Sunny Health

The year-end is a time to drink and make merry, but we shouldn’t exclude the friends and guests who don’t drink due to health or religious reasons. Non-alcoholic drinks can be a healthier alternative, yet festive for the season, and they’re popular even in the restaurant holiday menus as well! Here are 3 easy ones for the upcoming New Year party. Now that you can toast all night without worrying about that beer belly or the health implications on your liver!

The following recipes are courtesy of BBC Good Food and Tania Glyde.

Fruity cranberry concoctions

The bright red colour cranberry resonates well with the festive mood. Cranberry is also a very tasty and nutritious fruit and would be the perfect holiday punch when mixed with other fruit juices!

Orange and cranberry spritz.
Mix together 500ml of orange juice and 500ml of cranberry juice in a large jug. Pour in sparkling elderflower drink to fizz it up. Mix together and serve in tall glasses with ice. If you can’t find elderflower drink, any other mildly sweet sparkling fruit drinks will do as well.

Driver’s punch
You will need 100g of cranberries, 100ml of cranberry juice, 500ml blood orange juice, 600ml sparkling apple juice, 1 lime, thin wedges of orange and some mint sprigs. Place the cranberry in a freezer container, cover with water (by about 2.5cm) and freeze till solid. Mix cranberry juice with blood orange juice. Juice a lime and add the juice in. To serve, smash the sheet of frozen cranberries into shards and put in the bottom of tall glasses. There should be about enough for eight. Put a wedge of lime and orange and a mint sprig in each glass, then pour in the fruit juices and top up with sparkling apple juice.

Something warm, sweet and cozy

Hot chocolate reminds one of winter and snow. It is a wonderful and cozy feeling to sit around a fireplace with mugs of delicious hot chocolate to warm your hands and insides. In Singapore, we have neither cold nor snow, but hot chocolate is still a very yummy drink that’s perfect for a party.

Peppermint hot chocolate
You will need 200g bar plain chocolate, broken into chunks, 600ml milk, 150ml pot single or double cream, Sugar to taste, 6 peppermint candy canes, a handful of marshmallows, to serve

Put the chocolate in a pan with the milk. Gently heat, stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Continue heating until the milk is steaming, then remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Divide the hot chocolate between 6 mugs, add sugar to taste and hang a candy cane on the edge of each. Pass the mugs round and let everyone stir their hot chocolate with their candy cane – letting as much of the sweet peppermint dissolve as they fancy. Put some marshmallows for a fuzzy feeling.

For the non-sweet tooths, here is another alternative for a rich, hot drink.

Hot apple pie punch
You will need: 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, a good pinch ground cloves, ½ whole grated nutmeg, 2 litres of apple juice, 2 tablespoon vanilla extract, 6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Place the cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, apple juice and vanilla extract in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer.  When the apple juice has warmed through, add the vanilla ice cream and whisk vigorously with a balloon whisk until melted and combined with the hot apple juice – the ice cream should make a frothy top on the juice.

Faux alcohol is better than no alcohol

You can make your own non-alcoholic “mulled wine” with the follow recipe.

You will need: 2 litres apple juice, 2 litres cranberry juice, 1 stick cinnamon, 2 oranges, 1 lemon (unwaxed), 1 teaspoon honey, Quarter teaspoon ground nutmeg, about 20 cloves

Slice the oranges into halves. Scrape the rind off about half of the lemon and then quarter the lemon. Stud the orange and lemon rinds with the cloves – it looks great and will infuse wonderfully.
Pour one of each of the cartons of apple juice and cranberry drink into a large pan with all the other ingredients and put over the lowest heat you can get. Leave it to heat slowly until it reaches the point where it is starting to steam, then three minutes longer. This takes about 10 to 20 minutes in total – it should not boil at any point. Switch off the heat and serve into small glasses.

Have a very Happy New Year!

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/boost-adult-immunisation-rates-doctors-suggest-free-flu-vaccines-and-targeting-patients

(Picture from Pixabay)

There are no known specific causes of eye cancer, though as with most cancers, genes play a role. Risk factors include:

• Growing dark spot on the iris
• Flashing lights sensation
• Change in the shape of the pupil
• Poor or blurry vision in one eye
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Sensation of flashes and specks of dust (floaters)

Image Credit


 
Improved technology has made it possible to create contact lenses that are thinner, contain more water content and hence more comfortable to wear. Sometimes they are so thin that the wearer does not even feel them. But the downside to this is that the lenses may slip further into your eyes and you may not even realise it!

In July this year, a woman made news for the discovery of 27 contact lenses lodged in her eyes. She wasn't even aware until she was due to go for a cataract surgery and her surgeons found the unexpected. Certainly, it seems incredulous that anything can go into the eye undetected, let alone to have so many lenses stuck in the eyes over a span of wearing disposable contact lenses for 35 years. But ask any regular daily disposable users and they will likely have some anecdotes about losing a contact lens in their eye or near-misses to share. 

Personally, I can relate. I was having a hard time removing my daily disposable lens in one of my eyes due to the lack of moisture. As I had a finger tip to the lens trying to move it around, my eye suddenly felt free, but I couldn't see the lens anywhere. I assumed that it had dropped somewhere. Shortly after, I started having this feeling of "something in my eyes". I attributed it to irritation from long wear of the lenses. It also felt as though an eyelash or dust particle had fallen into my eye. Eye drops did little to relieve the grittiness. A couple of days later, I was pulling down my bottom eyelid, trying to locate that mysterious eyelash that might have lodged itself in my eye, when I spotted a dark coloured film (I was wearing coloured lenses) at the bottom edge of my eye. I gently prodded at my bottom eyelid, and it eventually came out. I was very lucky that it didn't have to take an infection to set in before I'd have to seek professional help. I can imagine how much easier it is for a clear contact lens to go detected. I made up my mind to be more careful and to never to let that happen again.

Here are some ways you can protect your eyes from similar accidents:

When removing your lenses, make sure there is sufficient moisture. If your eyes are too dry, the lens will not come off easily and trying to force it out could aggravate the situation. Always have a bottle of eye drops meant for use when wearing contact lenses, so that you can lubricate your eyes anytime when wearing lenses.

Don't rub your eyes when you're wearing lenses. You could dislodge the lens, or worst, tear it, resulting in multiple fragments in your eyes that may be impossible to remove without surgery.

Don't sleep when wearing lenses. You'd be depriving your eyes of oxygen and that's a sure recipe for a red eye and consequently, an infection. The lenses may also move out of place when you sleep.

If a lens appears to be missing when you're trying to remove it, and you can't find it anywhere on the floor, don't take for granted that it's simply left your eye, like I did. Go to the optometrist. Your vision and eye health, and peace of mind are far more important than the possible time and costs incurred.

If you're a frequent wearer of contact lenses, do attend regular optometrist appointments to ensure that your eyes are healthy.

Our eyes are fragile organs and vision is a priceless asset. We should never take them for granted.

Every day in Singapore, more than 350 bags of blood are needed to save lives. Blood is not only required for accidents and emergencies, it is also for sustaining the lives of patients with disorders like leukaemia, thalassaemia and some types of disorders. In addition, any patient who is undergoing a major surgery would require blood transfusions. With our aging population which means more people living longer but requiring sophisticated health care services and treatments, not only might we expect an increased demand for blood, we may even see a decrease in the donor pool if younger Singaporeans are not stepping up to donate blood.

If the giving others the all-important gift of life is insufficient to persuade you to donate blood, perhaps some health benefits of regularly donating blood will:

- Reduce risk of heart disease and cancer brought about by excess iron.
Excess iron in blood oxidises, damages artery walls and promotes the growth of tumours. According to a study by the American Journal of Epidemiology, regular blood donors are 88% less likely to have a heart attack than non-donors. They also have lower-than-average cancer rates. Excess iron is usually attributed to existing health conditions or imbalanced diet.

- Burn about 650 calories per pint of blood donated.
The body will expend this amount of energy to replace the blood loss. However, you can only donate blood once every two months, so you probably shouldn't count on it as a weight-loss tool.

- Renews your red blood cells
The old has to clear out in order to make way for the new. Blood donation is a save way to remove a significant amount of old blood cells. The new blood cells that replace them will carry more oxygen, helping your body to work better.

Sounds tempting, isn't it? And donating blood on a regular basis really isn't as intrusive, time-consuming or painful as some people imagine it to be.


How long does blood donation take?

According to the Singapore Red Cross, the whole process including administrative procedures and health screening takes about 45 minutes, and the blood donation itself takes about 10-15 minutes. After that, you are free to do light activities. Physically strenuous activities (athletics, heavy lifting) are to be avoided for 24 hours. 45 minutes to save a life or more, that's hardly much to ask for.

Is it painful?
A local painkiller will be applied, so the pain should be very minimal, and only lasting for that brief period when the blood is being drawn.

Possible side effects and how to resolve them?
They vary from person to person, but these are the normal side effects:
- lightheadedness: Lie down with your feet up until the feeling passes
- Bruising where the needle was: apply a cold pack periodically during the first 24 hours after the blood donation
- Soreness in arm: You can take a pain reliever like acetaminophen. Aspirin and ibuprofen should be avoided for the first 48 hours after donation.
The staff at the blood donation drive will advise you accordingly, so don't worry.


You should not experience any prolonged/permanent side effect or scarring. For faster healing, you should drink plenty of water and consume an iron-rich die after donating blood.

Who can donate blood?
- Aged 16-60 (people below 18 will require parental consent)
- weigh at least 45kg
- in good health
- no symptoms of infection (e.g. sore throat, cough, runny nose, diarrhoea) for at least one week before
- did not have fever in the last three weeks
- have a haemoglobin level of at least 12.5g/dl (A test will be administered by trained nurses at the donation site)


Donating blood is very convenient. You can book an appointment via Singapore Red Cross's website.
There are not only 4 blood banks operating across Singapore, but regular community blood drives are also organised at various locations.

So if you have some free time and are in good health, think about the less fortunate struggling for their lives. A little sacrifice on our part can make a huge difference to their lives and earn you some great karma. Those with rare blood types especially should donate. We hate to think of the worst, but life is unpredictable but you never know when you'll also need blood from a fellow rare type.

References:
http://www.tesh.com/articles/donating-blood-can-help-you-lose-weight/
https://www.redcross.sg/give-blood/why-should-i-donate-blood.html

It's been almost 2 weeks since the school holidays ended. Many children would have adapted to their day-to-day school routine, albeit with some reluctance. However, some may have more than the usual back-to-school blues, especially the younger ones. Here are some issues you should take note of and tackle accordingly:

Sleepiness, difficulty in getting up on time
During the school holidays, your child would likely be getting up later than usual (since school hours for Primary and Secondary schools are notorious for being punishingly early), and sleeping later than usual. Having to adapt to a new sleep cycle, on top of stress from school work, can be difficult, resulting in lack of sleep. If you've travelled during the school holidays and only returned recently, jetlag may also contribute to the problem. Be understanding if your child has been cranky, which is typical behaviour related to poor sleep, and help your child to get better quality sleep. Popular remedies for sleep loss such as lavender scents, warm showers before bed and warm milk are usually effective. Being by your child's side at bed time would be soothing, especially for young children. It is also a good opportunity to bond. Keep electronic devices like phones and tablets away from your child before bedtime, as that will most certainly keep them up. Get your child to finish up their school work and revision early so that they can go to bed early.

Academic stress
On the subject of stress, if the child hasn't been revising during the school holidays, catching up with the new lessons will be extremely daunting. If the school doesn't offer refresher lessons, and you’re unable to guide your child in that area, then you might want to hire a tutor, not to give extra workload, but to help revise those learnt but forgotten concepts. And then you’d do well to remember during the next long school break that all play and no work makes Jack a forgetful child back in school. While school holidays are the time to relax, it is important to not get too carried away.

They miss you
If you’ve taken leave off work to spend more time with your child during the school holidays, your child may not get used to the reduced amount of attention they’re getting from you once school reopens. Even as you’re up to your brows in work, do spend at least half to one hour a day having intimate conversations or play time with your child.

Lost friendships
Friendships at a young age are fragile. Not spending time together or being cast aside for a new bestie are common ways which little friends fall out of favour with each other. Don’t shrug aside your child’s friendship and insist that they focus on their studies instead, which is a common mistake parents make. Falling out with a good friend is something that makes us adults miserable and distracted, so why should it be anything different for a child? Encourage your child to talk to you about their unhappiness. If you can’t do anything to help salvage the friendship, the least you can do is offer a listening ear.

Contact with sick classmates and poor hygiene
The middle of the year is often flu season, which means it may be highly possible for your child to bring back the flu bug. Do remind your child about the basic hygiene practices, which would include washing hands after play and before food, not eating or drinking directly from another child’s meal or using their cutlery, and keep his/her immune system in good shape by ensuring sufficient sleep, healthy meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables, exercise and lots of water. If your child is sick, take them to the doctor and make sure they are well before letting them get back to school. Making sick children go to school is not only torturous for the child but also terribly inconsiderate to the other people at the school.

Going back to school is in itself stressful, but it can be made more manageable by ensuring that your child’s emotional and physical well-being are in tip-top condition.

With plans to make Orchard Road smoke-free by 2018, Singapore looks well on track to become a smoke-free nation. Since 30 June, there will be five designated smoking areas - Behind Somerset MRT station, Cuppage Terrace, Far East Plaza, Orchard Towers and The Heeren. But it won't be the entire area or shopping centre that allows smoking of course. The property owners are to set up designated smoking areas within their properties, complying with guidelines set out by the National Environment Agency (NEA). Existing smoking corners at food establishments along Orchard Road will eventually be banned from July 2018.

This has resulted in quite a hot debate online. The move has garnered plenty of praise, but also just about the same amount of complaints. This is rather worrying as it appears that the number of smokers and people who support smoking in Singapore is quite significant.

The hazards of smoking and second-hand smoking are already well-documented. But smoking has ways to make smokers overlook even the most dreadful health warning pictures on the cigarette packaging. To effectively reach out to the more stubborn smokers who cannot be deterred by costs or nightmarish pictures about their lungs turning black, it is important to understand the reasons why people smoke. For young people, especially those in their teens, it is usually attributed to peer pressure and the desire to look cool and mature. Smoking also relieves tension and improves mood due to chemical actions of nicotin. But this is only temporary and the stress will come back shortly after, along with the urge to smoke again. This is why some people easily smoke up to an entire pack of cigarettes in one day.

Finding other more meaningful and healthy ways to combat stress would be a good distraction from smoking, but many people would give cite lack of time as an excuse. It seems much more fuss-free to light up a cigarette, especially at the workplace, a common source of stress, than to head to the gym to work it out of your system.

Quitting smoking is difficult, especially if it has been a habit for years. But you don't have to do this alone.Call Health Hub's ​quitline at 1800 438 2000 for their free counselling service. They will give you advice on other free/affordable resources you can tap on if necessary. Finally, if stress and misery are making you turn to cigarettes, you might also want to consider professional stress management as part of your quitting regime. Many clinics provide this. The Singapore General Hospital offers consultation and treatment. You can make an appointment via appointments@sgh.com.sg or 6321 4377.

Health problems and money issues (cigarettes are expensive) cause even more stress. Get help from the right places before you get caught up in a vicious cycle!

Most people would have wondered what they would look like with a few improvements to their current appearance. But these days, you don't have to make an appointment with a plastic surgeon or professional photo editor to find out. Free selfie-editing mobile apps will produce your desired face with a few easy clicks, and the results are pretty natural-looking to the layman (if you didn't go overboard with the edits, that is).

Many veteran consumers of media and social media are already well-aware that photos of even the most conventionally good-looking celebrities will not be spared from going under the Photoshop knife. Recognising this fact is one thing, seeing those edits on your own photos is another. Little wonder then, that the Nuffield Council on Bioethics has blamed makeover apps and online plastic surgery games for resulting in a boom for the cosmetic procedure industry. That is not all, beauty bloggers are openly requesting sponsorships for beauty procedures and then reviewing them on their popular blogs, and beauty companies are grateful for the affordable and efficient marketing. It is all fine and good for fully-informed adults who know what they want and what they are getting to, and who have the financial means to fund it all. But for the vulnerable, all this "inspiration" from social media to strive for the perfect face as much as possible is detrimental towards young people with a self-image or confidence problem.

It would be impractical to expect any sort of authoritative action against such apps or marketing measures, or even the cosmetic industry. But we can probably do something for ourselves. For starters, if you have a child with access to a mobile device, you would want to check it from time to time to see the sort of app he/she has on the device. If the child has downloaded and used above-mentioned beauty apps, you'd want to have a conversation about the apps, self-worth and beauty standards. Straight-up banning is unlikely to do any good as the child could probably access such apps from friends. So creating the foundation for healthy values is more effective for preventing confidence issues in the long run.

If you find yourself the victim of constant social media pressure, then it is time for a digital detox, which I've written about here. Spend less times on those selfie-beautifying apps, uninstall them if you must. Adopt a rational perception and bear in mind that what we see is not always necessarily the case. For every successful beauty procedure that has been blogged about, there are lots more that were botched or developed complications, which people are less keen to publicise, especially if they are in the midst of a legal dispute.

When it comes to the cosmetic procedures industry, there is far less protection for consumers and regulation by the authorities. After all, cosmetic procedures are usually considered an unwarranted desire, a luxury, and deserves less attention than other more pressing issues. This is despite the fact that some cosmetic procedures are potentially fatal or leave long-lasting negative consequences, even the ones that claim to be non-intrusive. While there is nothing wrong with choosing to turn to cosmetic procedures, it is prudent to make informed choices on something that will irreversibly change you forever. And for better or worse, that remains to be seen.

Exercise is a healthy distraction that does wonders to one's self-image. When you engage in exercise, dopamine, the happy chemical, gets released. Moreover, as you get stronger and fitter, and your body gets into better shape, you will feel  better about yourself. Leading a healthy lifestyle - eating healthily, getting sufficient rest and physical activity, engaging in activities that you are passionate about, practising good hygiene and grooming, is crucial towards looking good. In any case, there's no way those big beautiful peepers or firm skin that you paid for will last if you don't make the effort to love and take care of yourself.

 "Soapy hot water" is often the recommendation for washing just about anything that needs to be sanitized of dirt, from hands to milk bottles to the laundry. Indeed, heat is often associated with germ extermination. This is because many harmful pathogens are unable to survive at high temperatures in water. It is why we cook our raw food at boiling point, or add boiling water to milk for the baby - to get rid of bacteria that might otherwise make us sick.


Since high temperatures help to destroy bacteria, does it mean that washing in warm or hot water is more sanitary than washing in cold water? These days, we have the luxury to pick between either as most of taps at the wash basins at home have options to switch quickly between hot and cold water. But perhaps only if you use boiling or very hot water would it really make a difference, and I'm sure no one would want to scald themselves to kill some bacteria. Besides, bathing in hot water can be very drying on your hair and skin.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick did an experiment, which proved that cool water is just as effective as warm water for getting rid of bacteria when washing hands. And this is good news because warm water uses more energy than cold water. Even the amount of soap does not really have an impact on the effectiveness of ridding bacteria, though studies are still being done on the type of soap that would be most effective.

On a related note, soap and water triumphs alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which should only be used if soap and water are not accessible. Moreover, it should have an alcohol concentration of at least 60% to be helpful, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What is more important when it comes to hand washing, is the duration spent on it, and how thorough you are. You should wash your hands for at least 10 seconds to remove a significant amount of bacteria. There's a set of detailed instructions on how to go about it, but rather than making things complicated, just remember this:

When lathering soap around your hands, make sure that it covers the entire surface of your hands, including the palms, back, and all over and in-between fingers. Then rinse off with water. The whole process should take around 20 seconds.





In the case of laundry, the temperature of the water you should use would actually be dependent on the material of your clothing. However, drying them under the hot sun would help to eradicate moisture and prevent mildew from setting in.

The new policy that permanently allows personal mobility devices and foldable bicycles on the train has brought plenty of cheer to the users of these devices. My neighbour Clara was especially ecstatic about it. She couldn't stop gushing about how she could now wake up later than usual. The two stretches she goes on foot to the MRT station from home, and then from the MRT station to work, takes her about a total of half an hour if she walks with a fast pace. In contrast, zipping through them on her e-scooter saves her about 20 minutes. Not to mention, she would not be a sweaty panting mess by the time she reaches office. And multiply that by two to include the same route she travels home.

But a week later, Clara had a new concern. She was clocking far less "active" time and footsteps on her pedometer. Before she started using her e-scooter, she could easily accumulate 10000 steps a day and more, the recommended minimal amount of daily physical activity for an adult. Since then, she is barely making it to 5000 steps.

Clara is certainly not going to be the only person experiencing a dip in physical activity, following the new policy. With the exception of bicycles, most PMDs are merely small versions of cars to get you from one place to another. Hardly any physical effort is required, which means that one is not doing any work while operating these devices. So it is crucial that those who are ditching their daily walks in favour of PMDs make more time to exercise and stay active.

For starters, instead of using the e-scooter, go for the foldable bike instead, or better still, use one of those rental bikes like oBike and Mobike, which can easily be found around high human traffic areas like outside the MRT stations. Of course, that would possibly mean having to bring a change of clothes and footwear as there are some clothes and shoes that are simply not suitable for cycling. And it will probably also lead to perspiration and frazzled hair.

Another way is to incorporate daily walks, in the morning and evening after dinner into your lifestyle. On top of reaching your daily minimal physical activity quote, it would be a good opportunity to clear your mind and enjoy the fresh air from the outdoor greenery.

So go ahead and enjoy the convenience provided by your PMDs, but don't forget to keep walking!

In earlier posts, we went over some health benefits of chocolate. Now, a recent study of people's chocolate consumption habits in Denmark is adding on to the list of benefits by suggesting that eating a small amount of chocolate per week may lower the risk of atrial fibrillation. Atrial Fibrillation is a common heart problem characterised by abnormal heart beat rhythm. It often leads to blood clots resulting in strokes, heart failure and other heart complications.

It is not known why or how chocolate brings about the benefit, but past studies found that consuming chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, which is rich in flavonols found in cocoa, is correlated to better heart health, so perhaps the same reasoning applies here again.

The study was conducted on 55,502 people in Denmark, consisting of both men and women, between the ages of 50 and 64 years old. They entered the study between 1993 to 1997. It was found that
people who ate one serving of chocolate per week, which is about 28.35 grams (1 ounce), were 17 percent less likely to have Atrial Fibrillation, compared to those who ate chocolate less than once a month. Those who ate a little more chocolate than that - 2 to 6 servings per week, were 20 percent less likely to have the condition. In women, the greatest risk reduction came with consuming 1 serving per week, while in men, it came with consuming 2 to 6 servings per week.

There has been some good news for parents and parents-to-be in Singapore. Minister Koh Poh Koon had recently announced that there may be a greater availability of formula milk in Singapore by the end of this year. This will be done by streamlining the import process and removing unnecessary barriers. He also said that all formula milk brands imported into Singapore fulfil minimum nutritional requirements and it is perfectly all right to choose a cheaper brand. To make good his word, a taskforce will be set up to put in place measures to address the rising prices of formula milk in Singapore.

Although breast milk is still the ideal choice for babies, it may not be an available option for certain babies. Some mothers are unable to supply sufficient breast milk and if the baby is not drinking sufficient milk, he or she could get dehydrated. Breastfeeding is also more taxing for mum, and if she is unable to get sufficient rest, or she gets stressed over the need to produce enough milk, she could be more susceptible to post-natal blues. Moreover, depending on the mother’s diet, a small percentage of babies can be allergic to cow’s milk proteins and other food proteins in breast milk. In such cases, the baby may cry a lot after feeding for a long time and keep waking up with signs of discomfort. More serious symptoms include rash, hives, eczema, cold-like symptoms, constipation and diarrhoea. Fortunately, formula milk is and adequate supplement or substitute in Singapore.

With so many brands out there promising different benefits, one can be utterly spoilt for choice. But once new regulations by the AVA take effect, formula milk manufacturers will be prohibited to use nutrition and health claims to promote their products. This may be upsetting for parents who have no qualms spending more on premium formula milk if it does what it promises.

But special ingredients: Are they really important?

Since all reputable formula milk companies are essentially selling the same thing, the only way to beat the competition, apart from brand awareness, is to have value-added ingredients inside the milk to set it apart from others. How necessary are they and do they justify the higher prices?

Probiotics & Prebiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics are naturally found in breast milk, and they help prevent a variety of diseases, hence many manufacturers are trying to replicate it in formula milk. Probiotics are good bacteria that help keep the infant’s digestive system healthy, while prebiotics create a conducive environment for these bacteria to grow. However, the effectiveness varies widely by the strains of bacteria used. The type of strain used is generally not required to be disclosed by the manufacturers, so the true effectiveness of the probiotics in a particular infant formula may not be known.

Gold Infant Formula

These are the ones that promise a good beginning for your infants, usually in terms of brain development / intelligence. They usually have long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids added to them. These are also present in breast milk. However, there has been no scientific evidence to prove whether these added fats work in the same way or can be absorbed as effectively as those in breast milk.

Formula for special needs

Some examples include:
- AR/Thickened Formula: For babies who have a regurgitation problem (frequently vomiting up their feed)
- HA (Hypo-allergic) Partially Hydrolysed Infant Formula: For babies with high risk of allergies, excluding those with allergies to cow’s milk
- Extensively Hydrolysed Formula (EHF) or Amino Acid Formula (AAF): For babies who are allergic to cow’s milk
- Soy formula: Originally for lactose-intolerant babies, but research has indicated that soy formula actually has no recognised benefits, and even has some substances that may be harmful to the baby’s development. It could be helpful for babies with galactosemia or who cannot consume dairy-based products for cultural or religious reasons.
- Lactose-free formula: For lactose-intolerant babies

Babies with health problems may need more than the standard formula milk. While some special needs formula milk may be available for purchase even without a prescription, it is still advisable to get advice from the paediatrician.


Organic formula

Organic formula is made from ingredients that have been farmed organically. But as with most organic products, just because it was grown organically does not mean that no chemicals have been involved in the manufacturing process.

Another thing you may be pleased to note is that you don’t actually have to buy different stages of formula as your baby grows up. The starter formula for babies under six months is adequate for babies from the time of birth until 12 months of age. Just ask your paediatrician if you don’t believe this! Moreover, when they are over one, they would not require formula milk to obtain the necessary nutrition. In fact, weaning them from formula milk early is encouraged to prevent them from becoming fussy eaters as they grow up.

Sources:
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/baby/choosing-baby-formula-5-facts-to-help-decide/
http://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/food-sensitivity/
https://babygooroo.com/articles/should-i-choose-an-infant-formula-with-prebiotics
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/more-formula-milk-options-to-be-made-available-koh-poh-koon-8827050
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/children-over-one-do-not-need-formula-milk-experts-say-8877580

In some Asian cultures, blood type is a matter of significant interest, especially when it comes to dating, and “what is your blood type” would be one of the first questions your date would ask, if the information is not already on your public profile. Apparently, like the zodiac sign, certain blood types have specific personalities, compatible blood types, things they are good at, lucky days and so on.

Well, they certainly aren’t wrong about the importance of blood types, though they might have had the wrong focus. Or perhaps this is just a clever means of masking their true intentions of finding out one’s blood type. After all, health matters are highly personal, something you might seriously discuss only if marriage is on the cards.

While there is no scientific evidence that blood type has any bearings on personality, it certain reveals more than a thing or two about one’s health.

According to a research by the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress, people with a non-O blood group have a slightly higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Non-O blood groups are people with A, B and AB blood types. It is thought that A, B and AB blood types may present higher levels of blood-clotting protein, causing arteries to become clogged more easily.




The research was done based on studies involving some 1.3 million people. Findings revealed that 15 in 1,000 people with a non-O blood group suffered a heart attack, compared to 14 in 1,000 people with blood group O. This also brings to mind an earlier study which suggested that people with the rarest blood group - AB - were most vulnerable to heart disease. Their risk of contracting it was 23% more.



Genetic factors have typically played a small role in increasing the risk of certain diseases, but the probability of contracting the disease is not definite. Your lifestyle plays a major role in contracting diseases. Though study author Tessa Cole called for blood groups to be considered in risk assessments for cardiovascular prevention, others believe that giving up smoking and eating healthily should remain the focus for heart disease prevention.

Aside from cardiovascular health, your blood type also possibly sheds light on other health matters:

According to journal Neurology, blood type AB may be more susceptible to cognitive impairment as they age. This means that they are more likely to have memory and thinking problems, and again, clotting factors and proteins in the blood could be an explanation for it.

Those with blood type A have a higher risk of contracting stomach cancer and stomach ulcers compared to blood types B and O (unfortunately that includes AB too), according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. It is hypothesized that blood types AB or A may have greater immune system reaction to the bacteria H. pylori in our guts. The prolific cell activity from it would have been a cause for the cancer.

Blood types O not only have a decreased risk for heart diseases compared to their A and B counterparts, they are also less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. As with stomach cancer, it is possible that differing intensities of reaction to H. pylori could have been a reason for it.

With regards to influenza, or the common flu, this is what Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, a physician well known for advocating the Blood Type diet (customising diets based on blood type with the firm belief that blood types contribute significantly to one’s state of health), has to say about the different blood types:

•    Blood type A: Overall has a great ability to generate a quick and substantial antibody response against influenza type A(H1N1) and especially A(H3N2). Their antibody response against influenza B is not quite as dramatic.

•    Blood type AB: Relatively poor ability to generate high antibody levels against any of the influenza viruses.

•    Blood type B: Reasonable, but not great ability to generate an antibody response against influenza A(H1N1). Against influenza B virus, blood type B has a significant advantage. The blood type B immune response happens much earlier and persists longer.

•    Blood type O: Relatively effective ability to generate antibody response against influenza A(H1N1) and A(H3N2) viruses. Antibody response against influenza B is not as dramatic as blood type B.

It would be prudent to note that these statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.



Additionally, people with type A blood are more likely to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies, which means they get affected by stress more easily. O blood types on the other hand succumb to stress more easily. 

With all the luck that Blood Type Os have, perhaps that is why they may donate blood to most major blood types (O- can donate to all blood types) but only accept blood from Type O (O+ can accept blood from O+ and O-, while O- can only accept blood from O-). Life is as fair as can be after all.

Nevertheless, those with blood type AB should not be dismayed. The correlation between blood types and health conditions is a subject that scientists are still exploring and debating over. Hopefully, this article will encourage one in the higher risks groups to take proactive steps to reduce the health risks, such as leading a healthy lifestyle, cutting out on the vices and doing regular health check ups. Certainly, this is not a pass for Blood type Os to be complacent.

Recent changes in laws and policies, as well as the introduction of bike-sharing apps have made cycling more commonplace in Singapore. And as long as safe cycling is practised, this is good for the nation as a whole. According to a five-year study of 250,000 commuters in the UK, published in the British Medical Journal, cycling to work halves the risk of cancer and heart disease. Aside from being good news on a personal level, this would mean a healthier and more productive nation.

The cyclists in the study cycled about 50km per week. The further they cycled, the greater the health benefits. This is in line with existing findings that exercise keeps a myriad of health complications away. After all, cycling is also a wholesome form of exercise, but best of all, it can be worked into your daily routine. You may come up with a hundred and one excuses to drag yourself off to the gym. But if cycling is part of your commute to work or school, surely, you can't skip out on it!

Cycling is as intense as you want it to be; even the elderly and those with joint problems can enjoy it as it remains a low-impact activity if you do not cycle too hard or fast. Nevertheless, if you are unable to cycle, walking is good as well. You would have to walk at about 10 km a week for the health benefits to kick in. Essentially, as long as you work some form of physical routine into your daily routine that's sufficiently intense to get your perspiring and panting. While other personal mobility devices like the e-scooter and kick-scooter are also convenient and quick means of commuting, they expend comparatively less energy and effort. Unless you have mobility issues that impede you from cycling, the bicycle is obviously the healthier mode of transport. It may make you sweaty getting to work, but the satisfaction and increased metabolism you get from the cycling trip will be worthwhile.

Moreover, if you do not wish to own a bike, you can make use of bike sharing mobile apps in Singapore. There are currently three of them - Mobike, ofo and oBike. Renting the bicycles is hassle-free; they can be parked and ridden from just about anywhere (HDB void decks and MRT stations are popular spots to find a bike considering the high levels of activity), making it much more convenient than the conventional bicycle rentals where you had to return them to a specific location.


Currently, it is not possible to cycle all the way to work as current road infrastructures do not support safe cycling. Usually, one would have to cycle to an MRT station and then take the train from there. But the government has been planning for more cycling towns and the implementation of cycling paths. It will not be too far off in the future when everyone will be able to cycle all the way to work or school.

Nevertheless, it would be imperative to don the appropriate safety gear and obey traffic rules. Otherwise, you risk shortening your lifespan rather than prolonging it!

Getting sufficient, good-quality sleep in a fast-paced society is a challenge, more so if it is hampered by nightly disruptions by a full bladder. Many people who suffer from this mild disturbance may shrug it off as a mild disturbance and attribute it to drinking too much water before bedtime, or to ageing. However, it could be an indication of potentially serious health issues. Moreover, frequent disruption of sleep can eventually lead to problems arising from poor sleep quality.

According to a study by the Nagasaki University in Japan, a high salt intake could be the reason for these nightly trips to the loo. While larger studies will have to be conducted to further validate the results, it is no news that a diet high in sodium intake is bad for general health in any case and should be avoided. Certainly, kidneys and excess sodium do not get along with each other, and excess sodium intake is often a recipe for kidney stones and kidney disease.

If you often dine out or consume processed foods (i.e. canned food, preserved food, instants, basically food that was made to be kept and is not fresh like bacon and ham), your sodium intake may well be on the high side. The good news is that reducing sodium intake isn't difficult.

The most obvious tip would be to cut down on the processed foods. Food is usually processed not only for better taste, but also for a longer shelf life. A far-off expiry date is often a pretty good indication that a lot of preservatives have gone into its preservation, which means it would have high sodium content.

Always read the food labels; they will list the sodium content. Compare and contrast products from different brands and get the one with the lowest sodium content. In Singapore, the healthier choice label is a pretty reliable indicator and you may count on it to help you make an informed choice. Nevertheless, the label does state "healthier choice", not "healthy choice". So just because a certain brand of cup noodles has the label does not mean you can make healthy daily meals out of it! It simply means it is healthier compared to other cup noodles.

Taste isn't an accurate indicator of sodium content. A product that isn't particularly salty does not necessarily equate to low sodium levels. Food labels are your best friend!

If you're eating out, do some research on the sodium content of the eatery's dishes. The eatery's website may carry information on the ingredients and nutrition content. With more Singaporeans being health-conscious these days, more eating places are becoming upfront about the contents in their food. There are also some that will highlight healthier dishes or let you choose to have less salt and sugar in your meal.

Do consume more fresh fruit and vegetables, these always have much lower natural sodium compared to meat.

For those who adore salty food, everything may taste bland when you embark on your less-salt diet. However, taste preferences can be quickly unlearned. It takes about 2 months for your taste buds to get used to it. Eventually, you'll start finding your old salty favourites too salty for you, and that's good news for your kidneys, and quite possibly the solution to deep, uninterrupted sleep.

Last week, a study released by the National University of Singapore declared that tea can prevent Alzheimer's disease, commonly known as dementia. With dementia becoming increasingly common, and its devastating symptoms, this is certainly a welcome piece of news. Is it really reliable though? The study was after all, only conducted on 950 seniors aged 55 years and above for seven years.

Results indicated that regular consumption of tea lowers risk of cognitive decline by 50 per cent. Those who genetically at risk of developing dementia may experience up to 86 per cent reduction in their risk of getting dementia.

The even better news is that this is in fact not the first time that such a study on the effects of caffeine has been conducted, and results have been consistent. According to Psychology Today, consumption of tea and coffee lower the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, which is a type of dementia, if you drink five to six cups of coffee per day for many years. Tea is found to have a better effect than coffee, though the difference between both is really minor. For reducing the chance of developing Alzheimer's, you'd just require at least two to three cups a day.

In fact, caffeine might not even be the substance that leads to the reduction in risk of dementia, for both beverages also contain biologically active substances like trigonelline and pyrogallic acid and antioxidants chlorogenic, coumaric, ferrulic, and sinapic acids and silverskin. These are all healthy substances.

The catch is that you should be drinking tea brewed from tea bags, and coffee brewed from coffee beans. So instants and fancy drinks like mocha might not really count due to the added number of numerous other substances.

Then there is also another study done in the UK, whereby those who drank two or three cups of black tea a day were less than half as likely to have early signs of dementia as those who never or rarely drank it. The article said that it was polyphenols in tea that had a beneficial effect against dementia, and green tea happens to be rich in these. It is assumed that Polyphenols work against dementia by preventing oxidation of brain cells, and blocking the build up of brain deposits. This study, however, states that coffee has no effect against dementia.

 So why aren't healthcare institutions and authorities encouraging the consumption of more tea?

The Alzheimer's Society in the UK warns against taking these studies at face value. The studies are often only done on a specific group of people, and media often exaggerates the impact.The best way to research the impact of tea on Alzheimer's is to have a randomnised controlled trial. Participants would be randomly split into two groups, one that drinks tea regularly, and one that doesn't, and they will be monitored over time. This is the only way to accurately determine the cause and effect. To date, there has been no such study done, despite numerous observation studies on caffeine and tea.
That is certainly a damper. But in any case, tea and coffee, especially tea, are generally harmless and far healthier beverages than soda and alcohol. There is no harm in drinking some tea everyday, as long as you don't do so before bedtime when it could cause insomnia. Green tea especially is renowned for a myriad of health benefits, from weight loss to bringing down cholesterol. Who knows, perhaps there is some truth in those studies.