As far as I am aware Lily and I have both enjoyed are very first county fair together. There is just something different about a county fair, something that removes all of your stresses and leaves them at the entrance. Something that pulls you just a little bit closer to your family. Something that forces you to reminisce about your childhood. There is something so antique about a county fair. It is a memory and feeling I hope to hold onto for the rest of my life.
I am a big believer in Flu Shots. I know that some people try to avoid shots (who really likes needles anyway?!) If you don't have asthma, you can have the flu mist. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the flu mist is for "healthy people."
"Healthy" indicates persons who do not have an underlying medical condition that predisposes them to influenza complications.
Asthma is one of those conditions that "predisposes people to influenza complications." The flu mist is made with a live, weakened virus. That's not good for people with asthma, especially if you use corticosteroids. One of the side effects of steroids is that it impairs your immune system. The Free Dictionary by Farlex says that:
"...patients being treated with corticosteroids should avoid receiving live virus vaccines."
So check with your doctor, but we have always been told that if you have asthma, you can't have the flu mist. My kids are used to shots anyway, they get weekly allergy shots, so it's not a big deal. Check with your doctor to see if other family members who don't have asthma can get the mist. They may want the whole family to have the flu shot instead.
I have asthma, as well as all 3 of my kids. So we all just get the flu shot every year. We have the worst luck in the world, I know that if we didn't get the flu shot, one of us would get the flu and end up in the hospital. Son #2 and daughter Kitty have been hospitalized 12 times for asthma. And that's more than enough times for me. I feel like we payed for our own corner suite in the pediatrics ward at the hospital......
So, plan a day with the kids, roll up your sleeve and get your flu shot. Then take yourself out for a treat as a reward (bakery, ice cream, whatever.) Why should the kids have all the fun? We should get a treat for getting our shots too!
Brush your child's teeth for 2 minutes, 2 times a day!
As I have told you in previous blogs, doing fillings and crowns on teeth does not improve oral health or dental health. Effective prevention of dental disease requires a little simple education of the patient and the desire to have healthy, cavity free beautiful smiles. With that in mind the California Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentists and 12 other organizations have started a nationwide educational program designed to help patients improve their own oral health and prevent cavities.
2min2x.org is the website it will originate from and where you can find all the information needed to create oral health for you and your children. It includes great videos to educate, entertain and motivate your children to want and achieve good oral health. Check it out!
Work, mahjong and tea: Hong Kong's secrets to longevity
HONG KONG: Covered in smog and cramped apartment towers, Hong Kong is not usually associated with a healthy lifestyle. But new figures show that Hong Kongers are the longest-living people in the world.
A group of elderly people practice Tai Chi in Hong Kong on August 30, 2012. Covered in smog and cramped apartment towers, Hong Kong is not usually associated with a healthy lifestyle, but new figures show that Hong Kongers are the longest-living people in the world. AFP/ Philippe Lopez
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Hong Kong men have held the title for more than a decade and recent data show women in the southern Chinese city overtaking their Japanese counterparts for the first time, according to the governments in Tokyo and Hong Kong.
Hong Kong women’s life expectancy rose from an average 86 years in 2010 to 86.7 years in 2011, while Japanese women’s longevity was hit by last year’s earthquake and tsunami, falling to 85.9 years, census figures reveal.
So what is Hong Kong’s secret to a long life? Experts say there is no single elixir, but contributing factors include easy access to modern health care, keeping busy, traditional Cantonese cuisine and even the centuries-old Chinese tile game of mahjong.
Rolling Stones Gather No Moss
“I love travelling, I like to see new things and I meet my friends for ’yum cha’ every day,” Mak Yin, an 80-year-old grandmother of six says as she practises the slow-motion martial art of tai chi in a park on a Sunday morning.
“Yum cha” is the Cantonese term to describe the tradition of drinking tea with bite-sized delicacies known as dim sum. The tea is free and served non-stop, delivering a healthy dose of antioxidants with the meal.
“My friends are in their 60s — they think I’m around their age too, although I’m much older than them,” Mak laughs.
Mak’s favourite food is steamed vegetables, rice and fruit. Cantonese food is famous for steamed fish and vegetables — dishes that use little or none of the cooking oils blamed for heart disease, obesity and high cholesterol.
But before Mak enjoys her afternoon tea, she joins a group of elderly people for her morning exercise of tai chi, an ancient Chinese practice said to have benefits including improving balance and boosting cardiovascular strength.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February found that tai chi reduces falls and “appears to reduce balance impairments” in people with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease.
Another factor behind Hong Kongers’ longevity, experts say, is work. While others long for the day they can retire and kick up their heels, many people in Hong Kong work well into their 70s and even 80s.
Hong Kong does not have a statutory retirement age and it is common to see elderly people working in shops, markets and restaurants alongside younger staff.
“Many old people in our city remain working, that contributes to better psychological and mental health,” Hong Kong Association of Gerontology president Edward Leung says.
“For older people, a lot of them are stressed because they have nothing to do and they develop ’emptiness syndrome’. This causes mental stress.” Fishmonger Lee Woo-hing, 67, says he could not bear to sit at home and do nothing. His inspiration is local tycoon Li Ka-shing, Asia’s richest man, who still runs his vast business empire in his 80s.
“If Li Ka-shing continues working at the age of 84, why should I retire?” asks the father-of-four during a break from his 14-hour shift at a bustling market in central Hong Kong.
“If I just sit at home and stare at the walls, I’m worried that my brain will degenerate faster. I’m happy to chat with different people here in the market.”
Mahjong Delays Dementia
Hong Kong’s cramped living conditions are famously unhealthy, fuelling outbreaks of disease and viruses including bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which have killed dozens of people.
The city’s reputation won it the dubious distinction of a starring role in director Steven Soderbergh’s 2011 disaster thriller “Contagion”, about a deadly virus that spreads from Hong Kong to the United States.
But in the day-to-day habits of ordinary people, experts say Hong Kong is a great place to grow old.
A popular local way of keeping busy and meeting friends is mahjong — a mentally stimulating tile game which can help delay dementia, according to aging expert Alfred Chan, of Hong Kong’s Lingnan University.
“It stimulates the parts that control memory and cognitive abilities. It helps old people with their retention of memory,” he says.
The complex rules and calculation of scores make mahjong, also known as the Chinese version of dominoes, mentally demanding. But the social aspects of the four-player game are just as important.
“In mahjong you need to play with three other people. It is a very good social activity, you have to interact with each other constantly,” says Chan, who has studied the game’s effects on the well being of elderly people.
“It is also a self-fulfilling game because if you win — whether you play with money or not — it gives you a sense of empowerment.” Mahjong parlours are popular in Hong Kong, and mahjong tables are a must at Chinese wedding banquets.
“I’m in semi-retirement. I work in the morning and hang out with my friends by playing mahjong in the afternoon,” says 67-year-old tailor Yeung Fook, on the sidelines of a game in his modest garment shop.
“I’m happier when I work. It’s boring to just sit at home.”
Amy Beh | The Star/Asia News Network | Wed Aug 29 2012
Here's the recipe on how to make Prawns In Tangy Sauce. Malaysia, August 29, 2012
INGREDIENTS 300g medium-large prawns 80g canned pineapple (cubed), well drained 50g red capsicum, cubed 50g green capsicum, cubed 2 tbsp sesame oil Half an onion, cubed 5 slices ginger
Sauce ingredients (A) - combined
2 tbsp tomato sauce 2 tbsp chilli sauce 1 tsp oyster sauce 1/8 tsp pepper 1 tsp cornflour 3 tbsp pineapple syrup Garnishing 1 tbsp chopped spring onion METHOD Clean prawns, trim the feelers, but leave shells intact. Pat dry with paper towels. Place prawns in a two-litre casserole dish, cover and steam for two minutes on micro power Medium (600W). Remove the prawns and pour out the prawn juice into sauce (A). Add sesame oil, onion and ginger into the used casserole dish. Stir and fry on micro power High(1,000W), uncovered for 1 1/2 minutes. Add in combined sauce (A), pineapple cubes and all the capsicum. Cook on micro power High (1,000W) for 1 1/2 minutes, uncovered. Add prawns to the sauce, stir and cook on micro power High (1,000W) for 20 seconds. Remove casserole from oven, add garnishing and serve at once.
1 stalk lemon grass, smashed 2 stalks polygonom leaves 1/2 piece or a portion of torch ginger (bunga kantan)
Seasoning (C)
1 tsp fish sauce 1/4 tsp anchovy stock granules 1/4 tsp chicken stock powder 1/8 tsp sugar or to taste
Garnishing
Some sliced torch ginger METHOD Combine oil and spice ingredients (A) and (B) in a two-litre casserole dish. Stir to combine. Fry on micro power Medium Low (600W) for three minutes, uncovered. Add fish, salt, lady's fingers and onion rings, then pour in asam jawa. Cook on micro power High (1,000W) for five minutes, covered. Remove casserole dish, stir contents and return to the microwave oven. Cook on micro power Medium (700W) for two minutes. Stir well to combine then adjust with seasoning (C). Leave the dish at STAND for five minutes, then serve.
METHOD Season chicken with marinade (A) for at least 30 minutes. Combine ingredients (B) in a one-litre casserole dish. Cover and cook on micro power Medium Low (600W) for five minutes. Place marinated chicken, lotus root, mushrooms and the herb stock into a two-litre casserole dish. Cover the casserole and cook on micro power Medium Low (600W) for 10 minutes. Remove casserole, stir and add kei chi. Return casserole to cook on micro power Low (300W) for 20 minutes. Leave the casserole at STAND for 10 minutes, then serve.
Thai researchers unlock the anti-cancer properties of mangosteen
Boonma Meekana has lung cancer. After undergoing 17 rounds of chemotherapy treatment his children were told their father would not live more than three days.
"My condition got much worse. I became so weak physically I could do nothing but lie in bed all the time," recalled Boonma.
A native of Chiang Mai, Boonma was diagnosed with cancer in the final stage after malignant tumours 7cm in diameter were detected in both lungs. Initially the man, in his 60s, was prescribed 12 doses of chemotherapy administered over a one-month period which resulted in extreme fatigue and weight loss, and that was followed by another five sessions which left him completely bedridden.
"People in my neighbourhood came visiting and started preparing my funeral," Boonma said.
Seeing no hope in conventional medicine, Boonma's doctor suggested he take mangosteen extract tablets.
Miraculously, after 10 days he started to regain his appetite and subsequently some weight, and his state of health gradually improved.
That was 10 years ago. Today, Boonma is doing pretty well.
According to the head of Thai Mangosteen Research and Development Centre, Prof Pichaet Wiriyachitra, mangosteen is more than just a tasty fruit. Recently, a team of Thai researchers including himself discovered significant medicinal benefits of mangosteen extract and it's been proven it can help fight cancer.
"After many years of study, the researchers discovered for the first time that natural mangosteen extract can not only fight cancer but also offer its patients a better quality of life," said Dr Pichaet.
Studies by Thai scientists date back to 1978 when a team of researchers from the Prince of Songkhla and Chiang Mai universities extracted a substance from mangosteen peel called GM1. GM1 proved highly effective in killing bacteria and three times more effective in preventing inflammation than aspirin.
"We simply turned mangosteen peel _ good only as trash at the time _ into medicine," noted Dr Pichaet.
It was the onset of a long journey that would take Thai scientists almost 35 years to discover the anti-cancer properties of mangosteen, not just the skin which contains high levels of tannin, but the whole fruit. It was a significant breakthrough in terms of the effectiveness of mangosteen as a source of medicine.
Explaining the findings, Prof Watchara Kasinrerk of Chiang Mai University began with a primer on how the body's immune system works.
"We all are surrounded by germs including bacteria, virus, parasites and fungi. All these germs as well as chemical substances are responsible for infectious diseases," he said.
"But fortunately, human beings have an immune system that protects them from those germs and helps destroy cancer cells that appear every day inside our body. Simply put, we have different types of white blood cells that work in collaboration as part of the body's immune system, enabling us to stay healthy and lead normal life."
T-helper cells, Dr Watchara elaborated, are a type of cell known as the "centre" of the immune system. They assist other cells by recognising germs and other toxic substances. T-helper cells will transform themselves into several different types of cells called Th1, Th2 and Th17 in order to fight their respective enemies.
After germs or toxic substances are completely eradicated, T-helper cells will turn themselves into regulatory T cells or T-reg whose function is to slow down the germ-fighting process back to normal or pre-infection level.
"In normal circumstances, the body is usually able to maintain the right balance of T-helper cells and T-reg," added Dr Watchara.
"If T-helper cells work too hard and fight germs nonstop, it will cause chronic inflammation or allergy. On the contrary, the overworking of T-reg is likely to bring about immune deficiency and the body will get frequently infected. In short, any imbalance in immune system is detrimental to health."
Dr Watchara's study revealed that mangosteen extract has the ability to boost the production of Th17, which is a proven cancer inhibitor and rids the body of cancerous cells.
"We collected white blood cell samples from 12 people - six of them were given mangosteen extract in form of capsules while the other six were given placebo.
"The study found that mangosteen extract stimulated the production of Th17 and T-reg which is really helpful when it comes to the prevention and treatment of diseases especially cancer," noted Dr Watchara. As such, mangosteen could provide cancer patients with better quality of life.
Suthep Waenthong is another cancer patient who owes his health to mangosteen extract. At 64, Suthep was diagnosed with an advanced stage of prostate cancer. His symptoms were extreme fatigue, frequent urination, joint pain and loss of appetite, followed by 20kg weight loss. One day he developed terrible weakness in both legs and was taken to hospital.
"I was still able to walk on my own when I checked into the hospital that morning. But by evening I was totally bedridden," recounted Suthep. "The doctor said my cancer was already advanced beyond fourth stage. The malignancy had spread from prostate to chest, destroyed the spine and suppressed the nerves. The lower part of my body from the waist down became paralysed."
Suthep was prescribed 10 sessions of radiation therapy, at the end of which there was no sign of improvement.
Feeling hopeless, the patient started taking mangosteen extract as recommended by an acquaintance of his. Two weeks later, he was able to move some of his toes.
"This was like a miracle," said Suthep. "My health got better and better. I can now move my legs. So far I feel my overall physical condition has improved by 70%. I feel healthy, except that I still cannot walk properly.
"My quality of life is much better. From a man dependent on others all the time, now I can go to the toilet by myself and be responsible for my daily activities, at least to some extent."
Suthep and Boonma are among many people whose quality of life got better thanks to the medicinal properties of mangosteen. And according to the dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Assoc Prof Niwes Nantachit, improving the quality of life is the most important aspect when it comes to cancer patients.
"Patients in the final stage of cancer mostly feel discouraged and depressed, especially when their condition is not getting any better despite all the treatment they've been taking," said Dr Niwes.
"Even a small thing that promises them hope can change the way they feel towards life. And though it cannot do much good to their health, this little hope can at least enable them to eat again. And if they feel emotionally strong, things can also get better. So I think mangosteen extract is like this little promise for patients in the final stage of cancer. It is their light at the end of the tunnel."
Enjoy a purple patch
Dubbed the Queen of Fruits, mangosteen imparts medicinal benefits not just when eaten fresh.
Almost all parts of the fruit can be used as a cure for several ailments.
Here is some useful information regarding the medicinal properties of the purple fruit.
Eaten fresh, mangosteen can help with the body's digestive system.
Women with erratic menstrual cycles should boil the root of mangosteen in water, distil and drink the filtrate. It is said to correct erratic cycles.
Sundried mangosteen skin can be a cure for rash and skin infection. Due to such skin-related benefits, mangosteen soap has long become popular among health-conscious consumers.
Tannin extracted from mangosteen, used in appropriate quantity, can slow down the deterioration of cells and help get rid of chemical substances harmful to the body.
Today's fast-paced lifestyles unavoidably bring us more pollution and chemical contamination from where we live, what we eat, and what we use in daily life. This results from keen competition among agricultural and industrial manufacturers to produce more products with the maximum profit and minimum costs.
More chemical and artificial ingredients are introduced to the manufacturing process to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of mass production. However, some chemical substances cannot be removed completely in the manufacturing process and may leave some residue or chemical contamination on the products. Moreover, toxins are generated during the manufacturing process and pollute the atmosphere.
TOXINS, THE HIDDEN MENACE OF URBAN LIFESTYLE
Toxin and chemical contamination is more prevalent than we think. It is likely found wherever we live, and in whatever we consume. The pollution in the air, the chemical residue left on vegetables, and some preservatives in instant food creates work for the human body to detoxify. Day in and day out, toxins gradually accumulate and result in sluggish detoxification. The toxin accumulation consequently causes hormone imbalances, respiratory disorders and even cancer. The impaired detoxification expedites the ageing process and other bodily systems depreciate.
HOW DOES DETOXIFICATION WORK?
Although main organs involved in detoxification are the kidneys and liver, other key factors or co-enzymes that promote detoxification efficiency are vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and amino acids help transform toxins into a dissolvable form, to be more easily removed through the excretion system. The human body also removes toxins through sweat and urination.
AIR CONCEPT TO PREVENT IMPAIRED DETOXIFICATION
Responding to the fast-paced lifestyles of people today, most manufacturers diligently produce a variety of instant food that contain additives and preservatives to prolong the product's shelf life. The most common toxins in food and water are arsenic, mercury and cadmium. The symptoms of poisoning may include headaches, severe diarrhoea and drowsiness.
If toxins have accumulated in the body to a high level, they will attack the function of the lungs, skin, kidneys and liver.
To remove these excessive toxins from your body, the kidneys and liver have to work extra hard and this can cause the early degeneration of organs.
To help reduce toxin intake, try to eat freshly cooked food and avoid packaged and processed foods.
Choosing kitchenware - plastics and metals - that contain minimal chemicals is also important.
Another source of toxins, which may be commonly ignored, is alcohol. Limiting alcohol intake is not only good for detoxification, but also benefits overall health.
Lastly, drink more filtered water. Most toxins are found in drinking water. Little by little, they can accumulate in the body.
IMPROVING YOUR BODY'S DEFENCES
Our bodies have a fantastic system to fight against any diseases from outside. The stronger your defence system is, the more vigorous your body. To increase the strength of your defence system, you may follow these tips:
- Get enough sleep. Certain hormones and defence cells such as white blood cells are more productive and effective if we have a good night's sleep.
- Eat more fibre, and eat raw or lightly steamed organic vegetables to promote the efficiency of the digestive and excretion systems.
- Eat probiotic food such as yoghurt, kimji and miso soup to enable good bacteria to fight bad bacteria.
REMOVING ACCUMULATED TOXINS
Accumulated toxins in the body can cause a series of diseases and illnesses. To boost the capability of detoxification, you need to know how to remove the accumulated toxins effectively and efficiently.
KEEP YOUR BODY FIT AND FIRM
Not only does regular exercise help eradicate toxins through sweat, but it also strengthens the whole body and reduces fat in which toxins are found.
DO MODIFIED FASTING ONCE A WEEK
The recommended menu for the modified fasting is home-made juice and drinking water. Not having heavy meals rich in carbohydrates and fat once a week could help relieve the detoxification workload.
As we cannot avoid encountering toxins in daily life, we should start learning how to live our lives wisely.
A "detox lifestyle" simply refers to living your life with the least possible amount of toxins accumulated.
Accumulating toxins in your body is like putting a time bomb on your lap. Let's defuse the bomb _ do not wait until it blows up.
It's your health, it's your choice. Let's start leading a detox lifestyle today!
Why all the doom and gloom about the ageing process? We can’t wait. Bus passes, less stress, more time to spend on hobbies – yes please! Here are seven reasons to embrace getting older:
You’re all kitted outThe further we advance into old age, the more we seem to have acquired useful possessions that most people may never have even thought of. Collecting paraphernalia over the years is fantastic because it means we can do pretty much anything without having to hit the shops first to buy special items. Vintage fashion is back in? Perfect – we kitted our wardrobe out for this trend back in the 1950s. You need a melon baller? No probs – there’s one in the cutlery drawer. It’s so handy!
Less spots and more laughter linesAs we get older our skin tends to get drier, which means less chance of spots (hooray!). This is great news as we no longer have to worry about the dermalogical impact of eating a greasy pizza when we need a little pick-me-up. We may have wrinkles instead of spots, but we don’t call them wrinkles; we call them “laughter lines”. Laughter lines are great because they remind us of all the times we’ve laughed until our ribs hurt – funny memories are one thing that plastic surgery and fillers won’t give us.
You’re one wise owlGrandma was right all along – it has been scientifically proven that older really does mean wiser. Researchers from the University of California scanned the brains of 3000 Californians aged between 60 and 100, and found that older people – despite having a slower reaction time – are remarkably good at making decisions because of the lower levels of dopamine in their brains. The high level of dopamine in younger brains often leads the younger generation to react to difficult situations emotionally rather than logically. Older people are less likely to be fuelled by emotion and more likely to make well-informed decisions. If anyone’s facing a tough decision, just come to us.
Less stressForget the”grumpy old man” label. As we get older, we seem to leave the hardest parts of life behind us. Finding our way through the tangled web of our teenage years, careers, and parenthood were difficult; now as we’ve done all that, we can relax and look back on it all with fond memories. Old age means less stress, and less stress means we have more time for family, hobbies, and general happiness. Whether it’s the hummingbirds feeding on the fuchsias you planted, or the sound of the rain pattering on the shed, take advantage of the finer points of life now as you’re given the chance. Don’t mind if we do!
Discounts, discounts, discountsConcessions, discounts, offers for OAPs, senior citizens passes … we don’t care how they word it to avoid offending us, we’re just happy to have had some kind of recognition that we’ve made it to this age. Don’t be shy about revealing your real age when it comes to discounts – look out for places that do special offers and reap the benefits. You’ve lived this long, you may as well cash in on the accomplishment. That’s one more part of getting older for us to do our happy dance about (if our knees can still take it).
Getting away with being cheekyAs we advance into our senior years, it seems easier to get away with being cheeky by using our hearing aids or other ‘old person’ paraphernalia to our own advantage. If your hearing has become a little less effective than it used to be, use your hearing aid to your advantage by cracking out some cheeky one-liners such as “we needed to do the washing up? Oh sorry I didn’t hear you – the old hearing aid’s playing up. It’s done now? Never mind then”. Tricking people so you can get away with being cheeky is a definite plus side to getting older. Was that a slip of your walking stick, or did you really just push your way to the front of the queue?
You’re confidentWe have finally accepted our bodies the way they are and no longer ponder how much nicer we’d look with bigger boobs or better abs like we did in our teenage years. If we go out looking a little worse for wear, others see it as endearing rather than lazy. Similarly, if we have visitors round to our homes it’s okay not to have our cupboards stacked full of exotic drinks and food; for our guests, a cup of tea and a carrot cake will do just fine.
It's been a while since daughter Kitty has been really sick. But school started last week, so here we go with the first illness of the school year (what do you expect when you're around 1200 other kids in a school...)
She was coughing and didn't sound very good, so I knew she needed a breathing treatment with the nebulizer. She used to be pretty good at putting the nebulizer kit together and doing her own treatment, but she couldn't remember how.
This is our nebulizer, canister and tubing kit. Our canister comes apart so it can be easily cleaned. I showed Kitty how to pull it apart and add the Albuterol to the 'green volcano' and put it back together. She's old enough to sit still and read or watch TV while she does her treatment. With little kids, you may have to distract them or let them give 'teddy' or whatever stuffed animal they love a 'treatment' first. I know moms that put a little water in the canister to mimic the mist from the Albuterol and then kids can give their stuffed animal a 'treatment'. Then it's their turn, and mom adds Albuterol for the child.
Anyway, we're past those days.
But with any nebulizer, you need to take care of it and the canister and tubing kit. We've had our nebulizer for 12 years now. However, the tubing kits are disposable and should be thrown away. In the hospital, they use the same tubing kit the entire time the kids are in there. So, we use ours at home for a while before we throw them away. BUT you must make sure they are cleaned after every use. The home health care taught us to take the canister apart and hand wash it with hot, sudsy water. Then rinse it, then sterilize it by soaking it in a bowl with 1 part vinegar to 2 parts hot water. We let it sit for half an hour. Then rinse it and put it on a paper towel to air dry. (Don't put it on a dish towel, that can contaminate it.)
It's a lot of work, but well worth it. If you don't take care of the canister and tubing kit, the wet canister and tubing can grow all sorts of nasty things in it. Then you use it for a breathing treatment, and that is a recipe for disaster. Ask your doctor or home health care how they want you to clean the canister and tubing kit. Also how many times you can use the kit before you should throw it away.
You should practice putting the kit together and taking it apart. So if you are in a hurry and your child is really sick, you will be able to do it without any trouble. You would be surprised how you can panic when your child is struggling to breath. You can completely blank out and forget things. I know this from personal experience and 12 hospitalizations for my kid's asthma. It can be scary. So practice, practice, practice.
Sunday, Aug 21, 2011 The Star/Asia News Network By Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar
FOR some women, cancer comes hand-in-hand with another syndrome: denial. They may not want to face the reality that they have cancer, or may not want to go through treatment because they think they are doomed to death anyway.
In some cases, denial starts early on at the symptom stage, because they may not even want to consider that it could be cancer at all.
When women neglect to pay attention to cancer symptoms out of denial, fear or ignorance, they could be missing out on a valuable opportunity to detect cancer and treat it early.
Since there are so many different types of cancers that could affect us, the symptoms vary widely between different conditions and different people as well. There are also many instances where cancers do not produce symptoms at all, or symptoms only appear at late stages.
However, we can easily identify about 10 symptoms that should immediately send up warning flags in our minds and prompt us to seek medical advice. These symptoms can be easily mistaken for other conditions or as benign symptoms, but you shouldn't be so quick to shrug them off without propermedical advice.
I will explain each of these 10 symptoms below.
#1: Unexplained weight loss
Say you haven't been exercising more than usual lately, or have not even been exercising at all. Or you haven't gone on a diet and have been eating the amounts that you usually do. Yet you've been steadily losing a significant amount of weight, for instance 4kg or 5kg within a month.
This kind of unexplained weight loss is not necessarily a reason to be happy. It could be a sign of cancer, especially cancer of the colon or other parts of the digestive system.
You should see your doctor and provide as much details as possible about when you began losing weight and how much you have lost. Your doctor will conduct some tests to rule out an overactive thyroid and ask you to undergo CT scans to look at your internal organs.
#2: Bloating
Bloating is something that most women have become used to. We experience bloating at some point or other in our lives, whether due to PMS, water retention, or indigestion.
If you start to experience bloating that is unusual and not related to your menstrual cycle, you should start to pay close attention to what's happening. Are you so bloated that your jeans, trousers or skirts can't fit? Did it appear suddenly and is now occurring regularly over a few weeks?
Is the bloating accompanied by pain or tenderness in the abdomen or pelvis? Do you constantly feel full and unable to eat, even though you haven't eaten much?
All these signs have been known to occur in women with ovarian cancer. If you experience any of the above, it would be wise to see a doctor to check your ovaries because this type of cancer is difficult to detect in the early stages.
If you are able to catch it early, your chances of a better outcome are higher.
#3: Unusual bleeding
Any instance of vaginal bleeding that is out of the ordinary should be cause for concern. As a woman, you should know your body and your monthly cycle well enough to be familiar with when you should bleed, how much bleeding you experience, and how you feel.
Basically, you should not ignore any bleeding that is abnormal from what you normally have. If you have very regular cycles, but suddenly experience bleeding or spotting between periods, then it is abnormal.
If you usually have light flows, but suddenly have heavy and painful periods, then you should also have it checked out.
Other symptoms that may accompany unusual bleeding are unpleasant odours or discharge, bleeding after intercourse or blood in the urine. All these types of unusual bleeding should be checked out because they could be signs of cervical or uterine cancers.
Bleeding may also originate from the gastrointestinal tract or parts of the urinary system, such as the bladder or kidney.
If you discover blood in your urine or your stool, it could be due to a number of things, such as haemorrhoids, or blood from the vagina. But it could also be a sign of bladder, kidney or colorectal cancer, so you should see a doctor to rule these out.
Bladder, kidney or colon cancer can also trigger symptoms like changes in bowel and bladder habits.
You should be concerned if you develop unusual bowel and bladder movements, such as continual constipation, diarrhoea or stomach aches. More frequent urination, or pain during urination or during a bowel movement, are also worrying signs.
Finally, if you cough up blood more than once, you should also get medical advice.
#4: Breast changes
The breasts hold a lot of clues for women. We've been told countless times that we need to know our breasts intimately and examine them once a month for lumps and other changes within the breasts, on the surface of the skin, as well as on and around the nipples.
Redness and thickening of the skin on the breasts should be looked at immediately as this could indicate inflammatory breast cancer, which is a very rare but aggressive form of breast cancer. A rash, flaking of the skin, or itchiness that persists over weeks should also be examined.
Changes to the skin surface may also include swelling, dimples, puckerings or rough spots.
Observe your nipples as well and look for changes in appearance that are not normal. If your nipples suddenly start producing discharge (if you aren't breastfeeding), become flattened, or turn in or out (contrary to what it usually is), it is best to see your doctor or gynaecologist.
#5: Skin changes
Changes in your skin texture, warts, moles or pigmentation, are well-known signs of skin cancer.
Melanoma is a common type of skin cancer and has symptoms like spots on your skin that have unusual changes in colour, size, shape or border. If certain spots on your skin appear to be funny-looking or different from your usual skin pigmentation, get it checked out.
Look out for moles or warts that change, such as growing excessively, sprouting hair, or changing colour or shape. Be wary if you suddenly develop bleeding on your skin or excessive scaling too.
Observe the changes for one or two weeks, and if they persist, see your family doctor or a skin specialist.
#6: Difficulty swallowing and constant indigestion
Have you found it difficult to swallow your food lately? If you feel as if food is always caught in your throat when you eat, take note of this, as it could be a symptom of oesophageal or throat cancer.
Repetitive indigestion, not linked to pregnancy or any other apparent reason, is also a red flag. If you constantly feel nauseous, discomfort or a burning feeling in your upper abdomen, or vomit blood, you could be showing early signs of oesophageal, stomach or throat cancer.
#7: Persistent pain, fever or cough
These are three of the most vague and common symptoms that accompany many illnesses. It is extremely difficult to pinpoint them to cancer or any particular condition, but they are also not to be ignored or neglected.
Unexplained pain, in any part of the body, may point to some cancers. If it persists over a period of time, and cannot be attributed to any obvious physical wounds or conditions, then you should seeyour doctor and describe it in as much detail as possible.
Take note of when the pain arises, what kind of pain it is, and what exacerbates it.
A fever is often a sign of an infection, like influenza or some other viral or bacterial infection, but it can also point to certain types of cancer. The American Cancer Society says that fever is one of the symptoms that occur with early blood cancers such as leukaemia or lymphoma.
Of course, you do not have to run to your doctor in fear every time you have a fever. The point is that unexplained and prolonged fever needs to be examined, not ignored.
A very prolonged cough (one that lasts more than three or four weeks) that is unrelated to a cold or influenza, should also be noted. If lung cancer is suspected, especially if you are a smoker, your doctor should examine your throat, check your lung functioning and ask for X-rays.
#8: Swollen lymph nodes
Your lymph nodes are found in the sides of your neck, under your armpits, and around the groin area. Usually, they may become mildly swollen if you have an infection, and will subside once the infection has been treated or healed.
However, if the lymph nodes get progressively larger for more than a month, or develop lumps that do not go away, and are not related to a treatable infection, then the concern may be that it is linked to cancer, such as blood and lymphatic cancers.
#9: Mouth changes and sores
If you smoke or used to, you should look out for signs of oral cancer. Symptoms include white patches in the mucosa of the mouth, white spots on the tongue, or sores on the lips or in the mouth.
Other sores on the skin and genital area that won't heal, or cause excessive bruising or bleeding, should also be examined by a doctor.
#10: Fatigue and weakness
Finally, we come to the last potential symptom of cancer that is most commonly ignored - fatigue. Obviously, fatigue is such an everyday symptom of so many conditions that we cannot jump to the conclusion that it must be caused by cancer.
However, fatigue caused by cancer will probably be unlike the usual tiredness that you experience after a long day at work. It may plague you even when you have had sufficient rest or have not exerted yourself. It will be prolonged, unabated by rest, and may be accompanied by unexplained weakness.
You will realise that the 10 signs and symptoms described above are very subtle and vague indications of a problem. It is not easy to distinguish symptoms of cancer, and you should not work yourself up into a panic just because you suddenly have a mole on your arm or you are feeling a little tired.
Just keep in mind that if these symptoms persist, or appear without due cause, then it is a good idea to discuss your concerns with your doctor. It could be nothing, but it could also save your life.
Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist (FRCOG, UK). The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice.
Exercise may temporarily ease cigarette cravings: Study
Reuters Monday, Aug 27, 2012
Smokers who are trying to cut down or quit might want to take a jog the next time a cigarette craving overcomes them, according to a British study.
Researchers, whose findings appeared in the journal Addiction, combined the data from 19 previous clinical trials and found that a bout of exercise generally helped hopeful quitters reduce their nicotine cravings - though whether that translated into a greater chance of quitting was unclear.
"Certainly, exercise seems to have temporary benefits, and as such can be strongly recommended," said Adrian Taylor, a professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of Exeter in Britain, who led the study.
In the trials used for the study, smokers were randomly assigned to either exercise - most often, brisk walking or biking - or some kind of "passive" activity, such as watching a video or just sitting quietly.
Overall, Taylor's team found, people said they had less desire to smoke after working out than they did before.
Exactly why is not clear. Exercise may serve as a distraction, while being active might also boost people's mood, so that they don't feel as great a need to feel better by smoking, Taylor said.
None of the smokers in the studies was in a quit programme or using nicotine replacement products, such as gums or patches. Since nicotine replacement therapy curbs cravings, exercise might have less of an effect on smokers using these products.
Most of us enjoy our sleeping hours, but for sleep apnea sufferers it's a death trap.
FEATURE
For most of us, sleep is restorative. Our sore muscles from the previous day’s workout feel brand new and we feel totally rested and ready to tackle the day ahead with optimism. However for sleep apnea sufferers, sleeping is a harrowing experience they face every night with the prospect of death staring them in the face every few seconds.
Dangerous sleep ahead
So what is sleep apnea? It is a serious sleep disorder where one’s breathing stops short for about three seconds to a few minutes at different intervals throughout the night. Each pause in breathing is called an apnea, taken from the Greek word ‘breathless’. Apnea can occur five to 30 minutes in an hour, bringing you pretty close to death’s door every time you settle down for the night. Breathing starts again with a loud snort or chocking sound but not after greatly depriving your organs of its crucial supply of oxygen.
There are two kinds of clinical sleep apnea — Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA that occurs when throat muscles relax and block the passageway and Central Sleep Apnea or CSA that occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Either way, sleeping becomes a deadly game you engage in against your will every night.
What local stats show According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, even kids.
One survey carried out at Hospital Kuala Terengganu showed that 14.5% of the kids there snored, the first sign that one is a potential sleep apnea sufferer. In 2007, researchers at University of Malaya estimated that nine per cent of middle-aged men and four per cent of middle-aged women were OSA sufferers.
Add to this the statistics from a joint study by the Sleep Disorder Society Malaysia and the Road Safety Department recently that showed 30 per cent of 300 bus drivers in the country had sleep apnea, with eight per cent of them categorised as chronic. Those are scary numbers considering passengers’ lives are in the hands of drivers who have short attention spans, low degree of alertness and slow reflexes, all dangerous effects of continued interrupted sleep.
Are ‘you’ one of them? Sleep apnea sufferers generally experience the following:
fatigue
moodiness
depression
tendency to react violently in stressful situations
short attention spans
difficulty in processing information
slower reaction time
vision problems
kidney disease
fatty liver disease
Causes Researchers in Japan found that slight changes in the size and position of the pharynx at the back of the throat drastically upped your chances of having sleep apnea. If you have a large neck, tongue, or tonsils, or a narrow airway your chances of suffering from sleep apnea is increased, more so if you are overweight since the tissues in your throat are enlarged.
If you suspect you suffer from sleep apnea, see your doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist so you can get a formal sleep study done.
Remedies for sleeping normal again A breathing mask is the most common medical treatment for sleep apnea. There are two kinds – a CPAP mask or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure mask or the APAP mask otherwise known as the Automatic Positive Airway Pressure device. These masks ‘splint’ your airway open during sleep by means of a flow of pressurized air into the throat. Made of plastic, the mask is connected by a flexible tube to a small bedside CPAP machine. The CPAP machine generates the required air pressure to keep your airways open during sleep.
If you absolutely cannot see yourself wearing a mask, you could try strengthening the muscles around your upper airway by practising a series of tongue and throat exercises for 30 minutes a day. Your sleep specialist should be able to suggest some suitable exercises. If this is out of the question too, there’s always surgery. Your doctor will tell you straight up it’s a last-resort option when all else fails. Besides costing a pretty penny, it’s awfully painful too.
Report from bangkok Post dated 26 August 2012 :-
Some like it hot: Southern cuisine fires up kingdom
Chefs nationwide and in Bangkok in particular are finding they need to turn up the heat as diners demand the spiciness of Southern cuisine
Decades back, people in Bangkok were used to eating curries and other dishes of the kind that originated in the Central Region, and felt no need to look any further. Some of the basic ones were kaeng som pla chon (a sour-sweet, slightly spicy, soup-like dish made with snakehead fish) with phak boong or some other fresh vegetable on the side, kaeng phet kai or kaeng phet mu (a spicy, red, coconut cream-based curry made with chicken or pork), kaeng khio wan nuea (another spicy, coconut cream curry, made with beef), phat phet pla duk (a spicy catfish stir-fry), pla chon phatkhueang kaeng (snakehead fish stir-fried with spicy seasonings), pork or shrimp fried with garlic and pepper, kaeng lieng (a spicy, vegetable soup-like dish), tom yam, yam dishes (salads made hot and sour with chilli and lime) and all kinds of nam phrik (chilli-dip sauces eaten with vegetables and fish).
They started getting to know southern Thai-style dishes about 40 years ago. These foods first appeared in Thon Buri, the ones that caught on first being kaeng tai pla (an extremely spicy curry made from fermented fish innards), kaeng lueang (another fiery dish, this one a variant of Central Thai kaeng som), phat sataw kap kapi sai kung (a stir-fry made from a strong-smelling bean with kapi and shrimp), pork or shrimp phat khem wan (prepared as a salty-sweet stir-fry) and pla hetkhon thawt khamin (a type of sea fish fried with turmeric). What people liked about these dishes was their intense spiciness. Compared in terms of chilli heat, the spiciest central Thai dishes were kindergarteners while the southern recipes had PhDs.
Those super-spicy tastes added bright new colours to the flavour spectrum. The hot southern dishes broke the routine of central Thai food day in, day out. They also came accompanied by many fresh vegetables, which were good for you if you ate a lot of them. People noticed that, even though they might not eat southern food every day, if they stayed away from it for too long, they missed it.
With time, southern food became available throughout the country. In the North it was sold in Chiang Mai, and there were restaurants that served it in the major cities of Isan. Initially it was sold by cooks from the local southern Thai association - workers from the South who migrate to other parts of the country like to form associations that serve as centres where they can meet, and southern food is often sold there.
At the same time, central Thai food began to spread to the North and to Isan. The reason was the same as that for the spread of southern food to Bangkok - it was a welcome change from the usual fare. For one thing, coconut cream was not used in northern or Isan cooking. When people tasted the central Thai curries made with coconut cream they found them delicious in a new way. Another thing was that central Thai curries were often made with snakehead fish or with salted fish. At that time snakehead was considered a delicacy in the North and salted sea fish was a tasty novelty. What's more, curry and rice was a simple, one-dish meal, and most train and bus stations would have a stall that sold this kind of Central Region food for a low price.
CURRY SHOPS: Offer convenience to both vendors and their customers.
In southern Thailand, almost 100% of the good restaurants are curry and rice shops that serve southern dishes. They differ from each other somewhat depending on whether the province in which they are located is predominantly Muslim or Chinese. A Muslim shop, for example, will offer mutton curry and chicken biryani, but will also serve kaeng lueang and khua kling nuea (an intensely spicy chopped beef dish). Chinese shops in places like Phuket and Songkhla will sell Chinese-style tom jap chai but also khua kling, phat phet kraduk mu (a spicy pork bone stir-fry) and kaeng tai pla.
The Central Region is still the home of its traditional foods like kaeng khio wan luk chin pla krai (kaeng khio wan made with balls of pounded fish meat), kaeng som made with a variety of different vegetables, phanaeng mu (a thick and rich, pork curry-like dish made with coconut cream), phat phet pla duk and haw mok (fish meat and herbs steamed in spicy curried coconut custard). Some provinces have special local dishes. Kanchanaburi, for example, has kaeng pa (a very spicy curry made without coconut cream) made with either fish or beef, and phat phet mu pa (a hot stir-fry made with the meat of the wild boar). Rayong has kaeng mu kap bai chamuang (a mild, sweet pork curry made with the crunchy leaf of a local tree), and Chanthaburi has phat phet mu kap ngao krawan (a spicy pork stir-fry with tender cardamom roots) and kaeng mu kap bai chamuang. All are signature dishes of their respective provinces.
There are quite a few good southern restaurants in the Central Region, with about 40% of them in Bangkok. Outside of the capital they are harder to find, limited to a restaurant or two per province.
In the North and in Isan they are quite widespread. There are a number of them in Lampang, Payao, Nan and Phitsanulok, and even the smaller provinces boast a few restaurants that offer southern dishes. In provinces like Maha Sarakham and Mukdahan in Isan, shops that sell southern dishes are as prominent as the ones that offer Central Region dishes. There is one special restaurant in Nakhon Phanom that mixes Central Region dishes with Lao and Vietnamese recipes.
When you take a nationwide view of current tastes of curry shop dishes, it is possible to get an idea of what lies in store for the future. Recipes from the Central Region and from the South have won the hearts of Thais in every part of the country. The most popular Central Region dishes are kaeng khiowan luk chin pla kraim haw mok, thawt man (deep-fried patties made from pounded, seasoned fish or shrimp), phat phet pla duk, phanaeng nuea and phalo dishes (duck, goose, or other meats stewed with aromatic Chinese spices). The southern favourites are kaeng tai pla, khua kling mu and kaeng lueang.
All signs point to the fact that foods of this kind will remain popular for a long time.
Thais everywhere are craving the fiery heat of southern cooking these days - so much so that cooks may find that they have to up the chilli content of Central Region dishes, too.
