Common cold vs flu?

The other day one of my colleagues, A was suffering from a common cold. " No lah, this is flu. I am going to see a doctor ...scared H1N1 leh"

My other colleague, B and I were rather amused with her reaction. "You are over-reacting" i said...."Trying to 'siam' from attending meeting later right?"

B and I could see through A's intentions. B whispered into my ear "Yep, i am sure she is faking it......knowing that the meeting would be a draggy one, as always"

Many people actually mistaken a common cold for flu and vice versa. Though both are of viral origin, they are not the same (different strains of virus).

Symptoms of common colds:
1. Runny nose/stuffed nose
2. Scratchy throat/sneezing
3. No fever
4. No joint pains/body aches
5. No diarrhoea/vomiting

You do not need to see a doctor, just up your intake of immune-boosting vitamin C and drink lots of water will do. Generally mild in nature.

Symptoms of flu (short for influenza):
1. Fever
2. Coughs
3. Joint pains/aches
4. A small percentage may suffer from diarrhoea/vomiting
5. Fatigue/malaise

Best to see a doctor to help get rid of the infection and also in this case to rule out H1N1. More serious in nature as flu can kill and cause a pandemic. Influenza is a viral infection and you will not be cured by taking antibiotics. Anti-virals or vaccines may help but generally we rely alot on the body's immune system to fight the virus.

OK to go for that extra burger?

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Eat%2BRight/Story/A1Story20091117-180427.html

According to this article, the British government recommends that adults' daily calorie intake - currently 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men - could be increased by up to 16 per cent. That's the equivalent of a cheeseburger or two packets of crisps.

Warning! Only if you exercise. You would need to jog at a moderate pace for about an hour to burn the extra burger that you've consumed. It is reported that a third of the British population are overweight. Go figure.......

A person with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 and above is considered overweight. However, I would like to stress that for Asians, the cut-off index is at 23.

Calculate your BMI here
http://www.nutriweb.org.my/bmical.php

When do you know that your pillow is dead?

DIY 1: When do we know it is time to throw that old pillow into the bin?

1. Fold your pillow into half and place a handbag on it. If it springs back, your pillow is doing fine......if it just stays put, it is time to trash it and get a new one.
2. Another way is to stretch out your left arm and lay the pillow across your arm. If it looks like a pair of saddlebag, then it is probably time to replace it.

Caring for your pillow......
3. Doctor says placing the pillow in the freezer for 12 hours will kill dust mites. mmmmm......raising any eyebrows yet? I say airing your pillow under the hot sun for several hours will also do the trick, not to mention that it won't end up smelling like frozen chicken!
4. House dust mite is the number one allergen in Malaysia (allergy-causing bugs), so make sure you change your bed sheet often , say once in two weeks..

Snack Size Science: Vitamin E and the quest for thick hair

Snack Size Science: Vitamin E and the quest for thick hair

Many men and women are losing their hair these days.....is it in the food we eat, the air we breathe or simply we are a generation of stressed out individuals?

Hormones which are essential for all body functions are now causing havoc in the body due to imbalances which again may be caused by culprits such as improper food intake (energy-dense but of no nutrient value), pollution and stress. 4 out of 7 Americans are suffering from hair loss and the same goes for countries such as Hongkong (by the number of mushrooming ads targeting at this group of people).

However, please do not fret if you are losing 200 strands of hair each day as this is normal. And contrary to popular beliefs, combing your hair more than 100 times a day will not prevent hair loss, though i believe it does promote better circulation of the scalp and thus results in hair growth.

The audio podcast above highlights the benefits of vitamin E (from palm oil) in arresting hair loss.

Rising sugar intake causing more deaths

Rising sugar intake causing more deaths

Statistics in Malaysia stand at 6.8% but we know it can be as high as 12% as many of the cases can go unreported. Another fact is this is a rising trend.

There are indeed many who may have diabetes without realising it. Many of them do not have proper access to healthcare facilities or simply ignorant about their health. I personally see a lot of these old folks who just refuse to see a doctor as they would normally say "the more you know, the doomer it gets"

A person with uncontrolled blood sugar increases his/her risks to heart problems, strokes, kidney failure, eye disorders (cataract and glaucoma) and nerve damage which can lead to impotence, amputation and poor quality of life (there is no cure for diabetes and thus the patients would have to rely on drugs for the rest of his/her life).

I was doing a short training at HKL earlier this year and witnessed a couple of nurses tending to this particular patient. He obviously has diabetic neuropathy and the nurses were cleaning and dressing his foot with medication and gauze. There was a gaping hole in his foot the size of a golf ball!! And the thing is he has got no sensation or experience no pain whatsoever. The nerve damage is so severe until he can't feel the pain this gaping hole exerts. He must have stepped on a nail and with no sensation, infections set in. It was too much for me and my colleagues to take in at that time so we left. The impending feeling that the poor guy would one day succumb to losing his foot/leg is heart-wrenching.

Recommended daily intake for sugar is 10 tsp. But many consumers do not know about hidden sugars found in highly processed foods such as your bowl of cereals, desserts, ice cream and etc. According to The Star, teh tarik can easily chalk up 6-7 teaspoons of sugar. Carbonated beverages, fizzy drinks and the likes may double that amount. The more affluence a society gets, the more sugar they indulge. This has been observed in countries such as America and it looks like we are heading that way.......

Recently, we saw in the news about this huge baby from Indonesia, apparently borne by a diabetic mom. Most are fascinated with this "miracle' baby but not me. The baby would grow up with a very good chance of being overweight most of his adult life, higher risks of developing diabetes, arthritis, heart problems....

So, what are you going to do about it?

You can start by being more discerning when it comes to eating. Ask for Milo/Teh tarik kurang manis (don't go for "kow"). Moderation is key. We still need sugar in our food or else what is the point of living? We all love good food and many of us do have the means and money to indulge but do so in moderation.

Reading the product labels on food packaging may also provide some answers on the sugar content of foods. You will be surprise to find some of these are loaded with sugar without much nutrient content. If you love juicing, the natural sugar found in vegetables and fruits is more than enough. You do not need to add on more sugar. Alternatively, you can get good quality honey as a sugar substitute. I use organic brown sugar these days as i cannot live without my daily doses of black tea.

The saying "You are what you eat" is very true in this context.