[Medical News] POST WHAT U READ ONLINE

kokonut

Your Fibre-lous Guide

How much fibre do I need daily? If you’re a male aged between 19 and 50, you are recommended to have 38g of fibre daily while those aged 51 and above can consume slightly less at 30g per day. On the other hand, females aged <50 and >50 ought to have 25g and 21g respectively.

Of course you don’t go around with a weighing scale, so here is a guideline on how much fibre your favourite meals contain:

Breakfast

• Cereal with milk
  

–        Oatmeal (1 cup = 4.0 g of fibre)

–        High fibre cereal (1/2 cup = 10-14 g of fibre)

–        Raisin bran (3/4 cup = 6.0 g of fibre)

–        All bran cereal (1/2 cup = 10-13 g of fibre)

–        Bran flakes (3/4 cup = 5.1 g of fibre)

• Bread and muffins
  

–        Chapatti or roti canai (1 cup = 14.6 g of fibre)

–        Whole wheat bread (1 slice = 1.9 g of fibre)

–        Whole wheat muffin (1 = 4.4 g of fibre)

• Fruits
  

–        Apples (1 medium sized = 3.3 g of fibre)

–        Oranges (1 medium sized = 3.1 g of fibre)

–        Banana (1 medium sized = 3.0 g of fibre)

–        Prunes (1 cup = 7.6 g of fibre)

–        Pears (1 medium-size = 5.5 g of fibre)

–        Figs (1/4 cup = 3.7 g of fibre)

–        Dates (1/4 cup = 3.6 g of fibre)

–        Raisins (1/4 cup = 1.5 g of fibre)

Lunch and dinner

• Vegetables
  

–        Potatoes (1 cup = 4.4 g of fibre)

–        Spinach (1 cup = 3.5 g of fibre)

–        Corn (1 ear of corn = 6.0 g of fibre)

–        Mixed vegetables (1 cup = 8.0 g of fibre)

–        Brussels sprouts (1 cup = 6.4 g of fibre)

–        Broccoli (1 cup = 5.6 g of fibre)

• Legumes, nuts and seeds
  

–        Split peas (1 cup = 16.3 g of fibre)

–        Lentils (1 cup = 15.6 g of fibre)

–        Chickpeas (1 cup = 12.4 g of fibre)

–        Baked beans (1 cup = 10.4 g of fibre)

–        Almonds (24 nuts = 3.3 g of fibre)

–        Peanuts (24 nuts = 2.3 g of fibre)

There is no need to whip out that calculator. You would meet your daily requirements with just 2-3 servings of the above. You would also notice that fibre-rich food isn’t that boring, is it?

To get even more fibre:

• Eat apples and pears with the skin/peels on; these are a source of fibre. Most vitamins are also stored right beneath the skin, so removing the peel could possibly remove these vitamins too.
• Eat the fruits, instead of juicing them, as fruits contain more fibre.
• Eat whole grain instead of refined grains. Opt for whole grains whenever buying bread and cereal because refined grains contain lesser vitamins, minerals and fibre as a result of the bran and germ removal process.
  

seribulan

Malaysia, Filipina meterai MoU untuk kerjasama mengenai penjagaan kesihatan
Bernama | Diterbitkan pada Ogos 01, 2019 04:45 MYT

MoU ditandatangani Dr Dzulkefly dan Dr Francisco di Putrajaya pada 31 Julai, 2019. - Facebook Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia dan Filipina bersetuju untuk bekerjasama dalam pelbagai bidang penjagaan kesihatan melalui pemeteraian memorandum persefahaman (MoU) di sini, pada Rabu.

Kementerian Kesihatan dalam satu kenyataan berkata MoU itu ditandatangani oleh Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad dan Setiausaha Jabatan Kesihatan Filipina, Dr Francisco T.Duque III, semasa mesyuarat dua hala di Putrajaya, untuk membincangkan usaha mengukuhkan hubungan dua hala melalui kerjasama penjagaan kesihatan.

Di bawah MoU, Malaysia dan Filipina bersetuju untuk bekerjasama dalam bidang penjagaan kesihatan utama; kesihatan reproduktif; pendidikan kesihatan; sumber manusia untuk pembangunan kesihatan; pemakanan; dan pertukaran maklumat mengenai isu-isu berkaitan keselamatan dan kualiti makanan.
Kedua-dua negara juga akan bekerjasama dalam pencegahan dan kawalan penyakit berjangkit dan tidak berjangkit; kawalan kawal selia farmaseutikal; ubat tradisional, ubat herba, suplemen kesihatan dan produk kosmetik; peralatan perubatan; pelancongan kesihatan; penyelidikan kesihatan; dan perkhidmatan penjagaan kesihatan.

Kumpulan Kerja Teknikal Bersama diketuai oleh para pegawai yang dilantik dari kementerian kesihatan kedua-dua negara akan melaksanakan MOU tersebut.

"Kedua-dua Menteri Kesihatan menekankan pentingnya meningkatkan kerjasama untuk menangani masalah kesihatan rentas sempadan di tengah persekitaran global yang pesat berubah.

"Kerjasama kesihatan antara negara-negara jiran adalah penting untuk cepat bertindak balas terhadap ancaman kesihatan awam dan mencegah risiko kesihatan yang lebih besar termasuk wabak dan daya tahan mikrob," kata kedua-dua mereka dalam satu kenyataan bersama di sini pada Rabu.



Kedua-dua Menteri Kesihatan juga melahirkan harapan mereka bahawa hasil mesyuarat akan memperkukuh hubungan dan kerjasama dalam pengurusan isu rentas sempadan berkaitan kesihatan kedua-dua negara dan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan.

-- BERNAMA

kokonut

Overworked, unhealthy Malaysians most eager to change lifestyle

Malaysian workers are mostly unhealthy with 64% who physically inactive, 90% who do not eat a balanced diet and 56% experiencing less than 7 hours’ sleep a night, according to the Healthiest Workplace Survey 2017 by AIA Vitality.

The survey provides employers in Malaysia with an essential overview of their employees’ wellbeing and a greater understanding of the efficacy of their companies’ health interventions in the workplace. The survey participated by the greatest number of employers with 5,369 employees from 47 organisations in urban areas across four countries has created an awareness of the importance of workplace health and wellbeing among both employers and employees.

According to the findings, 86% of Malaysians eat fewer than five servings of fruit and vegetables daily.

Physical inactivity is also an issue among Malaysians with 64% of employees do less than 150 minutes of physical activity a week, the highest percentage compared to Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

The survey revealed some real concerns about stress in the workplace and issues surrounding sleep patterns. It is clear that Malaysia suffers from a culture of long working hours, much like its Asian counterparts of Hong Kong and Singapore. However, Malaysia also records highest percentage of productivity loss. Ouch.

Malaysian workers also reported at least one sleep problem at 67%. Malaysian employees also work the longest hours – on average 15 hours more than their contracted hours each week.

Insufficient sleep and overworking also contribute to other problems like stress. 53% of employees in Malaysia report at least one dimension of work-related stress, compared to 43% in Singapore, 64% in Hong Kong, and approximately half of Australians.

Based on the survey, however, Malaysians are very motivated to change their lifestyle. Almost 90% has indicated their wish to reduce their weight and approximately 65% are eager to improve their levels of physical activity because obesity is increasingly a problem in the country.

seribulan

Is diet soda bad for you? Know the health risks
Last reviewed Wed 31 July 2019

By Zawn Villines       
Reviewed by Katherine Marengo LDN, RD       

    Overview Is diet soda bad for you? Research Health benefits How to cut down Summary

Many people choose diet soda so that they can enjoy a sweet and bubbly drink without consuming hundreds of calories or getting a hefty dose of sugar.

However, numerous studies have found a link between drinking too much diet soda and having serious health conditions, including diabetes, fatty liver, dementia, heart disease, and stroke.

In this article, learn about the links between diet soda and health, as well as whether it is more healthful than regular soda.
What is diet soda?
a can of diet soda which is bad for you
Diet soda may contain artificial sweeteners rather than sugar.

Diet soda is soda that mimics the taste of traditional soda but provides less or no sugar.

Diet soda uses artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin or aspartame, to achieve the same sweet taste.

Soda manufacturers often claim that diet soda is more healthful than regular soda and that it is an ideal choice for people trying to lose weight. Consequently, many people see diet soda as a better choice.
Is diet soda bad for you?

A growing body of evidence suggests that diet soda consumption correlates with an increased risk of a wide range of medical conditions, notably:

    heart conditions, such as heart attack and high blood pressure
    metabolic issues, including diabetes and obesity
    brain conditions, such as dementia and stroke
    liver problems, which include nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Many studies of people who drink soda have been extensive and spanned many years. However, few studies have fully controlled for other risk factors that might lead to chronic health issues, such as being overweight or having a sedentary lifestyle.

Therefore, they may not account for the fact that people who drink soda might have more health issues independent of their beverage choices. For example, a person might be drinking diet soda because they have a high body mass index (BMI) and are trying to lose weight. Or, people who regularly drink soda may be more likely to eat certain types of food, which may pose health risks.

Researchers do not know exactly why diet sodas may increase the risk of disease. Some believe that diet sodas might damage blood vessels or cause chronic inflammation.

Diet sodas may also undermine health by changing other habits. A 2012 study suggests that diet soda may change how the brain responds to sweet flavors by affecting dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in pleasure, motivation, and reward.

Frequently drinking diet soda might cause a person to crave more sweets, including both sweet snacks and more soda.
What the research says
a researcher doing some lab work
Research has not found a definitive link between artificial sweeteners and cancer.

Many studies have linked diet soda consumption to worse health outcomes.

The researchers behind a 2017 study gathered data that indicated a link between diet soda and the risk of stroke and Alzheimer's disease. The study involved 2,888 people over the age of 45 years.

The results showed that drinking one diet soda per day almost tripled a person's risk of stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

A 2014 study of 2,037 male Japanese factory workers found that men who drank diet soda were more likely to develop diabetes than those who did not. The correlation held even after adjusting for family history, age, BMI, and lifestyle factors.

Early research suggested that there might be a link between artificial sweeteners and cancer. However, subsequent research has either found no link or called into question data that initially linked artificial sweeteners to cancer.

So, while there are plenty of reasons to avoid diet soda, cancer risk may not be among them.

kokonut

Managing the Effects of Chemo and Radiotherapy for Positive Recovery

No thanks to movies and televisions, cancer is often dramatised; and chemotherapy (chemo) and radiotherapy are always being portrayed as horrifying experiences, thus causing much fear, stigma and hopelessness for those who contracted the disease.

Despite the challenges that cancer brings, it is still possible to rebuild a really good life after cancer – even a healthier and better one than ever before, according to Dr Muhammad Azrif , an oncologist practising in Prince Court Medical Centre. Understanding and managing the effects of chemo and radiotherapy is one of the first steps towards a positive recovery.

Both chemo and radiotherapy are methods used to kill cancer cells. Chemo involves the infusion of certain drug(s) delivered intravenously into the body of the patientto reach cancer cells wherever they are. On the other hand, radiotherapy involves the use of X-rays targeting a specific part of the body.

Chemotherapy

“Chemotherapy is usually performed as a day treatment once a week or once every three weeks over a period of time according to the patient’s condition. There are 30 to 40 types of chemo drugs available and side effects vary according to the drug used. The more common ones are tiredness, nausea, constipation, indigestion or heartburn in the first week, and mouth ulcers, diarrhea and risk of infection in the second,”Dr Azrif said.

“To prevent nausea, patient will usually be given medication before chemo. After chemo, the patient should not eat too much food at a time especially during the first few days. Eatingsmall meals after three to four-hour intervals is better than consuming two or three big meals a day. Do not take any greasy or fatty food because they can increase bloating and nausea, as well as spicy food in case one has stomach ulcers or heartburn. Drink plenty of liquids especially if one is tired and having nausea. Taking ginger might also help alleviate nausea,” he advised.

To manage mouth ulcers, Dr Azrif recommended patients to brush their teeth with a soft toothbrush after meals to maintain oral hygiene. “When rinsing the mouth, use salt water instead of typical mouthwash which might be too strong. Ulcer medication can also be used on discreet ulcers. Usually, ulcers heal within one or two days.”

While chemo destroys cancer cells, it also reduces the number of white blood cells in the body. Hence, patients are particularly at risk of infections seven to 14 days after chemotherapy, when the level of white blood cells is at its lowest.

Infections can usually be effectively treated with antibiotics. To prevent an infection, Dr Azrif advised patients to avoid crowded and confined areas, like the LRT and cinemas. “Patients should wash their hands properly, especially when cooking food and after going to the bathroom. When outside of the house, they can carry with them a hand sanitizer. When gardening, they should wear gloves to avoid cuts or being pricked by thorns, and apply anti-septic creams if they cut their hand.

“In terms of diet, in order to prevent food poisoning, patients should cook their meat, eggs and seafood properly and avoid any half-cooked food. Fruits and vegetables, although don’t necessarily need to be cooked, should be cleaned thoroughly. Separate knives and cutting boards for meat and fruits should be used as not to transfer the germs from the meat to fruits which you don’t cook. Patients should also avoid sushi and sashimi,” he said.

Dr Azrif stated that none of these side effects lasts for weeks and weeks to come. “At most, they only last about two to three days. Usually by the third week, the patient’s immunity should bounce back. It is often the first week which is a bit rough mainly due to the tiredness and nausea. But things should be much better second week onwards. I even have patients who go back to work in the second week,” he explained.

“Some chemo drugs such as those which treat breasts cancer and leukemia can cause hair loss and numbness of the fingers, but these conditions always return to normal sooner or later. The hair will grow back within six months. In 12 years of my clinical practice, I have not come upon a single patient whose hair doesn’t grow back,” Dr Azrif assured.

Radiotherapy

The side effects of radiotherapy, on the other hand, are very specific and occurdepending on the areas of body treated.

“Radiotherapy is mainly prescribed for local control after surgery if there is a high risk of the cancer recurring at the area. Let’s take radiotherapy to the breast as example. The treatment area should always be kept clean and dry. A simple moisturing cream can be applied to minimise dryness. When bathing, patients should use a very gentle and moisturising soap such as baby wash because the typical soap might be too harsh and hence dry up the skin. If the skin is rather reddish, a steroid cream might be prescribed.”

Dr Azrif said that patients receiving radiotherapy to the breast will not develop diarrhea or nausea. Antibiotics will be given if the patient develops an infection.

He explained that whether or not a patient is required to undergo chemo or radiotherapy depends on the characteristics of the cancer. “If a cancer is mild, often patients do not need chemo. But whether they need radiotherapy or not depends on the kind of surgery done. For example, in breast cancer, if they just have the lump removed, the risk of the cancer coming back on the breasts is too high, so undergoing radiotherapy is advisable. But if patients have mastectomy (total removal of the breast), often they do not need radiotherapy.  In oncology, we are dealing like 200 different kinds of cancer, so treatment is very much individualised. Patients could be treated differently even though they may be having the same stage of the same type of cancer.”

People used to worry about the side effects of chemotherapy but according to Dr Azrif, the medication available today are very good in managing the side effects. “Upon taking their medication, some patients don’t even experience any symptoms of nausea after chemo. If the patient develops a fever during the treatment period (which means that his white blood cells are low), we can give them a booster injection to boost the white blood cells count and keep the fever at bay.

“A lot of time is just doing the simple things well. None of them is very complicated. In fact, upon recovery, a lot of cancer patients tend to live healthier lives than the general people as they have learnt how to take care of their health properly,” he concluded.

seribulan

Jerebu: Orang ramai dinasihatkan kurangkan aktiviti fizikal dan luar bangunan
Bernama | Diterbitkan pada Ogos 02, 2019 05:06 MYT

Jerebu: Orang ramai dinasihatkan kurangkan aktiviti fizikal dan luar bangunan
Pemandangan Menara Berkembar Petronas dan Menara Kuala Lumpur yang terjejas dengan jerebu akibat kebakaran hutan di lima wilayah di Indonesia ketika tinjauan di sekitar ibu kota pada 1 Ogos, 2019. --fotoBERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Kesihatan menasihatkan orang ramai yang berada di kawasan merekodkan kualiti udara tidak sihat akibat jerebu susulan kebakaran hutan di Indonesia supaya mengurangkan aktiviti fizikal yang menyebabkan peningkatan kadar pernafasan dan metabolisma badan.

Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah berkata ini berikutan ia boleh meningkatkan risiko penyakit akibat jerebu dan cuaca panas.

Beliau turut meminta orang ramai supaya mengurangkan aktiviti di luar bangunan atau menggunakan penutup hidung dan mulut, payung, dan topi sekiranya berada di luar rumah.

"Orang ramai juga perlu menutup tingkap bagi mengurangkan asap jerebu masuk ke dalam rumah atau bangunan dan mengelakkan aktiviti yang boleh meningkatkan pencemaran udara dalam rumah atau bangunan dengan tidak merokok dan sentiasa membersihkan persekitaran dalaman," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini, pada Khamis.
Dalam pada itu, Dr Noor Hisham turut menasihatkan orang ramai untuk lebih kerap meminum air kosong bagi mengekalkan tahap hidrasi dan mendapatkan rawatan segera sekiranya tidak sihat.

Dr Noor Hisham berkata orang awam boleh mendapatkan langkah pencegahan bagi mengurangkan kesan kesihatan akibat jerebu dan cuaca panas menerusi laman sesawang kementerian.

BACA: Lembah Klang, Pulau Pinang bakal kena tempias jerebu Indonesia - MetMalaysia

BACA: Negara diselimuti jerebu kembali

Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (MET Malaysia) pada Khamis melaporkan beberapa negeri bakal berdepan tempias jerebu berterusan dalam tempoh tujuh hari berikutan monsun Barat Daya dengan cuaca kering dan stabil, susulan kebakaran hutan di lima wilayah di Indonesia.

Jerebu yang merentas sempadan dari Sumatera boleh mempengaruhi keadaan terutama di Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Putrajaya dan di sebelah utara semenanjung seperti Pulau Pinang.

Menurut data yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) menerusi laman sesawang Sistem Pengurusan Indeks Pencemaran Udara Malaysia (APIMS), setakat pukul 7.00 petang Khamis, bacaan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (IPU) di seluruh negara berada di tahap sederhana kecuali dua kawasan yang merekodkan bacaan tahap tidak sihat iaitu Johan Setia, Selangor dan Rompin, Pahang di mana terdapat kebakaran di kawasan berkenaan.

-- BERNAMA

Oleifera

Kosmo! Online
Kosmo Online/K2/Rencana Utama/
Moringa oleifera bantu bekal nutrien dalam tubuh
24 Jun 2018 3:00 AM

Menurut Dr. Yus Aniza, daun Moringa oleifera popular dalam pelbagai penerbitan ilmiah kerana mengandungi nutrien yang tinggi dan bersifat anti-oksidan.

Daun kelor atau nama saintifiknya Moringa oleifera yang merupakan tumbuhan popular dalam pelbagai penerbitan ilmiah mampu merawat masalah kekurangan nutrien masyarakat kerana bersifat anti-oksidan dan kaya dengan pelbagai nutrisi.

SEKITAR pertengahan tahun lalu, Tabung Kanak-Kanak Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNICEF) mendedahkan bahawa sebanyak 99.7 peratus kanak-kanak di Malaysia yang tinggal di kawasan rumah kos rendah didapati kurang nutrien.

Menerusi laporan bertajuk Children Without: A study of urban child poverty and deprivation in low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur, ketua penyelidiknya, Muhammad Abdul Khalid berkata, keadaan melibatkan kanak-kanak itu dipercayai berlaku ekoran kurangnya makanan berkhasiat dan ketidakmampuan keluarga.

Pendedahan yang dibuat oleh UNICEF itu secara tidak langsung membuka mata orang ramai mengenai tahap kekurangan nutrien kanak-kanak di negara ini.

Atas permasalahan itu juga, sekumpulan penyelidik dari Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) yang diketuai oleh Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Yus Aniza Yusof tampil menghasilkan formulasi suplemen daripada tumbuhan Moringa oleifera iaitu sejenis daun yang disifatkan sebagai makanan ‘super’ dan boleh membantu masalah kekurangan nutrien dalam kalangan penduduk dunia.


Bagi mendapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenai isu tersebut, wartawan Kosmo! Ahad, KHAIRIYAH HANAFI menemu bual pensyarah yang merupakan pakar bidang kejuruteraan bahan makanan serta teknologi serbuk makanan di Jabatan Kejuruteraan Proses dan Makanan, Fakulti Kejuruteraan Universiti Putra Malaysia, Profesor Madya Ir. Dr. Yus Aniza Yusof di pejabatnya baru-baru ini.

Kosmo! Ahad: Tahniah atas kejayaan Dr. dan sekumpulan penyelidik dalam menghasilkan suplemen tinggi nutrien berasaskan tumbuhan Moringa oleifera. Boleh Dr. ceritakan serba ringkas mengenai produk tersebut?

YUS ANIZA: Produk suplemen tambahan makanan ini dinamakan sebagai Chewable Moringa Fruity Tablets. Ia diperbuat daripada serbuk daun kelor atau nama saintifiknya Moringa oleifera. Tumbuhan ini popular dalam pelbagai penerbitan ilmiah kerana mengandungi nutrien yang tinggi dan bersifat anti-oksidan sehingga menjadikan daun ini dikenali sebagai makanan ‘super’.

Lebih menarik apabila daun ini juga kaya dengan gabungan nutrien, asid amino, antioksidadan, anti-kanser yang diperlukan dalam pemakanan serta penyembuhan.

Di Malaysia, daun dan buah Moringa oleifera kebiasaannya digunakan dalam masakan kari, masak lemak putih dan hidangan tempatan. Malah, tumbuhan ini digunakan secara meluas dalam masakan-masakan yang dimasak oleh masyarakat India.

Bagaimanapun, disebabkan rasa daun ini yang sedikit pahit, ia jarang dimakan secara mentah atau dijadikan seperti ulam-ulaman lain. Disebabkan itu, kami mengambil inisiatif untuk mencipta suplemen yang kaya dengan kebaikan nutrien dalam daun tersebut dengan memproses daun kepada serbuk daun Moringa oleifera dan seterusnya membentuk tablet boleh kunyah. Malah, bagi mengurangkan rasa pahit daun tersebut, campuran sedikit rasa buah tempatan turut dimasukkan sebagai agen pelindung rasa.

Boleh Dr. terangkan dari mana idea untuk menghasilkan produk ini tercetus?

Idea asal untuk membuat kajian menggunakan daun Moringa oleifera tercetus daripada ibu saya selepas melihat daun yang berkhasiat ini sering digunakan untuk masakan tradisi keluarga.

Bagaimanapun, idea menghasilkan Chewable Moringa Fruity Tablet terhasil apabila salah seorang bekas pelajar yang mengikuti pengajian Ijazah Doktor Falsafah (PhD), Muhammad Azhar Ali mendapati ramai individu mengalami masalah kekurangan nutrisi.

Masalah kekurangan nutrisi ini menjadi kritikal di kawasan-kawasan pedalaman dan zon krisis seperti banjir, perang dan kemarau yang tidak mempunyai akses makanan tinggi nutrien yang mencukupi.

Pada tahun 2013, seorang penyelidik Rockwood dan rakan-rakan telah menerbitkan satu artikel dalam International Journal of Phythoteraphy Research.

Beliau mendedahkan khasiat Moringa oleifera yang mempunyai 25 kali ganda zat besi berbanding bayam, 17 kali ganda kalsium berbanding susu, 15 kali ganda potasium daripada pisang, 10 kali ganda Vitamin A daripada lobak merah, 9 kali ganda protein berbanding dadih dan 7 kali ganda Vitamin C daripada buah oren.

Penemuan tersebut telah memberi motivasi kepada kami untuk membuat kajian dan seterusnya menghasilkan suplemen berasaskan Moringa oleifera sebagai bekalan nutrien tambahan kepada umum.

Selepas melalui beberapa siri ujian makmal selama tiga tahun, kami berjaya membuktikan suplemen ini sesuai digunakan untuk semua lapisan umur baik dari kanak-kanak sehingga dewasa.

Dewasa ini kita lihat lambakan suplemen dijual di pasaran. Boleh Dr. terangkan serba ringkas apakah keistimewaan dan perbezaan yang ditawarkan dalam suplemen ini berbanding suplemen-suplemen sedia ada yang lain?

Untuk pengetahuan umum, sejak tahun 1998, Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia telah mempromosikan Moringa oleifera sebagai alternatif kepada bekalan makanan yang diimport untuk merawat kekurangan nutrien dalam kalangan individu. Daun ini juga telah digunakan dalam perubatan tradisional selama berabad-abad dalam pelbagai budaya di seluruh dunia.

Di pasaran pula, produk-produk berasaskan Moringa oleifera yang dijual pula dipek dalam bentuk serbuk dan cecair yang mana ia agak sukar untuk ditelan kerana rasa asalnya yang pahit.

Justeru, kami tampil dengan suplemen Chewable Moringa dalam bentuk tablet dan mempunyai sifat yang mudah larut dalam mulut selain penyerapan nutrien pada tubuh.

Bukan itu sahaja, produk ini mudah dikunyah begitu sahaja tanpa memerlukan air. Bagi memastikan kewujudan nutrisi dalam tablet berkenaan, ujian kandungan nutrisi, vitamin, mineral dan asid amino telah dijalankan di makmal.

Tahap nutrisi serta kadar pengambilan tablet ini telah dicadangkan berdasarkan rujukan Food and Drug Administration of United States berkenaan cadangan pengambilan harian makanan, Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA).

Selain itu, teknik penghasilan Chewable Moringa Fruity Tablets adalah memenuhi tahap piawaian bagi orally disintegrating tablet yang diteapkan oleh International Pharmacopeia iaitu tablet mempunyai sifat keboleh pecahan kurang dari 1 peratus berat tablet dan melarut dalam tempoh kurang 1 minit.

Adakah Chewable Moringa Fruity Tablets ini meninggalkan kesan sampingan kepada individu?

Setakat ini, ujian awal terhadap kesan toksik serbuk daun Moringa oleifera telah dijalankan ke atas arnab dan analisis terhadap sel ginjal serta hati menunjukkan tiada kesan toksik.

Kajian toksik ini telah dilakukan dengan kerjasama Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Hasilnya yang diperolehi, tiada kesan toksik ditemui semasa ujian tersebut dijalankan. Ia jelas menunjukkan suplemen ini selamat digunakan pada manusia.

Apakah saranan Dr. kepada para pengusaha yang ingin menghasilkan produk suplemen atau makanan tambahan?

Saya ingin mencadangkan agar mereka menjalin kerjasama dengan universiti atau institut penyelidikan supaya produk yang dihasilkan adalah saintifik serta memenuhi kualiti piawaian produk. Kajian di universiti mengambil kira dari sumber seperti tumbuhan dan bahan biologi itu dituai dan seterusnya diproses. Di samping itu, pelbagai kaedah pemprosesan dapat diguna pakai seperti pengeringan, pengisaran, pengayakan, pencampuran dan sebagainya.

Apakah cadangan Dr. kepada pelajar lepasan Ijazah sekiranya mereka berminat untuk mendalami bidang ini?

Mereka boleh berhubung dengan kami di Jabatan Kejuruteraan Proses dan Makanan, Fakulti Kejuruteraan UPM. Kami merupakan satu-satunya jabatan yang menawarkan program kejuruteraan makanan di negara ini dan mempunyai pelbagai bidang pengajian. Antaranya ialah kejuruteraan makanan, kejuruteraan proses pertanian, kejuruteraan bioproses dan kejuruteraan pembungkusan.

Pengetahuan dalam bidang ini penting bagi pembangunan produk makanan, minuman dan suplemen bagi mereka bentuk serta menaik skala sesuatu proses bagi diaplikasikan oleh industri.

Boleh Dr. kongsikan nasihat terhadap orang ramai mengenai pengambilan Moringa oleifera?

Selain pengambilan suplemen, orang ramai juga digalakkan mengamalkan tumbuhan Moringa oleifera sebagai salah satu sayuran dalam makanan harian. Agak menyedihkan apabila difikirkan bahawa pengambilan sayur kelor ini kini semakin dilupakan dan ini adalah amat merugikan kerana kandungan nutrien yang terdapat dalam daun adalah tinggi.

seribulan

MNT - Hourly Medical News Since 2003
Anxiety / Stress
Burnout: Facing the damage of 'chronic workplace stress'Published: Friday 2 August 2019 Written by: Maria Cohut

SHARE THIS ARTICLE:
  
In a world where it seems as though the pressure to perform is always on, more and more people are admitting to burnout at work. What is this phenomenon, and how can you cope with it if it happens to you? In this Spotlight feature, we investigate.
In May 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized burnout as an "occupational phenomenon."


Their decision came after years of hearing people talk about it, trying understand why it affected them, and attempting to identify what they could have done to cope with it.

Recently, a Gallup study of around 7,500 full time workers found that 23% were often in "burnout mode." About 44% "sometimes" entered a burnout mode.

Although the WHO do not yet recognize burnout as a medical condition, some researchers call it "an occupational disease." This is due not only to the high number of people — all across the globe — who report experiencing it, but also due to its important impact on well-being and quality of life.

According to the same researchers, some of the occupations most at risk of burnout are linked to professions that encounter high levels of stress, including healthcare, social work, police work, teaching, and customer services. Other professionals who have reported high levels of burnout include lawyers and academics.

So, what is burnout, and how is it different from other forms of occupational stress? If a person does experience burnout, how can they cope with it in the moment, and how can they learn to overcome it with time?

For this Spotlight feature, we spoke to professionals who have had burnout themselves, as well as experienced mental health and well-being coaches, to find out the whats, whys, and hows of this occupational hazard.

What is burnout?

For years, academics and mental health professionals alike have been working to put together a definition of burnout based on the most common causes and symptoms.

"In a nutshell, [burnout] is a syndrome brought on from chronic workplace stress that hasn't been successfully managed," explained Kat Hounsell.

Hounsell is the founder of everyday people, an organization (based in the United Kingdom) that offers leadership development, well-being coaching workshops, and mental health first aid training.

"[It] can include feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one's job, or negative/cynical feelings related to one's job — including reduced belief that [the person is] capable of doing the job and producing good results," she continued.

"Burnout can be defined as the loss of meaning in one's work, coupled with mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion as the result of long term, unresolved stress," agreed business neurolinguistic programming practitioner and mental health trainer Tania Diggory.

Diggory is also the founder and director of Calmer, which supports entrepreneurs and professional teams with mental health and well-being training.

However, burnout is not simply work related stress; a moderate amount of stress at work can even have positive outcomes. So what's the difference?

The difference between stress and burnout

Some studies have shown that stress can help boost a person's motivation, improving their mental performance in the short run. This was the conclusion of a study from the University of California, Berkeley, led by Elizabeth Kirby, who is now an assistant professor at Ohio State University in Columbus.

"Some amounts of stress are good to push you just to the level of optimal alertness, behavioral and cognitive performance," says Kirby.

There is nothing positive about burnout, Diggory told Medical News Today. "The difference between burnout and work related stress is the point at which it becomes a serious health issue," she explained.

"Stress is something we all go through and there are different degrees of stress [...]. However, studies have shown that ongoing, high levels of cortisol — the primary stress hormone — are not good for our well-being," Diggory said.

"When stress starts to build over a period of time and we experience symptoms of anxiety or low moods," she added, "this can lead to chronic stress and our cognitive skills can become impaired. By this, I mean that our working memory, our ability to think logically and carry out tasks effectively isn't as sharp as it usually is."

"High volumes of stress over a long period of time can lead to exhaustion and, therefore, burnout."
Tania Diggory
Why does burnout occur?

Being under constant pressure to achieve, with few opportunities to take real breaks from work, can add to a person's levels of stress. This can make them feel overwhelmed and more likely to reach the burnout stage.

people in a high stress work environment
Too intense a workload, paired with a toxic work environment and other sources of stress, can lead to burnout.
But aside from an overwhelming workload, other factors can also contribute to stress levels and lead to burnout.

For one person who spoke to MNT, these factors included financial stress, as well as instances of workplace bullying.

"I experienced burnout [...] in the second year of my Ph.D., when there was just a constant level of stress underlying everything that I was doing in my job," Robin told us.

"That was from the workload that I had, financial struggles that went along with it, some workplace bullying — my supervisor and my team were very unsupportive," they added.

Douglas, who used to work a public-facing job in a healthcare environment, mentioned that his relationship with his managers also increased his risk of burnout.

"I think it was a mixture of unachievable targets and often having to deliver bad news to people as part of the job [that led me to burnout]. My managers did not deal with stress well either, which often had a knock-on effect to the rest of the team," he told MNT.

Indeed, many of the people we spoke with explained that the example set by higher-ups and peers — who worked to exhaustion and did not put any time aside for mental or physical recovery — was an important contributing factor to engaging in behaviors that led to burnout and not recognizing this experience for what it was.

"I found it really hard to tell that I was experiencing burnout [when] I was, and when people told me that I was, I didn't believe them," said Sam. He entered burnout mode while juggling a full time postgraduate degree and a job in order to make ends meet.

"In a way, [I] kind of thought that I wasn't working enough. [...] You get pressure from almost all angles, and one of the things I think isn't talked about enough [in examples of academic burnout] is that natural, peer-to-peer pressure that you get."
Sam
"I'm thinking about the shared misery of working on a Saturday, past midnight, or posting photos on social media accounts [showing] that you're working on the beach although you should be on holiday. That sort of pressure, I think, really gets in your head," he added.

'A growing epidemic of should-based thinking'

Diggory told MNT that many aspects of modern society drive people to allow their work life to seep into time they should be dedicating to leisure and personal relationships.

"From my observation, modern day society is driven so much by technology that we are experiencing an ever-on culture, where you can be online, contactable, and search for information 24/7 — for the human body and its sensory system, this can be overwhelming in large volumes," she warned.

"In the context of business, while there are multiple benefits to being more globally connected than ever before, I've personally noticed a growing epidemic of should-based thinking. Because we can work anytime, it doesn't mean we need to."
Tania Diggory
"However," she added, "unhelpful thinking patterns such as 'I should be working more,' 'I should be checking my emails,' 'I should work late again, there's just too much to do...' can lead us to experience high levels of stress, overwhelm, and anxiety."

How does burnout affect people?

lonely person checking phone
Burnout can affect both physical and mental health and can be isolating.
"It was like I was swimming through a dark tunnel filled with custard. It sounds kind of stupid, but basically I was wading through this dense, horrible time."

This is how Sam described what burnout felt like to him.

Burnout can affect well-being and quality of life in various ways. This can lead to poor physical and mental health, as well as a sense of isolation from other people. It can also contribute to anhedonia, which is a loss of pleasure in activities that used to be pleasurable.

Describing what the burnout zone looks like to them, Robin told us, "I was working myself into the ground for a long time and stayed up until 2 a.m., not eating properly, just focusing on research and work constantly, and giving all of my time and energy to that without spending any time on things that I used to enjoy doing."

They also added that they had become quite isolated. Sam described a similar state of isolation, as did Sarah, another person who spoke to MNT.

She exclaimed: "[Burnout] affected every part of my life! It impacted my ability to concentrate and focus on my work, I couldn't sleep, I was constantly worried about work but felt unable to actually do any, it led to an anxious procrastination where I was constantly worrying about work but unable to get anything productive accomplished."

She added that "[t]hese feelings of stress and inadequacy quickly had a negative effect on my friendships and relationships. For a period I felt unable to leave the house, making me feel increasingly socially isolated."

Tips on coping and recovery

In order to manage burnout and eventually overcome it, the first step is recognizing that you are experiencing it. As the people we spoke to have noted, this can be very difficult — especially if burnout leads you to increasingly isolate yourself from others.

Also, if colleagues and peers are facing a high amount of work related stress and fail to recognize that they are close to burnout, it can make things even more difficult.

However, one way of getting to the root of the problem is by sharing your experiences with others.

Robin told us that it was through speaking to friends that they realized they were experiencing burnout — and that their peers were experiencing it, too.

For Sarah, the understanding that she was in burnout mode also came from speaking to a friend.

"I reached out to a friend who was in a similar position, who mentioned she felt all her resources were completely depleted, she mentioned feeling burned out and I thought: 'That's it! I'm exhausted and feel I have nothing left to give to my work,'" Sarah told MNT.

What happens once you recognize that you're experiencing burnout? Where do you go from there? Kat Hounsell advised breaking the cycle of isolation. "Ask for help, you don't need to battle burnout alone," she said.

"Good workplaces will have supports in place for when team members need help, but they're not always well communicated."

"Find someone at work [who] you trust, and ask what's available, [such as] a confidential [employee assistance program] system, occupational health support, even flexible working opportunities."
Kat Hounsell
'Give yourself permission to take time off'

The next step in breaking through burnout is to make more time for yourself — with intention. All the people who spoke to MNT about their burnout experience said that carving out some time to do something enjoyable on a regular basis really helped.

"Taking time off and away from work helped! It was difficult to escape these [negative] feelings after hours and at the weekend without activities such as sports and playing music, although feeling low on energy could make these hard sometimes," Douglas told us.

Robin, Sam, and Sarah all said that taking up running helped them feel better both physically and mentally, motivated them to get out of the house regularly, and helped keep their minds off work related problems.

But any activity can be helpful, as long as it's something that you can use to relax and feel better. "There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to taking care of your mental and physical well-being," said Diggory.

"So to start with, it's essential to give yourself permission to take time off work and enable yourself to build your inner strength."

"If you imagine you'd broken your leg, you wouldn't expect to get on with life as normal without taking appropriate rest and recuperation, until you'd built up the physical strength you needed."
Tania Diggory

Not just an individual responsibility

manager showing support
Organizations must put into place systems that support employees' well-being.
Although everyone should try to set healthful boundaries in their work life, to learn to say "no" when workload becomes overwhelming, and to ask for help when they need it, the responsibility of preventing and overcoming burnout does not only rest with the individual.

Organizations must also put into place systems that will foster employees' well-being, so that they are able to stay healthy and productive.

"At an organizational level, one top tip is for the business to accept that burnout happens, and that a culture that fosters well-being and good mental health is a must-have. A foundation building block is to conduct regular stress risk assessments (and act on the output)," advised Hounsell.

Diggory agreed. "I believe the solution [to tackling burnout] is reliant on organizations implementing a well-being strategy to nurture a mentally healthy culture in their workplaces; a happy business starts with managers and their staff," she told MNT.

Yet she added that people can take some steps in preventing burnout, particularly by "replac[ing] the 'shoulds' with 'coulds.'"

For instance, she said that if you find yourself thinking, "I could work more," instead, try telling yourself: "I've worked a lot today, and I deserve a break. I'll preserve my energy levels for my family [and] friends, and then feel at my best for work tomorrow."

She challenged our readers to reassess their thought patterns, asking them, "What choice will you make today?"

Disclaimer: We have changed the names of all the interviewees featured in this article to protect their identities.

kokonut

World’s first app to monitor elderly and disabled

RightMinder is the world’s first free app that helps caregivers monitor the movements of the elderly, the young and people with disabilities by providing alerts through smartwatches.

The recently launched patent-pending app provides Fall Detection, First Alert Monitoring and Alerts, GPS location reporting and multiple First Alert Carer connections.

RightMinder has been created to connect “Wearers” and “Carers”.  While RightMinder is specifically designed for Android smartwatches (for Wearers), the First Alert and Fall Detection functionality is also available on the mobile phone. However, RightMinder strongly recommends using a smartwatch for the app. It has a user-friendly user interface and Wearers need not be seen wearing chunky hardware other than a discreet smartwatch.

How it works is simple. RightMinder Wearers are securely connected to one or more Carers who can then monitor battery life, location and access fast-touch call buttons. If a Wearer triggers a Fall Detection, or if they send an emergency First Alert, their Carers all receive immediate notifications and emails to raise an emergency response. Carers then have the option to locate or call their Wearers immediately. Additionally, when battery life gets low, notifications are also sent to both the Wearer and Carers.

“Our core focus is to ensure Wearers maintain meaningful independence with an efficient, yet discreet safety and security alert system. Anyone can use RightMinder without lock-in contracts, nor do they need expensive custom hardware,” said Ben Slater, one of the co-founders of RightMinder. The app’s launch coincides with the release of Android Wear 2.0.

The app, available for download on Google Play Store, can be used even if Wearers and Carers live countries apart. It is coming soon to Apple Store (for Carers).

RightMinder also extends to people living with disabilities such as MS, dementia, brain trauma, epilepsy and other high need individuals.

seribulan

                Di sebalik kepopularan diet ketogenik            
                                                                        Sinar Harian |                                                 Ogos 05, 2019 11:41 MYT                                   
                                    
               
            
            
                                                                                                                                                                                AMALAN diet ketogenik yang membakar lemak untuk kurus. Adakah ia selamat diamalkan atau hanya memudaratkan diri kepada si pengamalnya? - Foto Sinar Harian

                           
                                                                                        SEJAK kebelakangan ini, ramai tertanya tentang status diet ketogenik yang semakin popular. Adakah diet sebegitu selamat atau hanya membinasakan tubuh badan untuk jangka masa panjang?

Ramai mendakwa, diet ketogenik yang menukar sumber makanan utama berunsurkan karbohidrat boleh mengundang tekanan pada tubuh.

Apa tidaknya, ada sesetengah yang mempraktikkan diet sedemikian mengadu badan berasa letih dan tidak bermaya selama beberapa minggu yang pertama, yang dipanggil sebagai kitosis (tubuh sedang cuba menyesuaikan diri menggunakan keton sebagai sumber bahan).

Bagaimanapun, dari satu sudut lain, beberapa kajian mendedahkan, melalui ketogenik, ia boleh membantu penderita sawan dan kencing manis untuk tidak bergantung kepada ubat untuk tempoh masa yang agak lama.

Sebelum pergi jauh, apa sebenarnya yang dimaksudkan dengan diet ketogenik?

PIRAMID makanan diet ketogenik yang boleh dijadikan panduan. - Foto Sinar Harian




Seperti yang dijelaskan menerusi portal antarabangsa Healthline, pada kelazimannya, tubuh manusia menggunakan glukosa sebagai sumber tenaga dan ia biasanya diperoleh daripada diet harian.

Bekalan glukosa biasanya hanya boleh bertahan selama 24 jam selepas pengambilannya. Selepas tempoh itu, sistem metabolisme akan mengatur mekanisme alternatif untuk membakar simpanan lemak yang disimpan di dalam tubuh. Pada saat itulah, jadual diet ketogenik bermula.

Cara pemakanan diet akan memaksa tubuh membakar lemak secara berterusan dengan memastikan bekalan karbohidrat sentiasa dikawal pada tahap rendah. Justeru, makanan yang kaya dengan sumber lemak harus dibekalkan kepada tubuh.

Sumber lemak mewakili hingga 80 peratus keperluan kalori manakala bakinya barulah datangnya daripada sumber karbohidrat dan protein.

Setiap menu harus mengandungi empat kali ganda sumber lemak berbanding dengan karbohidrat dan protein. Sumber minuman juga turut dipantau kerana minuman membekalkan sumber tenaga kepada tubuh.                                                

Menurut Dr Zubaidi, kajian awal menunjukkan diet ketogenik membantu dua daripada tiga kanak-kanak yang mengalami penyakit sawan. Foto Sinar Harian




Pakar Kesihatan, Dr Zubaidi Ahmad menerusi Facebooknya menerangkan, diet ketogenik lebih kepada satu peraturan pemakanan dengan penekanan kepada makanan tinggi lemak dan rendah karbohidrat.

Menurutnya, matlamat utama jenis pemakanan tersebut ialah bagi membolehkan tubuh membakar lemak dan bukan glukosa untuk tenaga memandangkan diet ketogenik tinggi lemak dan protein.

“Peraturan makanan diet itu akan memaksa tubuh dalam keadaan ketosis yang mana keton akan digunakan sebagai sumber bahan bakar lemak,” katanya.

Keton merupakan hasil sampingan daripada metabolisme lemak (membakar lemak).

Ujar Dr Zubaidi lagi, kajian awal menunjukkan diet ketogenik membantu dua daripada tiga kanak-kanak yang mengalami penyakit sawan (epilepsi).

“Namun, diet jenis ini perlu diurus dengan ketat dan memerlukan komitmen seluruh ahli keluarga,” katanya.

Mengulas lanjut, pakar itu berkata, para doktor masih belum memahami dengan pasti kaitan antara tenaga daripada lemak dan bagaimana sumber tenaga dapat membantu penderita penyakit sawan mengatasi kekejangan.

“Penggunaan diet meniru gaya berlapar dikenalpasti sebagai cara terbaik menangani serangan sawan berbanding penggunaan ubat sintetik dan pembedahan. Bagaimanapun, tidak semua penderita penyakit sawan menerima kesan yang sama daripada perlaksanaan diet ketogenik.

“Kebanyakan pakar pemakanan mengatakan diet ini patut dicuba setelah dua atau lebih ubatan gagal mengawal kekejangan.

"Tambahan lagi penggunaan ubatan boleh mendatangkan kesan sampingan yang membimbangkan," ujar beliau.

Detoks cuci usus

Dalam pada itu, pemilik Poliklinik Penawar yang juga Perunding Kesihatan D’ Jue Wellness, Dr Siti Juariah Kusni atau Dr Jue menegaskan, diet bukan sekadar untuk menguruskan badan semata-mata.

Dr Jue berkata, amalan diet ketogenik atau kaedah lain tidak akan berjaya jika seseorang itu masih gagal mengamalkan cara pemakanan sihat dan tidak menjaga usus. - Foto Sinar Harian




“Bagi diet ketogenik, amalannya sesuai untuk penghidap kencing manis kerana menu makanan tidak akan meningkatkan gula dalam darah.

“Banyak manfaat sebenarnya diet itu terutama kepada mereka yang mempunyai penyakit sawan, kanser, ketumbuhan, ekzema, autoimun memandangkan jadual pemakanan tiada melibatkan gula,” katanya.

Untuk menguruskan badan melalui diet tersebut, tidaklah susah. Seseorang hanya perlu mengambil makanan yang mempunyai kalori rendah dan mempelbanyakkan lemak bagus.

“Kalau mahu kunyah-kunyah, boleh makan kacang almond, gajus, walnut atau kacang sihat yang lain.

"Kena ambil tahu glisemik indeks (GI) pada makanan yang diambil kerana diet ketogenik kena ambil GI rendah.

“Apa itu GI? GI mengukur kepantasan karbohidrat menaikkan paras glukosa dalam darah. Insulin akan dirangsang naik ke sel lemak dan itu menyebabkan kita gemuk,” katanya.

Atas faktor itu, diet ketogenik tidak menggalakkan menikmati nasi. Sebagai pengganti, perlu ditukar kepada barli.

“GI barli sangat rendah dan boleh dipelbagaikan resepi bagi menggantikan nasi. Ini menu mudah dan murah sesuai dengan cita rasa orang kita dan ada menu lain yang mahal harganya tapi ikut kemampuan masing-masing.

“Satu lagi zucchini pun sedap dimakan. Boleh jadi pengganti mi atau spageti. Sebenarnya kita kena kreatif mencipta menu sihat ikut selera sendiri.

“Telur juga satu makanan diet yang cukup hebat. Lagi bagus ayam kampung sebab apa yang kita perlukan semuanya ada dalam sebiji telur itu,” katanya.

Nasihat Dr Jue, amalan diet ketogenik atau kaedah lain tidak akan berjaya jika seseorang itu masih gagal mengamalkan cara pemakanan sihat dan tidak menjaga usus.

“Kena ambil maklum mengenai kesihatan usus sebab bila tak sihat, bakteria baik rosak, jadi semua yang kita makan diserap dalam darah sekali gus menjadi punca diet tak kurus-kurus.

“Kena rawat terlebih dulu dan kalau boleh, buatlah amalan detoks sebulan sekali untuk mencuci usus,” sarannya.

kokonut

Tooth Talk: Getting Sensitive?

Most adults would have experienced it at some point in their lives- that short, sharp stabbing pain in the mouth when you take cold, hot, sweet or sour food or brush your teeth.

Dentine hypersensitivity, more popularly known as sensitive teeth, is sometimes referred to as the ‘common cold in dentistry’ because it is among the most frequent oral complaint.

Globally, dentine hypersensitivity affects up to 57 percent of dental patients worldwide, while local studies show that up to 14% of Malaysians suffer from some degree of tooth sensitivity.

The prevalence seems to be increasing, especially among youngsters who consume a lot of soft drinks and acidic foods. The high sugar content in soft drinks erode the enamel layer of the teeth over time, slowly giving rise of tooth sensitivity.

Elderly people are also more prone to getting it, as they are now keeping their natural teeth for a longer time. More people are also using bleaching and tooth-whitening products for cosmetic reasons, which may cause tooth sensitivity later on.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Healthy dentine is covered by enamel above the gumline and by cementum below the gum line. Dentine has tiny openings called tubules. Inside each tubule lies a nerve branch that comes from the tooth’s pulp (the nerve centre of the tooth).

When the dentine is exposed, extreme temperature or pressure can affect these nerve branches. This causes hypersensitivity and pain when the nerves comes into contact with external stimuli such as cold water, sweet, sour, cold or hot foods.

Dentine exposure can be caused by various factors, such as over or under brushing, frequent exposure to acidic foods and use of hard-bristled toothbrushes.

FINDING SOLUTIONS

Despite it being a common problem, many people do not seek treatment because they think the pain is temporary and will one day magically disappear. Some assume that dentine sensitivity is a normal part of ageing, whereas others just don’t talk about it, fearing that it indicates they have poor oral hygiene.

Most people simply change their lifestyle or adopt coping tactics to avoid the pain. These include avoiding sweet or sour foods, ice, ice-cream or using warm water when brushing their teeth.

Dentists warn that sensitive teeth, if left untreated, can lead to other oral problems such as the formation of plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis, even tooth loss in severe cases, because people tend to avoid brushing the sensitive areas, thus allowing bacteria to flourish there.

The good news is that sensitive teeth are treatable. Here’s what you can do to reduce your tooth sensitivity over time:

• Choose soft-bristled toothbrushes that won’t injure your enamel
• Learn proper tooth-brushing methods
• Avoid or reduce consumption of acidic foods and drinks
• Avoid bleaching or tooth whitening agents
• Ask your pharmacist for toothpaste that are specially designed for sensitive teeth
• Extreme cases will require invasive treatments such as root canal treatment or tooth restoration
  

emilyjones

Nice Post & keep Sharing

Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver, which is accompanied by damage to its tissues and an aggravation of the general condition of the body. ... Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver, due to damage to the liver tissue, there is a significant aggravation of the general condition of the body. You can buy Hepatitis, Anticancer & HIV, Generic medicine online at 100% Lowest price in Indian Pharmacy Medixo CentreMedixo Centre and Second Option Heptopic is a leading international specialty online pharmacy the USA.

kokonut

Parenting of adults

How do you continue being a parent when your children are old enough to be parents themselves? Priya Kulasagaran finds out.

In the West, or at least in Hollywood movies, living with one’s parents as an adult is supposed to be a source of shame. However, the tide is shifting: in America for instance, one in three millennials currently live with their parents. Most of them are hardly slackers as well, with three quarters of them being either employed or continuing their studies.

Over here in Asia, such a lifestyle arrangement is hardly news. Culturally, returning home after high school or college is not only encouraged, but expected. Most children will stay with their parents up until marriage and some even after marriage. Children are meant to stay with their parents to be taken care of, and as the parents grow older, the children are expected to take care of their parents in their home.

What may be shifting however, are the expectations of parents and their adult children who live under the same roof. “I think we’re in an adjustment phase between traditional Asian culture and modern lifestyles,” says Rachel Morais, 65. “I lived with my parents until I got married, but I also had adult responsibilities. What worries me now is when I see grown children wanting the comforts of home without doing anything to pitch in themselves. These people will find it harder to cope when they do have to live out on their own.”

Rachel says that while she has no issues with her three adult daughters living with her, anecdotes from her friends seem to indicate that some parents have yet to let their children do the hard work of “adulting”. “The issue is not so much the children living at home, but more of whether they can function without their parents. An older retired couple I know still has their 34-year-old son living with them, and they do everything for him: from doing all the chores to even paying his bills. He doesn’t even know how to turn on the washing machine,” she adds.

By contrast, Rachel’s approach with her children is to strike a balance between being helpful and maintaining boundaries. “Of course, I will do anything for them if they need my help, but I’ve made it clear that they need to be independent. My children contribute to the bills, because they know I have limited funds. We also have a timetable of chores, so everyone does their share. It’s almost like living with housemates in a way; we’re all adults now, and everyone should behave as such,” she says.

Breaking old patterns

For Dennis Lai, 61, having his twenty-something son move back home after university meant revisiting old habits. Although being fully independent while pursuing his studies in Australia, his son seemed to revert back to being a teenager when he returned to the country.

“At first we were just so happy to have him home again,” laughs Sim. “He wanted to take some time off before looking for a job, and we agreed. One month became two months, and on and on. He was doing some part-time work here and there, but we were supporting him financially for the most part; his pay was just his own pocket money. He was content to wake up late and hang out with his friends. My wife would occasionally grumble about him not doing chores, but we let him be because we wanted to be supportive parents. We still saw him as our little boy.”

As almost a year passed in this manner, Sim decided one day that things had to change. The turning point was in feeling that his son was not learning to cultivate a good working ethic. “I was worried about how he was going to make his way in the world once we are gone. We tried talking and motivating him to do something with his life, but it fell on deaf ears. So I made a bit of a drastic decision: he had to start paying rent, or he would have to move out. The ‘rate’ was not much, but apparently it was enough for him to go out there and get a job,” shares Sim.

As her children were growing up, P. Malar admits to being a bit of a “helicopter parent”. “I had less issues with my older daughter, but with my younger son, I felt like I had to push him a lot more for his own good,” says the 56-year-old. “He also used to have terrible asthma, so naturally I was protective of him. Looking back, I may have been a bit too protective.”

Malar’s epiphany was not borne out of her own experience, but rather encountering more overbearing parents. A former lecturer, she recalls having to field complaints and meddling from parents of her students — even after they had graduated. “One parent, of a 25-year-old mind you, was really infamous for this. The student was already working, and the mother asked us to go speak to the employer because she felt that her child was being ‘overworked’! The student herself was pleasant, but I noticed that she was very shy, lacked confidence, and just couldn’t make the simplest of decisions. I started to wonder if my son would turn out the same way,” she says.

Now in his early twenties, Malar’s son has proven to be a well-adjusted adult, but Malar believes their relationship is a work in progress. “Compared to my daughter, he is more reluctant to discuss his life with me — I think it is because in the past, I used to immediately want to ‘fix’ things instead of just listening to him,” she says. “So these days, instead of pestering him for details, I let him come to me if he needs help. It’s hard sometimes, to see him making the same mistakes I did at his age, but he needs to find his own way of being an adult.”

seribulan

Neurology / Neuroscience

Smartphone-controlled device could deliver drugs into the brainPublished: 2 hours ago Written by: Maria Cohut

An international research team has designed a wireless, smartphone-controlled device that is able to deliver drugs straight into the brain. It can also stimulate brain cells using light. So far, the scientists have tested this device in mice.
In a new effort — the results of which they have reported in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering — researchers from the United States and the Republic of Korea have come together to devise a new brain implant able to both stimulate brain cells and to deliver drugs straight to the brain.

The novel device, which the researchers call "wireless optofluidic brain probes," is easily controllable using smartphone technology.

"The wireless neural device enables chronic chemical and optical neuromodulation that has never been achieved before," says lead study author Raza Qazi.

Qazi is affiliated with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in Daejeon, the Republic of Korea, as well as with the University of Colorado Boulder.

The team has developed the new tool in the hopes that doctors may one day be able to use it to find out more about the possible causes of various conditions that affect the brain. These include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, addiction, and clinical depression.

For the time being, however, the researchers have been testing and perfecting their device in mice.

Creating a 'revolutionary device'

The team wanted to design a device that was easier to use and longer lived than existing probe models. Existing models tend to rely on rigid metal tubes and optical fibers when it comes to delivering stimuli or drugs to the brain.

Old fashioned probes are cumbersome, and they can also cause brain legions due to their rigidity. Also, they can only deliver a limited quantity of drugs into the brain.

The new device, however, is lighter. It also uses tiny replaceable cartridges that contain the drugs. This way, scientists can remove and replace them with fresh, drug filled cartridges as necessary.

Moreover, the probes it uses are very thin — no thicker than a human hair, in fact. It also uses bluetooth low energy, which the team can control using smartphone technology, to release drugs into the brain and to stimulate selected brain cells. Both of these innovations allow researchers to use the device more safely and for longer periods of time.

Not only that, but they could also set up automated animal study models in which they could manipulate animals' behavior by targeting particular brain cells using the wireless device.

Study author Prof. Michael Bruchas also emphasizes the device's clinical potential in allowing researchers to develop new therapies for pain, as well as for neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions.

"It allows us to better dissect the neural circuit basis of behavior, and how specific neuromodulators in the brain tune behavior in various ways," he explains.

"We are also eager to use the device for complex pharmacological studies, which could help us develop new therapeutics for pain, addiction, and emotional disorders," adds Prof. Bruchas.

For the moment, the research team will continue to work on this device, hoping to eventually apply it to targeted clinical research.

"This revolutionary device is the fruit of advanced electronics design and powerful micro and nanoscale engineering."
Study co-author Prof. Jae-Woong Jeong
"We are interested in further developing this technology to make a brain implant for clinical applications," says Prof. Jeong.

kokonut

Do you have a good relationship with your body?

When you look in the mirror who do you see? Someone you love or someone you despise?

Everyone knows that having good communication skills will help build and maintain solid relationships with others —be it business partners, colleagues, friends or loved ones. Great supportive relationships make life worthwhile. So it’s not a surprise that there are a whole list of articles, books and even training courses that focus on building good relationships with other people but how about you and your body? Psychologist from Sunway Medical Centre, Jessie Foo, shares her advice on the importance of nurturing a healthy, happy relationship with your body.

The essence

When it comes to building a relationship with your body, it all boils down to perception. “It is how you perceive your physical appearance and what you tell yourself about your body,” says Foo.  However, it doesn’t just stop there. Foo elaborates that the way you feel about how other people perceive your body also reflects on the kind of relationship you have with it.

The building blocks

Foo says that there are a few factors which can influence the relationship you have with your body. This includes:

• Comments from others
  

Comments and remarks can have a huge impact on the relationship you have with your body. Positive comments will make you feel good while negative ones can affect the way you see yourself. “Besides receiving direct comments about your body, hearing what others think of their own bodies can also affect you,” says Foo. For example, if you know a friend who has a healthy body size but continuously calls herself fat.

• Media
  

The media shapes a lot of your perception and the way you feel about your body. Foo reasons that this is mainly because of our constant exposure to it. “Even though the information you receive from the media doesn’t represent reality because of the constant focus on certain body shapes, you will tend to believe this is how most people around us look and that is the way your body shape should be,” she says.

• Experience of abuse
  

“If a person was a victim of physical, verbal or sexual abuse, the experience can affect the person’s perception of themselves,” says Foo.

• Discrimination
  

There are various types of discrimination including size discrimination. This could mean shopping at a clothing store and finding out that the store does not accommodate your body size. When you’re discriminated, it’ll affect your relationship with your body.

It all starts with you

“Generally, having a good relationship with your body means that you will have a healthy body image, good self-esteem and self-confidence. You’ll also believe in yourself a little bit more,” explains Foo.

Besides that, a good relationship with your body also makes you worry less about how your body looks. Foo also adds that when you have a healthy connection with your body, you will not be obsessive when it comes to what you look like, the type of food you eat and how much you weigh. “In fact, you’ll have a better relationship with food as well because you worry less about counting calories.”

Foo emphasises that it’s important to remember that physical appearances say very little about character and personality. “Your looks do not reveal if you’re a good or bad person. However, when you have a bad relationship with your body, you will tend to link your body image with who you are” she says. This is also known as self-prophecy belief.

“When you have this kind of belief, you tend to act and respond in a way that reflects who you believe you are. The more you act in a certain way, it’ll gradually match the belief in your mind and the responses you receive from others will confirm that too,” explains Foo.So, for example, if you do not have a good relationship with your body and you think that everyone hates you, people will eventually stay away from you. “It’s a vicious cycle.”

Get better at it

If you’re not having a good relationship with your body, here’s what you can do to improve it. Firstly, Foo’s advice is to shift from focusing on numbers to healthier goals. “If you think about it, people focus a lot on the numbers such as the amount of calories they consume and their weight. If you believe that you need to achieve a certain weight by a certain time and when you’re too preoccupied with that, you might end up resorting to certain types of unhealthy behaviours. This could lead to your goals but will not be helpful in the long term.”

The behaviours Foo is referring to include extreme exercising, extreme dieting and eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. Instead of focusing on the numbers, Foo suggests that you should set your own healthy goals. This way, you will gradually develop a healthier way to perceive your body and this will improve your relationship with it. Some examples of healthy goals, she shares includes, “Aiming to do certain types of exercises such as jogging with the family or eating three meals a day with the focus on proper nutrition.”

Make the adjustment

“In some cases whereby a poor relationship with your body is negatively affecting your quality of life, seeking professional help is ideal,” advises Foo. At times, who you think you are, may not be exactly who you really are. So, it is best to speak to a professional who can help you with this. “Even if professional help is not what you’re looking for, it is important to re-focus your attention towards developing and loving yourself,” she says. “You should learn how to appreciate yourself.”

Did you know?

How often you compare yourself to others will change the way you develop a relationship with your body. According to Foo, “Research shows that the more you compare yourself with others, the more you tend to have a negative perception about your body.”

Where do you stand?

Image 1 is a figure scale which is often used as a guide to help you identify the relationship you have with your body. What you would need to do is:

• Select the image you think you look like
• Select your ideal image
• Minus the ideal number of the ideal image and the image you think you look like
  

“Generally, the closer the gap between the numbers, the better your relationship with your body,” explains Foo. “This is just a guide so if you have any concerns, it is best to speak to a professional,” she reiterates.

kokonut

Women & Stroke

Stroke is often believed to afflict men more than women but statistics show that the opposite is true.

In the United States, around 55,000 more women have a stroke each year compared to men. Stroke has also been recognised as the number three cause of death in women and number four in men. According to Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association, women face a greater risk of having a stroke than men.

It is important to note that although both men and women with conditions such as hypertension and diabetes have a similar risk of having a stroke, there are unique aspects of a woman’s health that may increase her risk.

Both men and women share the signs and symptoms of stroke such as feeling weakness or pain in the arms and legs, arm, jaw or throat pain and the more prevalent chest pain but women tend to describe their pain differently.

Oestrogen conundrum

One of the main differences between the sexes is a hormone called oestrogen. Oestrogen is the primary female sex hormone that plays a major role in a woman’s menstrual cycle and is thought to protect the arteries from damage, before menopause. Before menopause, oestrogen is naturally produced by a woman’s ovaries. However, there are many elements that may alter the effect of this important female hormone.

The consumption of oral contraceptives has increased among women and many women take Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC) pills. COCs contain both oestrogen and progesterone which prevent pregnancy by thickening cervical mucus, inhibiting the release of the ovary and altering the shape of the uterine wall.

Oral contraceptives increase the risk of stroke in women who are over the age of 35 and who smoke. Additionally, in some women, oral contraceptives may also increase the risk of blood clots which may lead to stroke as well.

Labour of love

Pregnancy is unique to women and while childbirth is a ‘labour of love’, it is also important to know that it affects a woman’s risk for stroke. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada if a woman has medical conditions such as a ‘pre-existing blood vessel malformation’ or eclampsia (seizures in a woman with pre-eclampsia), a stroke could occur during childbirth or in the first few weeks after.

Another problem that crops up during pregnancy is pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related complication which is characterised by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Excreting protein in the urine is an indication that there is a problem with the kidneys. The American Heart Association says that pre-eclampsia can the risk of stroke later in the mother’s life. With safe blood pressure medications that won’t harm the baby, pre-eclampsia can be managed until childbirth.

Other than pre-eclampsia, some women may develop gestational diabetes. As a woman’s body is flooded with pregnancy hormones, it may interfere with insulin levels. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after delivery but it also increases both the mother’s and baby’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes down the road and this is a risk factor of stroke.

Drastic decrease

When a woman stops menstruating for 12 consecutive months, she has reached menopause. During menopause, there is a drastic decrease in oestrogen and progesterone in the body.

Some women could experience an increase in total blood cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL, bad cholesterol) and blood fat levels, decrease in High Density Lipoprotein (HDL, good cholesterol), increase in blood pressure, and increase in belly fat before (perimenopause) and after menopause. All of these changes are risk factors for stroke and heart disease as well.

Go for an overhaul

The best way to prevent stroke is to overhaul negative health habits. Separate the risk factors into the ones you can control such as smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and obesity and the ones you have no control over like your age, gender, family history and ethnicity.

Quitting smoking may seem like an impossible task and there is no doubt that it is a difficult habit to break but the discomfort of quitting is certainly worth extra few years of life. There are plenty of places and sources that can help you quit.

Good control of conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol could help reduce your risk of stroke. Exercising and eating right will help greatly when it comes to managing your weight, cholesterol, diabetes and blood pressure.

If you’re concerned about your risk of stroke, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your general practitioner. He or she will be able to give you more insight and advice regarding stroke and its risk factors.

How to reduce your risk of stroke

Quit it – When you quit smoking, your risk of stroke could be reduced to the level of a lifetime non-smoker after just 5 years.

Move it – People who exercise more than 5 times a weekhave reduced risk of stroke. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the US recommends at least 150 minutesof moderate activity (brisk walking, bicycling) per week along with at least 2 days of weight training exercises.

Kick it – Kick your drinking habit to the curb. Consuming alcohol can increase blood pressure and stroke risk. Moderation should be practiced so aim for not more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women.

Eat it – Have more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Cut down your intake of red meat and have more seafood instead. Limit your intake of sodium, solid fats, added sugars and refined grains. Increase physical activity and ingest less calories.

References: Circulation: American Heart Association; American Stroke Association; Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada; Stroke.org; WebMD.

seribulan

Nutrition / Diet

Why fish may become more toxic than everPublished: 3 hours ago Written by: Maria Cohut

Many species of fish — several of which end up on our plates — are displaying increasing levels of methylmercury, a very toxic substance. Why is this happening? Researchers from Harvard University believe that they may have the answer.
Methylmercury is a form of mercury and a very toxic compound. It often forms through mercury's contact with bacteria from different environments.

More often than not, people become exposed to methylmercury by eating fish and seafood, as many species of water dwelling animals end up ingesting this substance.

Many fish that live in the sea also get exposure to methylmercury through their diet. Algae absorb organic methylmercury, so the fish that eat algae will also absorb this toxic substance.

Then, when the larger fish at the top of the food chain eat these fish, they too accumulate methylmercury. In this way, fish and other creatures who are at the top of the food chain end up accumulating more and more of this toxic compound.

While exposure to methylmercury through fish and shellfish has always been a concern, some researchers believe that the levels of toxic compounds present in this staple of many cuisines around the world are increasing.

At the moment, according to recent research, approximately 82% of the exposure to methylmercury that consumers in the United States get comes from eating seafood.

In a new study, the results of which appear in the journal Nature, researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in Cambridge, MA, and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA, suggest that levels of methylmercury in fish such as cod, Atlantic bluefin tuna, and swordfish are on the rise.

The reason? According to the research team, we should blame the ill effects of global climate change.

"This research is a major advance in understanding how and why ocean predators, such as tuna and swordfish, are accumulating mercury," says senior author Prof. Elsie Sunderland.

The importance of prey

In their study, the researchers analyzed 30 years' worth of data on the ecosystem of the Gulf of Maine in the Atlantic Ocean. As part of this analysis, they studied what two marine predators — the Atlantic cod and the spiny dogfish — ate from the 1970s to 2000s.

The findings indicated that for cod, methylmercury levels have increased by 6–20% since the 1970s. In contrast, the levels of this toxic compound have decreased by 33–61% in spiny dogfish.

The researchers explain this intriguing contrast by looking at what each species was able to eat throughout the decades. The team notes that in the 1970s, the herring population — prey for both cod and dogfish — decreased significantly in the Gulf of Maine due to overfishing.

Thus, each of the predator species had to turn to other sources of food. Cod started preying primarily on shads and sardines, smaller fish that typically have very low levels of methylmercury. As a result, cod's methylmercury levels also decreased.

At the same time, spiny dogfish turned to preying on squid and other cephalopods, which, as predators themselves, have higher levels of methylmercury than herring. This new diet also led to an increase in methylmercury levels in dogfish.

However, in the 2000s, the herring population in the Gulf of Maine reverted to normal. Little by little, the tables turned accordingly: Cod methylmercury levels increased again, while dogfish methylmercury levels decreased.

But, this change in food availability is not the only factor that influences the levels of toxic compounds present in larger fish, the study authors observe.

Warming seawater increases the threat

Researchers at first found it difficult to account for rising methylmercury levels in tuna just by looking at what these fish ate. However, they found a different connection.

Tuna fish are a migratory species that swim at very high speeds. Therefore, they use up a lot of energy and need to eat more to maintain their speed and agility.

"These [...] fish eat a lot more for their size but, because they swim so much, they don't have compensatory growth that dilutes their body burden. So, you can model that as a function," explains first author Amina Schartup, talking about the information that she and her colleagues needed to build their model of methylmercury level rates among fish.

But, there is also another key factor that influences how much energy fish need to swim and, therefore, how much they need to eat. This factor is global warming.

According to the researchers, the Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming bodies of water in the world.

"Northward migration of the Gulf Stream and decadal oscillations in ocean circulation have led to unprecedented seawater warming in the Gulf of Maine between a low point in 1969 and 2015, which places this region in the top 1% of documented seawater temperature anomalies," the authors write in their study paper.

And, the warmer the water, the more energy the fish need to expend to swim, which means that they eat a greater number of smaller fish and end up having a higher intake and accumulation of methylmercury.

Between 2012 and 2017, the researcher found that Atlantic bluefin tuna saw an increase in methylmercury levels by as much as 3.5% each year.

Researchers make grim predictions

Using all of this information, the researchers were able to come up with a model predicting the increase in methylmercury levels in sea dwelling fish.

"This model allows us to look at all these different parameters at the same time, just as it happens in the real world," explains Schartup.

This model suggests that "for a 5-[kilogram] spiny dogfish," a temperature increase of 1°C in seawater could lead to a "70% increase in tissue [methylmercury] concentrations." For cod, the increase would be 32%.

"Being able to predict the future of mercury levels in fish is the holy grail of mercury research. That question has been so difficult to answer because, until now, we didn't have a good understanding of why methylmercury levels were so high in big fish."
Amina Schartup
"We have shown that the benefits of reducing mercury emissions holds, irrespective of what else is happening in the ecosystem. But, if we want to continue the trend of reducing methylmercury exposure in the future, we need a two-pronged approach," adds Prof. Sunderland.

"Climate change is going to exacerbate human exposure to methylmercury through seafood, so to protect ecosystems and human health, we need to regulate both mercury emissions and greenhouse gases," she warns.

kokonut

Tooth Talk: Getting Sensitive?

Most adults would have experienced it at some point in their lives- that short, sharp stabbing pain in the mouth when you take cold, hot, sweet or sour food or brush your teeth.

Dentine hypersensitivity, more popularly known as sensitive teeth, is sometimes referred to as the ‘common cold in dentistry’ because it is among the most frequent oral complaint.

Globally, dentine hypersensitivity affects up to 57 percent of dental patients worldwide, while local studies show that up to 14% of Malaysians suffer from some degree of tooth sensitivity.

The prevalence seems to be increasing, especially among youngsters who consume a lot of soft drinks and acidic foods. The high sugar content in soft drinks erode the enamel layer of the teeth over time, slowly giving rise of tooth sensitivity.

Elderly people are also more prone to getting it, as they are now keeping their natural teeth for a longer time. More people are also using bleaching and tooth-whitening products for cosmetic reasons, which may cause tooth sensitivity later on.

WHAT CAUSES IT?

Healthy dentine is covered by enamel above the gumline and by cementum below the gum line. Dentine has tiny openings called tubules. Inside each tubule lies a nerve branch that comes from the tooth’s pulp (the nerve centre of the tooth).

When the dentine is exposed, extreme temperature or pressure can affect these nerve branches. This causes hypersensitivity and pain when the nerves comes into contact with external stimuli such as cold water, sweet, sour, cold or hot foods.

Dentine exposure can be caused by various factors, such as over or under brushing, frequent exposure to acidic foods and use of hard-bristled toothbrushes.

FINDING SOLUTIONS

Despite it being a common problem, many people do not seek treatment because they think the pain is temporary and will one day magically disappear. Some assume that dentine sensitivity is a normal part of ageing, whereas others just don’t talk about it, fearing that it indicates they have poor oral hygiene.

Most people simply change their lifestyle or adopt coping tactics to avoid the pain. These include avoiding sweet or sour foods, ice, ice-cream or using warm water when brushing their teeth.

Dentists warn that sensitive teeth, if left untreated, can lead to other oral problems such as the formation of plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis, even tooth loss in severe cases, because people tend to avoid brushing the sensitive areas, thus allowing bacteria to flourish there.

The good news is that sensitive teeth are treatable. Here’s what you can do to reduce your tooth sensitivity over time:

• Choose soft-bristled toothbrushes that won’t injure your enamel
• Learn proper tooth-brushing methods
• Avoid or reduce consumption of acidic foods and drinks
• Avoid bleaching or tooth whitening agents
• Ask your pharmacist for toothpaste that are specially designed for sensitive teeth
• Extreme cases will require invasive treatments such as root canal treatment or tooth restoration
  

seribulan

No substantial gender differences'

The term multitasking describes the performance of a set of different tasks in a limited time period.

Engaging in multitasking requires a greater cognitive demand, as it involves a "temporal overlap of the cognitive processes involved in performing these tasks."

In other words, doing several things at the same time requires more cognitive energy than doing them one at a time.

In reality, rather than doing several things at once, the human brain switches rapidly between tasks during multitasking, which puts a strain on attention and cognitive resources.

Can multitasking boost rather than hinder performance?
Can multitasking boost rather than hinder performance?
The "illusion" of multitasking can boost a person's performance, one study finds.
READ NOW
To test gender differences in multitasking abilities, Hirsch and colleagues asked the participants to engage in two sets of activities.

In the first set of experiments, called "concurrent multitasking" or "dual tasking," the researchers asked the participants to pay attention to two tasks at the same time.


In the second set of experiments, called "sequential multitasking" or "task switching," the participants had to switch attention between tasks.

For both testing paradigms, the participants had to "categorize letters as consonant or vowel and digits as odd or even" using their index and middle fingers.

The team presented the stimuli to the left and right of a fixation point in the middle of a screen. These corresponded spatially to the keys that the participants had to press in order to categorize the letters and numbers.

"Stimuli presented to the left of the fixation cross were categorized with the Y and X keys of a QWERTZ keyboard and stimuli appearing to the right of the fixation cross with the N and M keys."

In the concurrent multitasking setup, the researchers presented the stimuli at the same time, while in the sequential multitasking setup, they presented them alternately.

During the experiments, the researchers measured the participants' reaction time and task accuracy.

The results of the experiments revealed that multitasking took its toll on reaction time and accuracy in men and women equally. The multitasking cost on these two measures was significant and comparable between men and women.

Additionally, across three underlying cognitive processes — working memory updating, task engagement and disengagement, and inhibition — men and women performed equally well, or equally bad, when they tried to multitask.

"The present findings strongly suggest that there are no substantial gender differences in multitasking performance across task switching and dual task paradigms."

Patricia Hirsch

Choichoi

Women who focus on career encouraged to freeze eggs


Career first. Babies later. That’s how modern women plan their lives today. The downside to this is by the time they’re ready to get pregnant, infertility problems may have already set in.

As a woman ages, the quantity and quality of her eggs decrease. So postponing pregnancy to their late 30s or even older becomes a challenge.

In the obstetric word, 35 is already a high-risk case, according to Dr Gia Pastorfide, reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist.

While aware that getting pregnant can be more difficult and risky later in life, most women don’t realize how early they need to start having children to avoid complications. In fact, Dr Pastorfide shared many women don’t think it unusual if they do not get pregnant after several years even while having regular, unprotected sex.

Not conceiving after a year of sex without protection is not natural, she pointed out. Obstetricians already define such cases as infertile. For women 35 years or older, it’s six months of regular, unprotected sex without getting pregnant.

Medical science, however, has since provided a solution that will allow women to build their careers first and still have babies when they’re older but with minimal challenges.

The answer is social egg freezing or oocyte cryopreservation.

It’s a project of Dr Pastorfide, who has preserved her eggs before she turned 35. The good news is that the technology is now available in the Philippines, through the Victory A.R.T. Laboratory, run by Dr Pastorfide, and her father Greg, the in vitro fertilization (IVF) pioneer in the Philippines.

Dr Gia admitted it is difficult to encourage more career-oriented women to get pregnant earlier than 35. So, they changed tactics and instead disseminate information about egg freezing.

She told MIMS that a lot of patients who came in for consults were of the impression that egg cryopreservation was only offered abroad. And this is probably because the technology only came a few years ago.

“In the past, what was frozen were only embryos. Because they are hardier and can survive the freeze-thaw process. But now, technology is more advanced and freezing more fragile eggs is possible.”

Unlike freezing embryos, which is what was being done before, women can keep their eggs frozen even without getting married. Victory only accepts embryos, or agrees to perform IVF for married couples.

Why freeze eggs? Dr Gia explained it is to preserve reproductive potential. Asked about the timeframe for its use, she said “as long as a woman has a uterus.”

Of course, it’s not simply a matter of bearing an infant but also raising the child, so putting it off for far too long is not ideal. But technically, even a menopausal woman can still carry a child from her frozen egg, she said.

The advantage of oocyte cryopreservation is the egg will not age. “If it was frozen at 25, it will remain that age.”

According to Dr Greg, the campaign is not just to have women preserve their eggs, but to do it while they are still younger, between 20 to 25. “You don’t have to wait until you’re 35.”

His daughter reiterated that the quality and quantity of eggs go down after age 35. Normally, a woman is born with a finite number of eggs. As they age, a certain number will die naturally, thereby reducing quantity.

And while preserving eggs at 30 does not necessarily guarantee 100 percent conception than if this is done at age 40, the one thing certain is it will be a better-quality embryo.

Women with career goals should consider this option to lessen complications of becoming pregnant later. In the past, egg freezing was only allowed if someone was very sick or had to undergo radiation.

Dr Greg explained you did not want the eggs and future eggs exposed to harmful procedures thus the freezing.

Today, women can have it preserved because you are dealing with something that is not human, he pointed out. You are simply saving it because ordinarily they die on their own naturally