Sunny Health

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.

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.

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.