Natural Health August 2018
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Advertorial<br />
Dark Spots Gone!<br />
Smooth and flawless skin is attainable for every skin type<br />
with Palmer's ® . Unconvinced? Get even with your skin tone<br />
and fade dark marks with a simple cleanse and moisturise<br />
routine using Palmer's ® Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot Complexion<br />
Bar and Fade Milk body lotion and you'll be on the road to<br />
'success' soon enough!<br />
Palmer's ® Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot<br />
Palmer's ®<br />
Skin Success<br />
Anti-Dark Spot<br />
Complexion Bar and Fade Milk<br />
Colourant-Free<br />
Paraben-Free<br />
No Sulfates and Phthalates<br />
Dermatologist-Approved<br />
Complexion Bar<br />
Are you experiencing dark marks or spots<br />
and uneven skin tone that results in an<br />
overall dull complexion? Then, pamper and<br />
nourish your skin with the Complexion Bar<br />
as it luxuriously enriches, cleanses and<br />
creates an ideal surface texture to receive<br />
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treatments. The Complexion Bar also<br />
contains Vitamin C and E (an antioxidant<br />
that protects and repairs your skin), natural<br />
pigment-perfecting ingredients, and<br />
enhanced moisturisers. If used on a daily<br />
basis, skin is visibly transformed into a<br />
luminous and balanced perfection.<br />
Simply apply the product using warm<br />
water to create a rich lather prior to<br />
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For optimal tone-perfecting results, apply<br />
Palmer's Skin Success Anti-Dark Spot<br />
Fade Milk.<br />
Fade Milk<br />
This moisturising body lotion helps to<br />
fade marks and even skin tone all over<br />
your body. Formulated with Vitamin C,<br />
Vitamin E and Alpha Hydroxy to soften<br />
and smooth skin, it helps reduce<br />
unwanted skin discolouration all over<br />
body especially on problematic areas such<br />
as knees, elbows and décolletage. Use<br />
Fade Milk regularly and your skin will be<br />
left clearer, brighter and more even-toned.<br />
Available at all leading pharmacies<br />
Imported and distributed:<br />
Propharm (M) Sdn Bhd (104117-H) Tel: 03-6243 6389<br />
www.palmersonline.com.my
Ever wondered why we couldn't be healthier<br />
even with regular exercise, good dietary habits,<br />
better drinking water and quality supplements?<br />
In this modern day of advanced technology,<br />
besides suffering from poor air quality, we are<br />
being constantly exposed to ionizing radiation.<br />
This silent killer has been affecting our health<br />
negatively and is one of the major causes to<br />
acidic blood in our body. For our body to<br />
function at its optimum level, it is vital to<br />
maintain a slightly alkaline blood pH, and<br />
millionair is able to achieve that and more!<br />
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E: info@millionair.com.my<br />
millionair.com.my
Published by:<br />
Editor’s Message<br />
Be Good To Us, <strong>August</strong>!<br />
Hey everyone, how's the new month treating you? <strong>August</strong> is a month that celebrates<br />
two key health-related events.<br />
For starters, it is a month that recognises breast is best! World Breastfeeding Week<br />
takes places during the first week of the month and it is aimed at spreading awareness<br />
and fostering support to those who choose to breastfeed. We, at <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong>,<br />
would like to 'celebreast' the occasion with you by saying 'You do you!' and if that<br />
means you can't or do not want to breastfeed, we still support you and you should<br />
read all about alternatives to breastfeeding in this issue!<br />
We also have local celebrity Hannah Lo, our cover image personality, sharing her<br />
thoughts on breastfeeding as well as breastfeeding in public. Quick poll! Do you agree<br />
with those who choose to breastfeed in public? Tell us 'Why?' by sending us a message<br />
on our Facebook page and we would love to feature your thoughts in our next issue!<br />
Next up, it is Psoriasis Awareness Month. A chronic skin condition similar to eczema,<br />
we bring you an informative guide on differentiating both skin conditions and advise<br />
you to always stay hydrated and moisturised.<br />
We've got pointers on choosing the best sports bra, why you should choose organic<br />
skin care products and several interviews on issues concerning the environment, a<br />
personal account of someone moving forward with life despite having epilepsy and a<br />
doctor's recommendation on why minimally-invasive heart surgery is something you<br />
should know more about.<br />
Plenty to read and stay informed, don't you think?<br />
Lastly, lest we forget, Happy 61st Birthday, Malaysia!<br />
Till we meet again,<br />
Punitha Kumar<br />
Join our Facebook Fan page<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
AcePremier.com Sdn Bhd (829271-K)<br />
N-2-6, Plaza Damas, 60, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1,<br />
Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.<br />
T: +603-6203 2522 F: +603-6203 4522<br />
E: info@acepremier.com www.AcePremier.com<br />
Publisher<br />
John Lim<br />
Editor<br />
Punitha Kumar<br />
Editorial Team<br />
Punitha Kumar<br />
Marketing & Sales<br />
Fiona Lim<br />
Adeline Chin<br />
Creative Team<br />
Aina Mardia<br />
Haziatul Shima<br />
Advisory Panel<br />
Dr Rajbans Singh<br />
Consultant Physician and Geriatrician<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Ageing Specialist<br />
Pantai Medical Centre and<br />
President, Malaysian Wellness Society<br />
Prof Dr Zamrin Dimon<br />
Senior Surgeon<br />
UiTM Private Specialist Centre (UPSC)<br />
Dr Zanariah Hussein<br />
Consultant Endocrinologist for<br />
Hospital Putrajaya and Head of<br />
Endocrinology Service Malaysia<br />
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Please email to editor@acepremier.com<br />
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NATURAL HEALTH magazine is published 12 times a year by<br />
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Disclaimer<br />
Editorial material herein is provided for information only. Reader<br />
are cautioned not to use this information as a substitute for<br />
regular professional health care and consultation. Although great<br />
care has been taken in compiling and checking the information<br />
given in this publication, the publisher, authors, advisors and<br />
agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for continued<br />
currency of the information or for any errors, omissions or<br />
inaccuracies in this publication whether arising from negligence<br />
or otherwise howsoever, or for any consequences arising there<br />
from. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean<br />
that the publisher advocates or rejects its use either generally or<br />
in particular field or fields.<br />
Advertisements are subject to editorial acceptance and have no<br />
influence on editorial content or presentation. The publishers,<br />
authors, advisors and agents do not guarantee, directly or<br />
indirectly, the quality or efficacy of any product or service<br />
described in the advertisements or other material which is<br />
commercial in nature.<br />
For all business and partnership matters please contact our<br />
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Copyright © <strong>2018</strong>. AcePremier.com Sdn Bhd.<br />
Available at
Advertorial<br />
Look for ME* when choosing Probiotics!<br />
The probiotics supplement your child needs<br />
KKLIU 0791/<strong>2018</strong><br />
MAL17096051N<br />
As a parent, it is often a struggle to have<br />
your child consume healthy and nutritious<br />
food. You may be able to get your kids<br />
to eat healthily at home, but it’s a whole<br />
different situation at school or during<br />
playdates with friends. After all, fruits<br />
and vegetables are not a child's best<br />
friend. Children prefer fast food and<br />
unhealthy snacks high in sugar, salt and<br />
saturated fats.<br />
In order to ensure your child is healthy,<br />
additional health supplements are often<br />
needed and they should come in handy<br />
to allow consumption – anytime,<br />
anywhere. Kids easily fall sick due to the<br />
presence of bad bacteria in their diet and<br />
digestive system. To maintain a healthy<br />
balance of good and bad bacteria in your<br />
child's digestive system, good bacteria<br />
supplementation is needed and probiotics<br />
can provide you just that.<br />
What are Probiotics?<br />
Probiotics are living microorganisms in<br />
which when taken in adequate amount<br />
can benefit a child’s health. These living<br />
microorganisms assist in the healthy<br />
development of a child’s digestive and<br />
immune systems. Though there is presence<br />
of good bacteria in our intestinal tract,<br />
certain lifestyle habits such as poor diet,<br />
stress, aging and medications can diminish<br />
the number of good microbes. A<br />
supplement that contains probiotics can<br />
make up for the microbes’ deficiency.<br />
Probiotics can be found in supplements<br />
and food like raw cheese, apple cider<br />
vinegar, pickled vegetables and the most<br />
popular probiotics food source – yoghurt.<br />
Each probiotic strain has a distinctive effect<br />
on the body. There are two important<br />
probiotic strains that are essential for<br />
maintaining a healthy gut – Lactobacillus<br />
and Bifidobacterium.<br />
Child-Friendly<br />
Probiotics Powder<br />
BON ® ProbioKidz ME is a formulation<br />
of probiotics that is specially designed for<br />
children. With a customised formula of<br />
good bacteria, BON ® ProbioKidz ME<br />
combines two imported beneficial strains<br />
of good bacteria from Canada;<br />
Lactobacillus helveticus ME 52 and<br />
Bifidobacterium longum ME 175 in a ratio<br />
that meets the special probiotics<br />
requirements for children.<br />
BON ® ProbioKidz ME has gone through<br />
extensive scientific research to ensure the<br />
amount of good bacteria is preserved<br />
throughout the product’s shelf life. This<br />
low-calorie and child-friendly formula<br />
combines both Bio-Support technology<br />
and patented Probiocap ® Micro-<br />
Encapsulation (ME) technology to ensure<br />
the probiotics remain stable, both outside<br />
the body during storage and alive inside<br />
the body once consumed.<br />
Micro-Encapsulated (ME)*<br />
Technology<br />
This technology allows the good bacteria<br />
in BON ® ProbioKidz ME to be heatresistant<br />
and thus it can be stored at room<br />
temperature without the need for<br />
refrigeration. It also enhances the stability<br />
of BON ® ProbioKidz ME to last up to<br />
24 months.<br />
With this technology, the good bacteria<br />
is rendered resistance to the attacks by<br />
the stomach acid and hence it can be<br />
taken any time of the day, before or after<br />
meals, providing convenience to both<br />
parents and kids. The ME technology<br />
allows this probiotics supplement to be<br />
formulated and packed in powdered form<br />
for easy consumption. Kids can consume<br />
directly from individual sachets or mixed<br />
with drinks.<br />
The vanilla-flavoured BON ® ProbioKidz<br />
ME is registered under Malaysia's <strong>Health</strong><br />
Ministry (Reg No : MAL17096051N) and<br />
certified Halal by the Department of<br />
Islamic Development (Jakim). It is available<br />
in most leading pharmacies in pack sizes<br />
of 30 sachets and 10 sachets per box.<br />
This is a supplement product advertisement.
}<br />
Simple Ingredients, <strong>Natural</strong>ly Organic!<br />
I'm very careful with what I put on my skin. Synthetic chemicals, fragrance and other toxic skin care<br />
ingredients can wreak havoc on our health causing allergies, irritations and hormone disruptions. So it's<br />
a real joy and relief for me to discover NAVEEN's products, specifically the NAVEEN Hydrating Mask and<br />
NAVEEN Scalp Energy Tonic. NAVEEN is the first and only COSMOS organic, and Halal-certified range<br />
available in Malaysia. It is also vegan-friendly and not tested on animals. This means that I can use their<br />
products with complete confidence proving that it is good for me and the environment.<br />
NAVEEN Hydrating Mask<br />
• <strong>Natural</strong> & Organic Awards Europe 2017<br />
– Best New Organic Beauty Product<br />
• Pure Beauty Awards 2016<br />
– Best New Organic Product (Silver)<br />
The organic 100% cotton facial<br />
sheet mask is unscented and is<br />
great for use after cleansing<br />
my face to deeply hydrate<br />
and plump it up. It is a<br />
soothing weekly ritual<br />
that I look forward to as<br />
my skin truly looks<br />
revitalised. As such, it’s<br />
best to use it before a big<br />
event when you want to<br />
look your best.<br />
NAVEEN Scalp Energy Tonic<br />
• <strong>Natural</strong> & Organic Awards Asia 2017<br />
– Best New <strong>Natural</strong>/Organic Beauty & Spa Product<br />
I used the scalp energy tonic after<br />
washing my hair and conditioning my<br />
hair, and the difference is quite obvious.<br />
Previously, my hair will only look its<br />
best the day after I wash it when the<br />
natural oils reappear. But with this scalp<br />
energy tonic, my hair appears sleek<br />
and manageable right after its dry. My<br />
scalp also feels refreshed and doesn’t<br />
get as oily as it usually does during daily<br />
activities in this humid weather. Two<br />
thumbs up for NAVEEN!<br />
Ariel Chew<br />
Editor, 100Comments<br />
Editor's Review<br />
~
WHAT’S New<br />
Extreme Perfomance with Karrimor<br />
Whether you're a novice explorer or professional mountaineer,<br />
discover new heights and reach goals with premium outdoor<br />
performance brand, Karrimor. The waterproof and breathable<br />
lining walking shoes and boots are available at Sports Direct<br />
Malaysia stores.<br />
Karrimor Appalachian Walking Shoes<br />
Karrimor Mid Spike Walking Boots<br />
Karrimor Bodmin Mid IV Weathertite<br />
Walking Boots<br />
Karrimor Sabre WTX Trail<br />
Running Shoes<br />
Rapid Relief with Sensodyne<br />
The Sensodyne Rapid Relief, available in two variants –<br />
Sensodyne Rapid Relief and Sensodyne Rapid Relief<br />
Whitening, contains a unique balance of stannous fluoride<br />
and bio-adhesive polymer, that rapidly forms a protective<br />
barrier over the exposed dentine, thus relieving tooth<br />
sensitivity in 60 seconds with dab-on applications and even<br />
from the first brush. It is available at most major Malaysian<br />
supermarkets and pharmacies.<br />
References<br />
• Seong J et al. J Dent Res 96 (Spec Iss A): 0215, 2017.<br />
• GSK Data on File 205072<br />
• GSK Data on File 207212<br />
• Creeth J et al. J Dent Res 2017;96(Spec Iss A):1543<br />
• GSK Data on File 207211. January 2017<br />
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5 6<br />
Alive 3 creates clothing for women with limited flexibility<br />
Alive 3's Easy Fittings<br />
A clothing line for women, especially senior citizens<br />
and recovering patients, the Alive 3 'Out of the<br />
Blue Collection' line works comfortably around<br />
injuries, surgery-sites, personal medical equipment<br />
and care routines.<br />
The breathable, poly-crepe robes and soft, cotton<br />
blouses offer a comfortable, yet stylish, alternative<br />
wardrobe for anyone with pain and limited flexibility.<br />
Furthermore, one of the hallmark features of Alive 3<br />
apparel are the external and internal pockets,<br />
specifically for keeping medical necessities like thermal<br />
packs and post-surgery drainage bags on hand.<br />
Visit Alive 3's FB page: Clothes4AReason or its Etsy<br />
shop: Measuring2Fit for more information.<br />
7<br />
8<br />
Matte Obsession<br />
Be spoilt for choices with the latest lippie collection<br />
from L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Matte Addiction<br />
Get that bold and coveted fashionforward<br />
matte lips with L'Oreal Paris<br />
Color Riche Matte Addiction. Chose<br />
from 43 shades!<br />
Infused with Jojoba and Camelia oil,<br />
the Color Riche Matte lipsticks allow<br />
you to achieve that coveted fashionforward<br />
matte lip look without<br />
drying out your lips.<br />
9<br />
10 11 12<br />
1. 203 Peachy Brown<br />
2. 206 Glamour Fucshia<br />
3. 273 Plum Melody<br />
4. 274 Mauve Petal<br />
5. 275 Purple Comtesse<br />
6. 276 Royal Veloute<br />
7. 281 Tropical Sorbet<br />
8. 282 La Vie En Coal<br />
9. 284 Peach Perfect<br />
10. 286 Evening Sur Seine<br />
11. 287 Beige Reveur<br />
12. 289 Cashmere Delicat<br />
6 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
WHAT’S New<br />
Editor's Review<br />
Wax It Off!<br />
Receive top notch services for your<br />
money from STRIP: Ministry of Waxing<br />
when you get your hair removed!<br />
She (waxing lady)<br />
smeared a thick,<br />
warm gooey and<br />
chocolatey paste<br />
on my mons<br />
pubis and told<br />
me to relax. Sure,<br />
that's the first STRIP's Bangsar Village II outlet<br />
thing that runs<br />
through your mind when you roughly know what<br />
she's about to do next!<br />
Rip! Ow! Tap, tap! Repeat.<br />
Okay, so that's an exaggeration (not for some)! My<br />
Brazilian wax session from STRIP brought upon a few<br />
mini yelps but generally and essentially, it was a<br />
smooth ending,quite literally too!<br />
As someone with eczema and generally, sensitive<br />
skin, I tend to be wary when I decide to remove hair<br />
from body parts where the sun does not shine.<br />
However, after undergoing a session with STRIP, let's<br />
just say I will be a returning customer at their outlets!<br />
For Brazilian and Boyzilian treatments, opt for the<br />
hard wax over the regular soft wax as it will remove<br />
hair easily with less pain!<br />
Cleanse with Abellie<br />
French bee cosmetics<br />
expert Abellie's Tresor<br />
de Purete Micellar Water<br />
keeps skin soft and<br />
hydrated at all times<br />
The Abellie Tresor de Purete<br />
Micellar Water utilises honey,<br />
propolis, royal jelly, aloe vera and<br />
cornflower water. Cornflower<br />
is used in many hair and skin<br />
care products because of its<br />
anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and<br />
anti-inflammatory properties.<br />
The plant is also well-known to<br />
smooth wrinkles around the eye<br />
and soothe both inflamed and<br />
irritated skin around the eyes.<br />
Apart from being a great makeup<br />
remover and skin moisturiser, the<br />
Micellar Water is certified-organic<br />
and carries both the ECOCERT<br />
and COSMEBIO logo.<br />
Under Armour Sportstyle<br />
Modern designs and high performance materials<br />
that are definitely not made just for the gym<br />
Panda Eyes,<br />
Be Gone!<br />
Melvita's Ice Fresh<br />
Roll On for eyes<br />
with Cornflower<br />
Floral Water makes<br />
you look fresh and<br />
well-rested<br />
An organic roll-on to<br />
soothe your eyes, the<br />
Melvita Ice Fresh Roll<br />
On for eyes has<br />
cornflower water<br />
giving off an ice-fresh<br />
texture. This freshness<br />
promises to comfort<br />
and invigorate you at<br />
all tired moments and<br />
keep the dark circles<br />
away.<br />
UA Sportstyle<br />
Jogger<br />
• Loose: Generous,<br />
more relaxed fit.<br />
• Material wicks<br />
sweat & dries<br />
really fast<br />
• Mesh back panels<br />
& pocket detail<br />
UA Favorites Legging<br />
Q1 Graphic<br />
• Fitted: Next-to-skin without<br />
the squeeze<br />
• Soft, ultra-lightweight<br />
performance cotton fabric<br />
delivers incredible comfort<br />
• Anti-odour technology<br />
prevents the growth of<br />
odour-causing microbes<br />
UA Favorites Crop<br />
• Fitted: Next-toskin<br />
without<br />
the squeeze.<br />
• Soft, ultralightweight<br />
performance<br />
cotton fabric<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
7
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
Why Do You Need to Switch to<br />
Organic Skin Care?<br />
Why is it that we are far more scrutinising about what we put in our body than what<br />
we put on it? Skin care products often play host to several chemical ingredients that are<br />
known to be skin and health irritants including parabens, carcinogens and allergens. In<br />
a nutshell, be conscious of your skin care products as those made with non-toxic organic<br />
ingredients helps to keep your skin and body performing at their very best<br />
8 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
Back To Nature<br />
There are many celebrities and beauty icons who swear by<br />
plant-based products. So, why not take your beauty practices<br />
back to basic or rather, back to nature? Our skin craves gentle<br />
and nourishing benefits of organic and plant-based ingredients.<br />
You may be skeptical now, but do the switch and you will see<br />
changes in your skin and overall health.<br />
Unregulated Chemicals In Products<br />
Do you know that only some 11 ingredients are banned in the<br />
US for safety reasons while the European Union countries have<br />
banned over 1,000 ingredients considered unsafe to be used in<br />
the beauty and skin care industry? There are also ingredients<br />
that can be omitted from a list if it falls under 'trade secrets' (as<br />
is the case with the term, fragrance).<br />
Gentle On Your Skin<br />
Organic makeup is made with nutrients that will benefit your<br />
skin. From nourishing minerals like magnesium, calcium, mica<br />
and zinc oxide to botanical ingredients like tea tree oil, rosemary<br />
extracts and green tea, these products of nature soothe and<br />
protect the skin.<br />
Most makeup contains harsh chemicals that are bad for sensitive<br />
skin. If you have sensitive skin, it is wise to choose organic<br />
makeup because it is less irritating. By using products with high<br />
concentrations of these ingredients, your skin’s overall condition<br />
will naturally improve.<br />
Green Foot Forward<br />
If you're purchasing and using an organic product, this means<br />
it potentially removes a chemically-laden product from being<br />
used. Toxic ingredients are not being washed down our drains<br />
and ultimately, not disrupting the ecosystem. Next time you're<br />
purchasing something for your skin, look for companies who<br />
source their ingredients from renewable resources that are<br />
sourced ethically and responsibly.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
9
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
Prioritise Your <strong>Health</strong><br />
Make conscious choices when it concerns<br />
your skin care. If this decision is made in<br />
tandem with a healthy lifestyle and diet,<br />
it can be a preventive solution to some<br />
health issues. At the same time, feeding<br />
your skin and body is important for your<br />
overall health and well-being.<br />
Repairs and Heals Skin<br />
Many of us who use cosmetic products layer our faces with<br />
countless products–toner, serum, moisturiser, primer, foundation,<br />
concealer, foundation again, blush then bronzer. Not to mention<br />
eye cream, five different shades of shadow, eyeliner, brow powder<br />
- the list goes on. Imagine how many chemicals have been<br />
actively seeping into our skin! We might wake up the next day<br />
to severe outbreaks, a sign of rebellion from our delicate skin<br />
for mistreating it. Then we wonder why our skin reacts this way.<br />
Our bodies send us clear signals when we mistreat it. We must<br />
be sensitive to the needs of our bodies and learn to read warning<br />
signals before our skin goes berserk.<br />
When you use organic cosmetics, your skin feels much more<br />
balanced and shows less signs of angst. If your skin is used to<br />
organic cosmetics and you use chemical-based products again<br />
for a day, your skin will likely break out the next day as the<br />
organic products have become your body’s new norm. A key<br />
benefit of organic makeup is that you don’t need to worry about<br />
breakouts or other bad reactions.<br />
Prevents Premature Aging<br />
As opposed to regular cosmetics, organic cosmetics do not<br />
contain harmful chemicals and fillers that can accelerate the<br />
rate of aging as these chemicals are absorbed into the skin and<br />
clog the pores - causing skin to be sallow and unhealthy. Lines<br />
and wrinkles are also emphasised when using regular makeup<br />
as they contain waxes and silicones that settle into the ridges<br />
on our skin.<br />
Organic makeup also contains natural ingredients that are derived<br />
from plants that help to boost collagen production and encourage<br />
efficient cell turnover. You can say hello to healthy, supple skin<br />
all year round!<br />
Sunny Protection<br />
The three major ingredients<br />
found in mineral makeups–<br />
titanium oxide, zinc oxide,<br />
and iron oxide–offer<br />
protection against sun<br />
damage and premature aging<br />
of the skin, decreasing the<br />
risk of skin cancer. Aside from<br />
providing long-lasting<br />
coverage, titanium oxide also<br />
provides ultraviolet protection<br />
with its built-in SPF 15. Zinc<br />
oxide provides sun protection against UVA rays (ultraviolet A)<br />
and UVB rays (ultraviolet B). Last of all, iron oxide provides UV<br />
protection aside from giving the mineral foundations and eye<br />
shadows their hues.<br />
10 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
15<br />
Pointers<br />
To Choose<br />
The Perfect<br />
Sports Bra<br />
Who are we kidding? There are many of us who don't even wear the correct bra yet alone the<br />
correct sports bra. But, this is no joke because if you don't take care of your 'girls' at an early<br />
stage, there is a high possibility of getting premature sagging, back pain, elongated ligaments,<br />
breast injuries, chafing and heat rash! So, now that we have hopefully scared you, take these<br />
pointers to heart or should we say your breast, the next time you're on a workout!<br />
1 Optimum Support Level 2<br />
Low Impact Bras:<br />
Yoga, climbing, paddling<br />
Medium Impact Bras:<br />
Walking, road biking, skiing<br />
High Impact Bras:<br />
Running, mountain biking<br />
Hand Wash Only!<br />
If you want sports bras that last for a year, hand<br />
wash the garment and avoid the spin cycle. Use<br />
gentle detergents and avoid fabric softeners. If you<br />
must put it in a washing machine, fasten any hooks<br />
first. Avoid putting your sports bra in the dryer<br />
because even on a low setting, the heat can break<br />
down your bra's elastic.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
11
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
3<br />
Measure Yourself<br />
Stand in front of a mirror wearing a non-padded bra and use a<br />
cloth tape to get your bust measurement (at the fullest part of<br />
your chest) and your band measurement (around your rib cage,<br />
just under your breasts). Add 3 inches to the rib cage number<br />
for final band measurement.<br />
4<br />
Watch Out For Runaways<br />
If your 'girls' try to escape the bottom of your bra when you<br />
raise your arms, you need to try a smaller band size to keep<br />
things snug!<br />
5<br />
Whoa, Down Boy!<br />
It needs to be down, at the back! Turn sideways and check the<br />
back of the rib band, if it is pulling up and riding higher than the<br />
front of your sports bra, the band is too large or the straps are<br />
too short. Choose a smaller band size to keep the band at the<br />
right level, at the back or re-adjust your straps (if it is adjustable).<br />
6<br />
Cleavage Control<br />
Look straight down. If your breasts<br />
are struggling to get out or if the<br />
underwire seems to be sitting on<br />
your boobs rather than flat on your<br />
chest, you need a larger sports bra<br />
or you need to go one cup up.<br />
7<br />
Bounty<br />
That Spills<br />
If there is boob spillage on the sides<br />
or at the top of the bra, you're<br />
definitely going to need a bigger<br />
cup size.<br />
8<br />
Cup<br />
Cup<br />
Wrinkles<br />
Don't think that folds,<br />
wrinkles or looseness in the<br />
cup isn't a big deal because<br />
it only brings about weakened<br />
support and chafing. Go<br />
down a cup size!<br />
Band<br />
9<br />
If The Back Hurts<br />
If you're experiencing breast or back pain, your sports bra isn't<br />
doing its job. This also might mean that you're wearing a sports<br />
bra not meant for the activity you're doing. The bra you use for<br />
yoga should not be the bra you use for running.<br />
10<br />
Dig Me Not<br />
If your straps are digging into your<br />
skin, it is not the right fit. Sports<br />
bras come in different styles which<br />
includes the wide-set or racerback<br />
versions, choose one that fits your<br />
body and routine.<br />
11<br />
Preggers Or<br />
Breastfeeding<br />
During pregnancy or when<br />
breastfeeding you will need the<br />
maximum support available. In<br />
addition, your bust size will change<br />
throughout your pregnancy, so<br />
consider buying an adjustable sports<br />
bra to avoid frequent replacements.<br />
12<br />
Smaller Or<br />
Larger Than Average<br />
Usually, women with smaller chests find compression sports bra<br />
comfortable while those with larger chests would receive more<br />
support from encapsulation bras. However, this depends on your<br />
comfort and preference. So, if you're still unsure, talk to the<br />
sales consultant to further determine what style suits you best.<br />
Perfect Band fit<br />
Band to large<br />
Band to small<br />
12 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
NATURAL & Beauty<br />
15<br />
Encapsulation Or Compression<br />
Sports bras with individual cups which are known as encapsulation<br />
are better for larger-breasted women while shelf bra styles<br />
(compression) work for smaller cup sizes or for low to moderateimpact<br />
workouts.<br />
13<br />
Pullover Or Back-Clasp<br />
The pullover style allows you to cover more of your back but this<br />
means there's no front or back straps and you cannot adjust the<br />
bra, especially when you need to anchor large chests. If you have<br />
larger breasts, a back clasp may work better as you can tighten<br />
or loosen the band according to your preference of support.<br />
14<br />
Racerback Or Wide-Straps<br />
Racerbacks will anchor the bra closer to your body to the cinch<br />
in the back, providing more support while wide straps will<br />
distribute the weight better, adjustable and often better for<br />
those with a larger chest.<br />
Reference<br />
• Runnersworld.co.uk<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
13
FOOD & Nutrition<br />
Basil<br />
Basil, or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb<br />
Ocimum basilicum, of the family Lamiaceae, of the genus:<br />
Ocimum. A popular herb in the same family as peppermint,<br />
basil is used to season sauces, soups, salads and pasta dishes<br />
all around the world. The name "basil" derives from the old<br />
Greek word basilikohn, which means "royal," reflecting<br />
ancient cultures’ high regard towards this ‘sacred’ herb. There<br />
are more than 40 cultivars of this pungent plant, each with its<br />
own characteristic colour and aroma.<br />
Like other aromatic<br />
plants, basil contains<br />
essential oils and<br />
phytochemicals in the<br />
leaves, stem, flowers,<br />
roots and seeds<br />
that have biological<br />
activity in the body<br />
Basil leaves contain<br />
much health<br />
benefiting essential<br />
oils such as eugenol,<br />
citronellol, linalool,<br />
citral, limonene and<br />
terpineol. These<br />
compounds are<br />
known to have<br />
anti-inflammatory<br />
and anti-bacterial<br />
properties<br />
Basil is virtually<br />
calorie-free and,<br />
in addition to<br />
antioxidant vitamins<br />
and phenolics, is a<br />
rich source of zinc,<br />
calcium, magnesium,<br />
potassium and<br />
dietary fibre<br />
Washing fresh<br />
produce in a solution<br />
that contains one<br />
percent basil essential<br />
oil is an all-natural<br />
way to reduce<br />
bacteria such as E. coli<br />
and Listeria, which can<br />
cause food poisoning<br />
Basil essential oils have been shown to lower<br />
blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels<br />
Basil leaves are an<br />
excellent source of<br />
iron, contains 3.17<br />
mg/100 g of fresh<br />
leaves (about 26%<br />
of RDA). Iron, being<br />
a component of<br />
hemoglobin inside<br />
the red blood cells,<br />
determines the<br />
oxygen-carrying<br />
capacity of the blood<br />
Basil is an excellent<br />
source of vitamin K,<br />
which is necessary for<br />
normal blood coagulation<br />
and overall bone health<br />
100 g of fresh herb leaves contain<br />
astoundingly 5275 mg or 175%<br />
of daily required doses of vitamin<br />
A. Vitamin A is known to have<br />
antioxidant properties and is<br />
essential for vision. It is also<br />
required for maintaining healthy<br />
mucus membranes and skin<br />
It is also a<br />
great source of<br />
magnesium, an<br />
essential mineral<br />
that helps the<br />
body’s blood<br />
vessels relax,<br />
which can improve<br />
blood flow<br />
Basil oil can be used<br />
to treat constipation,<br />
stomach cramps<br />
and indigestion as<br />
well as the cold, flu,<br />
asthma, whooping<br />
cough, bronchitis<br />
and sinus infections<br />
Basil also contains<br />
the flavonoids<br />
orientin and vicenin,<br />
which are plant<br />
pigments that shield<br />
your cell structures<br />
from oxygen and<br />
radiation damage<br />
Basil’s exceptionally powerful<br />
antioxidant properties have also<br />
shown to protect the body from<br />
premature ageing, common skin<br />
issues, age-related problems and<br />
even some types of cancer<br />
14 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
FOOD & Nutrition<br />
Goji berries<br />
A member of the nightshade family Solonaceae, goji<br />
berries Lycium barbarum are the most nutritionally dense<br />
fruit on earth. Native to the Himalayan mountains of Tibet<br />
and Mongolia, the goji berry is now grown in many other<br />
countries as well. Goji berry is also known as wolfberry. Goji<br />
berries are eaten raw, cooked, or dried (like raisins) and are<br />
used in herbal teas, juices, wines and medicines.<br />
Goji berry contains beta-sitosterol which aids in<br />
lowering cholesterol and improves sexual health<br />
They are also<br />
loaded with<br />
vitamin C, contain<br />
more carotenoids<br />
than any other<br />
food, have<br />
twenty-one trace<br />
minerals, and are<br />
high in fibre<br />
Gojis contain<br />
polysaccharides:<br />
a carbohydrate<br />
molecule that<br />
contains mucilage,<br />
which creates a<br />
protective film on<br />
the skin<br />
Goji berries contain<br />
as many as 22<br />
minerals (including<br />
zinc, iron, copper,<br />
calcium and<br />
selenium) and 11<br />
amino acids<br />
They are great source of<br />
beta-carotene, which is<br />
converted into Vitamin A<br />
by the liver. Beta-carotene<br />
helps to improve vision in<br />
dim lighting, preventing<br />
cataracts and maintains<br />
cell growth<br />
Goji berry is<br />
a nutritional<br />
powerhouse,<br />
boasting 15 times<br />
the amount of iron<br />
found in spinach<br />
Goji berries contain 13%<br />
more protein than whole<br />
meat, and more iron than<br />
spinach. Great if you're at<br />
risk of anaemia<br />
The zeaxanthin<br />
found in goji berries<br />
also contributes to<br />
better eye function<br />
Their powerful<br />
antioxidant<br />
properties and<br />
polysaccharides<br />
help to boost the<br />
immune system<br />
In traditional<br />
Chinese medicine,<br />
the goji is said to<br />
act on the Kidney<br />
and Liver meridians<br />
to help with lower<br />
back pain, dizziness<br />
and eyesight<br />
Eating goji berries<br />
will provide your<br />
body with vitamins<br />
B1, B2, B6 and<br />
E, all of which<br />
are essential for<br />
breaking down<br />
amino acids and fats,<br />
and converting carbs<br />
into energy<br />
Some researchers<br />
suggests that goji<br />
berry extracts may<br />
boost brain health<br />
and may protect<br />
against age-related<br />
diseases such as<br />
Alzheimer's<br />
They are great source<br />
of beta-carotene,<br />
which is converted into<br />
Vitamin A by the liver.<br />
Beta-carotene helps to<br />
improve vision in dim<br />
lighting, preventing<br />
cataracts and maintains<br />
cell growth<br />
Caution:<br />
Please note that<br />
there can be adverse<br />
interactions if you consume<br />
goji berries while also taking<br />
medication for diabetes, or<br />
blood pressure, or take the<br />
blood thinner warfarin. So<br />
be sure to consult your<br />
health care provider if<br />
that is the case.<br />
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15
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
Losing Sight<br />
Over Sugar<br />
Diabetes is the most common cause of blindness among adults aged 20-74 and not many<br />
people including diabetics are aware of this. The 2006 National <strong>Health</strong> and Morbidity<br />
Survey found that about 15,000 to 39,000 Malaysians lose their sight because of diabetes.<br />
This condition is referred to as Diabetic Retinopathy, where diabetes causes damage to<br />
the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina).<br />
In this article, we bring you the <strong>Health</strong> Ministry's initiatives in tackling blindness caused<br />
by diabetes and why it is important for you to check for diabetic retinopathy once a year<br />
16 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
“Malaysia will see an increase of<br />
ageing population, by 2030 the<br />
number is expected to be 4.9 million<br />
and unfortunately, they are not<br />
ageing healthily. We will see the rise<br />
of non communicable diseases such<br />
as diabetes and its associated issues<br />
of diabetic retinopathy” said <strong>Health</strong><br />
Ministry's (MOH) former Deputy<br />
Director General, Datuk Seri Dr<br />
Jeyaindran Sinnadurai.<br />
1 Out Of 3<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Ministry's (MOH) former<br />
Deputy Director General, Datuk<br />
Seri Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai<br />
“One in three diabetic<br />
patients are affected with<br />
diabetic retinopathy,”<br />
said Hospital Putrajaya<br />
Consultant Endocrinologist and<br />
Endocrinology Service Malaysia<br />
Head, Dr Zanariah Hussein.<br />
Hospital Putrajaya Consultant<br />
Endocrinologist and<br />
Endocrinology Service Malaysia<br />
Head, Dr Zanariah Hussein<br />
She said, "Screening for diabetic<br />
retinopathy is vital because the<br />
longer you have diabetes and the<br />
less controlled your blood sugar is,<br />
the more likely you are to develop this condition.”<br />
Public Awareness Campaigns<br />
The <strong>Health</strong> Ministry is committed to reduce the burden of Diabetic<br />
Retinopathy by increasing awareness in addition to continuous<br />
screening efforts. Under this initiative, the Ophthalmology teams<br />
from Hospital Shah Alam, Hospital Serdang and Hospital Putrajaya<br />
conducted a public awareness campaign that hosted on-site<br />
eye screening activities during the Komuniti Sihat Perkasa Negara<br />
(KOSPEN) Convention. Almost 25% of the 330 participants<br />
were found to have Diabetic Retinopathy, they were then<br />
successfully referred to ophthalmologists.<br />
On-site eye screening activities during the Komuniti Sihat<br />
Perkasa Negara (KOSPEN) Convention<br />
Hospital Putrajaya Consultant<br />
Endocrinologist,<br />
Dr Masni Mohamad<br />
Technical Working Group<br />
“With the rising cases of diabetic<br />
Malaysians, including the younger<br />
population, MOH took the initiative to<br />
set up the Technical Working Group<br />
(TWG) for National Diabetic Retinopathy<br />
Screening in 2016,” said Hospital<br />
Putrajaya Consultant Endocrinologist,<br />
Dr Masni Mohamad.<br />
“For this group, MOH brings together both endocrinologists<br />
and eye care specialists to cohesively manage this condition,<br />
which requires specialisation in diabetes and optometry care”.<br />
The group consists of healthcare professionals from the MOH<br />
Ophthalmology and Endocrinology Services, the Primary Care<br />
Section of Family <strong>Health</strong> Development Division, Hospital<br />
Ampang, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Hospital Putrajaya,<br />
Hospital Sungai Buloh, Disease Control Division and Putrajaya<br />
District <strong>Health</strong> Office.<br />
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17
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
Ophthalmology Service Malaysia<br />
Head, Dr Nor Fariza Ngah<br />
“The TWG initiated a partnership project<br />
between MOH hospitals and health clinics<br />
(klinik kesihatan) to create awareness on eye<br />
health, particularly for diabetic retinopathy<br />
amongst Malaysians, says Ophthalmology<br />
Service Malaysia Head, Dr Nor Fariza Ngah.<br />
“As a result of the TWG’s efforts, 189 MOH<br />
healthcare professionals including diabetes<br />
educators from Eastern and Central Zones<br />
were trained on diabetic retinopathy screening.<br />
They were taught on how to use fundus<br />
cameras which are better alternatives to an<br />
ophthalmoscope commonly used at primary<br />
care level”.<br />
Ophthalmoscopes VS Fundus Cameras<br />
When using an ophthalmoscope, the patients’<br />
eyes need to be dilated, requiring them to<br />
depend on caregivers to take them back and<br />
forth for check-ups. Furthermore, the majority<br />
of diabetic patients are treated at the primary<br />
care level where they are not exposed to<br />
healthcare professionals that have the skills<br />
to operate an ophthalmoscope. In most<br />
hospitals, this procedure is only conducted<br />
by ophthalmologists, reaching only a small<br />
percentage of diabetics.<br />
Fortunately, a fundus camera avoids all these<br />
limitations, making it easy in terms of time<br />
and convenience. In fact, various healthcare<br />
professionals such as nurses, paramedics and<br />
even family medicine specialists are taught<br />
how to use it. With the launch of the ‘2017<br />
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Training<br />
Module for <strong>Health</strong>care Providers’ by the TWG, it greatly helped<br />
in educating these health care professionals, providing them<br />
with guidelines as a reference.<br />
MOH recognised that there was an opportunity to make full<br />
use of this fundus camera for maximum screening. Therefore,<br />
they conducted various efforts with the TWG to reach as many<br />
patients at risk of diabetic retinopathy, in addition to equipping<br />
more health clinics (klinik kesihatan) with fundus cameras.<br />
A workshop on how to handle a fundus camera for Diabetic<br />
Retinopathy screening was held at Hospital Shah Alam. There<br />
were 58 participants, consisting of medical officers and<br />
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HEALTH & Wellness<br />
Diabetic Retinopathy screening workshop at Kuala Terengganu<br />
“It was found that many patients do not go<br />
for regular screening because of the tedious<br />
eye dilation process,” says Dr Fariza. “However,<br />
findings from the pilot study illustrated an<br />
increase in patient satisfaction due to a<br />
shortened waiting time. Patients who were<br />
detected with any form of diabetic retinopathy<br />
regardless of severity were referred immediately<br />
to an ophthalmology clinic for further<br />
treatment”.<br />
“The Ministry of <strong>Health</strong> is committed to<br />
reducing the impact of Diabetic Retinopathy<br />
in the Malaysian health sector. Although we<br />
are proactive in ensuring an increased level<br />
of awareness and accessibility to screening,<br />
it is within the patients’ hands to take<br />
proactive measures and get checked,” says<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Ministry Non-Communicable Diseases<br />
(NCD) Head, Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha. “I<br />
urge all diabetic patients to check for<br />
retinopathy once a year. With this, we aim<br />
to prevent avoidable blindness.”<br />
The Technical Working Group with the<br />
support of the <strong>Health</strong> Ministry and patient<br />
participation can significantly reduce the<br />
burden of Diabetic Retinopathy in Malaysia<br />
through these preventive measures for early<br />
detection and management, which will<br />
greatly benefit the community.<br />
The Technical Working Group (TWG) for National Diabetic Retinopathy Screening<br />
paramedics from 26 health clinics (klinik kesihatan). In addition to that,<br />
hands-on workshops at six states within the Eastern and Central Zones were<br />
held to educate healthcare professionals from these areas.<br />
The TWG also held two pilot studies for fundus screening at Hospital Putrajaya<br />
and Klinik Kesihatan Jeram, which successfully reached a total of 1,792<br />
diabetic patients.<br />
References<br />
• National <strong>Health</strong> & Morbidity Survey, 2015<br />
• Lee, R., Wong, T. and Sabanayagam, C. (2015).<br />
Epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular<br />
edema and related vision loss. Eye and Vision, 2(1).<br />
• Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy, 2017<br />
• Mayo Clinic. (<strong>2018</strong>).Diabetic retinopathy -Symptoms<br />
and causes. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.<br />
org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/symptomscauses/syc-20371611<br />
[Accessed 4 Jun. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Yau JW, et al. Global prevalence and major risk<br />
factors of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes Care.<br />
2012; 35(3): 556-564.<br />
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19
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
World<br />
Breastfeeding Week<br />
AUGUST 1-7<br />
Breast is Best.<br />
We know!<br />
But, what if you can't or do not want to breastfeed your child? The next best option<br />
is infant formula, but is it just as good and are there other alternatives?<br />
Nursing can be a wonderful experience for both mother and<br />
baby. It provides ideal nourishment and a special bonding<br />
experience that many mothers cherish.<br />
A number of health organisations — including the American<br />
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association<br />
(AMA), and the World <strong>Health</strong> Organization (WHO) —<br />
recommend breastfeeding as the best choice for babies.<br />
Breastfeeding helps defend against infections, prevent allergies<br />
and protect against a number of chronic conditions.<br />
It is recommended that babies be breastfed exclusively for the<br />
first 6 months. Beyond that, breastfeeding is encouraged until<br />
at least 12 months and longer if both the mother and baby<br />
are willing.<br />
20 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
But, it isn't always easy for mothers to breastfeed their babies.<br />
Sometimes, they can't and sometimes there are those who don't<br />
want to.<br />
Here are Several Reasons Why You Can't or<br />
Won't Breastfeed<br />
• Sore nipples<br />
• Baby not latching onto breast<br />
• You've had a mastectomy<br />
• Hormonal Imbalances<br />
• Mammary Hypoplasia<br />
• Personal commitments and reasons<br />
If mummy can't or does not want to breastfeed, fret not. There<br />
are several options available that will come in handy.<br />
Formula Feeding<br />
Infant formula is a nutritious alternative to breast milk and even<br />
contain some vitamins and nutrients that breastfed babies need<br />
to get from supplements.<br />
Commercial formulas are manufactured under sterile conditions<br />
using a complex combination of proteins, sugars, fats and<br />
vitamins that aren't possible to create at home.<br />
Why do some mothers prefer infant formula<br />
over breastfeeding?<br />
• Convenience. Either parent or caregiver can feed the<br />
baby a bottle at any time. This allows mum to share the<br />
feeding duties and helps her partner to feel more involved<br />
in the crucial feeding process and the bonding that often<br />
comes with it.<br />
• Flexibility. Once the bottles are made, a formula-feeding<br />
mother can leave her baby with a partner or caregiver and<br />
know that her little one's feedings are taken care of.<br />
There's no need to pump or to schedule work or other<br />
obligations and activities around the baby's feeding<br />
schedule. Formula-feeding mums also don't need to find<br />
a private place to nurse in public.<br />
• Time and frequency of feedings. Formula-fed<br />
babies usually need to eat less than breastfed babies<br />
because formula is less digestible than breast milk.<br />
• Diet. Women who opt to formula feed don't have to<br />
worry about the things they eat or drink that could affect<br />
their babies.<br />
Organic Formula<br />
Although organic formula still has questionable ingredients, it<br />
is still better than the non-organic formula. Organic formula<br />
comes from healthy cows that weren’t given antibiotics or fed<br />
GMO feed and the sweeteners and oils weren’t grown with<br />
nasty pesticides. Read in-depth articles on the matter and consult<br />
a professional doctor before going about in feeding your baby<br />
organic formula.<br />
Milk Share<br />
This may sound a little weird especially in Malaysia but if it is<br />
possible and in the best interest of the baby, why not?<br />
So, for those of you who are still clueless on what 'milk sharing'<br />
is all about, if you can't or do not want to breastfeed, there are<br />
plenty of women who are breastfeeding and capable of providing<br />
breast milk and may be of service to you and your baby.<br />
Yes, you receive breast milk from another participating and<br />
willing woman. Of course there are risks associated with<br />
milk sharing.<br />
Prior to giving someone else's breast milk to your baby, you<br />
need to ensure the person you’re getting your milk from doesn’t<br />
have any communicable diseases, their diet is adequate, and<br />
they are preserving their milk properly.<br />
To be on the safer side, you should also ask for medical<br />
screenings and blood work results.<br />
But, as mentioned earlier, this practice isn't common or favoured<br />
upon among Malaysians. Should you wish to pursue this, try<br />
asking around on parenting blogs, websites or among parents.<br />
As far as payment for the breast milk goes, that depends on<br />
your relationship with the milk donator. If both of you find it<br />
awkward to pay for breast milk, you could always help with<br />
paying for other supplies and shipping.<br />
The Best Choice<br />
Deciding how to feed your baby can be hard. Some may decide<br />
to breastfeed before the baby comes but when the baby finally<br />
arrives, mummy might have changed her mind.<br />
While you're weighing the pros and cons, talk to your doctor<br />
or lactation consultant. These health care providers can give<br />
you more information about your options and help you make<br />
the best decision for your family.<br />
References<br />
• Verywellfamily.com<br />
• Nourishedkitchen.com<br />
• Kidshealth.org<br />
• Eatrealstaysane.com<br />
Milk<br />
Share<br />
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HEALTH & Wellness<br />
Minimally Invasive<br />
Heart Surgery.<br />
Heard of it?<br />
Also known as Minimally Invasive Surgery<br />
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (MICS CABG),<br />
the procedure does not involve a heart-lung<br />
bypass machine that is needed in an open<br />
heart surgery, rather a surgeon would make<br />
small incisions between the sides of the ribs to<br />
perform the operation with new methods of<br />
surgery. Read on to find out why UiTM Private<br />
Specialist Centre (UPSC) Senior Surgeon, Prof<br />
Dr Zamrin Dimon recommends the surgery<br />
UiTM Private Specialist Centre (UPSC)<br />
Senior Surgeon,<br />
Prof Dr Zamrin Dimon<br />
The Due Process<br />
Pre-surgery, a patient will be checked by a cardiac consultant<br />
and an angiogram will be done. Then, the consultant will decide<br />
on an angioplasty or a heart surgery for the patient. In the event<br />
that a surgery is needed, the consultant will advise for an open<br />
heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery, based on the<br />
patient’s records.<br />
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery VS<br />
Open Heart Surgery<br />
In an open heart surgery, the sternum bone (chest bone) will<br />
be cut open in order for surgeon to reach patient’s heart. In a<br />
MICS CABG, the cut is an 8cm incision on the side in between<br />
the rib cage. UPSC is one of a very few centres that is able to<br />
perform this technique.<br />
With this surgery, our patients are able to walk by the second<br />
day of procedure and discharged by day four or five, while open<br />
heart surgery patients take up to two weeks of hospitalisation,<br />
and up to two months to heal.<br />
The Ideal Patient<br />
• Between 40 and 68 years old<br />
• Has the most suitable anatomical shape of heart<br />
• Good outcome (prognosis) – based on overall<br />
pre-surgery assessment<br />
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HEALTH & Wellness<br />
The main benefit of a minimally invasive cardiac surgery is<br />
that it is minimally invasive compared to an open-heart<br />
surgery. Smaller incisions mean that you can heal faster and<br />
return to activities more quickly. Other benefits include:<br />
• Smaller incisions with minimal scarring<br />
• Less trauma to the patient, including less pain<br />
• Shorter hospital stay<br />
• Shorter recovery and quicker return to daily and<br />
professional activities<br />
• Smaller risk of infection<br />
Types of MICS CABG<br />
Minimally invasive heart surgery can be applied in the<br />
following instances:<br />
• To repair or replace the Miral valve<br />
• To repair or replace the Aortic valve<br />
• Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting<br />
• To implant Ventricular Assisted Device (a battery<br />
operated, mechanical pump) in end stage heart failure<br />
• To repair Atrial Septal Defect (a ‘hole’ in the wall that<br />
separates the top two chambers of the heart)<br />
• To repair or replace the Triscuspid valve.<br />
• To restore normal heart rhythm for patients with Atrial<br />
Fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm that can cause<br />
heart palpitations and fatigue)<br />
Now and Future:<br />
Open Heart Surgery<br />
A Revolution of Cardiac<br />
Surgery Technique @UPSC<br />
UPSC provides best options for patients<br />
with coronory artery disease.<br />
Off pump<br />
MICS CABG Surgery<br />
Why Is This Procedure Not Popular<br />
In Malaysia?<br />
• Lack of awareness among Malaysians<br />
• Only a handful of surgeons are currently able to<br />
perform this surgery<br />
Surgery Cost<br />
The cost would vary depending on the type of surgery<br />
that is required.<br />
MICS CABG is still considered a fairly recent development and<br />
most patients are still unaware of this alternative method to<br />
open heart surgery. UPSC works hard in spreading the news so<br />
that the benefits can be enjoyed by everyone. Most patients<br />
who come to UPSC to undergo the surgery have given positive<br />
feedback especially on its clinical outcome.<br />
I also train heart surgeons all over Malaysia including professionals<br />
at the National Heart Institute (IJN) to ensure the surgery option<br />
is widely available here. Patients in Malaysia should be given<br />
options, thus more surgeons should be trained to perform the<br />
minimally invasive heart surgery.<br />
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23
HEALTH & Wellness<br />
I Have Epilepsy<br />
and That Is Okay!<br />
Approximately 50 million people suffer from epilepsy worldwide, with 80% of its prevalence<br />
found in developing countries, including Malaysia. It is estimated that epileptic patients make<br />
1% of the overall Malaysian population, with an estimated 230,000 number of diagnosed cases,<br />
affecting individuals of all races, ages and gender.<br />
Despite this prevalence, a significant lack of awareness in the condition has resulted in often<br />
negative–and in extreme cases–malevolent connotations, with epilepsy being associated with<br />
individuals who are spiritually possessed. Read on to learn one individual's epileptic journey–<br />
Christina–and how she overcame the stigma associated to the condition<br />
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HEALTH & Wellness<br />
“When I was 28, I was helping my parents out with Christmas<br />
preparations. Suddenly, without warning, I fainted. I assumed<br />
it was due to me being exhausted with the holiday preparations.<br />
I had no idea that I just had my first epileptic seizure. The<br />
second time, my epileptic seizure happened at work when I<br />
was 29 years old. I had been facing elevated challenges at<br />
work and the increase in stress levels coincided with the onset<br />
of my epilepsy attacks. I had never faced such episodes before."<br />
What Is It?<br />
Epilepsy is a neurological condition where a person<br />
experiences multiple and recurrent seizures that occur in<br />
the brain. Seizures are uncontrollable, sudden changes in<br />
the brain’s electrical activity, which are commonly associated<br />
with convulsions (when a person’s body shakes rapidly,<br />
without control).However, not all seizures result in<br />
convulsions, with symptoms widely ranging in severity.<br />
However, recent advances in treatment and medical<br />
understanding of the condition, patients suffering from<br />
epilepsy can lead very normal lives.<br />
Tackling Epilepsy<br />
Christina, a lecturer with over ten years of experience,<br />
shares with us her personal challenges of epilepsy and how<br />
she overcomes them to lead an ordinary life.<br />
She added that, “Unfortunately, once epilepsy is triggered, the<br />
condition can't be reverted. I remember being in denial,<br />
believing that the attacks wouldn’t happen again. But the next<br />
one came, and was worse than the last – this time, an<br />
ambulance was needed to take me to the hospital. There, it<br />
was discovered that I have a left hippocampal sclerosis – scarring<br />
in the brain, which was the cause of my epilepsy."<br />
Challenges That Were A Blessing<br />
“After being diagnosed, I was referred to a hospital where<br />
there weren't any neurologists to help recommend the best<br />
course of treatment. I was passed from doctor to doctor, and<br />
for quite some time, I found that getting the right help<br />
was tough.<br />
“As part of my teaching requirement, I was transferred to<br />
another branch. This change was challenging; on top of coming<br />
to terms with my diagnosis, the doctors did not allow me to<br />
drive, and I struggled with the loss of independence and having<br />
to adapt to a new environment."<br />
Christina was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 28 years old but that didn't stop her from completing her postgraduate degree and working as<br />
a lecturer for the past 10 years.<br />
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HEALTH & Wellness<br />
"But here lies the complication – how can we expect others<br />
to be able to comprehend something they aren’t aware of?<br />
This is why I choose to share my story, so that people can be<br />
aware of epilepsy, to understand that epilepsy does not define<br />
a person, it doesn’t define me."<br />
Accept And Move Forward<br />
A Good Support System<br />
Christina said over time, the attacks were less frequent when<br />
she developed a solid support system that consisted of family,<br />
friends, colleagues and her university students.<br />
“It was during this time I met someone who led me down the<br />
right path to managing my epilepsy. I had one particularly bad<br />
attack during a training session at work and a gentleman that<br />
I have never met before approached me afterwards. He told<br />
me that he too used to experience epileptic seizures and he<br />
passed me details of a neurologist who has helped me<br />
significantly with learning how to manage my condition, both<br />
physically and emotionally."<br />
Finally being acquainted with the professional help she needed<br />
and meeting another person who also had epilepsy was certainly<br />
the icing on the cake for Christina.<br />
“Today when I have an attack, it is rather mild – I would rest<br />
for a bit and nobody would be able to tell I had an attack. This<br />
is how the medication has helped me; I don't faint or black<br />
out. However, I understand that I too must take charge of my<br />
condition, by practicing a healthier lifestyle and not burdening<br />
myself with too much work or stress."<br />
“My advice is in addition to the medication, it is crucial for<br />
patients to accept their condition and share the challenges<br />
they face. When things got difficult for me, my neurologist<br />
arranged for me to see a psychiatrist. This helped me as I could<br />
talk about my challenges, how I feel, and what I am going<br />
through. I believe patients can benefit a lot through counseling<br />
especially when going through the more challenging phases<br />
of epilepsy."<br />
“For me, I think it is about living life to the fullest, to wake up<br />
and smell the roses. Yes, epilepsy comes with its own set of<br />
challenges and sacrifices, but I choose to look at the bright<br />
side and strive for the best”.<br />
Epilepsy Does Not Define Me<br />
“Before being diagnosed, I had a rather vague idea of what<br />
epilepsy was. I didn't know that it could be treated through<br />
medication and that patients could live a normal life. I have<br />
very supportive siblings that understand my condition, but<br />
often I find it difficult to talk about it openly with others – I<br />
find people struggle to fully comprehend my situation and a<br />
lack of understanding also brings a danger of judging and<br />
stigmatising others."<br />
This article is an initiative by GlaxoSmithKline<br />
Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd.<br />
References<br />
• Current Status of Epilepsy in Malaysia And Way Ahead, 2014<br />
• Yayasansimedarby.com. (<strong>2018</strong>).Epilepsy Awareness and Treatment<br />
Programme with Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya -Archived.<br />
[online] Available at: http://www.yayasansimedarby.com/archived/<br />
epilepsy-awareness-and-treatment-programme-with-sime-darby-medicalcentre-subang-jaya<br />
[Accessed 9 Apr. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Mayo Clinic. (<strong>2018</strong>).Epilepsy -Symptoms and causes. [online] Available<br />
at:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptomscauses/syc-20350093<br />
[Accessed 12 Mar. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Epilepsy Society. (<strong>2018</strong>).Epilepsy in childhood. [online] Available at:<br />
https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/epilepsy-childhood#.WqYxdaiWaM9<br />
[Accessed 12 Mar. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Epilepsy Society. (<strong>2018</strong>).What is epilepsy?. [online] Available at: https://<br />
www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/what-epilepsy#.Wp0aGqiWaM8 [Accessed<br />
12 Mar. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Mayo Clinic. (<strong>2018</strong>).Seizures -Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at:<br />
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seizure/symptoms-causes/<br />
syc-20365711 [Accessed 12 Mar. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
• Medlineplus.gov. (<strong>2018</strong>).Seizures | MedlinePlus. [online] Available at:<br />
https://medlineplus.gov/seizures.html [Accessed 12 Mar. <strong>2018</strong>].<br />
26 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
COVER Story<br />
Bring<br />
It On!<br />
An advocate for women<br />
empowerment, Hannah Lo<br />
is all about finding the true<br />
power that comes from<br />
within. The personal life<br />
coach believes women are<br />
unstoppable when they<br />
realise it is more important<br />
to recognise and harness the<br />
power within themselves. In<br />
her words, she said,<br />
A woman<br />
empowered celebrates<br />
everything it means to<br />
be female and doesn't<br />
confine what that must<br />
mean but instead,<br />
redefines what it means<br />
to her.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> speaks to<br />
Hannah about the role she<br />
plays in empowering women,<br />
the stigma surrounding the<br />
act of breastfeeding in public,<br />
in conjunction with National<br />
Breastfeeding Month, and<br />
why she maintains a healthy<br />
lifestyle, both mentally<br />
and physically!<br />
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27
COVER Story<br />
You can only really know yourself when you find<br />
ways of loving the parts of you, you find hardest<br />
to love. Feminine qualities are a powerful gift that<br />
is needed more than ever right now – it comes<br />
naturally to you, intuition, compassion, creativity,<br />
going with the flow, healing, love and so many<br />
more; use them, share them and see them as a<br />
strength. Love yourself so radically that it doesn't<br />
matter what anyone else thinks or does.<br />
Female Power<br />
Hannah is a well-known figure in the local women wellness<br />
scene. Almost always the person holding the microphone at<br />
such related events, she is either hosting, organising and speaking<br />
at such events.<br />
The message she hopes to deliver via wellness events? "That<br />
their (women's) value isn't measured by what they look like,<br />
what they've achieved, whether they have a man or a child, lots<br />
of money in the bank or lots of 'things' but by the very fact that<br />
they exist – and that is enough to be loved and loveable. They<br />
are ENOUGH right now just as they are! The other thing I'd<br />
want them take away is that they can give themselves full<br />
permission to rest, cry, say NO, be angry, sad, be wild, feel<br />
pleasure and ask for what they need to be fulfilled. They don't<br />
need to justify the why."<br />
Taking a glimpse back into the past, Hannah said she wished<br />
she could have told her younger self that the female body is<br />
amazing and more than one could ever imagine.<br />
"You can only really know yourself when you find ways of loving<br />
the parts of you, you find hardest to love. Feminine qualities are<br />
a powerful gift that is needed more than ever right now – it<br />
comes naturally to you, intuition, compassion, creativity, going<br />
with the flow, healing, love and so many more; use them, share<br />
them and see them as a strength. Love yourself so radically that<br />
it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks or does."<br />
But, she is glad and content of the strong woman she is today.<br />
"Your greatest life will emerge when you surrender the need<br />
to figure everything out with your head and start following the<br />
call of your heart. Have faith in things you might not understand<br />
but just 'know' to be right and giving what you know is your<br />
unique gift/contribution to the world. Enjoy the journey, the<br />
unfolding of greatness takes time."<br />
1-7 <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
National Breastfeeding Month Let's<br />
Celebreast!<br />
Thoughts on women who breastfeed in public?<br />
I personally would breastfeed in public – if someone took a great<br />
offense to it – the only thing I can imagine myself doing is trying<br />
to understand where they're coming from, still being firm about<br />
what's right for me and not take what they did or said personally.<br />
I think we get so caught up with wanting to put things in neat<br />
little boxes of what is 'right' and what is 'wrong', what's socially<br />
acceptable or not when ultimately everyone is so different -<br />
what's right for me, might be wrong for you. There are also so<br />
many things to consider that influence what we believe.<br />
As long as I'm not harming anyone or causing any real pain<br />
- it shouldn't matter what I do. I think we could do a lot<br />
better as a society if we allowed people to be free to be<br />
themselves.<br />
I really love seeing a woman breastfeeding her baby. There's<br />
something so primal and comforting about it. I support you<br />
and am all for it.<br />
Thoughts on those who disagree with<br />
breastfeeding in public?<br />
I'd say everyone has the right to have their own opinion, just<br />
don't make someone else wrong for not agreeing with you.<br />
Especially in this case where a woman is feeding her child. If it<br />
really bothers you, move away and let her be.<br />
I don't agree with smoking in public because of the actual harm<br />
it could cause me if I stood too close. It baffles me as to why<br />
people don't have a strong opinion about this. And at the same<br />
28 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
COVER Story<br />
Any particular food that you are in love with<br />
and is part of your eating lifestyle?<br />
Marmalades Day Starter Juice (Strawberry, Orange and Banana)<br />
and Superfood Salad. YUM – I make the salad vegetarian because<br />
it has chicken. I listen to how my body responds when it comes<br />
to eating. When I mmmm and ahh while I eat and feel really<br />
nourished after, it's a good sign. Those two together do that<br />
for me.<br />
OhanaJo Studio's Raw Cacao homemade chocolate Bar with<br />
Raisins – I am in love with this. The chocolate melts in your<br />
mouth because it doesn't have any preservatives. I love a good<br />
Kambucha too.<br />
I am discerning about what I consume, whether its food, what<br />
I listen to, what I watch or read because I know consuming<br />
things that make me feel better and support my body to be at<br />
its best - in terms of my well-being, ultimately make me a much<br />
nicer person to be around with a lot more to give!<br />
time, I won't judge, take it personally or make them wrong if<br />
someone smokes in front me. I'll just move away respectfully. I<br />
think we can all try to understand each other better and be<br />
open to questioning where our beliefs come from and if they<br />
are making us more human or less.<br />
In the words of the late Anthony Bourdain “I don't have to agree<br />
with you to like you or respect you.”<br />
Keeping Fit<br />
What on your plate?<br />
I am mostly vegetarian and consume a minimal amount of dairy<br />
products, processed wheat/carbohydrates and sugar. I'd like to<br />
eventually be fully vegan. Right now I'm planning to start meal<br />
plans that will naturally balance my hormones. Certain foods<br />
help your body produce the hormones you need to be functioning<br />
optimally. This is what I'll be focusing on now.<br />
What's your fitness routine?<br />
I walk and do gentle stretches and free form movement at least<br />
once a day. On the weekend, I walk easy nature trails. Working<br />
out in nature is my favourite way to get away from the hectic<br />
energies of the city to be surrounded in calm serenity which<br />
helps me centre myself.<br />
Photo by @suchismitadass<br />
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FITNESS & Workout<br />
Upper Body<br />
Exercises for<br />
Toned Arms<br />
and Shoulders<br />
Most upper body exercises have as their goal<br />
to build strength. In order to maximise the<br />
beneficial effect of the routine, you'll want<br />
to mix in some good cardiovascular workouts<br />
- spinning, jogging, etc - and alternate the<br />
activities with lower body work<br />
Before starting any routine, be sure to spend at least 10<br />
minutes warming up, including good stretching exercises.<br />
Warm, loose muscles are much less likely to tear themselves<br />
or attached tendons. Also, you'll want to get the circulatory<br />
system activated and muscle temperature increased for good<br />
blood flow.<br />
How much weight to use, how many reps to perform and<br />
other variables are determined by your overall goals. Do you<br />
want to build muscle mass or just tone? For more mass, use<br />
more weight. For better tone, use less weight and do more<br />
reps. Do you want to increase flexibility and overall fitness or<br />
prepare for specific events?<br />
In any case, these traditional exercises will help you get started<br />
down that road. Some can be performed without equipment,<br />
others require only a very simple set of free weights or<br />
resistance equipment. Resistance equipment includes rubber<br />
straps with handles, springs and others that work primarily<br />
by offering resistance to tension. Weights work primarily by<br />
providing compression and/or tension due to gravity.<br />
Warning: Never exercise 'through the pain'. Mild<br />
discomfort - especially after a prolonged period of<br />
inactivity - is normal. But intense pain is a sign of trouble.<br />
Consult your physician.<br />
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FITNESS & Workout<br />
PUSH-UPS<br />
Try to<br />
do 20, then<br />
build up to 40,<br />
then to 80<br />
push-ups.<br />
LATS<br />
Note:<br />
The 'lats' or<br />
latissiumus dorsi'<br />
are the large, side<br />
muscles that make<br />
men triangleshaped.<br />
>> Even with all the contemporary sports science around,<br />
traditional push-ups remain an excellent upper body exercise.<br />
Start on your stomach, back straight, feet together, hands<br />
under the shoulders. Press against the floor, keeping your back<br />
and legs straight, then lower yourself back to the floor. For a<br />
little extra effort push-up, slow the action down and both raise<br />
and lower more slowly.<br />
MORE CHEST WORK<br />
>> Stand up straight, arms at your side, grasping the<br />
dumbbells. Maintain good balance and breathe normally.<br />
At the maximum point of inhalation, thrust the arms away<br />
from the body, palms inward. Exhale as you raise your arms<br />
to shoulder height, then lower your hands slowly back to the<br />
starting position.<br />
To vary the exercise, and get the biceps and triceps involved,<br />
rotate the weights and curl your arms up at the top of the<br />
swing. Straighten the arm, then lower as described above.<br />
Do 10 reps.<br />
BICEPS AND TRICEPS<br />
>> Start with 10 lb (4.5 kg) hand-held dumbbells. Flat on your<br />
back on a comfortable surface, such as a carpet or mat, hold the<br />
weights in each hand, palms up, arms extended perpendicular<br />
from the body. Lift slowly and bring the hands together.<br />
To vary the action, and get the biceps a good workout, too,<br />
try bending at the elbow when the arms are raised about 20<br />
degrees, then straighten and continue.<br />
>> Move the weights in front of the body, with your arms<br />
hanging above the front of your thighs. Without swinging<br />
or pushing off the thighs, lift the weights toward your chest.<br />
Alternate using one arm, then the other.<br />
Do 10 reps for each arm. If you experience lower back pain<br />
during the exercise, stop immediately. Put off the exercise until<br />
another day, or see your physician.<br />
Exercises for the lats or biceps can be done with free weights or<br />
using a long, elastic resistance strap. Hook one end with the foot<br />
and grab the other with your hand. Proceed as described above.<br />
PULL-UPS/CHIN-UPS<br />
>> If you have access to a sturdy bar, either in the gym or at a playground,<br />
or at home in a doorway, you can perform chin-ups and pull-ups. Chins ups<br />
are done with the fingers toward you, pull-ups with the fingers facing away,<br />
while your hands grasp the bar above your head.<br />
This low-tech exercise remains one of the best ways to build biceps, triceps,<br />
lats and pectorals all at once.<br />
No matter what routine you choose, don't overdo it. Build up your strength<br />
gradually. One of the most common reasons people don't continue workouts<br />
is pain produced from incorrect technique or excessive effort exerted too<br />
early in the process.<br />
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31
SPECIAL<br />
Psoriasis<br />
Awareness Month<br />
AUGUST<br />
Psoriasis VS Eczema<br />
Know the Difference!<br />
Both are chronic skin conditions and both cannot be cured completely, needing<br />
treatment and medication throughout the course of one's life. To make matters<br />
frustrating, both skin conditions often result in scaly, irritated and inflamed red<br />
and dry skin. But, both skin conditions are not the same and it is easy to be confused<br />
thinking they are. Before we tell you how to tell them apart, we elaborate and<br />
discuss a little on psoriasis in conjunction with Psoriasis Awareness Month!<br />
32 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
SPECIAL<br />
What is it?<br />
Psoriasis [sore-EYE-ah-sis] is a chronic<br />
(lifelong) disease related to the immune<br />
system. It is not contagious. When you<br />
have psoriasis, your overactive immune<br />
system sends out signals that cause<br />
inflammation in the body and speed<br />
up the growth cycle of skin cells. It<br />
causes psoriasis lesions, which are<br />
abnormal changes to the skin in the<br />
form of plaques, pustules or areas of<br />
redness and swelling.<br />
Psoriasis is different for each person.<br />
It can develop slowly with mild<br />
symptoms or quickly with severe<br />
symptoms. It can occur on any part of<br />
the body.<br />
Fast Facts<br />
• Psoriasis often starts between<br />
15 and 25, but can develop<br />
at any age<br />
• It isn't contagious<br />
• About 1 in 3 people with<br />
psoriasis develop psoriatic<br />
arthritis, which affects the<br />
joints, tendons and ligaments<br />
Plaque [plak] psoriasis is<br />
the most common. It appears as<br />
raised patches of inflamed, itchy and<br />
painful skin with scales. For some<br />
people, the skin may be red with<br />
silvery white scales. These plaques<br />
most often appear on the scalp,<br />
knees, elbows, and in or around the<br />
belly button and lower back, but can<br />
affect any area of the body.<br />
Inverse psoriasis is the second<br />
most common. It appears as inflamed<br />
deep-red skin that is smooth and not<br />
scaly. Inverse psoriasis affects body<br />
folds such as underarms, under<br />
breasts, in the genital area and<br />
buttocks. It can cause severe itching<br />
and pain and can be worsened by<br />
sweat and rubbing in these areas.<br />
Guttate [GUH-tate] psoriasis<br />
is the third most common. It<br />
appears as small, round red spots<br />
caused by inflammation that are<br />
raised and scaly. Guttate psoriasis<br />
often appears on the arms, legs<br />
and torso. However, it can affect<br />
any area of the body.<br />
Pustular [PUHS-choo-lar]<br />
psoriasis is rarer. It appears as<br />
pustules (white, pus-filled, painful<br />
bumps) that may be surrounded<br />
by inflamed or reddened skin. The<br />
pustules are filled with pus that is<br />
not infectious. This means that<br />
they are not caused by an infection<br />
and are not contagious. Pustular<br />
psoriasis may appear only on<br />
certain areas of the body, such as<br />
the hands and feet, or may cover<br />
most of the body.<br />
Erythrodermic [eh-REETHro-der-mik]<br />
psoriasis is<br />
even rarer. It can cause intense<br />
redness and shedding of skin<br />
layers in large sheets. It often<br />
affects nearly the whole body and<br />
can be life-threatening. Other<br />
symptoms include severe itching<br />
and pain, changes in heart rate<br />
and temperature, dehydration and<br />
nail changes. If you think you’re<br />
having an erythrodermic psoriasis<br />
flare-up, you should seek medical<br />
attention immediately.<br />
Symptoms of<br />
Psoriasis<br />
The symptoms of psoriasis can<br />
be different depending on<br />
what type you have. There are<br />
5 main types of psoriasis. Each<br />
type has different symptoms<br />
and characteristics. People with<br />
psoriasis may have more than<br />
one type of psoriasis. You can<br />
have different types of psoriasis<br />
at different times.<br />
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33
SPECIAL<br />
Treatment Options?<br />
This depends on the type of psoriasis<br />
you have. Treatments include in the<br />
form of oral, topical and phototherapy<br />
(light therapy) where healthcare<br />
professionals use ultraviolet (UV) light<br />
to treat psoriasis.<br />
As there is no proper cure for this<br />
chronic skin condition, your health care<br />
provider will recommend a treatment<br />
plan based on what type of psoriasis<br />
you have, the severity of your psoriasis<br />
and your reaction to a treatment.<br />
How is Psoriasis different from Eczema?<br />
1. Eczema is much more common<br />
than psoriasis, and it also has a<br />
few different ways of showing up<br />
on the skin.<br />
2. These two skin problems have<br />
different causes and can appear<br />
in different stages of your life.<br />
• Psoriasis is immune-mediated,<br />
meaning there is some imbalance<br />
in the immune system, which leads<br />
to inflamed skin while eczema has<br />
had its fair share of conversations<br />
on whether it is an immunemediated<br />
disease or a skin barrier<br />
defect disease<br />
• Psoriasis tends to affect individuals later<br />
in life while a textbook case of eczema<br />
often occur during early childhood.<br />
3. Trigger factors<br />
• Eczema is often brought on by things<br />
that are irritating to your skin, like<br />
detergents or things that cause<br />
allergies such as dust and pollen.<br />
• Infections can start up eczema,<br />
and so can stress, sweating, heat<br />
and humidity, and changes in<br />
your hormones.<br />
• Psoriasis shares some of these<br />
triggers, like stress and infection.<br />
But you can also get flare-ups<br />
when your skin is injured, for<br />
example by vaccination.<br />
• Some medications can also bring<br />
on a psoriasis flare, like lithium,<br />
which treats bipolar disorder, or<br />
drugs for malaria.<br />
4. Association with Serious<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Problems<br />
• If you have eczema, you most<br />
probably have dry and sensitive<br />
skin. You may also have someone<br />
in the family who has it, asthma<br />
or hay fever.<br />
• But, with psoriasis, it is linked to<br />
serious health problems. If you have<br />
it, you may also have diabetes, heart<br />
disease or depression.<br />
References<br />
• Psoriasis.org<br />
• WebMD.com<br />
• Self.com<br />
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PREVENTION & Remedies<br />
18 Easy Ways To<br />
Protect Your Heart<br />
In conjunction with World Heart Day next month, let’s<br />
“Take the Road to A <strong>Health</strong>y Heart” in 18 easy ways<br />
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35
PREVENTION & Remedies<br />
1<br />
Eat less salt<br />
Ashley Simmons, M.D., cardiologist at the University of<br />
Kansas Hospital said that when there is a high content<br />
of salt in the body, the body responds by releasing more<br />
water into the blood. The blood then increases in volume,<br />
putting more pressure on your heart as it works harder<br />
to cope with the extra volume of blood.<br />
2<br />
Use extra virgin olive oil<br />
Use the oil in cooking and salads as a study<br />
conducted in Spain revealed that students<br />
who have had meals drizzled in the oil<br />
have increased their levels of HDL (good)<br />
cholesterol by 2% and lowered their<br />
LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 4%.<br />
3<br />
Eat magnesium-rich food<br />
Magnesium helps blood vessels to relax, thus lowering<br />
blood pressure by 5 points. It has been found that as<br />
many as half of Americans do not get their daily<br />
requirement of magnesium, which isn’t surprising<br />
considering that many do not know its role in the body.<br />
The daily requirement for men and women are 400 mg<br />
and 310 mg per day respectively, so add food rich in<br />
magnesium such as spinach and seeds to your daily diet.<br />
4<br />
Eat more fruits and veggies<br />
Fruits and veggies are always recommended for good<br />
health. In the case of protecting the heart, it is the fibre<br />
contained in the fruits and veggies that benefit the heart.<br />
A study from the Northwestern University in Illinois, US,<br />
showed that adults age 20 to 59 on a fibre-rich diet had<br />
significantly lower risks of cardiovascular diseases than<br />
those who consumed less fibre.<br />
5<br />
Eat healthy fat<br />
Omega-3 fatty acids in food<br />
such as olive oil and nuts are<br />
known to benefit the heart.<br />
The Mediterranean diet,<br />
which is rich in omega-3,<br />
has been proven by a 2013<br />
study in The New England Journal of Medicine<br />
to reduce the risks of heart attacks and strokes by 30%.<br />
The diet is not only good for just the heart; being wellbalanced<br />
with a combo of fruits, vegetables, fish, beans<br />
and olive oil makes it great for managing lipid and<br />
insulin levels.<br />
6<br />
Wine and dine<br />
Some reports say that a glass of red or white wine a day<br />
can reduce your chances of death attributed to heart<br />
ailments by as much as 25% but the findings are still<br />
being debated.<br />
7<br />
Start exercising<br />
Your arms and legs get stronger as you exercise them; the<br />
same goes for your heart. In fact, during a workout, your<br />
heart muscles work twice as hard as the muscles in your<br />
arms or legs. Before embarking on an intensive workout<br />
regiment at the gym, you can start small by walking in<br />
the park or taking the stairs at the office.<br />
8<br />
Lift weights<br />
By lifting weights, your arms grow stronger and you will<br />
be more capable at lifting heavy objects. There is less effort<br />
required and you will not be straining your heart to execute<br />
the lift, hence lowering blood pressure and heart rate,<br />
according to Barry Franklin, Ph.D., director of cardiac<br />
rehabilitation at the William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan.<br />
9<br />
Get Fit<br />
Have more sex<br />
Studies show that regular sex, at least twice a week, helps<br />
to keep the heart in better shape. Andrew Scheinfeld,<br />
M.D., a clinical instructor at New York University Langone<br />
Medical Centre testified that sexual activity stimulates the<br />
production of the dehydro-epiandrosterone (DHEA)<br />
hormone, hence increasing<br />
cardiac performance,<br />
lowering blood pressure,<br />
improving the circulatory<br />
system’s function and<br />
reducing stress.<br />
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PREVENTION & Remedies<br />
15<br />
10<br />
Quit smoking<br />
Smoking has never had any advantage,<br />
except for the tobacco industry. Nicotine<br />
affects the heart’s function while the<br />
smoke scars the heart tissues, doubling<br />
the risks of cardio diseases as reported<br />
by an American Heart Association study<br />
in December 2012. The study also<br />
reported that even the occasional cigarette at a party increases<br />
your risks of heart failures.<br />
11<br />
Floss your teeth<br />
“How can cleaning my teeth help my heart?” you may ask.<br />
When bacteria breed in your mouth, your body’s immunity<br />
is on a low and poses a risk of inflammation to the heart and<br />
other vital organs. Women must pay more attention to oral<br />
hygiene as they have twice the risk of getting a heart attack<br />
if she has a gum disease. Brushing and gargling are ways to<br />
reduce the presence of bacteria in the mouth but according<br />
to Mark Schlesinger, D.D.S., of the New York University<br />
College of Dentistry, flossing is the most effective way to<br />
remove harmful oral bacteria.<br />
12<br />
Sleep enough<br />
A study published in the Epidemiology journal stated that<br />
20% of people age 24 to 32 years, who were suffering from<br />
a lack of sleep, had started displaying risks of heart failure.<br />
According to Barbara Phillips, M.D., a professor of sleep<br />
medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine,<br />
one should get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.<br />
Take the HSCRP test<br />
DO<br />
Largely unheard of, the highly sensitive C-reactive protein<br />
test (HSCRP) was reported in the New England Journal of<br />
Medicine to be twice more effective than a standard cholesterol<br />
test in predicting strokes and heart attacks. The HSCRP measures<br />
the levels of the C-reactive protein; the higher the level of the<br />
protein, the more inflamed the heart arteries are leading to a<br />
higher likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.<br />
13<br />
Relax<br />
Stress and heart disease are correlated, says Martha Gulati,<br />
M.D., director of women’s cardiovascular health at Ohio State<br />
University. When you are feeling stressed, your body produces<br />
high levels of cortisol, a hormone that can lead to accelerated<br />
heartbeats and high blood pressure. Cortisol also causes<br />
damage to the linings of the arteries, reducing their efficiency<br />
in delivering blood to your organs.<br />
14<br />
Think positive<br />
Treat and Test<br />
A study reported in Psychological Bulletin revealed that those<br />
who were happy by thinking positively tend to have lesser<br />
heart attacks and strokes. This finding is echoed by Nieca<br />
Goldberg, MD, cardiologist and Director of<br />
the Joan H. Tisch Centre for Women’s<br />
<strong>Health</strong> at NYU Langone Medical Centre.<br />
She said that those who have positive<br />
relationships with friends and family are<br />
happier and healthier due to having better<br />
support in times of life crises.<br />
16<br />
Take the threadmill test<br />
The threadmill test is another indicator of an<br />
underlying cardio condition. The University of<br />
Maryland’s School of Medicine says that the test<br />
is still the best single predictor of heart problems<br />
and suggests that one starts undergoing the test<br />
upon reaching the age of 40.<br />
Know your risks<br />
17<br />
Speak to your doctor if you have a family history of cardiovascular<br />
diseases. By having that knowledge, your doctor can assess and<br />
determine if you are also at risk, and subsequently monitor and<br />
administer early therapy if necessary.<br />
Treat that migraine<br />
18<br />
A migraine could be a sign of an approaching heart condition.<br />
While high blood pressure is the leading risk factor for heart<br />
diseases, migraines that are accompanied by affected vision of<br />
blind spots or flashes of lights are a close second as a risk factor.<br />
This form of migraine is an indication of impaired vascular<br />
function brought about by blood clots.<br />
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37
ECO+Green<br />
Is The Glass<br />
Half Empty?<br />
If you thought climate change is just bad for the planet’s<br />
health, you're wrong because it’s bad for people too.<br />
Water problems may vary by age, gender, geography<br />
and socioeconomic status, but the remedies will be<br />
the same. We speak to World Economic Forum Expert<br />
Network, Climate Reality Leader and goals-driven<br />
environmentalist, Dr Renard Siew on water woes and<br />
how it affects one's health<br />
Dr Renard Siew<br />
38 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
ECO+Green<br />
Malaysians use a daily average of 248 litres of water per person,<br />
almost twice the World <strong>Health</strong> Organisation's (WHO)<br />
recommended 125 litres.<br />
"It implies that we are generally quite a wasteful society. In fact,<br />
it’s interesting to see that people are willing to pay RM15 for a<br />
cup of Starbucks coffee but when there’s a proposal to raise<br />
water tariffs by even 5 sen people get agitated. I think what<br />
that says is that we have a tendency to see water as an infinite<br />
resource and don’t treat it as a commodity or valuable resource."<br />
Not mincing his words on Malaysians taking water that comes<br />
out of their taps for granted, Siew said the negative effects can<br />
already be seen in both rural and urban areas.<br />
He said rural people were largely involved in the agricultural<br />
sector which has high dependency on water for irrigation.<br />
"So, when we experience prolonged droughts and water<br />
shortages, crop yields tend to decline significantly which affects<br />
their main source of income. Exponential growth of human<br />
population coupled with the fact that with urbanisation people<br />
are moving out of rural areas and staying away from agriculture,<br />
there will come a time when we might just run out food and<br />
starvation will become a very real issue. We also have cases of<br />
rivers on the verge of drying up in Malaysia which is really bad<br />
news for our local fishermen. Needless to say, city dwellers<br />
including those living in Selangor have already experienced<br />
first-hand the inconvenience of water shortage and the situation<br />
will further worsen if urgent action is not taken."<br />
Play your Part<br />
"Seriously, there is so much that can be done. Whether we like<br />
it or not we make conscious decisions that have an impact on<br />
the environment every day."<br />
Don’t waste food<br />
Become a part-time<br />
vegetarian. Eat less<br />
meat. Livestock farming<br />
has one of the largest<br />
environmental impacts<br />
you can imagine from<br />
land water degradation,<br />
biodiversity loss, acid<br />
rain and deforestation. It<br />
also contributes to 18%<br />
of all human-produced<br />
greenhouse gas emissions.<br />
Say no to plastics.<br />
Carry a shopping bag<br />
with you when going to<br />
the groceries. Eliminate<br />
single use plastics.<br />
Check out zero waste<br />
alternatives to avoid silly<br />
supermarket packaging.<br />
Drive only when you<br />
need to. Take public<br />
transport or carpool<br />
whenever possible as<br />
it helps reduce your<br />
carbon footprint. It<br />
also means lesser traffic<br />
congestion which means<br />
less stress and more time<br />
for everybody.<br />
Almost 50% of our landfills consist of food waste<br />
and they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.<br />
Composting is an easy way to ensure that our<br />
produce goes back into creating healthy soils and<br />
there are various tips that you can pick up by<br />
watching online tutorials.<br />
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ECO+Green<br />
Bad air<br />
Droughts can reduce air quality<br />
and compromise the health of<br />
people with certain conditions.<br />
During a drought, the amount<br />
of airborne particles, such as<br />
pollen and smoke increases<br />
significantly. These particles can<br />
irritate the airways and worsen<br />
chronic respiratory illnesses, such<br />
as asthma. Poor air quality can<br />
also increase the risk of<br />
respiratory infections, such as<br />
bacterial pneumonia.<br />
Mental health effects<br />
As mentioned, prolonged<br />
droughts can affect crop yields<br />
and those whose livelihood<br />
is directly tied to the water<br />
supply including farmers,<br />
horticulturalists and nursery<br />
owners may suffer adverse<br />
mental health effects during<br />
this period. Financial woes can<br />
become a major cause of stress.<br />
<strong>Health</strong><br />
Risks<br />
Germy hands<br />
In a drought, people may feel<br />
the need to reduce hand<br />
washing and other hygiene<br />
practices to conserve water. This<br />
may increase the spread of<br />
infectious diseases, such as<br />
acute respiratory and<br />
gastrointestinal illnesses.<br />
Mosquito-borne diseases<br />
Increases in diseases transmitted<br />
by insects, such as West Nile<br />
virus, which is spread by<br />
mosquitoes, are linked with<br />
drought. Drought can shrink<br />
bodies of water, and cause water<br />
to become stagnant, providing<br />
breeding grounds for<br />
mosquitoes. Droughts can also<br />
change the behaviour of<br />
mosquitoes and allow for outof-the-ordinary<br />
meetings<br />
between certain types of<br />
mosquitoes and birds. This may<br />
create outbreaks of diseases<br />
such as St. Louis encephalitis.<br />
The Business of Bottled Water<br />
Former World Bank Vice-President Ismail Serageldin was once<br />
quoted as saying, "The wars of the 21st century will be fought<br />
over water."<br />
On this, Siew said the arguments can already be seen happening<br />
around the world with people being territorial and fighting over<br />
their water resources.<br />
"Only 3% of the water on Earth is fresh water, water that we<br />
can drink. As population increases, the demand for drinking<br />
water will naturally increase, so I think it makes a lot of business<br />
sense to be involved in selling clean drinking water," the World<br />
Economic Forum Expert Network Member who will be<br />
representing Malaysia at the World Economic Forum Sustainable<br />
Development Impact Summit in New York this September, said.<br />
But, Siew said one of the main issues faced by companies selling<br />
water is that their plastic bottles end up becoming ocean waste<br />
which kills marine life.<br />
"And with the whole #NoPlastic movement escalating, this could<br />
pose a real threat to bottled water companies. I really like what<br />
Evian(R) <strong>Natural</strong> Spring Water one of the world's leading luxury<br />
spring water effort in helping the environment. Apart from being<br />
the first company to introduce compactable bottles, they created<br />
the Evian Water Protection Institute which works in conjunction<br />
with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to introduce the use<br />
of recycled plastic (r-PET) to its most popular bottle sizes. They<br />
have also launched a new partnership with Recyclebank, Inc. in<br />
the US, further solidifying their commitment to the environment."<br />
Lamenting that awareness levels on water woes and environmental<br />
issues are minimal among university students and civil society<br />
groups, Siew hopes more priority will be given in the future to<br />
ensure water management and climate change are issues that<br />
matters to everyone.<br />
40 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
ECO+Green<br />
15 EASY WAYS TO GO<br />
ORGANIC IN <strong>2018</strong><br />
Even the biggest journey begins with a series of small steps.<br />
It’s exhausting just imagining the amount of change we‘re going to have to effect<br />
to leave the world a better place for future generations. Thankfully, our individual<br />
actions can add up to a major shift in our shared future. Even better? Many little<br />
things we can do to help save the world are actually kind of easy, and require little<br />
or no sacrifice on our part. It’s a win-win all around. Here are 20 easy ways you can<br />
go organic—and help save the planet<br />
Stop Drinking<br />
1. Bottled Water<br />
Besides the massive price we pay in<br />
energy and greenhouse gases to ship<br />
tens of billions of units of bottled water<br />
around the U.S. each year, most of them<br />
aren’t recycled, meaning nearly 30 billion<br />
plastic bottles end up in landfills annually.<br />
For the most part, the U.S. is blessed<br />
with drinkable tap water that is usually<br />
just as safe and sometimes safer than the<br />
bottled variety. (In fact, one out of four<br />
bottled waters are actually just tap water<br />
in plastic.) So the next time you go to a<br />
restaurant, tell the waiter that he can<br />
put away the overpriced bottled water<br />
and fill up your glass from the faucet—<br />
and know that that’s one fewer piece of<br />
plastic to add to humanity’s ever-growing<br />
trash heap.<br />
2. Compost<br />
Leftover Salad<br />
The average American family tosses out<br />
$1,600 of food a year, according to the<br />
EPA, yet farmers over-plant by about<br />
10 percent, according to the NRDC.<br />
All that wasted food goes straight to<br />
landfills, where it ends up contributing<br />
to methane emissions.<br />
According to the EPA, the<br />
average American could<br />
reduce the amount of waste<br />
they send to landfills every year<br />
by 140 pounds if they were<br />
to compost food instead of<br />
tossing it in the trash. Plus,<br />
think of all those beautiful<br />
lawns and backyard gardens!<br />
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41
ECO+Green<br />
Buy Organic<br />
3. Produce<br />
Factory farming based on heavy pesticide<br />
use has cost consumers both in terms of<br />
flavor and nutrition.<br />
A study published in the British Journal<br />
of Nutrition in 2014 found that organic<br />
fruits and vegetables were 20 to 40<br />
percent higher in antioxidant activity<br />
than conventionally grown produce.<br />
Antioxidants have been linked to slower<br />
aging and cancer prevention.<br />
4. Bike + Walk More<br />
Our reliance on gasoline-powered vehicles<br />
is suffocating the planet, and may lead<br />
to an irreversible change in climate that<br />
will have far-reaching effects on all life<br />
on Earth. The average American driver<br />
alone is responsible for 7,840 pounds of<br />
carbon emissions per year.<br />
Walking or biking rather than driving<br />
by a little more each year can lead to a<br />
significant reduction in greenhouse gases.<br />
If the number of Americans who traveled<br />
mostly by bike or foot increased by just<br />
3 percent—from 12 to 15—we’d save<br />
3.8 billion of gas and 33 million tons of<br />
greenhouse gases each year, or about the<br />
same as replacing 19 million conventional<br />
cars with hybrids, according to the<br />
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.<br />
5. Buy Organic Cotton<br />
Cotton is a crop that’s notoriously<br />
dependent on chemicals as conventionally<br />
grown, using 16 percent of all the world’s<br />
pesticides, or about three-quarters of a<br />
pound of chemicals per pair of jeans (and<br />
a third of a pound for per t-shirt). The<br />
World <strong>Health</strong> Organization blames many<br />
of the 20,000 pesticide-poisoning deaths<br />
each year on the cotton industry.<br />
Buying organic cotton supports an<br />
industry that uses less water than<br />
convention cotton, is less harmful to the<br />
soil and air, and isn’t steeped in chemicals.<br />
6. Give Up Gift Wrap<br />
Wrapping paper might make your<br />
birthday or holiday present look great<br />
before opening, but it’s a terrible gift for<br />
the environment: Each year, 4 million tons<br />
of trees are chopped down and milled<br />
into wrapping paper, according to the<br />
Clean Air Council, essentially wasted so<br />
they’ll look good for a few minutes under<br />
a tree or on a receiving table. What’s<br />
more, those cheerful colors often come<br />
from harmful synthetic dyes and inks,<br />
meaning you can’t even use them to light<br />
the yulelog or birthday barbecue. Let your<br />
gifts go naked, or use containers that your<br />
friends and family can keep using forever,<br />
like clay pots or reusable bags.<br />
Try A Different Fish<br />
7. For Dinner<br />
For far too long, we’ve indulged in the<br />
bounty of the sea without consequence.<br />
And now stocks of our popular eating fish<br />
like are nearing the point of extinction—<br />
the population of bluefin tuna has<br />
dropped by 96 percent over the last<br />
century, thanks to overfishing.<br />
What’s worse, unethical fishing methods<br />
have devastated seabeds and wreaked<br />
havoc with other endangered marine<br />
species, including dolphins, seals, seabirds,<br />
and whales. So put down the tuna burger<br />
and shrimp poppers and try a so-called<br />
“trash fish,” an underutilized species that<br />
tastes great and can sustain responsible<br />
levels of consumption, like wreckfish or<br />
U.S.-sourced rockfish.<br />
Avoid Products With<br />
8. Microbeads<br />
From face soaps to toothpaste,<br />
microbeads—tiny balls of plastic that<br />
provide a soothing, gritty texture that<br />
supposedly makes for a better cleanse—<br />
are sounding alarm bells. They’re not<br />
biodegradable, and are so small that they<br />
simply pass through the filters of wastetreatment<br />
plants.<br />
Along the way, they can soak up<br />
pollutants and carry them out into the<br />
waterways. Though there’s legislation<br />
banning microbeads pending across the<br />
country, the companies that make them<br />
hear the sound of profits more clearly than<br />
that of lawmakers: Do your part to send<br />
manufacturers a message by banning the<br />
beads from your home.<br />
9. Plant Native Flora<br />
Our American need to impose a ‘50s-era<br />
suburban ideal everywhere we live is<br />
both bad for our wallets and bad for our<br />
country. The 30 to 40 million acres of lawn<br />
across the U.S. drink up as much as 60<br />
percent of our home water, cause us to<br />
spend billions on harsh pesticides, and<br />
pump pollution into the air in the form<br />
of lawnmower exhaust—one hour using<br />
a gas-powered mower is equivalent to<br />
taking a 100-mile spin in a car).<br />
By beautifying your yard with plants that<br />
nature meant to be there—succulents in<br />
desert regions, for example—you waste<br />
less water and gas, and don’t have to<br />
resort to spreading harmful chemicals<br />
around in order to keep your unnatural<br />
grass carpet on life support.<br />
42 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
ECO+Green<br />
10. Use Cover Crops<br />
Your garden could be doing its part even<br />
when it’s cold out and the sun seems to<br />
barely peek over the horizon. Planting<br />
Protective Cover Crops like vetch, clover,<br />
and legumes improves the soil, helps feed<br />
and shelter beneficial insects, and prevents<br />
soil erosion. They’ll also make your garden<br />
more productive—a 2013-2014 study<br />
found that farms that used cover crops<br />
were 4.3 percent more productive.<br />
Make Your Own<br />
11. Deodorant<br />
Commercial antiperspirants and<br />
deodorants rely heavily on aluminum<br />
compounds (which have been linked<br />
to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s, and<br />
are derived through the environmental<br />
train wreck that is bauxite mining) and<br />
on triclosan, which has a whole host<br />
of possible health issues as well as<br />
environmental problems—it washes into<br />
our surface water and is absorbed by<br />
aquatic life. If you don’t want to Stop<br />
Using Deodorant you can Make Your Own<br />
Deodorant at home easily<br />
enough with baking<br />
soda, shea butter<br />
or arrowroot<br />
powder, and<br />
essential oils.<br />
12.<br />
Recycle Old Phones<br />
Smartphones come with a lot of baggage,<br />
including the valuable elements that<br />
they use, from gold to palladium to<br />
tantalum—a rare metal valued for its<br />
resistance to corrosion. Sales of some of<br />
these substances prop up the finances<br />
of oppressive, armed groups in conflictridden<br />
parts of the world, such as the<br />
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Yet a<br />
2014 study found that, of the1.8 billion<br />
cell phones expected to be bought that<br />
year, only 3 percent would be recycled, 4<br />
percent would be thrown away, and 44<br />
percent would forgotten in some corner<br />
of the owner’s home. Recycling your old<br />
phones isn’t just a way to reduce the strain<br />
on our Earth’s most precious resources,<br />
it’s also a way to help stop supporting<br />
violent militias.<br />
Know Which<br />
13. Expiration Dates You<br />
Can Ignore<br />
The average U.S. family tosses out 2<br />
million calories of food every year, and<br />
part of that’s because we compulsively<br />
abide by those expiration dates on<br />
the containers, which are put there by<br />
manufacturers—they’re not required by<br />
law for anything besides infant formula.<br />
You can actually safely use plenty of<br />
products past their sell-by date by a matter<br />
of days or even years, and prevent a lot of<br />
food waste. In general, trust your eyes and<br />
nose, or use our handy rules of thumb.<br />
Take Shorter<br />
14. Showers<br />
The average shower is 8.2 minutes long.<br />
Shaving that down to five minutes can<br />
save 13 gallons every morning. Having a<br />
hard time convincing yourself it’s time to<br />
towel off? Try singing shorter songs while<br />
you’re in there.<br />
And skip baths altogether—filling up the<br />
tub can require up to 70 gallons of water.<br />
If you insist on rubber-ducky time, maybe<br />
you can at least cut down on the water<br />
use by inviting a friend to join you.<br />
Go <strong>Natural</strong>,<br />
15. Hairwise<br />
The hair-salon industry has long relied<br />
on harsh dyes and toxic treatments with<br />
chemicals like lead, formaldehyde, and<br />
paraphenylenediamene. Those poisons<br />
end up washing into our rivers, streams,<br />
and oceans, into our soil, and back into<br />
our bodies.<br />
Fortunately, more and more salons are<br />
adopting green methods that include<br />
natural dyes that rely on herbs and<br />
vegetable and fruit extracts and oils<br />
like grapefruit, rhubarb, black walnut,<br />
calendula, and henna. Give them your<br />
business. Or go a step further, and simply<br />
let your hair shine with its natural color.<br />
This article was first published in RODALE’S<br />
Organic Life for the American readers but we<br />
believe the tips will work well for our readers too.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
43
Recipes of the Month<br />
Power<br />
Up with<br />
Potatoes<br />
In an event that took place recently, Celebrity Chef<br />
Naem creates starchy goodness using US Potatoes<br />
to boost energy and fuel athletic performances<br />
TOM YAM HASH BROWN<br />
with CHICKEN<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 6 US Hash Brown<br />
• 1 pack tom yam paste<br />
• 2 chicken breasts (poached)<br />
• 2 tomatoes (diced)<br />
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (sliced)<br />
• 2 coriander leaves (sliced)<br />
• 1 lemongrass (diced)<br />
• Salt/pepper<br />
Method<br />
1. Poach the chicken (Cut, dice & put chicken into simmering<br />
water seasoned with some salt and ginger until cooked).<br />
2. Air-fry the US hash brown at 100°C for 15 minutes till<br />
golden brown.<br />
3. Spread the tom yam paste on the hash brown.<br />
4. Mix in a bowl the chicken, tomatoes, kaffir lime leaves,<br />
coriander, lemongrass, salt & pepper.<br />
5. Season well.<br />
6. Place the chicken on top hash brown.<br />
7. Garnish with coriander.<br />
44 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
Recipes of the Month<br />
ON-THE-GO POTATOES<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 10 US Russets<br />
(peeled & diced)<br />
• 2 tbs olive oil<br />
• 1 nos chopped garlic<br />
• 1 tsp paprika<br />
• 1 tsp curry powder<br />
• 1 nos lemon zest<br />
• 1 nos lime<br />
(cut wedge, garnishing)<br />
• Salt/pepper<br />
Method<br />
1. Put potato in a bowl and toss with olive oil.<br />
2. In separate bowl, combine paprika, curry powder,<br />
lemon zest and ground almond and garlic.<br />
3. Mix all the ingredients well and coat the potato with<br />
the ingredients.<br />
4. Air fry at 120°C for 20-30 minutes (in small batches).<br />
5. Garnish with lime wedge.<br />
POTATO JACKFRUIT<br />
SMOOTHIE<br />
Ingredients<br />
• 2 US Russets<br />
• 1 scoop Protein Powder<br />
• 6 pieces of jackfruit<br />
• 1 cup soy milk<br />
• 2 tbs honey<br />
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder<br />
• 1/2 tsp chia seed<br />
• 1 cup ice cube<br />
• 1 daun pandan (garnish)<br />
• 1 gula melaka (garnish)<br />
Method<br />
1. Peel potato, cut into cubes.<br />
2. Boil the potato until soft for 10 minutes.<br />
3. Blend all ingredients – potato, jackfruit, protein powder,<br />
soy milk, honey, cinnamon, chia seed and ice cube<br />
together until smooth.<br />
4. Garnish with daun pandan, chia seed, and some drizzle<br />
of gula melaka.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
45
MINDFUL Living<br />
12<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y<br />
Shortcuts<br />
Real-world Advice for Living<br />
the <strong>Health</strong>iest Life Possible<br />
It seems as if people these days are dying at<br />
such an early age when they’re supposed to<br />
look forward to what life has got to offer for<br />
them. Unfortunately, out of these early deaths,<br />
there are a number of them who are not quite<br />
happy with their life and opt for the easiest<br />
way out instead of facing and trying to tackle<br />
the problem – by committing suicide. The ones<br />
breathing are left to wonder “What prompted<br />
these people to commit suicide? Why were<br />
they living so unhappily?” Whatever the<br />
reasons are, one thing we know for sure is that<br />
these people suffer from weak mental health<br />
Many think that mental health is just “all in the mind”. This is<br />
very wrong as physical well-being can play a role in promoting<br />
good mental health. Have you ever heard of “A happy, healthy<br />
body equals a healthy mind” or vice versa? There is also this<br />
famous line from Legally Blonde by Reese Witherspoon’s character<br />
who said “Exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you<br />
happy. Happy people don’t kill other people. They just don’t”.<br />
So now you know that you can be stronger mentally if you are<br />
physically fit. A balanced diet and the right exercise on a regular<br />
basis while ditching all the unnecessary culprits – cigars, alcohol,<br />
drugs – will do the trick. With all that said, let’s take a test to<br />
where you stand in the health department:<br />
• Do you get 8 hours of sleep every day?<br />
• Do you drink enough water daily?<br />
• Do you exercise regularly?<br />
• Do you have a healthy diet?<br />
• Do you find it easy to curb your bad habits of smoking/<br />
drinking too much?<br />
• Are you willing to completely walk away from your<br />
bad habits?<br />
If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, you’ll need<br />
to improve your health. A recent scientific study indicated that<br />
those who lack sleep or have too much (less than 8 hours or<br />
more than 8 hours a day) are at higher risk of getting a heart<br />
attack or heart failure than those who get the required 8 hours<br />
a day. Then, when it comes to drinking enough water each day,<br />
just how much is enough? The ‘8 glasses per day’ rule no longer<br />
stands these days as suggested by researchers at University of<br />
Pennsylvania, Dartmouth Medical School and several other<br />
institutions. Fluid is contained in the food we consume, so as<br />
long as our urine is not dark in colour and we do not feel thirsty,<br />
we are sufficiently hydrated.<br />
Easy Tips You Will Love!<br />
So, how else can you kick-start your life in the health lane?<br />
Follow these real-world advice which are easy to remember and<br />
easy to do:<br />
1Pray/meditate<br />
Depending on how spiritual you are,<br />
praying really helps you to focus on your<br />
inner thoughts. Take it as a simple form<br />
of soul-searching as prayer empties your<br />
mind and calms your soul. If you prefer<br />
to meditate instead, do go ahead by all<br />
means. Speak to those knowledgeable<br />
on the subject matter as taking good<br />
care of your inner self is as important as<br />
taking care of your physical appearances.<br />
It is amazing how much prayer and<br />
meditation can help to ‘detox’ your mind<br />
and change your outlook on life.<br />
46 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
MINDFUL Living<br />
2Purge negativity from yourself<br />
Sometimes, the negativities do not come externally but exists<br />
from within. Eliminating negativity from yourself is harder to<br />
do than to get rid of ‘toxic’ people. It takes a lot of effort<br />
and tremendous perseverance because you yourself are now<br />
the ‘toxic’. Know your problem is with yourself. If you find<br />
that you take failure or loss hard, loosen up and tell yourself<br />
to acknowledge your accomplishments instead of focusing on<br />
your weaknesses. Similarly, if pessimism constantly pops up in<br />
your mind, get rid of those negative thoughts and think that<br />
life is too short to be always in worry. A lot of binge-eating<br />
happens too when one is unhappy, so by staying positive, you<br />
can cut out that unhealthy dependence on junk food for a<br />
short-lived feel-good moment.<br />
Exercise<br />
4<br />
If you can, exercise every day instead of just a few times a week.<br />
Movement is life. Research has shown that exercising daily<br />
increases life span, lowers the risk of diseases, improves bone<br />
density and of course, promotes weight loss. Physical activity is<br />
actually easy to do; you don’t have to jungle trek or go hiking<br />
but simply choose to walk if you are going somewhere close by<br />
or climb the stairs instead of taking the lift. Join some aerobics<br />
classes or take up a sport of your liking, be it tennis, swimming<br />
or rock climbing. Any activity that keeps you up and about is<br />
great for getting blood rushing through your veins.<br />
3Purge negative people from your life<br />
Positive mental health is an important part of a healthy life.<br />
You don’t need ‘toxic’ people in your life. If you feel that a<br />
friend is overly critical or negative, let him/her go. You’ve got<br />
enough on your plate already without having your so-called<br />
friends adding salt to injury. The same goes if you have a<br />
colleague who is constantly ranting about traffic jams or her<br />
heavy workload. You don’t need these negativities in your life,<br />
so slowly distance yourself from the people whom you find are<br />
starting to affect your mood.<br />
5<br />
Live your life with meaningful purpose<br />
Life is good when it has a purpose or a meaning. Are you<br />
living a life of meaning? What is your purpose for living? Life is<br />
indeed meaningless if you don’t have a reason to live. Think of<br />
something that motivates you or create an event that you can<br />
countdown to attending. This way, you have something to look<br />
forward to when you wake up each morning. It could be just<br />
a gathering with old schoolmates or meeting a family member<br />
whom you have not seen for a long time. If you want to add<br />
even further meaning to life, you could get in touch with God,<br />
be kind to others or spread joy and happiness. Do things that<br />
will make you feel fulfilled spiritually.<br />
Eat more fruits<br />
6<br />
Fruits are a plethora of vitamins<br />
and minerals. Do you know that<br />
oranges offer more health benefits<br />
than Vitamin C pills? Taking in<br />
synthetic supplements are not<br />
the same as consuming the foods<br />
direct from nature. Why take a<br />
chemically-synthesised drug when<br />
you can savour the sweetness<br />
and juiciness of the fruits, along<br />
with their fibre which aids your<br />
digestion? Fill your plate with<br />
these 10 most nutritious fruits;<br />
watermelon, apricots, avocado,<br />
apple, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi,<br />
guava, papaya and strawberries.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
47
MINDFUL Living<br />
7<br />
9<br />
Cut down on processed food<br />
Processed foods undergo so many processes until most<br />
nutritional value is lost. Furthermore, the preservatives,<br />
colouring and flavouring added are bad for our health. Many<br />
processed foods contain a high amount of salt too, which<br />
leads to higher blood pressure and heart disease. In general,<br />
most food in the supermarkets are processed. The longer the<br />
list of ingredients is on the label, the more processes the food<br />
item has undergone. So although nuggets and drummets<br />
are convenient to serve to fussy kids, cut them out from your<br />
menu as your children won’t benefit from eating any of those.<br />
Breathe in and out deeply<br />
Oxygen is a vital source of life. Of course you know how to<br />
breathe but are you breathing the right way? Most of us don’t<br />
breathe properly – we take only shallow breaths and use only<br />
1/3 of our lung capacity. Athletes are coached proper breathing<br />
techniques to get their best performance. A full breath is<br />
defined as one when your lungs are completely filled, your<br />
abdomen expands and there is minimum movement in your<br />
shoulders. Also, remember that your brain needs sufficient<br />
amount of oxygen for it to function at its best capacity, so<br />
breathe well and breathe right.<br />
8Eat more veggies<br />
Just like fruits, vegetables are<br />
important for the well-being of our<br />
health. Experts suggest that we should<br />
have 5-9 servings of fruits/vegetables<br />
but unfortunately, most people don’t<br />
even get 5 servings per day! Some<br />
of the best veggies include kidney<br />
beans, black beans, asparagus, long<br />
beans, French beans, sprouts, button<br />
mushrooms and carrots. Baby carrots<br />
and celery sticks are great as snacks at<br />
the office but if raw veggies aren’t your<br />
fancy, stir-fry them for lunch or dinner.<br />
Avoid trigger foods/binge eating<br />
10<br />
12<br />
Trigger foods are food which causes you to binge like crazy<br />
after eating them. Everyone’s trigger food is different; some<br />
people could be dying for doughnuts and pastries while the<br />
others crave for chips and French fries. Common favourites are<br />
candy, chocolate, confectionery, chips, cookies or anything with<br />
a high level of refined sugar, salt, fat or flour. While these food<br />
undoubtedly taste heavenly good, they cause an imbalance in<br />
blood sugar, hence triggering one to eat even more and more.<br />
Identify what are your trigger foods and practise moderation.<br />
Improve your posture<br />
Good posture improves your breathing and makes you look<br />
smarter, more confident and more attractive. Remember the<br />
art of body language? That’s what we are talking about.<br />
Among the five key benefits from maintaining a good posture<br />
include a lower risk of health complications such as slipped<br />
disc, back aches, back pain, pressure inside your chest and<br />
poor blood circulation, improved self-confidence, better selfimage,<br />
facilitated breathing and an increase<br />
in concentration and thinking ability.<br />
11<br />
Get outdoors more often<br />
If you have a regular 9-5 job, chances are that you spend most<br />
of your time holed up in the office. It is even worse if you<br />
stay late at the office or bring work home. On the weekends,<br />
you’re probably busy with errands and housework. Make it a<br />
point to go for a run at least once a week. Get some sunlight<br />
doing something fun in the sun with friends. Go out and have<br />
a change in environment. Let out the tension within by singing<br />
your lungs out at the karaoke bar. You will find your heart and<br />
mind feeling ‘lighter’ after each of those sessions.<br />
Our body is our temple. We must take good care of<br />
it in order to enjoy life to the fullest. Life is beautiful<br />
but short, so you don’t want to spend what little time<br />
you have on earth in bed with unnecessary health<br />
problems. Your vital organs may be working well<br />
today but that might not be the case tomorrow, so<br />
take proper care of your body and don’t wait for<br />
tomorrow to be healthy.<br />
48 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
NEWS & Events<br />
An Exciting Motherhood<br />
Workshop<br />
Strong turnout and positive response<br />
at a 5-star luxury confinement centre<br />
The 23 June <strong>2018</strong> turned out to be an exciting day for dozens<br />
of expectant couples who attended the Journey to<br />
Motherhood Workshop held at LYC Mother & Child Centre<br />
at Plaza VADS, TTDI.<br />
Held from 10 am until 2 pm, expectant parents came to get<br />
parenting tips and new information from the experts which<br />
include the good practice for newborn and childbirth tips.<br />
Some of the notable speakers who joined the workshop were<br />
CryoCord - one of the largest and most comprehensive stem<br />
cell banks in Southeast Asia, Bmama - a growing company<br />
that specialised in maternity products as well as Princeton<br />
who specialised in the luggage industry.<br />
Also included in the workshop was a lucky draw session<br />
where many fabulous prizes being bagged by lucky participants<br />
and the grand prize winner walked away with a breast pump<br />
worth RM800.<br />
Nivea rolls out<br />
a Clean Cause<br />
Personal care brand talks to school<br />
children about personal hygiene<br />
How do we educate teens on taboo subjects like personal<br />
hygiene? One way to go about it is via awareness<br />
campaigns!<br />
Rolling out a school campaign to raise awareness on<br />
personal hygiene among school children, Nivea reached<br />
out to schools across Malaysia with the first ever school<br />
campaign on July 3 at SMK (P) Sri Aman.<br />
The campaign is a long-term initiative, supported by a<br />
massive school roving team that will visit secondary schools<br />
in major cities throughout Malaysia, targeting students<br />
going through puberty. While visiting the schools, the<br />
team will share a 45-minute programme which will cover<br />
key aspects of keeping the best personal hygiene including<br />
underarm hygiene and protection, as well as personal<br />
grooming.<br />
The official launch saw Nivea rolling out a video titled<br />
'Penjagaan Diri Terbaek' (Personal Care is the Best) and<br />
special appearances by local artists and Nivea role models,<br />
Khai Bhar and Nabila Razali -stars of the brand new Nivea<br />
personal hygiene awareness music video.<br />
Women's Pelvic Care<br />
Centre opens in Bangsar<br />
Centre offers consultation, care,<br />
rehabilitation and physiotherapy to those<br />
affected by pelvic floor dysfunction<br />
Pelvic floor dysfunction, though often overlooked results in<br />
various issues such as urinary incontinence, stubborn belly,<br />
back pain, pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction.<br />
Vibrance Pelvic Care Centre also gives women affected by<br />
pelvic floor dysfunction access to professional treatment by<br />
physiotherapists according to the needs and requirements<br />
of each woman.<br />
The non-surgical treatment helps to improve bladder control,<br />
sexual health, relieve back pain and restore abdominal tone.<br />
The centre is located at 139, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar and is<br />
open Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. Consultations<br />
and treatments are by appointment only. For more<br />
information or to book a consultation, call +603 2201 2115.<br />
Nivea role models Khai Bahar (left) and Nabila Razali at the launch of<br />
the personal hygiene awareness campaign<br />
Situated along Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Vibrance Pelvic Care Centre offers<br />
a comprehensive range of holistic non-surgical treatments to manage<br />
women’s pelvic health.<br />
<strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94<br />
49
NEWS & Events<br />
Glow with Honey!<br />
French bee cosmetics expert, Abellie<br />
launches officially and appoints Abellie<br />
Malaysia ambassador<br />
The age old adage to naturally<br />
clear and glowing skin often<br />
comes from utilising natural and<br />
organic ingredients.<br />
So, if you haven't heard of<br />
French brand, Abellie, you<br />
should because it is certifiedorganic<br />
and carries both the<br />
ECOCERT and COSMEBIO logo.<br />
During an official product<br />
launch that took place early this<br />
year, Abellie introduced its line<br />
of beauty and skincare products<br />
which are largely made with<br />
ingredients that include honey,<br />
propolis, royal jelly, aloe vera<br />
and cornflower water.<br />
The brand also introduced its<br />
Malaysia product ambassador,<br />
Soh Jin Chuan who is also an Ai<br />
FM DJ and 8TV news announcer.<br />
Malaysia's distributor for Abellie<br />
and curator of organic products,<br />
Organique Essentielle Sdn Bhd<br />
and Celebrity Beaute Founder,<br />
Stephanie Yong said Jin Chuan<br />
was chosen as the product<br />
ambassador to drive home the<br />
point that men should take care<br />
of their skin too.<br />
"We wanted Malaysian males<br />
to learn more about skincare<br />
and why they should take care<br />
of their skin and Jin Chuan was<br />
the perfect ambassador."<br />
Soh said, "Having come from<br />
the entertainment industry, I<br />
often wear makeup and always<br />
on the lookout for good quality<br />
products that will not damage<br />
my skin. I have used the Abellie<br />
Tresor de Purete Micellar Water<br />
and it is both a great makeup<br />
remover and skin moisturiser."<br />
He added that he was proud to<br />
represent Abellie in Malaysia<br />
and shared beauty and skincare<br />
tips with Abellie Founder and<br />
President, Benoit Mary, during<br />
the event.<br />
(Left to right) Abellie Founder and President, Benoit Mary, Organique<br />
Essentielle Sdn Bhd and Celebrity Beaute Founder, Stephanie Yong,<br />
and Abellie product ambassador, Soh Jin Chuan<br />
Ai FM DJ and 8TV news announcer, Soh Jin Chuan (third from right)<br />
is the proud product ambassador for Abellie Malaysia cosmetics<br />
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery<br />
The Kinevo 900 surgical microscope<br />
from Carl Zeiss<br />
World's first ever use of Kinevo 900 surgical microscope<br />
for spine surgery at UKM Medical Centre helps surgeons<br />
improve efficiency<br />
In the past, spine surgery was a nightmare for patients, who had their back cut open<br />
and were immobile face down in the ICU for as long as five days, before even<br />
attempting to walk.<br />
Today, UKM Medical Centre is the first in the world to acquire the Kinevo 900, a<br />
surgical microscope from Carl Zeiss that allows surgeons to operate with greater<br />
speed and precision, detecting even the smallest details with the help of magnified<br />
images with superior quality and 3D visualisation.<br />
The microscope's robotic capability also frees the surgeon from having to make<br />
repeated manual adjustments, cutting down surgical time by 50%.<br />
The device's minimally invasive surgical methods allows spine surgery patients to be<br />
up and walking in as little as eight hours after surgery. They can be discharged in as<br />
little as one day and be back at work within the same week.<br />
50 <strong>Natural</strong> <strong>Health</strong> * <strong>August</strong> <strong>2018</strong> VOL 94
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Advertorial<br />
Joint Pain?<br />
Cen-D ® is a cranberry drink with collagen and<br />
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Read These Raving Customer Reviews!<br />
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*This product is not suitable for pregnant women and children. It should also not be consumed by those undergoing dialysis or suffering from cancer.<br />
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