding shouldn’t fly. If you have sickle cell anemia, you shouldn’t fly over 22,500 feet.

-If you’ve had recent eye surgery or had your jaw wired shut, you shouldn’t fly.

-If you’re more than eight months (or 240 days) pregnant or if miscarriage is a serious threat, you shouldn’t fly.

-If you went scuba diving 24 hours before departure, you should not fly--you may suffer an unfortunate bout of the “bends” from the rapid decrease in air pressure experienced in the compressed air environment of a plane. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, neuralgic pains, and paralysis.

-Newly born babies (during first few days after birth) shouldn’t fly.

If you are suffering from a cold but insist of flying, it is necessary that you purchase a decongestant tablet, or a nasal spray so that you do not infect others who are at risk of catching your cold.

And of course, if you suffer from any chronic illness it’s always important that you consult a doctor before you leave

With that, have a safe trip, and please buckle your seatbelts

Too much of a good thing

2009-11-16T16:19:00.000+08:00

We all know that exercising has many benefits. In fact, it is impossible to lead a healthy lifestyle without exercise. Also when exercising, it can be a good thing to push yourself a little, get a little further and achieve better results.

However, it can be common that many people actually over train. How do you know you are pushing yourself too much?

- When you feel the workout is too much too handle
- When you are taking too many deep breaths before your body cools down
- Decrease in performance
- Loss in appetite
- Fatigue (Exercise is supposed to help increase your alertness, not make you more tired)
- Achiness in joints and/or muscles
- Prone to falling sick easily (have symptoms such as colds, coughs or fevers)
- Elevated morning pulse
- More aches than usual
- It gets harder to fall asleep

A typical run should last not more than 20 minutes. Be careful not to over tire yourself. Run at your own pace and be know when its time to give up. If you feel your heart rate is over pumping, it’s probably time to stop.

Eating Slower helps you lose weight

2009-11-13T15:43:00.001+08:00

My best friend always gets agitated when we’re eating together. The reason being she can gobble down her sandwich in less than 5 minutes while I take my time to savour it and finish in no less than 10 minutes. Apparently waiting for me for another 5 more minutes means life or death to her. I try to explain to her over and over again why I eat slowly, but it just gets her more agitated.

Well. Here are the facts, standing at 1.76 m and weighing close to 80kg, my best friend is a significantly bigger person than me. I on the other hand stand at 1.56m and weigh less than 50kg. Now, I don’t mean to brag, but the facts are clear and I am physically lighter than her. I do attribute this to many of my other healthier habits, however, eating slow, I believe, has helped me maintain my lighter weight.

Not interested in weight loss? Well here are some other reasons why you should eat slower:

1. Portion Control
Eating slowly helps you with your portion control. Eating slower helps you feel full easier, It is suggested that it takes about 20 minutes for you stomach to produce the hormones telling your brain that you are full.

2. Weight Control
Japanese researchers have found strong positive correlation between higher eating speed and obesity.

3. Other than taking up a little more time, eating slowly really does not have any disadvantages. It does not have any negative effects on your health and can really bring you a number of benefits without extra cost

4. By eating slowly you will be able to appreciate your food better. You can enjoy the textures, foods and flavours of the food you eat.

5. Eating slowly aids digestion. Eating slowly allows the food to be chewed into smaller pieces while saliva continues to break it down. This makes the food easier to digest.

6. It will lessen the chance of heartburn. Eating food quickly may cause a type of indigestion called gastroesophageal reflux.

So why not spend more of that 10 minutes (if you can afford it, but how many of us dare say we can’t?) enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Eating is a simple luxury that many of us forget we have. Truly, get to know that sandwich or that bowl of wanton mee today.

How to fall asleep

2009-11-11T17:48:00.003+08:00

In a busy city like Singapore, it can be hard to find time rest and relax. However, when it is finally time for us to rest, we cannot actually do so.

There may be many reasons on why we cannot fall asleep but here are some tips meanwhile to ensure a better night’s rest

 If you've been lying in bed but are beginning to fear you're not going to drop off, try some of these techniques: Count sheep or count backwards from 100 to stop yourself from thinking about the problems of yesterday or tomorrow; breathe deeply for awhile; or visualize some peaceful place.
 If you can't get to sleep after lying in bed for 30 minutes or more, get up for awhile. What to do? Try reading something incredibly boring.
 Develop a bedtime routine.
 Keep regular bedtime hours.
 Before bedtime, avoid tobacco and caffeinated beverages (not just coffee, but other drinks like tea, cola, and Dr. Pepper).
 Avoid alcohol right before bedtime — a nightcap might get your mind fuzzy enough to put you to sleep, but such sleep may be interrupted by periods of awakening. By contrast, the stress-lowering effect of a drink with dinner may help to promote sleep later.
 Avoid naps (or falling asleep in front of boring TV programs).
 Try to get up at the same time every day rather than sleeping in on weekends.
 Exercise every day, but not shortly before bedtime since exercise gets the adrenaline going.
 Exercise early in the morning
 If you use an illuminated clock for a wakeup alarm, place it where you can't keep looking at it to check the time.
 Buy a firm mattress and keep your bedroom well ventilated (a cool temperature works best for me).
 And you might also try some of these: a warm bath, warm milk, light bedtime snack, massage, or quiet music (which turns itself off automatically).
 Use earplugs for extreme quiet.
 If you have a painful joint or a headache, take a pain pill before bedtime (but be sure it doesn't contain caffeine).
 Avoid stimulating reading or television shows late at night.
 Avoid any activity that will excite the mind too much before going to sleep
 Adjust your internal body clock by using light. Switch off the lights before going to sleep.
 Ensure that you have proper ventilation before going to sleep.
 Avoid eating too much before you go to sleep because this can cause your body to work harder and making it less possible for you to fall asleep


7 health foods that you can eat to help you stay healthy

2009-11-10T12:49:00.002+08:00

There are many health foods that are featured in the media and elsewhere. However what are the foods that really benefit you? Here are a few to get you started.

1. Eggs
Eggs are a good source of protein and minerals. A study in the US has shown that people who eat eggs for Breakfast lose weight 65% faster who don’t. Research has also shown that people who eat eggs at least four times a week have lower cholesterol levels than those who ate fewer than one.

Besides, doesn’t the idea of cooked eggs to complete your breakfast appeal to you?

2. Green Tea
The benefits of Green Tea have been long acknowledged now. Hundreds of studies have been conducted documenting the health benefits of catechins, the group of antioxidants concentrated in the leaves of tea plants. It is also a better choice than say a carbonated drink.

3. Garlic
Garlic possess Allicin, an antibacterial and antifungal com that helps you fight cancer, strengthen your cardiovascular system, decrease fat storage, and fight acne inflammation. Garlic is another versatile item you can add in many dishes such as fish or pasta. It really adds an extra punch to whatever it is you are having for lunch or dinner. However, if you overcook it, you might destroy the benefits, also, it can make your food bitter.

4. Grapefruit
A study in California showed that people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds (1.6 kg) over the course of 12 weeks, and some lost as many as 10 pounds. Those who didn’t lost only ½ pound. It also showed that those who ate grapefruit showed a decrease in insulin levels. This means, by consuming grapefruit, their bodies had an increased metabolism rate. Besides weight loss benefits, grapefruit eaters also earned lycopene—the cancer-preventing antioxidant found most commonly in tomatoes.

5. Greek Yoghurt
This magical food from the gods allows you to eat and feel full longer. It contains protein to give you energy as well as fill your stomach so you don’t overeat later on. It is also more healthy than regular yoghurt in the sense that excessive sugars such as lactose have been removed and it has three times more protein. A single cup has about a quarter of your day’s calcium, and studies show that dieters on calcium-rich diets have an easier time losing body fat. A study showed that those on calcium rich diets lost 70 percent more body weight than those on calorie restricted diets.

6. Bell Peppers
Carotenoids, the wonderful chemical which provides bell peppers with its beautiful healthy colour but also carry a range of health benefits. They include:
improved immune function, better communication between cells, protection against sun damage, and a diminished risk of several types of cancer. The bell pepper cousins are still loaded with carotenoids and vitamin C, but have the added benefit of capsaicins, temperature-raising phytochemicals that have been shown to fight headache and arthritis pain as well as boost metabolism.

7. Almonds
Almonds are great for munching as a snack. They are low in fat, high in fibre and protein, they are the perfect health snack if you jaws are aching to move. One study showed that participants nuts or rice cakes, those who ate the nuts felt full for an hour and a half longer than the rice cake group did. Also, Almonds are full of mono saturated fat and are great for improving your memory. An ounce of almonds—or about 23 nuts—a day provides nearly 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid; that’s more than the amounts found in peanuts, walnuts, or cashews

Skipping not just for kids

2009-11-09T16:44:00.002+08:00

Remember during PE class in school where they made you skip? Well, skipping isn’t just for kids any longer.

Skipping can be one of the easiest ways of keeping fit. Skipping allows you to make full use of your body using both your arms and legs. This makes skipping one of the most rigorous exercises around helping you burn as much as 110 calories in a matter of 10 minutes. It is also much less torturous than a 1.5km run.

The key as with starting any exercise is to start slow. Slow and steady leads the way. Slowly add to your pace; slowly make your run more difficult.

This is the perfect kind of exercise for both young and old. You can do it in the safety of your own house without having to face the onslaught of traffic at traffic junctions. A skipping rope can cost you around $3 and is easily affordable. After your exercise, it can also be easily kept away. It carries lesser risk of joint pains.

Expert tips on skipping:

1. You need a lightweight rope with a cord that straightens easily, some fitness attire and a pair of well-cushioned shoes.

2. Swinging the rope while you bounce to the beat of music - prior to doing actual skipping. You are more likely to experience success when you eventually jump into the rope. In addition, learning to skip to the tempo of popular songs is also fun and engaging.

3. While skipping, keep your elbows tucked into your sides while the rope turns around smoothly. Also keep your back straight and avoid leaning forward

4. You can also focus on different muscles by controlling your grip. Holding the rope will focus more on the shoulders, whereas holding the handles works the forearms. Jumping from side to side (skier) will target the inner thighs, and jumping forwards and back (bell jump) increases the work of the front of the thighs. To focus on the lower stomach try the running step. To work the inner and outer thighs try the straddle.

Here’s a workout you can easily follow.
Continuous skip 2mins
Fast skip or Double Unders 30secs/March 30secs x 3
Skier 1min
Fast skip or Double Unders 30secs/march 30secs x 3
Continuous skip 3mins
Bell Jump 1min
Continuous skip 1min
Running Step 1min
Straddle 1min
Continuous 1min
Straddle 1min

Continuous 1min
Double Unders and Crossovers 1min
Sixty to seventy turns per minute is a good starting pace (roughly 1 turn per second).
So why not switch up? Consider skipping instead of jogging today.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Music while exercising

2009-11-05T18:20:00.001+08:00

Recently a colleague and I were discussing the benefits and weaknesses of listening to Music.

Music was, she claimed, a distraction from the actual exercise itself. She used to listen to music while exercising, but found it more beneficial when she was not listening to music. She explained that she found herself perspiring even more when she did not listen to music. Also, because she had no music, she just wanted to ‘get over with it’ as quickly as possible

I’ve also come to realize that Music has serious cons if you are intending to run and get serious running results. You will not be able to seriously concentrate on both your running and the music.

Personally, I love listening to music while exercising. I make sure the tunes I choose are fast paced so that I’m motivated to run faster. I cannot imagine taking long runs without music. Its sort of like dancing but not looking weird while in the gym. It also helps me when I think I’m about to give up and I tell myself ‘Just after this song.’

Well, music can actually distract you. And it can even be abit dangerous if you’re on the roads and there are cars and bicycles that you cannot hear behind you. Also it may put off the your rhythmic pace and you jog according to the beats of your song.

That being said, I still think its perfectly safe to jog on the threadmill with an Ipod or what whatever MP3 player you use. The pace you run to is guided by the machine. It should be perfect if you intend to lose weight but intend to have a have fun at it. What better way to start your day than to listen to a great energizing song while sweating it out and releasing those wonderful chemicals (endorphins). Also, it is most likely you will not face any distractions. Except if a really hot guy or girl comes up to you to make friends with you… its possible you might not be able to hear them

Teens With Psychosocial Disorders Prone to Internet Addiction

2009-11-04T16:39:00.001+08:00

By: Madeline Ellis
Published: Thursday, 8 October 2009
In recent years, there has been an explosion of Internet use, and it’s easy to understand why. The Internet provides affordable up-to-date information on almost any topic imaginable, around-the-clock entertainment, social networking sites that allow for both public and anonymous communication, and email or online chat that lets us keep in contact with family and friends, even if they’re in another time zone. Most people are able to integrate online time into their lives in a balanced healthy manner, but others develop a stronger dependency, often replacing work, school, friends and even family with countless hours surfing the Web, instant messaging and blogging, or playing Internet video games. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 10 percent of Internet users may be considered addicted. Experts say that people who abuse the Internet are typically struggling with other problems, like anxiety or depression, and new research lends credence to that theory.

To access the risk factors for Internet addiction, Cheng-Fang Yen, MD, PhD, of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in Taiwan, and colleagues conducted a prospective study of 2,293 seventh-graders, whose average age was 12, from 10 junior high schools in southern Taiwan in September of 2005. The students were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed whether they had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, social phobia or abnormal feelings of hostility. Then, 6, 12 and 24 months later, they were asked about their Internet usage, including the number of hours they spent on the Internet and the sorts of sites they frequented.

After two years, roughly 11 percent of the students were addicted to the Internet. Males, those who spent more than 20 hours a week on the Internet and teens who played online games were more likely to be deemed addicted. But the greatest risk factors were found to be ADHD and hostility. Boys and girls with ADHD had a 72 percent increased risk of developing unhealthy dependence on the Internet and those who exhibited significant hostility had a 67 percent increased risk. Girls with social phobias and those suffering depression were also at greater risk, though these factors did not affect boys.

Michael Gilbert, senior fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication, says it makes perfect sense why the Internet would appeal to children with these issues. “If you have a child that is hyperactive, the Internet can move at their pace. If you have a child that is depressed or has social phobia, they can get in touch with other kids dealing with the same kinds of issues,” he said. “They can go into artificial worlds, like ‘Second Life,’ where they can live out fantasies or take on different personas. For kids who have anger or hostility, the Internet gives them a chance to play out their aggression there.”

The study authors say that because computer use is a way of life in the United States, the potential exists for childhood computer addiction to become a major public health problem, a sentiment echoed by the authors of an editorial accompanying the study in the October Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. “Woven as it is into the fabric of today’s society, the potential for Internet use to lead to overuse and ultimately to addiction is concerning,” wrote Drs. Dimitri A. Christakis and Megan A. Moreno of the University of Washington in Seattle.

As the Internet becomes more intertwined in everyday life, eliminating its use is unrealistic, making prevention all the more critical. Experts say parents of teens should monitor the time their children spend on the Internet and the sites they visit and pediatricians and mental health professionals should ask their teenage patients about their Internet usage. This is especially important for children with mental health conditions.

Internet addiction is not currently recognized as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. There is debate about whether to include Internet addiction as a separate illness in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, due in 2012, which determines which mental illnesses are covered by insurance.

http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/mental-health/teens-with-psychosocial-disorders-prone-internet-addiction-3751.html

Indeed. It seems that teens nowadays are more and more affected by the Internet. They don’t watch television anymore and spend less time outside.

These actions can have dangerous effects on an impressionable youth. But with such large usage of the internet it is difficult for teens to cut down their usage. In order to keep up with the rest of the world, one must be able to have great knowledge of the internet.

Perhaps the right thing to do would be to talk to your child about the evils on the internet. Some parents condemn the internet as a diabolical plaything and restrict their children to certain hours on the net, and only use at certain times of the day. I personally think that these restrictions would spur a child further to rebel and try to get to the internet through negative means.

Talk to your child about his or her feelings about the internet. Share with your child interesting pieces of news that you see on the net that could be beneficial to your child. Look at the internet in a positive light. There is no running away from the net because its here to stay, so we might as well embrace it.

What to have for lunch?

2009-11-03T14:17:00.007+08:00

Deciding what to eat that can satisfy both your hunger and nutritional requirements can be difficult. First, there are the concerns of having to meet the one hour scheduled time for lunch. Secondly, the foods available in the vicinity of your office may not be your choice selection when it comes to deciding what to eat.

Enter the Bento set. When you think of bento s what comes to mind? For me it was of Japanese schoolgirls with pink hello kitty lunchboxes and heart shaped tomato sauces. I thought these dishes would probably not have much flavour. I can only imagine the overpoweringly sweet tomato sauce over an over fried omelet and over cooked rice, much akin to a school girl’s fantasy which is beautiful to look at but empty on the inside.

Bentos have long been used throughout Japanese history when it first made its appearance in the Kamakura Period. Since then, Bentos have been redeveloped over and over again.

Today however, the humble bento is revisited by a new wave of hipsters. Ready to make Bentos cool again.

So what defines Bentos from their western counterpart, the Lunchbox, you ask. Well, the main difference is that Bentos are generally more visually appealing than a lunchbox. Imagine opening a box of vibrant colours to whet your appetite. Of course, most of the meals prepared are based on the Japanese diet, and why not? The Japanese have seen the longest life spans, thanks to a healthy light, balanced diet of fish and rice.

There are several websites today that provide ideas to get you started on your bento making!

They even have a ‘bento basics’ to teach you common things like how to make tamago or egg bento.

www.justbento.com

Should you take your H1N1 shots?

2009-11-02T17:02:00.002+08:00

There have been many rumours tarnishing the good name of the H1N1 shots. There are those that claim that the H1N1 shots maybe bad for you and may cause you to get sick.

By getting vaccinated, those around you will be less at risk of getting the virus.

The target group of people who are most wanted for H1N1 shots include pregnant women as well as babysitters who care for young children, healthcare and emergency personnel, persons between 6months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

Other people recommended for the vaccine include:
• Children aged 6 months up to their 19th birthday
• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
o Health care workers
o Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
o Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

That makes up almost about everyone doesn’t it?

If you do not fall into any of these categories, it is still beneficial to get yourself vaccinated.

The only people that might hold some risk when getting their shots are those allergic to eggs. Also to consider are those who have the following:

• hives or swelling of the lips or tongue
• acute respiratory distress (trouble breathing) after eating eggs
• documented hypersensitivity to eggs, including those who have had asthma related to egg exposure at their workplace or other allergic responses to egg protein

People with the above conditions should go to their doctors for advice on whether to take the H1N1 flu shot.

Children with severe asthma are at high risk of the influenza. Children who suffer from this and hypersensitivity to eggs will receive their vaccines from a regimen

Other ways of protecting yourself include:

• Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throwing the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.*
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Staying home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

If you are looking to get yourself vaccinated, please call your nearest polyclinics to make an appointment.

All National Healthcare Group (NHG) Polyclinics 6355-3000 Mondays to Fridays
8:00am to 1:00pm
2:00pm to 4:30pm (registration ends 4.15pm)

Saturdays
8:00am to 12:30pm (registration ends 12.15pm)

Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays
Bedok Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6243-6741 Mondays to Fridays
8:00am to 1:00pm
2:00pm to 4:30pm (last registration at 4.15pm)

Saturdays
8:00am to 12:30pm (mainly for patients with appointments)

Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays
Bukit Merah Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6271-3911
Geylang Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6842-2440
Marine Parade Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6342-5024
Outram Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6435-3980
Pasir Ris Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6585-5406
Queenstown Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6471-9530
Sengkang Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6315-3500
Tampines Polyclinic (Singhealth) 6786-8516

Living healthy

2009-10-30T17:09:00.003+08:00

The best way of living healthily, as most doctors will tell you, is through leading a happy lifestyle. It can be hard to live a healthy lifestyle when it

Take time to enjoy life. In the morning, take a jog near your place. Wake up early enough so that you do not rush. By managing your time thoroughly, you will be able to enjoy life to the fullest.

Do not be afraid to indulge in a good plate of char kway teow occasionally.

Here are some healthy tips that can be practiced on a day to day basis

1. Learn to relax.
In the busy world we live in, it is important to let the world slow down for a little. Listen to slow music and take in deep breaths. Take time off your gadgets or the computer before you sleep. Take long walks and stop to look at flowers, admire the sky or even to look in awe at tall buildings.

2. Eat balanced meals
You are what you eat. Eating healthily can help you feel good about yourself. There is no need to count your calories. Yet, you can follow simple guidelines such as ensuring that your lots of vegetables for most of your meals as well as ensuring there is some kind of meat or fibre in your daily diet. Make eating fun by learning how to cook and making delicious food.

3. Think Positive
It can be irrational to think positive all the time. However, there are certain times when you should try to look on the bright side of life. It is good think realistically. Every story has a good and a bad. If you are willing to turn 180degrees around, you would be able to see the more beautiful world. A way of thinking positive is by spreading your positivity to others. Share a smile with a stranger, say hello to your neighbours, open the doors for others. Do well to others, and you too will gain a sense of happiness. Think about it this way: its impossible to be unhappy when you are singing or smiling.

4. Exercise
Exercising allows you to get the opportunity to inhale fresh air outside. If you’re having a bad day, this is a great way of releasing wonderful chemicals like endorphins to ensure a great day.

5. Allow time for yourself
In a typical Singaporean’s busy lifestyle, it can be hard to find time for yourself. It is important to make time to get reacquainted with yourself. Find time for yourself, do things you like. Re-energize yourself and learn to allow time for your favourite things. Live life to the fullest.

6. Have a sense of control
Knowing that you are in control of your life can allow you to lead a better life. Know that no one is control of you or your destiny, only you can make decisions that will affect your life.

Curry, the modern day hero

2009-10-29T16:54:00.004+08:00

Source: Straits Times , October 28, 2009

Curry kills cancer

LONDON - A MOLECULE found in a curry ingredient can kill oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment, scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in Ireland treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin - a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries a distinctive yellow colour - and found it started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours. The cells also began to digest themselves, they said in a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Previous scientific studies have suggested curcumin can suppress tumours and that people who eat lots of curry may be less prone to the disease, although curcumin loses its anti-cancer attributes quickly when ingested. But Sharon McKenna, lead author of the Irish study, said her study suggested a potential for scientists to develop curcumin as an anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer.
Cancers of the oesophagus kill more than 500,000 people across the world each year. The tumours are especially deadly, with five-year survival rates of just 12 to 31 per cent. Ms McKenna said the study showed curcumin caused the cancer cells to die 'using an unexpected system of cell messages'.

Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide, or apoptosis, which occurs when proteins called caspases are 'switched on' in cells, the researchers said.

But these cells showed no evidence of suicide, and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this 'switch being flicked' made no difference to the number of cells that died, suggesting curcumin attacked the cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system. – REUTERS

Yet another reason to indulge in a bowl of delicious curry ,(as if we don’t have enough already). However, do keep in mind that many curries involve large usage of coconut milk. As we all know coconut milk is high in cholesterol and large consumptions of it can increase risk in diabetes and high cholesterol.
The key hero ingredient to note here is Turmeric.

Turmeric contains up to 5% essential oils and up to 3% curcumin, a polyphenol. It is the active substance of turmeric and it is also known as C.I. 75300, or Natural Yellow 3.

Turmeric has been used in South Asia for ages as an antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. It has antibacterial properties. In countries such as Japan it can be taken as dietary supplement, as it allegedly helps the stomach and other ailments. Pakistanis use it as an anti inflammatory agent to aid gastrointestinal discomfort. Turmeric is also a suspect in curing Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis and other biological disorders.

Turmeric can be used not just in curries but can also be used for spicing up seafood or meats. Turmeric is the powdery spice that gives your food a yellowy colour and brightens up your taste palate and plate.

You can easily incorporate turmeric in your cooking. Using the simple ingredients of Turmeric, salt and pepper you can bring to live any of fish or meat. You can even use it on meaty vegetables such as Brinjal (eggplant) to make it vegetarian friendly. That alone, with some wholemeal rice can make a satisfying lunch

Curry, the modern day hero

2009-10-29T16:54:00.003+08:00

Source: Straits Times , October 28, 2009

Curry kills cancer

LONDON - A MOLECULE found in a curry ingredient can kill oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment, scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in Ireland treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin - a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries a distinctive yellow colour - and found it started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours. The cells also began to digest themselves, they said in a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Previous scientific studies have suggested curcumin can suppress tumours and that people who eat lots of curry may be less prone to the disease, although curcumin loses its anti-cancer attributes quickly when ingested. But Sharon McKenna, lead author of the Irish study, said her study suggested a potential for scientists to develop curcumin as an anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer.
Cancers of the oesophagus kill more than 500,000 people across the world each year. The tumours are especially deadly, with five-year survival rates of just 12 to 31 per cent. Ms McKenna said the study showed curcumin caused the cancer cells to die 'using an unexpected system of cell messages'.

Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide, or apoptosis, which occurs when proteins called caspases are 'switched on' in cells, the researchers said.

But these cells showed no evidence of suicide, and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this 'switch being flicked' made no difference to the number of cells that died, suggesting curcumin attacked the cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system. – REUTERS

Yet another reason to indulge in a bowl of delicious curry ,(as if we don’t have enough already). However, do keep in mind that many curries involve large usage of coconut milk. As we all know coconut milk is high in cholesterol and large consumptions of it can increase risk in diabetes and high cholesterol.

The key hero ingredient to note here is Turmeric.

Turmeric contains up to 5% essential oils and up to 3% curcumin, a polyphenol. It is the active substance of turmeric and it is also known as C.I. 75300, or Natural Yellow 3.

Due to it's medicinal properties, Turmeric has been used in South Asia for ages as an antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. It has antibacterial properties. In countries such as Japan it can be taken as dietary supplement, as it allegedly helps the stomach and other ailments. Pakistanis use it as an anti inflammatory agent to aid gastrointestinal discomfort. Turmeric is also a suspect in curing Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis and other biological disorders.

Turmeric can be used not just in curries but can also be used for spicing up seafood or meats. Turmeric is also the powdery spice that gives your food a yellowy colour and brightens up your taste palate and plate.

You can easily incorporate turmeric in your cooking. Using the simple ingredients of Turmeric, salt and pepper you can bring to live any of fish or meat. You can even use it on meaty vegetables such as Brinjal (eggplant) to make it vegetarian friendly. That alone, with some wholemeal rice can make a satisfying lunch

How to prevent Cervical Cancer

2009-10-21T17:43:00.002+08:00

Prevention is better than cure, they say. What should women do to stop a dangerous monster like Cervical cancer. Cervical cancer has held the number one place in gynaecological cancers in Singapore in the last 30 years. It has declined steadily since, however the rates here remain higher then those in Europe and USA.

In Singapore, Malays have an average of 10 -20 % higher rate then Chinese Singaporeans. CervicalScreen Singapore was launched by the Health Promotion Board in 2004. Its goal was to screen all women aged 25-65 years every 3 years. It is the 5th most cancer in Singapore.

This could be due largely to the lack of prevention such as doing a Pap smear test. Cervical Cancer can be easily prevented, but one should get tested as early as possible.

Prevention
The key to preventing invasive cervical cancer is to detect any cell changes early, before they become cancerous. Regular pelvic examinations and Pap smears are the best way to do this. How often you should have a pelvic exam and Pap smear depends on your individual situation.
1. You should have your first Pap smear when you become sexually active, no matter how old you are.
2. If you are not sexually active, you should have your first Pap smear at age 18 years or earlier.
3. In both cases, you should have a Pap smear every year for at least 3 years.
4. If these Pap smears reveal no abnormal cells and you have few risk factors for cervical cancer, the US Guide to Clinical Preventive Services recommends a repeat Pap smear at least every 3 years.
5. Because a woman's risk factors may change with her lifestyle, many medical professionals prefer that you have a Pap smear yearly through age 65 years and older, regardless of the number of negative tests you have had in the past.
6. If you have had precancerous changes or cancer of the cervix, your gynecologist will recommend a schedule of follow-up examinations and tests.
Avoidance of human papillomavirus infection is becoming increasingly important in the prevention of precancerous and cancerous changes of the cervix.
Early age at first intercourse is associated with increased risk. Abstinence is recommended as one way to prevent the transmission of HPV.
Likewise, barrier protection, such as condom use, may prevent HPV infection, although this has not yet been fully studied.
A vaccine to protect women from cervical cancer may be available in 5 years. Early tests found an experimental vaccine to be effective against the virus responsible for half of all cases of cervical cancer. The vaccine targets a strain of HPV. The vaccine would not be effective for women who already have HPV.
Cigarette smoking is another risk factor for cervical cancer that can be prevented. Quitting smoking may decrease your chances of developing cervical cancer.

Angel Hair Pasta for the diabetic

2009-10-21T10:04:00.001+08:00

Food doesn’t need to be bland for the diabetic. If

Adriatic Fish Stew over Angel Hair Pasta
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 small onion, 4 ounces (120 g), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound (4880 g) firm fleshed fish such as sea bass or red snapper, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 14 1/2-ounce (415 g) no salt added diced tomatoes
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
1/4 cup (60 ml) low-sodium canned vegetable broth
3/4 pound (360 g) fresh mussels in the shell, well scrubbed and debearded
1/4 pound (120 g) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar
8 ounces (240 g) dried or fresh angel hair pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions and drained
freshly ground pepper
1. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 4 minutes, until onion is limp, taking care to not let the garlic burn.
2. Add the fish and saute for 2 minutes on each side, turning once. Transfer fish to a plate.
3. Add the tomatoes, wine, and vegetable broth to the pot. Cook, stirring, over high heat until reduced by 1/3. Lower the heat to maintain a lively simmer. Place the mussels and shrimp on top of the tomato mixture. Cover and cook until mussels open and the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Return the fish to the stew to reheat.
4. Divide the pasta between 4 pasta bowls. Stir the vinegar into the stew and ladle the fish stew on top of the pasta. Serve at once, passing the pepper grinder for each person to add according to taste.
Per serving: 448 calories (16% calories from fat), 39 g protein, 8 g total fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 51 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 99 mg cholesterol, 232 mg sodium
Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 3 carbohydrate (3 bread/starch), 1 vegetable
Note: When cooking live mussels, some quickly open wide while others barely crack open. The latter can be fully opened using a clam opener, spoon, or tongs. But a mussel that refuses to open even a little may have been dead before cooking so it's safest to discard those.

How to have a smarter brain

2009-10-20T17:00:00.001+08:00

Growing up in an Asian Community often means having a nagging mother who will nag at you to consume beneficial foods that might enhance your brain.

Scientifically speaking, there are no magic foods out there that will immediately enhance your brain. However, there are foods out there that could really help aid your brain in functioning right.

Have you ever wondered how it is that one piece of information can travel through your brain? What is really doing the job are Neurotransmitters. These Neurotransmitters are the ones that help your body communicate information easily. These are the so called ‘Brain foods’.

Protein

Protein is found in meat, fish, milk and cheese. Protein provides the building blocks for most of the body's tissues, nerves, internal organs (including brain and heart). Proteins are used to make neurotransmitters and are essential to improve mental performance.
Without proteins, your brain would not be even able to function properly.

Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates enhance the absorption of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin in the brain. Within about thirty minutes of eating a carbohydrate meal,, you will feel more calm and relaxed. The effects will last several hours.
Grains, fruits and vegetables are key sources of carbohydrates. Vegetables such as potatoes are good sources of carbohydrates

Digestion causes the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose (sugar) which is the brains primary source of energy. If your glucose levels fluctuate too much, you may experience mental confusion, dizziness and if severe, convulsions and loss of consciousness.
Carbohydrates can also modify serotonin, the relaxing brain chemical,

Fats
Fats refer to good fats and should refer to fats like omega 3 which are beneficial to the brain.
The brain is more than 60% fat. This is because the brain cells are covered by the myelin sheath which is composed of approximately 75% fat. Fats also play a crucial role as messengers. They regulate key aspects of the immune system, blood circulation, inflammation, memory and mood.
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to the optimum performance of your brain. Lack of omega-3 fats in your diet can lead to depression, poor memory, low IQ, learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADD and many more mental disorders.
To ensure that your diet is rich in omega-3 fats, ensure that you eat plenty of oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, herring, mackerel and anchovies.

Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the growth and functioning of the brain.
The 'B' complex vitamins are particularly important for the brain and play a vital role in producing energy. Vitamins A, C and E are powerful antioxidants and promote and preserve memory in the elderly.
Minerals are also critical to mental functioning and performance. Magnesium and manganese are needed for brain energy. Sodium, potassium and calcium are important in the thinking process and they facilitate the transmission of messages.

It seems like another reason why you should start on healthy dieting.

Other ways of having a healthier brain include:
1. Balance your glucose - it provides fuel for your brain. Try to eat carbohydrate foods in the evening as it promotes relaxation and sleep.
2. Eat essential fats - ensure your diet is rich in omega-3 fats found in oily fish.
3. Include plenty of protein rich foods in your diet. Proteins are essential to make neurotransmitters which are vital for the thinking process. Try to eat a protein based lunch to optimise your mental performance and alertness throughout the day.
4. Eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals to 'fine tune' your mind.
5. Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day to keep your brain well hydrated.
6. Oxygenate your brain by exercising and eating little and often. Eat your main meal before 7pm.

Educate your Child about Swine Flu

2009-10-19T10:31:00.005+08:00

The Swine Flu frenzy has gone down, but this does not mean it as any less dangerous. Swine Flu can, and will kill.

In the world of technology, many children today are educated by the Internet. Thankfully for many parents, there is a site online available for children to visit: http://kidshealth.org/kid/h1n1_center/h1n1_school.html

Kids health a website filled with cute pictures and easy language that is kid friendly. The website is easy to browse with interesting information and

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There is interesting info on this website including the latest about SWINE FLU. And if you don’t know how to say certain words, not to fear, they even teach you how to say it right. Difficult words such as etiquette are broken down into syllabus to teach you how to say it. It tells you what to do if you suspect you have the flu. Also, it tells you how to get protected.

It also give tips to children about Flu shots. Advising the kids, the blog says to 'loosen your hand like spaghetti' so that you won't feel pain.

There’s even an interesting rap video by a ‘Dr John Clarke’ who does the ‘Health Hop’ to educate your kids about SWINE FLU.

An interesting site with loads of info and interesting insights to spur your child's interest,this is one website your child should spend his or her time on.

The Skinny of it all

2009-10-16T17:01:00.006+08:00

The Skinny: How to Fit into your Little Black Dress Forever
Bikini Bootcamp: Two weeks to your ultimate body

Why are these books your famously popular? Well, you want to skinny and fit into that bikini don’t you? Skeptics will sniff at these cheesy headlines, however when it comes down to the real deal, these tips that the books give actually can be really practical, take a look:

1. Cut Calories: Eat What you wantAuthors of The Skinny recommend you eat what you want and enjoy it. Just eat less of it. Or eat salads to satiate you hunger.
2. Keep your portions smallMeasure your food, make sure they can satisfy you but not overload you with food. Pour out your food, start out with one handful first, that way you will know what you’ve been eating.
3. Eat when you’re hungry
Be honest with yourself and eat only when you are really hungry. Don’t cheat yourself or starve yourself. Be good to your body, and your body will return the flavour. If you starve yourself now, you will only overeat later.
4. Eat Fresh, Real Food Instead of Processed Junk It’s a well known fact that Processed junk will lead you to pack on more calories.
5. Eat mindfullyDon’t eat meals in front of your television, understand what you are eating. Truly enjoy your meal.
6. Low fat, non fat
Feed yourself well, be sure that you are getting the right nutrients. Eat nuts or flax seeds to keep you satisfied till your next meal.
7. Focus on FibreFibre, as this blog has before mentioned, has many benefits. Besides filling you up, it also aids digestion.
8. Start with Soup to suppress appetiteDrink soup to fill you up help you to not overeat.
9. Spice things upSpices are free of calories so remember to add them generously to your next meal. They add lots of flavour, so you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain! Add spices to a simple vegetable ragout, and there you have it, a hearty yet low calorie meal
10. Remember your Next and Last MealThink of what you had for Breakfast and think about what you are going to eat for dinner. If the other meals you are going to have are going to be high calorie ones, ensure that the current meal you are going to have is low calorie. This way you can match up the meals. You are therefore indulging yourself yet not over spoiling yourself. Keeping yourself in check.
11. Reduce your calories by keeping track of drinks
Everybody knows that soft drinks can pack on lots of sugars. But did you know fruit drinks can pack in lots of calories as well? Yes, fruit sugars can and will harm you. Beware..
12. Burn Calories with exerciseFor many, exercising can be a pain. But for many, they cannot deny the joys of exercising. The great release after a workout is something many go for.

So you see, these books really recommend what we’ve known but not put to good use. These are easy to follow rules.

Here are recipes from the Books:

The SkinnyChicken Curry with Veggies on Whole-Grain Couscous

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon peeled and chopped ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 (5- to 6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 floret broccoli, chopped
• 1 small floret of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup whole-grain couscous, prepared according to instructions on the box
1. Combine the oil, onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, and brown sugar in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until onions turn clear and smell sweet, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the sliced chicken breasts and cook until the meat is done, about 5–7 minutes.
3. Add 1 cup of water along with the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add water as needed to maintain a saucy consistency.
4. Serve over hot, freshly cooked couscous.

Bikini Bootcamp
Chicken Salad with Roasted Red Peppers

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white wine or sherry vinegar
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, if desired
• 1/2 roasted chicken, skinned, meat removed from the bone, and roughly chopped (about 1 1/2 cups meat)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chopped roasted red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Whole wheat bread or crusty white bread, for serving, optional
• Mixed salad greens, for serving, optional
1. To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and garlic. Whisking constantly, slowly add the olive oil until fully incorporated.
2. In a medium bowl combine the chicken, celery, red peppers, and chives. Fold in the vinaigrette. Season with salt and black pepper and serve, either made into a sandwich or over salad greens tossed with a little more olive oil and sprinkled with salt.
Brown-bag it with: grapes

The trouble with jogging

2009-10-13T16:40:00.002+08:00

Running is one of the easiest forms of exercises around. You can do it anywhere and its definitely cheap. All you really need is a good pair of jogging shoes, a planned route of where to run and you’re ready to go.

In recent years however, running or jogging for women has received a bad rap.

I even read online, some months back of a woman whose menstrual cycle stopped completely after continuous running for 23 weeks, every day. The truth is any sort of exercise when performed too rigorously can cause a change in a woman’s menstrual cycle. A woman’s menstrual cycle can be affected by both physical activities and psychological effects. Jogging can cause both since it is both tiring and can be slightly stressful if you’re hoping to reach a target.

Jogging can also hurt your joints. When your feet hit the ground with every step, there is an impact that can cause harm to your joints. Therefore, joggers/runners who do not invest in a good pair of running shoes are subjecting themselves to more risk than those who do have a good pair.

In older people, it can also be difficult to jog or run since they their joints are not as strong as those of younger people. People aged 60 and above are advised not to over exercise. Jogging may not be a suitable activity in some cases.

The debate however, continues. Jogging/running loyalists swear by the benefits of running. Exercises such as jogging/running help you release happy hormones (Endorphins) into your system. Taking a jog early in the morning can mean a difference in your mood for the rest of the day. Jogging/Running also has helps a person burn unwanted calories in huge amounts.

As I always say to my friends, ‘balance is key’. Jogging is a great exercise and the benefits can be seen by everyone. However, we should never over estimate ourselves and jog more than we really should. I think a 3-5 times of jogging weekly is sufficient for each person. Jog in the mornings from Monday till Friday. Let your body recuperate over the weekends. Jogging can be a strenuous exercise and the body needs time to recover and repair the muscles used during jogging. You will find that the weekend rest will do you good.

Here are some tips to help you ease into your running regiment:

1. Wear a good pair of shoes (and tie them up!)Jogging can be a pain if your laces keep falling out because you did not tie them properly. Your momentum would then be interrupted and this can have an effect on how well you perform.

2. Eat/ Drink something before jogging
Eat something light before going jogging. Make sure you are well hydrated before your run. Having a dry throat while you run can be annoying. You want to have enough energy so that you can perform better during your run.

3. Progress slowly
Injuries are sometimes the result of people taking things too fast. When you are jogging, set a realistic goal. If you are tired, don’t be afraid to stop. Even if you did not reach your goal this time round, you can aim to do better the next time

4. Jog on the spotBefore you run, it is important to warm up your body system so that it can prepare itself for this gruelling activity. Jog on the spot for about a few minutes or so and you will be ready to go.

5. Choose softer surfaces
When jogging, choose dirt paths instead of concrete paths. Concrete paths can be harsh to our joints. Concrete and asphalt reflect landing forces back up your leg. However, when jogging off the beaten path watch out for twigs or holes that you could trip over.

You can reap the benefits of jogging if you perform it the right way.

If jogging is not your thing, perhaps consider walking, which can give the same results.

Office Exercises

2009-10-12T15:02:00.004+08:00

In cities such as Singapore, we are often too busy to have the time to work out. A typical morning can start as early as 5.30am. We wake our kids up, send them to school. After which, we rush down to work gulping down our breakfasts. This is then followed by a hectic schedule of meeting after meeting. We barely even have time to have lunch. Many nights, we spend time in the office, working over our limits just to finish our project. When we finally reach home, we are just happy that we can sleep in our beds. Day after day passes, we can barely have time for ourselves, let alone go to a gym?

Fret not, now you can exercise the comfort of your office space. These exercises take up minimal time and are easy to do:

lick on the pictures for closer look
Five Key Stretches
(do stretches for 15-30 seconds)

1) Neck Stretches - Slowly tilt your head toward your shoulder and hold for ten seconds each side. Keep this one slow and easy, the neck is very easy to injure.

2) Arm Shoulders - Pull your arm across your chest, hook your other arm around it to pull the tension out of your upperback and rear shoulders.

3) Back / Legs - Lean forward at the waist either from the standing position or sitting and bring your chest toward your thighs. Slowly try to straighten your legs - stretching your hamstrings.

4) Thigh Stretch - Sit on left edge of your chair or stand. Grab your left ankle and pull it upward toward your buttocks. Switch sides.

5) Calves Stretch - Stand and lean into your desk with your heels on the floor. Bend your knees slightly to stretch your achilles tendons.

Five Key Exercises

1) Legs - Squats - Stand in front of your chair and repeat sitting down and standing up 10 times three times a day.

2) Shoulder Shrugs - Just pull your shoulders as high as you can and roll them forward ten times and backward ten times throughout the day.

3) Dumbbell Curls - While on the phone, you can grab a dumbbell and do bicep curls for 20 repetitions three times a day. Straighten your arms by your side and bring your hand (dumbbell) to your shoulder. Keep your palms up. Do one at a time if on the phone.

4) Bench Dips - Using your chair or sturdy table, place your hands on the edge of the object and bend your arms to slowly lower yourself about six inches lower than the seat. Raise yourself by straightening your arms. Repeat this three times a day for 10 repetitions.

5) Assisted Push-up - In the office, lean up against your desk and push yourself away from the desk while in a leaning position. Repeat this three times a day for 10 repetitions

Sometimes simply taking in deep breaths and holding your stomach in is a good exercise. It also helps revive you mentally so that you are more alert when you start working.

Study links daily sweets for children to violence

2009-10-09T17:03:00.003+08:00

LONDON : Children who eat sweets every day are more likely to be violent as adults, possibly because they want instant gratification, a British psychological study suggested Thursday.

The research, by researchers at Cardiff University in Wales, took around 17,000 babies born in 1970 and monitored them at age five, 10, and 34 years old to see if there was a correlation.

It found that 69 per cent of those who had been found guilty of offences involving violence reported they had eaten confectionery nearly every day during childhood, compared to 42 per cent of those who were non-violent.

"Our favoured explanation is that giving children sweets and chocolate regularly may stop them learning how to wait to obtain something they want," lead researcher Simon Moore said.

"Not being able to defer gratification may push them towards more impulsive behaviour, which is strongly associated with delinquency," he added in the study, published in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

But the study was condemned as "utter nonsense" by the Food and Drink Federation, which represents Britain's food and drink industry.

"Anti-social behaviour stems from deep-rooted social and environmental factors such as poor parenting and a deprived upbringing and is not linked to whether or not you ate sweeties as a kid," said its director of communications Julian Hunt.

"How anyone could leap to such a conclusion is beyond me."
I think the key in this article is that we learn to ration the amount of sweets we give to our children. It’s all about balance. Balance helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
We also learn to train children’s tolerance levels by restricting some of their habits.

In recent years there have been countless researches on the effect of sugar and children, that itself should be a cause for worry.

Healthy dieting should begin when one is a child. If your child is on an unhealthy diet, start weaning him or her on healthier foods. However, this does not mean you should restrict your child completely off unhealthy foods. Try to instil in your child the values of healthy living.

Start off by introducing a large amount of fibre into your child’s diet. Include lots of colours to keep him or her interested.

Living happily, healthily

2009-09-24T17:28:00.001+08:00

We all go through great extents to achieve happiness. There are many tips of gaining happiness. But it is difficult to have a formula that works the same for happiness.

Here are a few tips from my personal experience that really turn my frown upside down.

1) Watch a good sitcom, or stand up comedy
With the advancements of technology, we are now able to easily download or watch off the net our favourite shows that will just put a smile on your face

2) Think of solutions
We all worry. In fact, I think it is necessary to worry. When we worry, we are able to be prepared for trouble. However, we should not worry unnecessarily. Hence we should be prepared at all times and think of solutions to our problems rather than just get depressed over issues. There is a solution to everything, if only we are willing to look for it.

3) Exercise
Don’t be a lazy bum! Get off that couch and start moving about. It is a well known fact that exercising helps the human body release endorphins into our bloodstream which will allow us to maintain a positive perspective all day.

4) Eat right
Indulge yourself in a delicious bowl of yoghurt. You could fill it with fruits nuts and even (an added luxury) chocolate! Eat a lot and eat healthy, but remember not to overeat. Knowing that you are treating your stomach, your body right is beneficial. Be adventurous and don’t bore your taste buds. Aim to try a different thing everyday.

5) Aim to make someone’s day.
Whether the motives are altruistic, making someone else’s day right can make really make you feel good about yourself, because you know you’re doing the right thing and playing a part in making the world a better place.

Our attitudes will change when we choose to look at things positively. It is good to be rational and choose to think the right. Even if your day is a sad one, at least you’ll know that you’re treating yourself right. If you don’t treat yourself right, who will?

Almonds Almonds Almonds

2009-09-23T15:52:00.006+08:00

This humble nut is packed with nutrients; fibre, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and calcium. This delicious nut is packed with flavour, a slight woody flavour on the outside, and delicious buttery peanut butter like consistency once chewed.

Almonds have more calcium than any other nut – 75 milligrams (mg) in one serving (about 23 almonds), about one serving of almonds provides half of the body’s Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin E.

Almonds also help keep you alert, so if you’re feeling tired in the office, facing your computer, you can reach out for a handful of almonds. Almond is even sometimes said to be good for coughs. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine drinking Sweet Pear, honey almond could provide tonic benefits (see recipe below).

Like all nuts, Almonds are a good source of protein. Also, since most of the fats in Almonds are mono saturated fat, they are beneficial for your heart.

Here are ways to include almonds in your daily healthy living.

- Eat almonds as snacks, instead off unhealthy alternatives such as chips or cake. They are both light and easy to store. ( Be careful to choose non sugar or salted almonds, those can pack on much unwanted calories)
- Add almonds into your breakfast cereal or oatmeal for a fulfilling breakfast that will keep you full for hours
- Make your own healthy version of peanut butter by grinding almonds
- Drink almond milk

Here is an easy recipe to follow:
1. Place 1 cup freshly roasted almonds in a glass jar.
2. Cover with 4 cups water.
3. Tightly close the jar.
4. Refrigerate for 1 day or no more than 2 days.
5. Pour into blender and blend until smooth.
6. Strain liquid from pulp through cheesecloth, applying pressure to squeeze out all liquid.
7. Retain the almond paste pulp for other uses.
Tips:
1. Use almond milk in recipes or as a delicious drink by itself or with a little honey and vanilla.
2. The almond paste pulp can be used to top cereal, vegetables, or rice.
3. 1 pound shelled almonds = 3 cups halves or 4 cups slivered.
You will need:
• almonds
• glass jar
• blender

- Also consider including almonds in your drinks

Such as the Chinese Pear and & Honey Tonic Drink

Ingredients:
2 Chinese Pears/Japanese Pears
4-6 Red Dates
1/2 Tablespoon gou qi zi (Wolfberry fruit)
10g Soaked White Fungus
1 Tablespoon of Sweet & Bitter Almond
6 Strips of Sha Shen
1 litre of Water
About 2 Tablespoons of Honey
_________________________________
Instructions:
1. Wash all the herbs.
2. Peel and core pears. Then cut into quarters and put into a double boiler pot.
3. Bring water to boil in another pot and add in all the herbs and white fungus. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour the herbs ingredients into the pot containing the pears and let it double boil in a slower cooker for about 3 hrs.
5. Switch off the heat, allow to cool slightly and add in the honey before drinking the soup.
This recipe serves 3 persons.
________________________________________
The ingredients used in the above recipe are very common and you can easily find them in most Chinese medical halls.
Sweet & Bitter Almonds(南北杏):
Sweet almond tastes sweet and is of neutral nature, whereas bitter almond tastes bitter and is of warm nature. They both heal coughing and expel sputum.
Sha Shen(沙参):
Sweet and slightly cold, it moisturises the lungs, stops coughing, brings down fever and and increases appetite.

Keeping your Balance

2009-09-22T17:29:00.003+08:00

Thinner thighs, weaker heart
Posted: 04 September 2009 0808 hrs

PARIS : Women and men with thighs under 60 centimetres (23.5 inches) in circumference face a far higher risk of premature death and heart disease, according to a study released Friday.

The surprising find could provide doctors with an additional barometer of cardiac risk, the authors say in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Berit Heitmann and Peder Frederiksen of Copenhagen University Hospital examined data for 1,436 men and 1,380 women whose body measurements were taken in Denmark in the late 1980s.

Over the next dozen years, more than 400 participants died and another 540 suffered either cardiovascular or heart disorders. Men outnumbered women roughly two to one.

Survivors without heart problems had significantly thicker thighs once other risk factors - obesity, smoking, high cholesterol - were taken into account, the investigators found.

"A 'threshold effect' for thigh circumference was evident, with greatly increased risk of premature death below around 60 cm," the study concludes.

The bad news, for those with ham-like upper legs, is that bigger thighs do not seem to offer any advantage.

"Above the threshold there seemed to be no additional benefit ... for either sex," the study said.

Those with the thinnest thighs were more than three times times likelier to die compared with those with the 60-centimetre (23.5-inch) thighs, and more than twice as likely to have heart problems.

The Danish team suggest small thighs could be a pointer of low cardiac muscle mass, but further research is needed.

Earlier studies have shown a clear link between heart disease and obesity or underweight, but this is the first to look at the implications of thigh size on coronary health.

The authors suggest it could join other measures currently used to assess cardiac risks include body-mass index (BMI), as well as waist and hip circumference.

But at least one independent expert was skeptical that the new findings will become a diagnostic tool.

"It seems unlikely that thigh circumference will be clinically useful," wrote Ian Scott of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, said in a commentary, also published in the BMJ.

- AFP/il

It seems like the best way is to keep fit, not too much and not too little. The key is to indulge, but never to over indulge.

Keeping fit can be quite a chore especially when it means living in a foodie haven in Singapore. But we can always learn to live with good food and yet live healthily. Never underestimate a good clear bowl of fish soup beehoon, it can really fill you up, but yet is not packed with calories. Ask for more vegetables with your food. I don’t believe in sacrificing flavour so if your dish requires the need to include an unhealthy ingredient such as pork fat, go ahead and include it (unless you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or other diseases, then I would suggest you opt for a healthier alternative), but remember to live healthy for the rest of the week, put in more effort on the thread mill.

If you are constantly on the go, you may want to consider packing light lunches such as sandwiches. If you get bored of sandwiches, consider including salads in your lunchbox. Create a balanced diet by including wholemeal foods, some protein (such as salmon) and remember to put in lots of vegetables!

Its all about finding the right balance, to lead a good lifestyle