Cervical Cancer The No.2 Killer Among Malaysian Women

In August 2014, the respected Medical Journal of Malaysia published a paper on “A Review of Cervical Cancer Research in Malaysia”. Its author, Dr Zaridah Shaffie, Consultant Gynecologist at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, Perlis, had pored over 57 research papers on various cervical cancer outlooks in Malaysia. 

In particular, she paid attention to the persistent infection of cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV), protection from HPV through vaccination, Pap smear screening struggles, and the attitude and knowledge of Malaysian women that contributed to the failure to reduce the number of cervical cancer cases as well as its mortality rate.

The second most widespread cancer among Malaysian women. 

Despite being preventable, cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer – number one being breast cancer – among women in Malaysia. It is also a top killer – ranked number four – of Malaysian women aged between 15 and 44. The occurrence of cervical cancer in Malaysia beats other Asian and Western countries, and the resulting deaths are over two times higher than the Netherlands, UK and Finland. 

Dr Zaridah’s literature review concluded that these unwelcome national cervical cancer statistics are due to the poor knowledge and attitude of Malaysian women, as well as an overall deficiency of nationwide awareness, especially when it comes to cervical cancer screening and prevention.

Lack of knowledge and limited awareness. 

Many studies revealed that Malaysian females – both teenagers and adults – lack understanding on HPV infection and cervical cancer, and this translates into their position on HPV vaccination.

Teenage girls. 

A study revealed that teenagers from rural Sarawak were deprived of cervical cancer knowledge and its prevention, and many did not accept the HPV vaccination. On the other hand, teenage girls living in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur also exhibited low knowledge of cervical cancer and its prevention. However, their attitude toward HPV vaccinations was encouraging.

Women. 

In another survey conducted, rural women in Malaysia had extremely poor knowledge toward cervical cancer and HPV. And their acceptance of the HPV inoculation had significant correlation with their knowledge of cervical screening and cervical cancer risk factors. These women didn’t agree to be vaccinated because they doubted the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, or were just mortified to be receiving a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease. 

In metropolitan Kuala Lumpur, women there also showed little knowledge of HPV and HPV vaccine. However, many agreed to immunize for their daughters against HPV if the vaccination was made routine and free.

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4 Steps to Check If Your Child Is Obese

Did you know that you there is a way to check if your child is obese or not? It is through the Body Mass Index or BMI and it only takes 4 steps to calculate it:

• Step 1: check your child’s weight in kilograms (kg)

• Step 2: measure your child’s height in meters (m)

• Step 3: divide the weight (kg) by the square of the height (m²)

• Step 4: plot the result in the correct BMI-for-age percentile chart for boys and girls

• If the BMI is falls less than the 5th percentile, your child is underweight.
• If it falls between the 5th and 85th percentile, he has normal weight.
• If the BMI is between the 85th and 95th percentile, then he is overweight.
• A BMI that is more than the 95th percentile means that your child is obese.

By knowing your child’s BMI, you as a parent can work with your healthcare provider to prevent unwanted health outcomes such as obesity in adulthood, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, kidney problems, psychiatric disease, and even low quality of life.

To achieve good body weight, allow your child to engage in regular exercise 30 minutes every day. Reduce sedentary time watching TV or playing video games.

Balanced Diet is Everything

Equally important is to encourage your child to eat a balanced diet. Avoid giving high-calorie and oily food. Keep in mind that feeding choices can greatly affect your child’s weight and increase his risk for obesity when he gets older. This has been proven by many studies that too much protein during the first years of life may cause rapid weight gain and obesity. Therefore, make sure that your child receives the right amount of protein as well as carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients during his meals.

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3 Growth Nutrients That You Need To Know

Your child needs different nutrients for growth and development. While each one is important, there are three major nutrients that you need to know right now - proteins, carbohydrates and fat.

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. 

When broken down, they become simple sugars. You can get carbohydrates from rice, bread, cereals, beans and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Fruits and milk are good sources of natural sugars.

Fats also provide energy. 

In addition, the body needs them to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. Examples of fat sources are red meat, butter, shortening and margarine. Many snacks, creamers and whipped cream also contain fats.

Protein is the basic building blocks of the body. 

It is probably the most important nutrient when it comes to the body’s development. Proteins are needed for repairing cells and for making new ones. Good sources of protein are fish, meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs. You can also get them from plant sources like legumes, beans and soy.

All these major nutrients are needed by the body. However, a child should only receive what’s enough to support his growth rate and development. Otherwise, giving too much can cause health problems.

Too Much of Nutrients

Think about it. In the past years, the number of overweight children has been increasing. One reason for this is feeding them with fast food that is loaded with fat, carbohydrates and calories. Many children also drink highly-sugared juices and sodas that can make them overweight. There are also recent studies showing that giving high amounts of protein during early childhood can cause an increase in body fat, faster weight gain and obesity.

Since we don’t want our kids to become obese, good eating habits must be started early. Feed them with nutritious food containing the recommended daily amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat. In addition, children should be encouraged to increase their physical activity and decrease sedentary lifestyle.

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WHAT CAN I EAT? – GESTATIONAL DIABETES

From the moment you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes you are likely to be faced with what seems like an endless list of new tasks: more clinic appointments, more blood tests, taking medications, being more active and eating a healthy, balanced diet. No wonder it can all seem so daunting and overwhelming.

One of your first questions is likely to be “what can I eat?” But, with so much to take in, you could still come away from appointments feeling unsure about the answer. And then, there are lots of myths about diabetes and food that you will need to navigate, too.

If you’ve just been diagnosed and aren’t sure about what you can and can’t eat, here’s what you need to know.

I've just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes ­– what can I eat ?

This may come as a surprise, but you don’t have to go on a special diet when have gestational diabetes. Depending on your current diet, you may have to eat less of some foods and more of others. In the past, people were sent away after their diagnosis with a list of foods they weren't allowed to eat, or often told to simply cut out sugar. Nowadays, you may need to make some changes to your diet, but it’s not a case of cutting things out. Rather, you’ll need to follow the same healthy, balanced diet that’s recommended to everyone.

Its all about Control

The main aim for managing gestational diabetes is ensuring that your blood glucose levels are under control, so your healthcare team will discuss targets that are right for you. Achieving the targets will increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and your food choices play a vital role in this. It is important to enjoy your meals while making changes to your food choices that are realistic and achievable. This will help control your blood glucose levels, and help prevent excessive weight gain during your pregnancy.

All carbohydrates will have an impact on your blood glucose levels so be aware of how much you eat. Try to choose nutritious carbohydrate-containing foods such as wholegrain starchy foods, pulses, fruit and vegetables as well as some dairy foods. Your healthcare team will help you understand how carbohydrates affect your blood glucose levels. You may be advised to:

• eat less carbohydrate
• choose better sources of carbohydrates
• spread your carbohydrates throughout the day

Ask to be referred to a dietitian who can support you to come up with a specific eating plan that is tailored to your needs.

Is there anything I should avoid?

Avoid foods labelled ‘diabetic’ or ‘suitable for diabetics’. These foods contain similar amounts of calories and fat, and they can affect your blood glucose levels. They are usually more expensive and can have a laxative effect. Stick to your usual foods. If you want to have an occasional treat, go for your normal treats and keep an eye on your portions.

Fish is good for your health and the development of your baby, so it’s good to eat it regularly. The general recommendation is to eat at least two portions (one portion is about 140g) per week, including one or two portions of oily fish, e.g. mackerel, sardines, salmon, herrings, trout, pilchards. Oily fish is particularly beneficial to heart health but limit the intake to not more than two portions a week. 

Avoid fish which tend to have higher levels of mercury e.g. swordfish, shark and marlin and limit the amount of tuna, which can have relatively high amounts of mercury compared to other fish we eat, to up to four medium-sized cans of tuna or two tuna steaks a week. It is also advisable to avoid raw shellfish to reduce the risk of food poisoning, which can be particularly unpleasant during pregnancy.

It is also important to avoid certain types of cheese, raw or uncooked eggs and meat, liver and unpasteurised milk. Always wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any soil and dirt.

Your healthcare professional can discuss, in more details, the foods to avoid.

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7 Healthy Foods That Can Backfire If You Eat Too Much Of Them

You know that eating an entire box of cookies in one sitting isn't good for you—but experts say overdoing it with certain more nutritious foods could be just as dangerous. There's no need to ditch these foods from your diet altogether—but you'll want to avoid taking in excessive amounts since that's when they can start to compromise your health.

Sandwiches are good, so I can eat a lot

Oranges and Tomatoes

You've got to be careful to not overindulge with these delicious but highly acidic summer staples, says Gina Sam, MD, MPH, director of the Mount Sinai Gastrointestinal Motility Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital. The increased acid intake associated with eating too many oranges or tomatoes can lead to re-flux. Over an extended period of time, this can cause Barrett's Esophagus, a disorder in which precancerous lesions form on esophageal lining. Sam suggests sticking to no more than two servings of oranges or tomatoes a day and avoiding these foods altogether if you already have symptoms of re-flux.

Cause to acid re-flux?

Canned Tuna

This easy-to-prep, low-cal fish is a healthy salad or sandwich go-to. However, eating too much of it can result in dangerous mercury levels since tuna is higher in mercury than many other fish. Excessive mercury intake can lead to vision problems, impaired hearing and speech, lack of coordination, and muscle weakness. Make sure you don’t consume more than three to five cans of tuna a week, says Sam, and try swapping out tuna for lower-mercury fish like salmon, shrimp, and Pollock.

Heavy metal pollution? or BPA?

Water

While hydration is key to good health, excessive water consumption can cause water intoxication, says Alan R. Gaby, MD, author of the textbook Nutritional Medicine. This happens when extreme water intake dilutes the sodium in the body, resulting in an abnormally low blood sodium level, which can lead to impaired brain function and even death. How much water would you have to drink for this to be an issue? It's typically only a problem for ultramarathoners and people who force themselves to over-drink. But to make sure you're not consuming too much water, check your urine: If it's always transparent, reduce your intake.

I always drink gallons of water per day, will it too much?

Soy

Tofu lovers, listen up! While soy can help control cholesterol levels and blood pressure when consumed in moderation, it also inhibits iron absorption, says Gaby—so excessive intake has the potential to cause iron-deficiency anemia. Also, because soy contains estrogen-like compounds (isoflavones), long-term consumption of large amounts has the potential to cause endometrial hyperplasia, a proliferation of the uterine lining that can lead to uterine cancer. While there's no exact cutoff for how much soy is safe, you probably want to stick to two servings per day or less.

Too much of soy leads to anemia?

Spinach

This versatile and delicious leafy green is packed with goodness: It’s an excellent source of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. Spinach is also high in lutein, a carotenoid that may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (a common cause of vision loss and blindness), says Gaby. However, spinach is also high in oxalate, a compound that can lead to the formation of kidney stones—so patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones should avoid overdoing it with this veggie.

Too much of spinach can cause kidney stone?

Brazil Nuts

This crunchy snack is a great source of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, and selenium. Plus, eating nuts has been shown to lower serum cholesterol and blood pressure, says Gaby. Still, you shouldn't nosh on these nuts every day since they're extremely rich in selenium and the nutrient can be toxic in high amounts, says Gaby. Taking in too much may result in hair loss, brittleness or loss of nails, dermatitis, neurological abnormalities, and in severe cases, death. Joel Fuhrman, MD, a family physician, nutritional researcher, and author of The End of Dieting, says that shelled Brazil nuts maintain higher selenium levels—so you shouldn't have more than 10 a day.

Brazil nut

Lean Animal Protein

If you primarily rely on low-fat meats like chicken breasts or egg whites for your daily dose of protein, it might be time for a diet makeover. Fuhrman says that consuming too many animal proteins can be dangerous since it makes your body produce the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promotes aging and increases your risk of cancer (particularly breast cancer) when present in high levels. In fact, a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that there was a four-fold increase in cancer-related death risks and a 75% increase in overall mortality in people who got at least 20% of their calories from lean animal protein (as opposed to 15% or less). The simple fix? Try to get the majority of your protein from plants, such as beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, says Fuhrman.

Too much of meat

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8 Common Causes Of Chest Pain

Chest pain. The first thing you may think of is heart attack. Certainly chest pain is not something to ignore. But you should know that it has many possible causes.

In fact, as much as a quarter of the U.S. population experiences chest pain that is not related to the heart. Chest pain may also be caused by problems in your lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, or nerves, for example. Some of these conditions are serious and life threatening. Others are not. If you have unexplained chest pain, the only way to confirm its cause is to have a doctor evaluate you.

Heart Disease

One of the main causes of chest pain is due to a cardiac origin which is medically known as ‘angina’. Research states that any person can suffer from angina for a short or long period of time, depending on the type of heart disease. In cases like this, chest pain is felt in the shoulder region and travels to the limbs too.

• Angina or a heart attack: The most common symptom is chest pain that may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back.
• A tear in the wall of the aorta, the large blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body (aortic dissection) causes sudden, severe pain in the chest and upper back.
• Swelling (inflammation) in the sac that surrounds the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the center part of the chest.

Angina or a heart attack

Due To Tension

Not many are aware but, tension is another main reason for chest pains. When there is an increase in the level of blood pressure in the arteries which carry the blood to the lungs it gives out a pain in the chest.

Tension can  also cause stomach pain

Acidity

Gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD is another cause for chest pain. Acidity or heart burn are some of the common reasons. It is accompanied with constant burping, heaviness on the chest and at times pain in the shoulder region too. Other possible causes:

• Spasms or narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach)
• Gallstones cause pain that gets worse after a meal (most often a fatty meal).
• Stomach ulcer or gastritis: Burning pain occurs if your stomach is empty and feels better when you eat food

GERD syndrome

Lung Problems

It may have never crossed our mind to relate lung disorders with chest pain, but strangely abnormality of the lung function can be one of the causes of chest pain. Below is a few of lung problems that causing chest pain.

• A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• Collapse of the lung (pneumothorax)
• Pneumonia causes a sharp chest pain that often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.
• Swelling of the lining around the lung (pleurisy) can cause chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.

Pneumonia can cause a sharp chest pain

Stress and Depression

• Stress is the underlying problem and another reason for chest pain. When the body is under stress, the heart rate increases, and blood pressure also rises rapidly which affects the circulatory system of blood flow to the heart resulting in a chest pain.
• Depression plays havoc in one’s life, especially with the heart. When you are feeling depressed there is an increase in the heart rate and faster blood flow to the heart causing a sudden chest pain.

Stress and Depression

Due To Injury

An injury to the rib cage, muscles or the chest wall will result to chest pain. This type of chest pain usually remains constant and can be treated with medication.

Lung Trauma

Body Exertion

When the body does not get sufficient oxygen to carry out metabolic processes it results to exertion and strain on the muscles and organs. This strain effects the chest region leading to chest pain. Exertion is one of the many causes of chest pain and should be treated by taking proper rest.

Exercises is good but overdoing it cause problems

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Breathe Away Your Tension and Stress

Breathing properly is one of the simplest and best ways to drain your tension and relieve your stress. Simply by changing your breathing patterns, you can rapidly induce a state of greater relaxation. If you control the way you breathe, you have a powerful tool in reducing bodily tension. Just as important, you have a tool that helps prevent your body from becoming tense in the first place.

What happens inside when you breathe

Breathing provides your body with oxygen and removes waste products — primarily carbon dioxide — from your blood. Your lungs carry out this gas exchange. Lungs, however, don’t have their own muscles for breathing. Your diaphragm is the major muscle necessary for proper breathing. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that separates your chest cavity from your abdominal cavity and acts as a flexible floor for your lungs.

When you inhale, your diaphragm flattens downward, creating more space in the chest cavity and permitting the lungs to fill. You can see your stomach rising. When you exhale, your diaphragm returns to its dome shape. Diaphragmatic breathing, also called abdominal breathing, provides the most efficient way of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.

How we breath

Your diaphragm works automatically, but you can override the process, especially when you’re under stress. And that’s where problems can arise. Too often you neglect to use your diaphragm when you breathe, and you interfere with the proper exchange of gases in your system, which can result in greater tension, more fatigue, and more stress.

Is your breathing bad?

“Bad breathing” can take a number of forms. You may be a chest and shoulder breather, bringing air into your lungs by expanding your chest cavity and raising your shoulders. This description certainly fits if you have more than a touch of vanity and opt for never sticking out your tummy when you breathe.

You also may be a breath holder, stopping your breathing entirely when you’re distracted or lost in thought. Both are inefficient, stress-producing forms of breathing. And when you’re under stress, your breathing patterns deteriorate even more. To make things worse, once your breathing goes awry, you feel even more stressed. Quite a nasty cycle.

Breathing for life

Why change your breathing now?

You probably take your breathing for granted. And why not? You've been breathing for most of your life; you’d think by now you would have figured out how to do it right. No such luck. When you’re feeling stressed, your breathing becomes faster and shallower. When you breathe this way, your body reacts:

• Less oxygen reaches your bloodstream. 
• Your blood vessels constrict. 
• Less oxygen reaches your brain. 
• Your heart rate and your blood pressure go up. 
• You feel light-headed, shaky, and tenser. 

Our primitive ancestors knew how to breathe. They didn't have to deal with the IRS, stacks of unpaid bills, or the Boss from Hell. These days only opera singers, stage actors, musicians who play wind instruments, and a couple of dozen moonlighting yoga instructors actually breathe effectively. The rest of us mess it up.

Are you breathing right?

However, for a period of your life, you did get the whole breathing thing right. As a baby lying in your crib, you breathed serenely. Your little belly rose and fell in the most relaxed way. But then you grew up and blew it. Thankfully, all is not lost. You can re-teach yourself to breathe properly.

Evaluate your breathing

You may be one of the few people who actually breathe properly. But before you skip this, read a little further. To find out whether the way you breathe is stress-reducing, take this simple test.

• Lie on your back. 
• Put your right hand on your belly and your left hand on your chest. 

Try to become aware of the way you breathe. Check to see whether your breathing is smooth, slow, and regular. If you’re breathing properly, the hand on your belly rises and falls rhythmically as you inhale and exhale. The hand on your chest should move very little, and if that hand does rise, it should follow the rise in your belly. 

Don't stress about breathing technique

A lot of people who want to adopt new patterns of breathing have a fervent desire to get it perfectly right. They frequently get so lost in body parts or lung mechanics that they wind up more stressed out than they were before they started. Don’t let this happen to you. And remember that there’s no one exactly right way to breathe all the time.

Give yourself lots of room to experiment with your breathing. And don’t overdo it. If you've been breathing inefficiently for all these years, changing gears may take some time. Above all, you’re not taking a test. Don’t grade yourself on how deeply you can breathe or how flat you can make your diaphragm. Remember, the goal is to reduce your stress, not add to it.

A lung function test can be done to test your lung capacity

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How to Know If You Have Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is classified among the most dangerous viral infections that have a special propensity to affect liver cells. 

After initial infection, the virus invades hepatic tissue and remains silent, while slowly destroying the parenchymal cells of the liver gland. Ironically, most cases of HCV infection are silent and are only instantaneously discovered on routine medical examinations or years after initial infection due to significant alteration in the liver function as a result of virus mediated destruction.

Hepatitis C is considered as life threatening virus and is transmitted by the use of contaminated needles (illicit drug abuse) or accidental needle stick injuries in the hospital setting.

How to Know If You Have Hepatitis C

Since hepatitis infection is mostly asymptomatic, at least in the early course of infection, most people tend to live a normal, symptom-free life. Test for hepatitis C is not generally performed by healthcare providers until the patient is certain of the exposure to a viral source.

There are certain risk factors that are often implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C. If you have one or more of the following risk factors, you should ask your healthcare provider to perform a viral test: 

• Your birth year is between 1945-1965. 
• You have received a blood transfusion from an unaccredited source or from a donor who is an HCV positive. 
• Exposure to contaminated syringes or needles during illicit drug use. 
• If you have received blood/ plasma for a blood related disorder or condition especially before 1987. 
• If you are a recipient of an organ transplant especially before July 1992. 
• You have a history of kidney dialysis in the past. 
• You are an HIV positive patient. 
• If your mother was infected with HCV at the time of your birth. 

If you have any of the risk factors listed above, make sure to speak to your primary care provider to ascertain if you are infected. Doctors usually perform serological test to ascertain if you have an infection and may also perform a liver biopsy taking a tissue sample from your liver to see if the virus has affected the liver tissue significantly.

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