The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
| Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:33 PM PST For many chronic lifestyle diseases, lifestyle changes should be implemented first before resorting to drugs. IF you have been reading my articles regularly, you would have realised that I am very much against the current drug-based model practice of modern medicine. I prefer a lifestyle and nutrition-based approach. However, I do use drugs – either as the first therapy in cases where I need to achieve improvements quickly (and then safely try to reverse the health problem with natural and nutritional therapies); or as the last resort when everything else fails. The reason is that in general, drugs do not heal, but only suppress or control the symptoms, and they have many side-effects. For example, I would like to remind all those who have high blood pressure (hypertension) and are on anti-hypertensive drugs that they only have their blood pressure (BP) "under control" as long as they remember to take their medications. Even if their BP is normal, they are not healthy, and they are certainly not cured of their problem. The BP is suppressed by the drugs. If they miss their drugs for a few days, the reality that their bodies are out of control will be evident. Of course, this situation is better than if the BP is high and unsuppressed. But the best option is to normalise the BP through natural methods (eg slowing down the breathing rate), health lifestyle and diet, weight control, exercise, and nutritional therapies. The same applies to treating diabetes (drugs only "suppress" blood glucose) and many other chronic diseases. Because it takes much discipline to regain health after having neglected it for so long (and ending up with one or more chronic diseases), it is usually difficult to reverse the chronic diseases because the patients find it difficult to follow the prescribed lifestyle, diet, exercise and nutritional regimes. However, those who are committed, disciplined and consistent have found the joy of being healthy again, and being able to stop being "drugged" daily, or at least being able to reduce their drug dosages. One of my gym mates is a former drug representative who used to visit me for almost 25 years. As he aged, like most others, he got hypertension, and was promptly prescribed the anti-hypertensive drug that he was marketing for his company. So he proudly told everyone that the drug he was promoting worked very well, and he could testify first-hand. His BP was "well-controlled". However, as soon as he retired, he realised the folly of being "under control" by drugs and decided to adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet, and exercised regularly. Besides, he need not continue being a "walking advertisement" for the effectiveness of the drug anymore. With the time that he now has, he is in the gym almost every day, is slimmer and fitter, and has stopped taking the anti-hypertensive drug. His BP is absolutely normal. Evidence-based medicine My concern today is that doctors rely too much on "evidence-based" drug therapies. Recently, a major drug company was fined US$3bil (RM9bil) by the US Food & Drug Authority (FDA) for several offences, including concealing evidence that showed that their top-selling anti-diabetic drug may not be safe to use. This drug helps "control" diabetes well, but like all drugs, it also has dangerous side-effects (eg 43% increased risk of heart attack; see New England Journal of Medicine, June 14, 2007). Diabetics are already prone to heart disease, so any anti-diabetic drug that worsens cardiac health is doubly dangerous. Just two years ago another major drug company was fined US$2.3bil (RM6.9bil) for promoting "off-label" uses (ie. for therapeutic use not approved by the FDA) of four of its drugs. There were many other cases, but these two stand out because of the huge fines. A major medical journal recently lamented the fact that many articles regarding the effectiveness of drugs published in medical journals worldwide were in fact not written by the famous scientists and doctors whose names appeared as the authors, but were "ghost-written" by scientists employed by the drug companies. The Mayo Clinic (US) also revealed that 90% of scientists who wrote favourably about the anti-diabetic drug mentioned above had financial ties with the manufacturer. This brings the concept of "evidence-based" medicine to question, because the entire scientific/medical community relies so much on scientific evidence that determines if a treatment method or drug is safe and effective or not. Regulating drugs Many of us put much trust in the FDA as a regulator of the safety and effectiveness of drugs in order that the people can confidently consume the drugs prescribed to them. However, events that have happened over the last few decades make this assumption not necessarily always true. Although the anti-diabetic drug mentioned above has been banned in Europe and many other countries, the US FDA decided to allow its continued sale in the US (although with restrictions imposed). A report by the US Senate Finance Committee not only accused the drug company of knowing about the (anti-diabetic) drug's risks well before they became public, but it also criticised the FDA for allowing clinical trials to continue, despite 83,000 heart attacks that the FDA itself had linked to the drug. Many drugs that have been approved by the FDA (after seemingly very stringent assessment that takes many years) had to be withdrawn when it became obvious that the risks outweighed the benefits. For example, in 2004, a very popular anti-inflammatory analgesic drug was voluntarily withdrawn by the manufacturer after disclosures that it withheld information about the drug's risks for over five years, resulting in possibly 140,000 cases of serious heart disease. The drug was one of the most widely used drugs ever to be withdrawn from the market, with annual sales revenue of US$2.5bil (RM7.5bil). The FDA had just approved a paediatric formulation (to be used in children) before its removal from the market. I am highlighting all this to remind readers of the dangers of relying too much on drugs. Even if the reports are honest, all the drugs have side-effects, ranging from mild to serious. The drug safety and effectiveness reports are often skewed towards approving their use and therefore benefiting the drug companies. Since our own drug regulators (and that of many other countries too) rely (to a certain degree) on the FDA's approval (or otherwise) of the medicinal drugs to be approved here, the reliability of the FDA as an honest regulator affects us too. Most of the new drugs are manufactured in the US, and approval by the FDA is the first step to worldwide acceptance. Holistic and nutritional medicine I have been practising and promoting holistic healing for over two decades, combining natural (eg qigong) and nutritional therapies with modern medicine. I use hormones regularly, as hormonal optimisation is necessary before the cells can fully utilise the nutrients we take. I stress on exercise and weight management. In this way, the need for drugs can be greatly reduced. Twenty years ago, very few doctors took this approach. I was even insulted by some doctors for using "unscientific" therapies. I am glad to report that more of our doctors are realising the importance of nutritional therapy, ie relying on the goodness of natural nutrients (through proper diet and supplements) to promote and maintain health, and to treat diseases. Together with a healthy lifestyle, sufficient exercise and optimising hormones, nutritional medicine is a formidable alternative to drugs. This weekend, I join about 150 of my medical colleagues who are attending a seminar on nutritional medicine and I hope more doctors will switch to nutritional therapies as the first choice (instead of drugs) when the patients fail to improve enough after diet/lifestyle/weight modifications and exercise (or if the patients refuse to comply). Dr Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practises holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:33 PM PST Fitness programmes specially tailored for people in special circumstances. SIX years ago, Yeap Ai-Ling suffered a slipped disc. She couldn't walk properly, was hunched over, and was in constant pain. At one point, she even thought that she'd be paralysed. Then, a friend recommended a personal trainer who dealt with cases like hers. "I had tried everything (by then). I went for physiotherapy and to a chiropractor. It was the last resort – I'd try anything because it was so painful," said the practising lawyer. The trainer, Wenisa Ng, put her through exercises to strengthen her back, and then about half an hour of cardio five days a week, along with a healthier diet to lose weight. It took about four to five months to lose 20kg. The workouts were challenging, said Yeap. "We'd be arguing about what I can or can't do – she does push me," she said, chuckling. Although she has "mellowed down" with her workouts lately, Yeap has a better quality of life now. "I'm more energetic, and the pain is greatly reduced now," she said. Balancing the body "Many of these people get into these situations because they've (hardly) exercised in their lives. The body is not in a balanced mode, so we need to rebalance them," said Ng The 30-year-old Penang-born trainer has been involved in the fitness industry since she was 16 – teaching aerobic classes at a gym – and had worked for the commercial chain gym Fitness First for seven years. She set up her own gym – Active Gym in Bangsar – in March. Together with six other trainers in her gym, Ng deals with clients who have a host of illnesses such as diabetes, Parkinsons, suffered a stroke, osteoperosis and even cancer. Ng believes that exercise can make a world of difference to a person, even to those suffering from illnesses or injuries that may seem chronic. Her job, she said, was to return her client the abilities that many people take for granted. One of her clients, who was in his early 40s, suffered from prolasped discs. "He saw a chiropractor and an orthopaedic doctor who basically told him not to carry heavy things," she said. This wasn't something realistic for him as he often travelled for work. "We had to look at reality. He had to carry heavy laguage, walk through airport terminals. He might one day be chased by a dog and may end up having to climb up a tree – you just never know. This is life. You must have a body that is able to function and meet these kinds of challenges," she said. Her client was initially sceptical that she could help, but now, after a programme which began at "ground zero", he can now leg press 200kg, and squat 60kg. "And he's doing so without a weight belt! Cheekily, we took photographs of him performing the exercises to show his chiropractor. He now has his life back," she said, smiling. Not many are aware that trainers like Ng, who is a certified American Council Exercise trainer, can help people such as these. For example, qualified personal trainers can help those with hunched backs, slouched shoulders or overached backs, she said. "We may not correct you 100%, but we can help you lead a better quality of life," she said. However, Ng emphasised that personal trainers do not "rehabilitate" people – that word can only be used by physiotherapists. "What we're doing are 'correctional exercises'. Once you've finished rehab, you will definitely have muscles that are stronger than others, therefore there could be some muscular imbalances. Therefore, we correct that imbalance," she said. She has always preferred to help these people, whom she calls "special population" clients, saying that she feels more fulfilled training them. "You see them move better and family members will come and tell you how happy they are to see their parents improve. You also get to see individuals now living a fuller life," she said. Tailored programmes Special population clients are treated just the same as healthy ones. "The last thing these people need is to be treated differently. They want to be normal – that's why they come to the gym and exercise," she said. However, their programmes are tailored to take into account their illnesses or disabilities, and it is very important for them to get clearance from their doctors to exercise before they begin a programme. In fact, Ng often consults with her clients' doctors to ensure that the programmes are safe for them. She has worked with a few cardiologists who are open to the idea of exercise for their patients. "There's no doubt that exercise is beneficial for these people," she said. "If people know the dos and don'ts, there's no harm in starting an exercise programme. For example, diabetic clients need to check their blood sugar levels before starting exercise. "We don't train them if it's below 100mg/dl or above 300 mg/dl as they're not fit to exercise then. We want them between 100mg/dl and 300mg/dl, not outside that range. If they are below 100mg/dl it's easy – we give them some candy, then 10 minutes later we check them. If it's okay, now exercise! But if they're above 300, 'Sorry, no workout today,'" she said. Therefore, she keeps something sweet such as candy with her in case the blood sugar of her client drops too low. "But during the workout, diabetics can do whatever workout they want, whether to lose weight, tone up or build up. In fact, the main goal for people suffering from type 2 diabetes is to lose weight," she said. For those with hypertension, breathing is really important, she said. "If you hold your breath, your blood pressure will increase. When you exercise, it will naturally increase as well," she said. Those with hypertension cannot perform exercises that require them to lift anything above their heads. The trainer also needs to know what medication they're taking as some medications will affect their heart rate. Some may affect hydration too, so the trainer has to make sure their clients get water when they are exercising as well. "There's a lot more to this than you think. It's not as simple as picking up a magazine and choosing a workout. It's different because these people are special," she said. Working with a trainer So, having read this far, you're now eager to start your exercise programme. However, in order to work effectively with your trainer, consider these: 1. Get medical clearance Do consult your doctor before beginning a fitness programme to ensure that it is safe for you to exercise. 2. Pick the right personal trainer Check if he is qualified and certified to deal with special population clients. Also, find out about the trainer. "The personal trainer may be good and may be able to help you with high blood pressure, or experienced in training you with that condition, but maybe he doesn't have an attitude that matches yours. So, you must also find out if you can work with him/her. After all, you're going to be stuck with the trainer for two to three hours a week!" said Ng. 3. Have the right attitude It is essential to be open-minded and be ready to try new things. "Everything the trainer does with you has a reason," said Ng. 4. Be prepared for the long haul. Be patient. Don't give up when you have setbacks, said Ng. Also, don't expect results in weeks, said Ng. Mentally prepare yourself to train for months. "You may see someone swinging dumbells and looking fantastic in the gym. And your's is tiny in comparison. 'Why can't I do that?' you may wonder. There's a reason why you can't do that. Maybe you're not there yet, so be patient," she said. 5. Focus on one goal at a time Do make sure that both you and the personal trainer are clear on what you want to achieve. Once done, focus on one goal at a time. One of Ng's clients, who is in his 40s, suffers from rheumatism. He wanted to correct his postural issues, improve his flexibility and lose some weight at the same time. It's difficult to achieve all three at once as each requires a different programme. Therefore, Ng concentrated on improving his posture first, then his flexibility, and lastly dealt with his weight. "His posture has improved a lot. Now, he can deadlift 20kgs – and this is for someone who has full-blown rheumatism. The rheumatoid attacks are not as often anymore too," she said. Exercise is terribly important, said Ng. The benefits are numerous – for one, exercise helps regulate your blood sugar, strengthens your heart and helps you destress. "For those with hypertension, diabetes or metabolic syndrome in particular – you must exercise. It is recommended that people with high blood pressure should exercise every day," she said. And just because you are slim doesn't mean that you've drawn the "exercise-free card". "No point looking like a BMW on the outside, but have an engine that is all clogged up," she said. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Posted: 10 Dec 2011 05:32 PM PST For denture wearers, denture hygiene is vital for general health and wellbeing. IN conjunction with the 4th annual World Oral Health Day (WOHD) held recently, Polident is leveraging the opportunity to raise awareness on this year's theme – non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This effort is coupled with Polident's aim to educate the public about good oral health, denture care and educate denture wearers that one can indeed achieve a good quality of life with dentures. According to a consumer research study, tooth decay caused by poor oral health and improper dental hygiene affects 90% of the world's population and may ultimately lead to denture wearing. Malaysia has an estimated three million denture wearers, with 52% of all denture wearers below 50 years of age, of which the majority are women. While the denture-wearing population has increased, knowledge about denture care, however, has improved little over the years. Many denture wearers are still in the dark about even the most basic aspects of denture care and wear such as caring for their dentures and ways to optimise comfortable denture wearing. Polident believes that denture wearers can improve their quality of life and self confidence by practising good denture care and wear through several aspects. Comfortable eating With denture wearers, the number one complaint often is trapped food under the dentures, which can cause irritation and discomfort. Polident has a significant role to play in preventing food from getting stuck under dentures. This protective food barrier effect is called "food occlusion". It has been shown that effective food occlusion improves denture comfort by sealing out 70% more food particles than dentures with no adhesive. Improving bite force As the bite force of a denture wearer is significantly lower than those with natural teeth, a majority of denture wearers often compensate for the reduced bite force by gravitating towards soft or overcooked foods, and as a result, their nutritional intake is reduced. With usage of a proper denture adhesive, bite force is increased, granting denture wearers the freedom to eat a variety of food, ensuring better nutrition. Keeping healthy and happy Like teeth, dentures need to be cleaned on a daily basis to prevent problems such as bad breath and staining. Without daily cleaning, a build-up of microbial biofilms on dentures can result in long-standing irritation of the gum on the roof of the mouth, causing inflammation under the denture itself. It is now widely recognised that such inflammation can cause damage to the bone supporting the gum, making the denture less stable and also result in systemic signs of generalised inflammation with links to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. By using denture cleansers, not only 99.9% of odour-causing bacteria and tough stains are removed, the general health and well being of a denture is maintained. Boosting self confidence Another common worry of denture wearers is the fear of dislodgement. With the right denture adhesive, dentures are firmly held in place, thus reducing incidences of denture dislodgement while eating, laughing or talking loudly. This will significantly boost a denture wearer's self confidence in social situations and their worries about speech clarity, slipping dentures or food getting stuck under their dentures will be a thing of the past. On the other hand, the cleanser eliminates odour-causing bacteria while removing tough stains such as tea, coffee and tobacco stains for optimum freshness and confidence. Even as a denture wearer, good oral care is still a vital part of your daily denture routine and denture wearers are recommended to have regular checkups with their dentists. Whether you are currently a denture wearer; or are about to take that big step, Polident has a host of useful denture information and advice to share. For more information or consultations on denture usage, care or advice Malaysian denture wearers can now call the Polident toll-free careline at 1800-88-3225. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan