Find out more about your health here from our health professionals!
Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring nutrient in human
body. It carries variety of vital role including promoting energy production
and neutralizing harmful free radicals.
Coenzyme Q10 can be found naturally in foods such as meat,
oily fish, eggs, whole grains, and nuts.
Coenzyme Q10 is associated with a variety of health
benefits such as for cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer diseases, migraine and
many more.
As we age, study shows that the level of CoQ10 in the body diminished hence, consumption of CoQ10 via supplementation and consuming foods high with CoQ10 level are helpful in maintaining/ increasing CoQ10 level in the body.
Other than that, consumption of cholesterol medication –
statin also influence the level of CoQ10 in the body, hence why, people
consuming statin medication often times are suggested to consume CoQ10
supplementation.
As for individuals who have multiple risk of having heart
problem be it due to overweight and obese, strong family history of heart
problem, hypertension, and many more are also suggested to consume CoQ10 as it
is a potent antioxidant. CoQ10 helps to produce energy during energy synthesis
process, however, this process will also release free radicals, which may harm
the body.
Under normal condition, free radicals regulate communication
between cells and defend body against infectious microbes. However, excess free
radical may cause inflammation in the body which can lead to a variety of
diseases.
Hence, why CoQ10 is also important in order to help in
neutralizing free radicals.
In addition to CoQ10, the consumption of healthy foods,
adopting healthy lifestyles like exercise 3-5 times a week and limit
consumption of alcohol, processed foods and fast foods will also benefit heart
health.
All in all, scientists believe that adopting healthy
lifestyles, consumption of healthy and consumption of CoQ10 hand in hand may
benefit not only heart health but also whole body in general.
According to Oxford
dictionary, junk food can be described as food that has low nutritional value,
usually in the form of packaged snacks or no preparation. For
example: salty and oily snacks, burgers, sausage and also candy.
Regular consumption of junk food can posed adverse health effects such as loss of memory and learning problem and obesity.
Loss of Memory and
Learning Problem
According to American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who ate junk food achieved poorly in cognitive test. Besides, junk food can deteriorate your memory and weaker your brain function. A sudden inflammation in the hippocampus in the brain which is responsible for memory and recognition can be caused by eating a lot of junk food and lead to amnesia (inability to learn and recall new information).
Increase of Obesity
Junk food contains a lot of sugar, calories and also fats which can lead to weight gain and obesity. In fact, many diseases and medical issues like cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and also blood pressure can be caused by obesity.
As for children, their physical development can be affected by eating junk food resulting in unhealthy weight gain, which can result in self-esteem problems. Low self-esteem will lead to depression. By consuming too much of sugar and fats, the body loses essential nutrients and amino acids sugar that cause certain chemical reactions in the brain loss its function. These symptoms will lead to inability of brain to handle stress and depression.
References
Study titled “Malaysian Community Salt Study 2017/18” showed that the average salt intake per day among Malaysian is 7.9g or 1.6 teaspoons. Four out of five Malaysians consumed excessive salt which is above the level recommended by the World Health Organization (< 5g per day or equivalent to one teaspoon) (7).
A study showed that Malays had 21% higher odds of having pre-hypertension and 64% higher odds of having Stage 2 hypertension compared to the Chinese. The traditional cuisine of Asian people is well known to contain high amounts of salt. It has been widely used in fish fermentation, pickling, and the production of local Asian sauces. This result may related to high sodium intake among the ethnicity as previous research has established that excessive sodium intake leads to uncontrolled blood pressure among adults (1).
Sodium: what is the main dietary sources? (5,6,8)
Salt is the primary source of sodium however high sodium consumption is generally associated with health problems such as high blood pressure, fatal coronary heart disease or higher risk of incident of stroke.
Salt in the diet can obtain either from processed foods that are normally high in salt such as instant noodles, snack foods, sausage or added to food during cooking such as stock cubes or at the table such as soy sauce, fish sauce and table salt. Fried rice, omelette, fish cake, nasi lemak, thick soy sauce, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, oyster sauce, roti canai, meat soups and fried mee are also major source of sodium.
Sodium: How much is too much? (4, 8)
In general, World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consume less than 5g (just under a teaspoon) of salt per day or equivalent to less than 2000mg of sodium per day. However, this recommendation for children does not address the period of exclusive breastfeeding or the period of complementary breastfeeding.
Read the Nutrition Facts Label! (5,6,8)
Nutrition facts label found on packaged or processed foods list the amount of sodium in each serving and be sure how many serving are in a package. Normally, sodium is found in most foods as sodium chloride (NaCl) generally known as salt. In addition to NaCl, sodium may also present in other forms, such as monosodium glutamate, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium nitrate, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate and sodium alginate. However, sodium chloride (salt) is still the major source of sodium.
Tips for Cutting Back on Sodium (4,5,6,8)
Misconceptions about Salt Reduction
Go Low and Take it Slow! (2)
Reduce your salt intake gradually and your taste buds will adjust as our taste for salt is acquired. Consider using low salt or salt free flavour enhancers during cooking and reduce addition of salt or soy sauce at the table.
After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, you probably won’t miss it, and some foods may even taste too salty.
References
Heart is
the organ in the body that is responsible for the circulation of blood and
transportation of nutrients to all parts of the body 1. Another
function of heart including protect the body from infection1, help to
maintain the body temperature and also maintain fluid balance within the
body2. Thus,
heart is consider as one of the most important organs of the body because even
small dysfunctions may cause drastic changes or effects in the human body system.2
Ways you
can do to keep your heart health:
If you’re overweight, you tend to have a risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure than usual 3. As the result, it can affect your heart condition. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adults age between 18–64 years old should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week. Moreover, aerobic activity should be done at least 10 minutes of duration.
A high consumption of salt can lead to high blood pressure, which increase the chance of developing heart disease. The maximum daily intake of salt for adult is not more than 6g and aim for food that contain 1.5g of salt or 0.6g sodium per 100g whenever possible 4. Next, most oils are made up of a combination of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats. Choosing ones that are low in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and high in unsaturated fats can help to lower cholesterol levels5. Example of heart-healthy oil such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil and olive oil5.
Consume low
intake of salt to maintain normal blood pressure.
Oily fish contain high level of Omega-3- fatty acids which can reduce your cholesterol level as well as reduced your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clot 4. Example of fish contain high level omega 3- fatty acids can be shown as below:
High level
of cholesterol can also cause coronary heart disease. If the cholesterol is too
high it can build up in your wall of your arteries. Continuous
consumption of food which high in cholesterol will lead to plague (hardening of
cholesterol in your arteries) which called atherosclerosis. Later, the arteries
will become narrowed; and the blood flow become slow. In the end, reduced
blood flow can result in chest pain or heart attack if blood vessel
blocked completely7. So, you need to maintain your cholesterol level which
is for normal total cholesterol level should below than 5.2
md/dl.
References
Stress can be defined as the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. Even positive life changes such as a promotion, a mortgage, or the birth of a child produce stress.(1)
The human
body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us
alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous
challenges without relief or relaxation between stressors. As a result, the person becomes overworked, and
stress-related tension builds. The body’s autonomic nervous system has a
built-in stress response that causes physiological changes to allow the body to
combat stressful situations. This stress response, also known as the “fight or
flight response”, is activated in case of an emergency. However, this response
can become chronically activated during prolonged periods of stress. Prolonged
activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body – both
physical and emotional.(2)
Stress that
continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress – a negative
stress reaction. Distress can disturb the body’s internal balance or
equilibrium, leading to physical symptoms such as headaches, an upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, sexual dysfunction, and problems sleeping.
Emotional problems can also result from distress. These problems include depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry. Research suggests that
stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases. Stress is
linked to 6 of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung
ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.(3)
Stress also
becomes harmful when people engage in the compulsive use of substances or
behaviors to try to relieve their stress. These substances or behaviors include food,
alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gambling, sex, shopping, and the Internet. Rather than
relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these
substances and compulsive behaviors tend to keep the body in a stressed state
and cause more problems. The distressed person becomes trapped in a vicious
circle.
It may seem
that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going
to stop coming, there will be never be more hours in the day for all you
errands, and your career or family responsibility will always be demanding. But
you have a lot more control that you might think. In fact, managing stress is all about taking
charge of your thoughts, your emotion, your schedule, your environment, and the
way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for
work, relationship, relaxation, and fun plus the resilience to hold up under
pressure and meet challenges head on. (4)
Stress management starts with
identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it
sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too
easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But
maybe it’s your procrastination, rather that the actual job demands, that leads
to deadline stress.
To identify
your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and
excuses:
Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
Stress
management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress
Not all
stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to
be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your
life that you can eliminate.
Stress
management strategy #2: Alter the situation
If you
can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do
to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often,
this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.
Stress
management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can’t change the stressor,
change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of
control by changing your expectations and attitude.
Stress
management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change
Some
sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death
of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the
best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be
difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation
you can’t change.
Stress
management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation
Beyond a
take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by
nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll
be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.
Healthy ways
to relax and recharge
Don’t get
so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of
your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.
Stress
management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle
You can
increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.
Reference
Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dunia (WHO) telah mewartakan bahawa merokok merupakan risiko yang spesifik bagi mendapatkan COVID19 (1,2). Hal ini adalah kerana, merokok merupakan penyebab kepada komplikasi sistem pernafasan dan organ badan yang lain. Justeru itu, jika virus korona ini menyerang tubuh badan individu yang merokok, peratus untuk individu tersebut pulih lebih rendah berbanding dengan individu yang tidak merokok manakala peratus untuk individu tersebut untuk mengalami kegagalan paru – paru yang serius pula adalah tinggi.
Umum mengetahui, COVID19 adalah virus yang menyerang sistem pernafasan, jadi, individu yang merokok atau yang mempunyai masalah pernafasan dan/atau sakit – sakit kronik yang lain seperti masalah jantung, buah pinggang, kencing manis dan lain -lain jika terdedah kepada virus ini, mempunyai sebanyak 80.7% lebih risiko untuk terdedah kepada kematian berbanding individu yang tidak menghidapi penyakit kronik (3).
Statistik juga menunjukkan bahawa, warga emas yang berusia 60 tahun ke atas mempunyai 62.6% risiko terdedah kepada kematian jika terdedah kepada virus ini berbanding individu yang di bawah usia 60 tahun (3). Lebih menakutkan lagi, jika individu yang berusia 60 tahun ke atas, dan mempunyai sejarah penyakit kronik terdedah kepada virus ini, risiko menghadapi kematian adalah sangat tinggi berbanding dengan individu yang yang berusia kurang dari 60 tahun dan tidak mempunyai sejarah penyakit kronik.
Tabiat merokok itu sendiri yang menyebabkan individu berisiko terdedah kepada pelbagai jenis komplikasi kesihatan, akan tetapi sebelum ini mungkin perokok menghadapi kesukaran untuk berhenti merokok disebabkan faktor rakan sekeliling, tekanan kerja dan sebagainya. Akan tetapi oleh keranan dunia diancam dengan wabak COVID19, individu yang merokok mempunyai lebih sebab untuk berhenti merokok kerana anda mempunya risiko yang lebih tinggi terdedah kematian jika terdedah kepada virus ini.
Antara cara untuk berhenti merokok, yang telah dikumpulkan oleh Pengkalan Data Cochchrane Edisi Istimewa, mengenai cara – cara berhenti merokok adalah dengan menggunakan terapi kombinasi, iaitu penggunaan ubat dan juga sokongan moral (4).
Penggunaan Ubat – Ubatan seperti Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) telah digunakan sebagai salah satu cara untuk berhenti merokok sekian lama. Terapi ini adalah bagi tujuan untuk menggantikan kebergantungan perokok kepada nikotin dan seterusnya menggurangkan motivasi perokok untuk terus merokok. Ia juga membantu mengawal kesan sampingan akibat berhenti rokok/ kurang merokok (4).
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) ini memberikan nikotin dalam dos yang rendah kepada perokok tanpa apa apa bahan merbahaya yang lain seperti yang terdapat di dalam rokok. Terdapat pelbagai jenis Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) dipasaran, iaitu sama ada dengan menggunakan gula getah nikotin (nicotine gum), ‘nicotine inhaler’, ‘nicotine lozenge’, ‘nicotine patch’ atau ‘nicotine nasal spray’. Kesemua jenis produk ini mempunyai dos, cara, dan kekuatan yang berbeza (5).
Produk bagi terapi nikotin telah direka dengan pelbagai jenis mekanisma untuk penyerapan dan perembesan nikotin di dalam badan. Sebagai contoh bagi gula getah nikotin, inhaler nikotin, lozenge nikotin dan nasal spray nikotin, ia memberi kesan kepada otak dengan lebih cepat berbanding nicotine patch akan tetapi mempunyai proses perembesan yang lebih lambat berbanding merokok (5). Nicotine patch pula merembeskan nikotin dos secara perlahan – lahan dan secara pasif, oleh kerana itu terapi nicotin patch biasanya digunakan bersama produk yang lain.
Kepelbagaian produk bagi membantu perokok berhenti merokok memberikan perokok beberapa pilihan untuk berhenti merokok dengan kaedah yang paling sesuai, berdasarkan kekerapan perokok merokok dan kebergantungan perokok kepada rokok tersebut (4,5). Kesemua produk ini berkesan jika digunakan mengikut kesesuaian terhadap tahap aktiviti merokok seseorang individu. (5).
Selain daripada penggunaan ubat – ubatan, terdapat beberapa langkah yang biasanya disyorkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), iaitu yang pertama ialah dengan membaca atau mendapatkan informasi mengenai bahaya rokok dari sumber yang sahih, berkenaan bahaya merokok dan kelebihan berhenti merokok.
Terdapat banyak kelebihan berhenti merokok kerana merokok memberi banyak keburukan kepada diri sendiri dan orang sekeliling terutama ahli keluarga, sebagai contoh kanak – kanak yang selalu terdedah kepada asap rokok atau asap rokok basi akan lebih sering sakit seperti batuk – batuk, selsema serta jangkitan telinga, hidung dan tekak. Merokok juga boleh membuatkan paru – paru lemah dan penyakit seperti asma (6).
Selain daripada aspek kesihatan bagi orang yang tersayang, merokok juga boleh menyebabkan anda mendapat pelbagai jenis penyakit seperti, kanser paru – paru, penyakit paru – paru yang kronik, strok dan ulser di bahagian bawah lapisan kulit perut. Individu yang merokok juga mengikut statistik mati lebih awal, kerana statistik menunjukan satu dari dua orang perokok mati disebabkan penyakit berkaitan merokok (6).
Tabiat berhenti merokok juga dapat menjimatkan wang, labur wang anda berbanding membeli rokok sebagai contoh
Wang untuk membeli rokok = RM5.00/sehari
Sebulan = RM 150.00
Setahun = RM 1800.00
Jika anda melabur untuk 10 tahun, anda sudah mempunyai RM18,000.00 dalam akaun simpanan anda) (6).
Selain, Ia juga dapat melindungi alam sekitar – Puntung rokok dibuang oleh perokok boleh menyebabkan kebakaran (6).
Terdapat pelbagai kaedah untuk berhenti merokok. Faktor yang paling penting adalah keinginan anda untuk menjadikannya satu kenyataan. Mula dengan menetapkan tarikh untuk berhenti merokok dan pastikan tarikh tersebut boleh dicapai. Dalam pada masa yang sama, anda mesti yakin dengan keupayaan diri untuk berhenti merokok. Katakan pada diri anda “saya bukan perokok” Ulang beberapa kali sehingga menjadi semangat untuk berhenti merokok. Sentiasa berfikiran positif dan dapatkan sokongan daripada orang sekeliling.
Teknik berhenti merokok yang paling selalu digunakan dan disyorkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) ialah dengan mengamalkan Teknik 12M (6).
1. Melengah – lengahkan
Sebagai contoh jika anda terasa seperti mahu merokok, lengah – lengahkan tabiat tersebut seperti tunggu 5 minit atau katakan kepada diri sendiri sebentar lagi “saya akan merokok”.
2. Menarik Nafas Panjang
Tarik nafas 3 kali secara perlahan-lahan. Ulangi perkara yang sama sehingga hilang rasa untuk merokok.
3. Minum air
Anda juga boleh mencuba untuk minum air masak bagi mengalihkan perhatian anda dari tertumpu kepada ketagihan rokok.
4. Menyibukan diri
Buat sesuatu bagi mengalih fikiran untuk melupakan rokok. Buat perkara yang dapat mengalihkan tumpuan anda seperti bersenam atau bermain permainan video.
5. Menjauhkan diri daripada individu yang merokok
Oleh kerana musim PKP ini adalah masa yang terbaik untuk berhenti merokok. Anda boleh menjauhkan diri anda dari rakan – rakan dan ahli keluarga yang merokok, gunakan masa yang ada untuk bersama keluarga tersayang.
6. Mengelakkan diri daripada suasana atau situasi yang mendorong kepada merokok
Seperti keadaan berseorangan tanpa berbuat apa – apa (keadaan bosan) atau keadaan tertekan.
7. Mengunyah sesuatu seperti gula getah atau buah-buahan.
Mengunyah dapat membuatkan rongga mulut sibuk dan mengalihkan perhatian dari ketagihan rokok. Elakkan makanan yang manis kerana ia memberi risiko kepada penyakit – penyakit kronik yang lain pula.
8. Membasuh tangan selalu
Membasuh tangan dengan kerap juga dapat menghilangkan ketagihan kerana kita telah mengalihkan perhatian kita daripada keinginan untuk merokok.
9. Mandi dengan kerap
Mandi dengan kerap menyebabkan badan menjadi segar dan dapat melupakan ketagihan yang di alami, seketika.
10. Meregangkan otot
Senaman yang atau regangan otot apabila ketagihan untuk merokok datang dapat menghindarkan diri dari merokok.
11. Meditasi
Meditasi menyebabkan kita ingat kembali sebab – sebab untuk kita berhenti merokok dan boleh membangkitkan kembali semangat kita untuk berhenti merokok.
12. Memohon doa
Memohon doa agar rasa ketagihan dihilangkan dan dipermudahkan urusan untuk berhenti merokok seperti dihindarkan dari perkara – perkara yang boleh menyebabkan keinginan untuk merokok untuk kembali.
Selain daripada Langkah – Langkah yang telah disyorkan anda juga boleh mendapatkan maklumat yang lebih lanjut di laman sesawang KKM. Terdapat banyak bahan – bahan rujukan cara untuk berhenti merokok yang boleh di muat turun di laman sesawang yang sahih seperti di Portal MyHealth Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM)(5). Selain dari bahan – bahan sokongan yang boleh di muat turun, terdapat juga nombor QuitLine yang boleh dihubungi di nombor 03-88834400 bagi keterangan lanjut mengenai cara berhenti merokok dari kaunselor berhenti merokok atau layari laman web jomquit.moh.gov.my (4,5).
Rujukan
Death is something that is so mysterious and remain uncovered until today. World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 2016, the average lifespan of a human is 72 years (1). The life expectancy for Malaysia in 2019 was 76.07 years, while the current life expectancy for Malaysia in 2020 is 76.22 years, a 0.19% increase from 2019 (2). Hence, what are the factors that influence the number of life expectancy in Malaysia? We will discuss about The Causes of Death in Malaysia 2019.
Based on the statistic provided by Department of
Statistic Malaysia on 30th October 2019, Ischaemic heart disease is the main
cause of death for both male and female (15.6%) (3). Ischaemic heart disease
can be defined as heart problem caused by narrowed heart arteries. When
arteries are narrowed, less blood oxygen reaches the heart muscle. This is also
commonly known as coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease. This can
ultimately lead to heart attack (4).
The statistic is then followed by Pneumonia (15.6%) (3).
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames tha air sacs in one or both lungs. The
air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with
phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms
including bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause pneumonia. Pneumonia can range
in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. It is most serious for infants
and young children, people older than age 65 and people with health problems or
weakened immune systems (5).
The third cause of death in Malaysia is cerebrovascular
diseases (3). The word cerebrovascular is made up of two part – “cerebro” which
refers to large part of the brain while “vascular” means arteries and veins.
Together, the word cerebrovascular refers to blood flow in the brain.
Cerebrovascular disease includes all disorders in which an area of the brain is
temporarily or permanently affected by ischemia or bleeding and one or more of
the cerebral blood vessels are involved in the pathological process.
Cerebrovascular disease includes stroke, carotid stenosis, vertebral stenosis
and intracranial stenosis, aneurysms, and vascular malformations (6).
Surprisingly, transport accident took only 3.7% of the
total (3). However, there has been no change in the Malaysian fatality rate for
transport accident since 2007. The Global Status Report on Road Safety
published by the WHO and the World Bank in December 2018 reported that Malaysia
had 7152 death in 2016 which 87% were males and 13% females. More than half of
all road traffic deaths are motorcyclists. A study of motorcycle fatalities
reported that majority were rider (89%), aged 16 to 20 years (22.5%) (7).
The last common cause of death in Malaysia is Chronic
Lower Respiratory Disease (3). Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD). CLRD
comprises three major disease which are chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and
asthma, that are all characterized by shortness of breath caused by airway
obstruction. The obstruction is irreversible in chronic bronchitis and emphysema,
reversible in asthma. Chronic bronchitis is characterized by a productive cough
occurring most days of the month for a least three months of the year for two
consecutive years. Emphysema is characterized by abnormal permanent enlargement
of the air spaces at the ends of the bronchioles, accompanied by the
destruction of their walls. Most emphysema is caused by smoking. However, there
is almost half of the patient of emphysema have an inherited condition known as
alpha-1 antitrypsin (ATT) deficiency. ATT is a protein produced by the liver
which can be deactivated by cigarette smoke. ATT normally works to inhibit the
enzyme elastase which acts to destroy a protein called elastin. Elastin forms
the underlying structure of the lungs and gives the air sacs their vital
ability to stretch and recoil after filling with air. As elastin is destroyed,
alveoli wall can break down, forming large, permanent distended air sacs (8).
From the statistics mentioned above, we can conclude
that among the common causes of death, diseases took a major part of it. Hence,
Malaysian should take a wise step in order to make a breakthrough on our
average life span. Health problem is something we can take control over it by
changing our lifestyle. Moreover, what we eat do matters too. Have you heard
about ‘What you eat is what you become’? Take care of your health starting
today by changing your eating habit.
References
“Eat more vegetables and fruits to get your
fiber!” You may have heard these words. But what is fiber, really? How
it works to improve our health? Let us take a closer look on it!
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our body cannot
digest undigested. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules
but fiber cannot be broken down into sugar and thus it will pass through our
body. These carbohydrates often considered beneficial in which mostly come from
fruits, vegetables and legumes (1, 3, 6).
Fiber comes in two varieties, both beneficial to
health (3):
Soluble fiber
Dissolves in water; absorb water to form a gel like
substance that slow the digestion and cause you to feel full. They have been
shown to decrease cholesterol and lower blood glucose. Common source of soluble
fiber includes beans, oat bran, fruits and vegetables. It is also found in
pysllium, a common fiber supplement.
Insoluble fiber
Does not dissolve in water; Increase fecal bulk and
appear to help food pass more quickly through the digestive tract so it can be
of benefit to those who struggle with constipation and irregular stools.
Facts About Fiber (3,4)
#1 Fiber aids in achieving healthy weight.
#2 Fiber fight diseases. It appears to reduce risk
of developing various health conditions including heart disease, diabetes,
constipation and breast cancer.
#3 Fiber helps to lower cholesterol.
#4 Fiber helps to regulate blood glucose.
#5 Recommended dietary fiber intake per day for all age
group is 20-30g/day. However, if a person is not currently eating enough of
fiber, he or she should increase his or her fiber intake slowly to avoid
gas and bloating.
#6 More fiber needs more water. When eating a high fiber
diet, be sure to drink at least eight or more glasses of water every day.
#7 Fiber aids in improving digestion by increasing stool
bulk and regularity. A high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of hemorrhoids
and diverticulitis.
#8 Too much fiber is a bad thing. You
may experience abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, constipation and even
diarrhea.
#9 Fruit and vegetable peels are rich in several nutrients
including fiber. Eating unpeeled fruits and vegetables keep you feel full
longer due to its high fiber content. However, certain fruit and
vegetable peels may be hard to consume or simply inedible. These peels are best
removed and not eaten.
#10 Fruits and vegetable juice has less
fiber than whole fruits and vegetable. This is because the skin is removed
and thus it is more healthful to eat whole fruit and vegetable.
#11 Fiber cannot be cooked out.
Tips to Increase fiber intake (5,7)
Consume products that have whole grain listed as the
first ingredients, high fiber content and low fat and sugar content.
Replace white rice, bread and pasta with brown rice and
whole grain products.
Include legumes in your diet (beans, dried peas and
lentils)
Eat unpeeled whole fruit and vegetables not juice.
Snack on fruits and vegetables
Take a fiber supplement (e.g psyllium)
In conclusion, fiber is an important dietary substance to your diet. This is because high fiber foods are also good sources of vitamins, mineral and antioxidants which offer many health benefits. Therefore, as one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you cannot skip.
References
Fasting
has long been a part of many religious traditions, including the Jewish and Muslim
holidays of Yom Kippur and Ramadan, respectively. As you read this, billions of
Muslims around the world are participating in this act of faith, which involves
fasting from dawn to dusk. While fasting for Ramadan is based on spiritual
beliefs, many of us fast because we believe it benefits our health. However,
what happens to our bodies when we fast?
The primary source of energy for a person is glucose, which is obtained from carbohydrates such as grains, dairy products, fruits, certain vegetables, beans, and even sweets.
The glucose is stored in the liver and muscles and released
into the bloodstream when the body requires it. This process, however, changes
during fasting. The liver will deplete its glucose reserves after about 8 hours
of fasting. At this point, the body enters a state known as glucogenesis, which
marks the transition into fasting mode.
Glucogenesis has been shown in studies to increase the
number of calories burned by the body. Without carbohydrates, the body burns
its own calories. When there is no carbohydrate available, the body produces
its own glucose, primarily from fat.
The body eventually runs out of these energy sources as
well. Fasting mode then transitions into the more serious starvation mode. A
person's metabolism slows down at this point, and their body begins to burn
muscle tissue for energy. Although it is a well-known term in the dieting
world, true starvation mode occurs only after several days or even weeks
without food. So, unless other health conditions exist, it is generally safe to
go without eating for a day after breaking their fast after 24 hours. (1)
“A detoxification process also occurs, because any toxins
stored in the body’s fat are dissolved and removed from the body,” he adds,
noting that after a few days of fasting, higher levels of endorphins –
“feel-good hormones” are produced in the blood, which can have a positive
impact on mental well-being. As mentioned previously, the study by Dr.Longo and
colleagues suggests prolonged fasting may also be effective for regenerating
immune cells. “When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the
things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that
are not needed, especially those that may be damaged,” Dr.Longo explains. In
their study, publish in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the team found that
repeated cycles of 2 – 4 days without food over a 6-month period destroyed the
old and damaged immune cells in mice and generate new ones.
Furthermore, the team discovered that cancer patients who
fasted for three days prior to chemotherapy were protected against immune
system damage caused by the treatment, which they attribute to immune cell
regeneration. "The good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the
system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting,"
says Dr. Longo. "Now, if you start with a system that has been heavily
damaged by chemotherapy or ageing, fasting cycles can literally generate a new
immune system." (2)
Intermittent fasting, on the other hand, is associated with
numerous health risks, according to the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
People who fast frequently become dehydrated, owing to their
bodies' inability to obtain fluid from food. As a result, it is advised that
Muslims consume plenty of water prior to fasting periods during Ramadan. Other
people who follow fasting diets should stay hydrated during their fasting
periods.
On the other hand, according to the UK’s National Health
Service (NHS), there are numerous health risks associated with intermittent
fasting.
Fasting can also cause heartburn; lack of food leads to a
reduction in stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. But
smelling food or even thinking about it during fasting periods can trigger the
brain into telling the stomach to produce more acid, leading to heartburn.(2)
Finally, to sum up, moderation is the key. Know the
precaution step to avoid the potential risk. A person must understand his or
her current health condition before proceeding to any sort of diet plan.
Fasting can also cause heartburn because a lack of food
reduces stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. However,
smelling food or even thinking about it during a fast can cause the brain to
tell the stomach to produce more acid, resulting in heartburn. (2)
To summarize, moderation is essential. Understand the
precautionary measure to avoid the potential risk. Before beginning any diet
plan, a person must first understand his or her current health situation.
References
Medical News Today (n.d). What
Happens If You Don’t Eat For A Day? Timeline And Effects. [online] Available
at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322065#can-fasting-promote-weight-loss
[Accessed 29 April 2020].
Medical News Today
(n.d). Fasting: Health Benefits And Risks. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/295914
[Accessed 29 April 2020].
Furthermore, with the rise of obesity, type 2 diabetes
and coronary heart disease people are becoming more aware of the effect of
their eating habits on health. Some people opt for organic produce food also
due to the environmental awareness and threat posed by pesticides use in the
conventional farming activities (2).
Generally, consumers perceive and understand that
organic produce food is mostly based on not using fertilizers and pesticides
thus it is healthier, but is this true? Is this mean that food that is safe is
equivalent to food that is healthy?
But first, let us see what organic produce mean….
“Basically, organic farming utilises natural ways to
manage crops. When planting crops, natural fertilisers such as manure or
compost are used to feed the soil and plants instead of synthetic fertilisers.
Some fastidious parties would even go as far as to ensure that the manure comes
from organically bred animals, and that the compost is produced from waste
material of organic locations. Instead of using chemicals and insecticides to
control pests and reduce plant disease, organic farms use natural ingredients
such as enzymes or plant-based pesticides. They also practised companion
planting, where certain plants that are known to repel insects (such as
marigold or bunga tahi ayam) are planted close to crops (3,4)”
In Malaysia, Malaysia Department of Agriculture (DOA) is
the body responsible for the National Standard of Organic Food Industry, they also
conduct regular checking on all the organic produce food, and certify it,
whilst Malaysia Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI) is the
body who actively conduct activities to educate farmers on organic farming etc
(2).
Thus, from the above statement we know that organic produce food is not necessarily healthy but has safe level of pesticides since the farming method use is more environmentally friendly as compared to conventional produce food. Studies show that organic produce food have one third of the pesticides residue as compared to the conventional produce food on the market (4). However, both produce foods have safe level of pesticide residue, so to said it is safe to consume.
Whether a particular food is healthy or not, it cannot
be judged on whether it is grown organically or not only. For a food
to be consider healthy, there are many factors that play along. It is very
important to remember that, there is no “healthy food like really healthy”
food, what might be healthy for you might not be healthy for others, and the
same food can also be considered healthy and not healthy merely on the portion
consumption. (E.g: chicken is healthy but if you consume two whole
chicken per day, then its hard to say that it is healthy anymore). So, to say
healthy food itself is a concept comprising eating in moderation, food that has
high nutritional value, eat variety of food, eat a balance diet and of course
food that is safe to be eaten anddd at the same time food must be eaten
according to individuals’ health/ medical condition.
But, if we are looking at the effect of organic food to
see whether the consumption of organic food has actually improve health, there
is a systematic review on the nutritional – related health effect of organic
foods that collect all the studies on the effect of organic food published based
on the hypotheses organic food production method results in higher nutrient
concentration and that these compositional difference would result in different
health responses, such as markers of carcinogenesis (cancer marker) or the
bioavailability of phenolic substance (compound use to fight cancer) (1).
The result of the comparison between 12 studies in this
review concluded that, antioxidant activity (compound use to fight cancer) was
the most common reported primary outcome. Although antioxidant activity is a
useful biomarker that maybe relevant to human health it is not direct health
outcome itself. In fact, the mechanism of action that link between the effect
of concentration of antioxidant and human health is mixed, thus care must be
taken in interpretation of such data (1).
So, it is safe to say that, organic food is safer to eat as compare to conventional produce food in terms of pesticides residue but in terms of healthiness of the food, it is healthy to consume food in moderation, variety and balance
References
Ramadhan is the month where Muslims around the world fast from dawn to dusk. Healthy Muslims need to fast, begin with the pre-dawn meal called ‘suhoor’ and break the fast at dusk which call ‘iftar’. Apart from Ramadhan, there are many other occasions where other religions around the world are also practicing fasting. The difference is only the method and the do’s and don’ts during the ritual. Since according to World Health Organization (WHO) there is evidence suggests that fasting have positive effects on health (1), there are also people who fast in order to lose weight (E.g: Intermittent fasting) and for health purposes.
What
happened to your body during fasting?
During fasting, when no food and
drink is consumed, body uses its stored carbohydrate (in the liver and
muscles) provide energy. Once all the calories from foods consumed have
been used up, body will use the excess food that we consume in the form
triglycerides (fat) to provide us with energy. This is when people usually loss
weight.
Our body cannot store water so
during fasting the kidneys conserve as much water as possible by reducing the
amount lost in urine. However, body cannot avoid losing some water during
certain process in the body such as through your skin (perspiration) and when you
breathe (2).
Due to all these changes during
fasting, we must to make sure that we practice healthy eating during fasting in
order to make sure body that our body is able to cope with all this changing
process by not losing nutrient needed but instead loss the unwanted fats,
sugars, and cholesterol in the body.
4 Tips to
eat healthily while fasting in Ramadhan
1.Do not
skip ‘suhoor’
This is especially for special
groups such as older people, adolescents, pregnant women, nursing mothers and
as well as children who choose to fast. The meal for ‘suhoor’ must
include vegetables, high fiber food can slow down the empty rates on the
stomach and make individuals feel satiety. A serving of carbohydrates such as
rice or bread (whole grain product is better) and protein – rich food such
as egg or/ and dairy product are also a must.
Since ‘suhoor’ is very early in the
morning and mostly people do not bother to cook for long time, thus people opt
to fry their food, it is healthier to fry using air fryer where less
fat (oil) is used, but apart from frying it is actually recommended to use
other cooking method such as steaming or just stir fry since it use less oil.
During ‘suhorr’ also people tend to
cook processed food such as sausages, nuggets etc, all these processed food
actually contain high salt, it is better to avoid food that is high in
salt, cause it will also makes one very thirsty later, thus food such
as pickle, processed foods, salted meat and fish products, salty cheese and
various types of ready-to-eat foods are best to avoid (1,2).
2. Keep hydrated
Make sure to drink 8 glass
of water per day, still. Here is tip on how to drink 8 glass of water in
Ramadhan according to Ministry of Health Malaysia (3).
Other than this, you can also
increase water intake by consuming hydrating food. Try to add hydrating
food such as watermelon, cucumber, tomato and green salad. You must
also avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and cola, because
caffeinated beverages are diuretic (which means it makes one urinate more often
when consumed) this will lead to dehydration as well. Soupy food
also rich in water thus it is suggested to consume this kind of food when break
the fast. During the day of the fasting period, when the temperature is
high (E.g: noon) it is important to remain in a cool and shaded place
and to avoid the sun (1,2).
3. Break the fast gently
When it is time for break the
fast, avoid filling up on greasy foods in the form of cakes and
deep-fried savory snacks. It is best to go for dates, fruit or nuts to satisfy
your hunger. If you often get caught in the rush hour traffic, consider
keeping these preferred choices handy in small containers in your handbag or
backpack so you do not have to delay your breaking of fast. This will prevent
you from getting overly famished at dinner after the prayers, where you risk
overeating and causing indigestion (4).
In Islam also, it is a sunnah habit to consume dates when break the fast;
You may also try to consume date and water to break fast and perform maghrib prayer first, then only begin to eat heavy meals, just as the suggestion from Ministry of Health Malaysia.
4. Moderation and variation
The changes to eating habits and
lack of fluids during the day may cause constipation for some people. When you
can eat and drink, consume plenty of high fiber foods, such as wholegrains,
high fiber cereals, bran, fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, dried fruit and
nuts alongside plenty of fluids will help to ease constipation. Do some light
physical activity, such as going for a walk after iftar or right before iftar
in the evening will also helps with the constipation and indigestion after
iftar.
While Ramadhan is time for people
to reunite however during the pandemic of COVID19 it is best for people to not
make a celebratory feast together. Iftar meals are often a time for celebration
(of the day that you have successfully refrain yourself from eating and drinking)
but it is still important not to go overboard when eating during Ramadan.
Consuming a lot of deep fried, creamy and sweet foods may cause you to gain
weight during Ramadan. Ramadan can be a good time to make changes to improve
the balance of your diet that you can sustain in the longer term.
Be moderate in preparing ‘iftar’
and ‘suhoor’ menu. Moderation is the key when you go for grocery shopping as
well. You can also practice ‘suku – suku separuh’ during ‘suhoor’ and ‘iftar’.
References
Antara amalam – amalan tradisi yang dilakukan semasa
Hari Raya ialah amalan ziarah – menziarahi sanak – saudara dan jiran tetangga.
Amalan mengeratkan silaturahim ini sangat digalakkan dalam Islam bagi memohon
kemaafan di antara satu sama lain. Akan tetapi oleh kerana Hari Raya Aidilfitri
tahun ini ialah pada musim Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Bersyarat maka, ikutlah
saranan untuk beraya dengan selamat dalam kita menjauhi wabak COVID19. Walaupun
sesetengah daripada kita ada yang telah mendapat vaksin tetapi masih ramai yang
belum, dan sudah divaksin bukan bermakna anda tidak boleh dijangkiti wabak
COVID19.
Semasa bulan Ramadhan sebelum ini, ramai di antara kita mengambil kesempatan menurunkan berat badan dan makan secara sihat. Walau bagaimanapun, apabila tiba musim perayaan, kebanyakan kita mengalami penambahan berat badan. Berat badan yang berjaya diturunkan sepanjang 30 hari menjalani ibadah puasa mungkin meningkat semula hanya selepas 15 hari menyambut Hari Raya. Hal ini adalah kerana, hari raya adalah masa untuk menikmati juadah hari raya yang hanya setahun sekali dimasak dan dimakan bersama – sama oleh kerana itu ramai yang mengambil kesempatan ini untuk makan juadah raya tanpa mengira jumlah kalori dan panduan pemakanan sihat (1).
Sebenarnya pemakanan sihat sangat mudah diikut walaupun
ketika hari raya. Makan dengan sihat bukan bermaksud kita tidak dapat menikmati
juadah hari raya akan tetapi makan dengan kadar yang betul dan dengan cara
penyediaan makanan yang lebih sihat. Kita dapat bahagikan amalam pemakanan
sihat ketika hari raya kepada dua kategori iaitu semasa
penyediaan makanan dan semasa menikmati hidangan hari
raya.
7 Tips Sediakan Hidangan Sihat di Hari Raya (1,2,3)
1. Kurangkan gula, minyak dan lemak dalam penyediaan
biskut dan kek.
Gunakan ½ atau ¾ daripada kuantiti gula yang biasa
digunakan semasa menyediakan biskut dan kek. Jika perlu, gunakan gula gantian
bagi mendapatkan biskut atau kek yang sempurna tekstur dan rasanya.
2. Gunakan daging yang telah dibuang lemak atau ayam yang telah dibuang kulit.
3. Kurangkan mensajikan makanan yang bersantan,
bergoreng dan berminyak.
5. Potong ayam atau daging dalam size yang kecil.
6. Gunakan ramuan tinggi serat untuk membuat biskut dan kuih raya seperti tepung bijirin penuh, oat dan buah prun.
7. Kurangkan penggunaan pewarna tiruan dalam penyediaan
kuih-muih, kek dan puding. Sebaliknya gunakan pewarna semulajadi seperti dari
sumber daun pandan dan sebagainya.
7 Tips Makan Secara Sihat Di Hari Raya (1,2,3)
1. Makan dalam saiz hidangan atau kuantiti yang kecil.
Pemilihan pinggan yang lebih kecil membantu dalam mengurangkan
pengambilan makanan lebih – lebih lagi jika anda makan secara buffet.
2. Pilih makanan yang rendah kalori seperti buah-buahan
serta makanan yang kurang minyak, lemak dan santan.
3. Pilih makanan tinggi serat untuk mengelakkan
sembelit.
4. Hadkan pengambilan makanan yang manis dan berlemak
seperti biskut raya dan dodol.
Anda juga boleh mengehadkan pengambilan kuih-muih atau
kek semasa hari raya kepada hanya 5 biji kuih raya sehari dan kurangkan
pengambilan makanan manis yang lain.
5. Pilih buah- buahan segar sebagai pencuci mulut.
6. Hadkan pengambilan makanan yang tinggi kandungan
garam seperti kerepek
7. Minum air kosong berbanding minuman berperisa,
minuman berkarbonat dan minumam yang manis.
Senang bukan? Ikutilah panduan pemakanan sihat semasa
hari raya ini, agar usaha anda untuk menurunkan berat badan sepanjang bulan
Ramadhan tidak sia – sia. Bagi individu yang mempunyai masalah kesihatan, hari
raya bukanlah tiket untuk anda menikmati juadah tanpa mengambil kira faktor
kesihatan ya!
Akhir sekali, selamat menyambut Hari Raya Aidilfitri,
semoga hari raya ini memberi keceriaan kepada kita semua!
Rujukan
1. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM). Bahagian
Pemakanan. Perancangan dan Pemilihan Menu Sihat Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri. http://nutrition.moh.gov.my/wpcontent/uploads/penerbitan/buku/Menu%20Rumah%20Terbuka%20Hari%2
0Raya%202013.pdf
2. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM). Bahagian
Pemakanan. Makan Secara Sihat di Hari Raya.
https://www.infosihat.gov.my/index.php/multimedia/bukukecil/item/makan-secara-sihat-di-hari-raya
3. Jabatan
Kesihatan Negeri Perak. Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), bahagian
Pemakanan. Makan secara sihat di hari raya.
http://jknperak.moh.gov.my/v4/index.php/my/arkib-berita/69-informasikesihatan/509-makan-secara-sihat-di-hari-raya.html
Tinjauan Kebangsaan Kesihatan Malaysia atau Nama
Inggerisnya, National Health Morbidity Survey Malaysia (NHMS) adalah survei
kesihatan yang dibuat setiap empat tahun oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
(KKM) bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti status kesihatan rakyat Malaysia. Tinjauan
ini adalah tinjauan yang melibatkan negeri di seluruh Malaysia.
Tinjauan ini mengkaji beberapa perihal aspek kesihatan
yang terpenting seperti penyakit tidak berjangkit yang dialami oleh rakyat
Malaysia iaitu obesiti, kencing manis, darah tinggi, dan masalah kolesterol. Ia
juga merangkumi aspek pemakanan seperti pengambilan makanan dan minuman
sihat, aspek kesihatan mental, kesihatan seksual dan pengambilan dadah. Selain
daripada itu, tinjauan ini juga mengkaji aspek yang melibatkan perkhidmatan
kesihatan di Malaysia.
Terdapat beberapa perkara serius menurut hasil dapatan
ini iaitu;
1 daripada 2 dewasa di Malaysia adalah obese!
Obese atau obesity adalah masalah lebihan berat badan
yang di alami oleh individu, yang berpunca daripada pelbagai faktor. Namun, apa
yang lebih membimbangkan adalah, menjadi obese ini sendiri adalah merupakan
risiko utama kepada masalah kesihatan seperti kencing manis, darah tinggi,
kolesterol, masalah jantung serta masalah kesihatan yang lain – lain lagi.
Jika perkara ini berterusan, bayangkan setiap orang yang
anda jumpai separuh daripadanya adalah obese dan mempunyai kencing manis, darah
tinggi dan sebagainya!! Menurut kajian ini, inidividu yang mengalami obesity
tertinggi adalah wanita iaitu sebanyak 57.6%, kaum india iaitu sebnayak 63% dan
dalam kalangan mereka yang berumur 55 – 59 tahun.
Tinjauan Kebangsaan Kesihatan Malaysia atau Nama
Inggerisnya, National Health Morbidity Survey Malaysia (NHMS) adalah survei
kesihatan yang dibuat setiap empat tahun oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
(KKM) bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti status kesihatan rakyat Malaysia. Tinjauan
ini adalah tinjauan yang melibatkan negeri di seluruh Malaysia.
Tinjauan ini mengkaji beberapa perihal aspek kesihatan
yang terpenting seperti penyakit tidak berjangkit yang dialami oleh rakyat
Malaysia iaitu obesiti, kencing manis, darah tinggi, dan masalah kolesterol. Ia
juga merangkumi aspek pemakanan seperti pengambilan makanan dan minuman
sihat, aspek kesihatan mental, kesihatan seksual dan pengambilan dadah. Selain
daripada itu, tinjauan ini juga mengkaji aspek yang melibatkan perkhidmatan
kesihatan di Malaysia.
Terdapat beberapa perkara serius menurut hasil dapatan
ini iaitu;
1 daripada 2 dewasa di Malaysia adalah obese!
Obese atau obesity adalah masalah lebihan berat badan
yang di alami oleh individu, yang berpunca daripada pelbagai faktor. Namun, apa
yang lebih membimbangkan adalah, menjadi obese ini sendiri adalah merupakan
risiko utama kepada masalah kesihatan seperti kencing manis, darah tinggi,
kolesterol, masalah jantung serta masalah kesihatan yang lain – lain lagi.
Jika perkara ini berterusan, bayangkan setiap orang yang
anda jumpai separuh daripadanya adalah obese dan mempunyai kencing manis, darah
tinggi dan sebagainya!! Menurut kajian ini, inidividu yang mengalami obesity
tertinggi adalah wanita iaitu sebanyak 57.6%, kaum india iaitu sebnayak 63% dan
dalam kalangan mereka yang berumur 55 – 59 tahun.
Antara lain perkara yang membimbangkan ialah masalah
kencing manis dalam kalangan rakyat Malaysia.
1 daripada 5 dewasa mengalami masalah diabetes!
Diabetes atau kencing manis adalah keadaan di mana paras
gula dalam darah menjadi tinggi. Hal ini berpunca daripada kekerapan
pengambilan makanan yang tidak sihat. Makanan yang tinggi karbohidrat, gula dan
lemak dan gaya hidup yang tidak aktif.
Selain daripada peratusan obesity yang semakin meningkat
saban hari, yang mengeruhkan keadaan ini juga adalah pengambilan minuman yang
manis, menurut tinjauan,sebanyak 53.2% individu di Malaysia minum minuaman
manis yang disediakan sendiri setiap hari, 4.2% individu minum minuman
berkarbonat setiap hari dan 6.7% individu minum minuam 3 dalam 1 setiap hari.
Menurut tinjauan ini, seramai 3.9 juta dewasa berusia
lebih dari 18 tahun menghidapi penyakit kencing manis. Kebanyakkan dari mereka
yang berumur 18 – 40 tahun tidak tahu bahawa mereka menghidapi kencing manis.
Antar negeri yang mempunyai prevalen kencing manis yang
tinggi adalah Negeri Sembilan (33.2%), Perlis (32.6%), dan Pahang (25.7%).
Antara gejala yang melibatkan masalah kencing manis
ialah, keletihan, kerap membuang air kecil, kehausan yang melampau, penurunan
berat badan, dan kerap mengalami jangkitan kuman. Sekiranya anda tidak mempunya
gejala seperti ini, anda juga boleh melakukan saringan kencing manis jika anda
mempunyai berat badan yang berlebihan, BMI melebihi 23 kg/m2 atau ukur lilit
pinggang melebihi 80 cm untuk wanita dan 90 cm untuk lelaki.
Kegagalan mengenal pasti masalah kencing manis dengan lebih awal akan menyebabkan komplikasi yang lebih serius di masa akan datang.
4 daripada 10 dewasa mengalami masalah kolesterol
Seramai 8 juta rakyat Malaysia mempunyai masalah tinggi
kolesterol, iaitu 4 daripada 10 orang mengalaminya. Bacaan kadar bagi tinggi
kolesterol ialah sebanyak 5.2 mmol dan ke atas. Mereka yang berumur 40 – 59
tahun adalah individu yang paling ramai tidak mengetahui bahawa mereka
mempunyai tahap kolesterol yang tinggi. Hanya 63% daripada individu yang
mempunyai masalah kolesterol yang tinggi Berjaya mengawal tahap kolesterol
dengan pengambilan ubat – ubatan.
3 daripada 10 dewasa mengalami Hipertensi
Hipertensi atau tekanan darah tinggi yang tidak dikawal
boleh mengakibatkan serangan jantung, strok dan pelbagai penyakit
kardiovaskular yang lain. Bacaan kadar tekanan darah tinggi yang tidak terkawal
ialah bacaan yang melebihi 140/ 96 mmHg. Lelaki yang berumur 30 tahun ke bawah
adalah mempunyai 3 kali ganda lebih ramai menghidapi hipertensi berbanding
wanita. Dalam 6.4 juta rakyat Malaysia yang mengalami hipertensi atau tekanan
darah tinggi, hanya separuh yang menyedari bahawa mereka menghidapi penyakit ini.
Kesimpulannya, masalah seperti obesity, kencing manis, darah tinggi dan tinggi kolesterol mempunyai perkaitan rapat antara satu sama lain. Penyakit – penyakit ini membawa komplikasi yang lebih serius dalam jangka masa panjang dan merupakan risiko kepada masalah kardiovaskular yang juga merupakan penyebab kematian nombor satu di Malaysia. Seramai 1.7 juta individu di Malaysia mempunyai tiga faktor risiko manakala seramai 3.4 juta individu di Malaysia mengalami faktor risiko utama.
Bagi mengatasi masalah ini, individu perlu mengawal bacaan tekanan darah iaitu bacaan perlu kurang dari 140/ 90 mmHg. Individu juga perlu mengamalkan diet yang seimbang dan sihat bagi mengekalkan berat badan yang ideal, selalu bersenam dan menghindari rokok dan alkohol.
Rujukan
1. Tinjauan Kebangsaan Kesihatan dan Morbiditi (2009).
Penyakit tidak berjangkit, permintaan jagaan kesihatan dan literasi
kesihatan. Penemuan Utama, Infografik Booklet. Institut Kesihatan Umum.
2. Tinjauan Kebangsaan Kesihatan dan Morbiditi (2009). Lembaran Fakta. Penyakit tidak berjangkit, permintaan jagaan kesihatan dan literasi kesihatan. Lembaran Fakta. Institut Kesihatan Umum.
3. Portal Rasmi Pendidikan Kesihatan Malaysia (MyHealth) (2016). Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. Bagaimana Diabetes dikesan? http://pendidikanpesakit.myhealth.gov.my/bagaimana-diabetes-dikesan/
4. Portas
Rasmi Pendidikan Kesihatan Malaysia (MyHealth) (2008). Kementerian Kesihatan
Malaysia. Obesity and Overweight. http://pendidikanpesakit.myhealth.gov.my/bagaimana-diabetes-dikesan/
Durian or ‘King of fruit’ is a well-known fruit for its
smell. Anthony Bourdain, the late renowned food critic describes durian as “It
smelled like you buried someone holding a big wheel of Stilton (cheese) in his
arms, then dug him few weeks later” (1). That is to describe how horrible the
smell of durian is, but to certain people who like to eat durian the smell of
durian to them is heaven!
Durian actually has more than 30 species but the one
that people usually eat are about 8 species only, due to its exotic nature,
people have started to commercialized durian even to the international level.
The most common durian being exported and widely consumed is Durio Zibethinus
(2).
Due to its popularity, people started to questioning
about durian health benefits, whether it is good or bad for health? Unlike
apple, orange, guava and many other common fruits where people always equate it
to “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” which means, consuming all these
fruits are going to make you healthier, since it is packed full with nutrients
that is good for body. For durian, the opinion regarding its health effect is
mixing, some people say that it is good for health and can even be used to
alleviate infertility or PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and some
people say that it is heaty thus cannot be consumed too much etc. (3).
In general, durian is considered a safe fruit to eat
just like any other fruit, but since durian has high calorie value, thus it is
not advisable to consume in large amount unlike other fruits. Look at the
infographic below to understand, calorie in durian in comparison with other
fruits (4).
Here is the calorie of durian per seeds, surprisingly
eating 5 seeds of durian is equivalent to a bowl of rice! ANDDDD IF A
DURIAN CONSISTS OF 15 SEEDS IT IS EQUIVALENT TO 3 BOWL OF RICE! Thus, the
recommended intake of durian is only 2-3 seeds, which is equivalent to about
per serving of fruits or 90 kcal.
Though, it is crystal clear here that it is safe to eat
durian within recommended amount, but there are people who should be even more
cautious in consuming durian, that is people who are obese, people who have
diabetes and people who have kidney problem. As for people who are obese and
diabetes, it is due to its high calorie, high carbohydrate and high fats value
thus should be extra careful on the consumption of durian. Whereas for people
with kidney problem or undergoing dialysis, due to high potassium content in
durian and it is difficult for their body to excrete potassium, thus, they must
avoid eating TOO MUCH durian at all cost (4)!
Apart from its high calorie content durian has many
benefits as well. It has high antioxidant effect, which makes it a potent fruit
to fight against cancer. Durian contains high vitamins, nutrients and organic
chemicals that function as antioxidant. All these antioxidants are vital in
scavenging the free radicals, that potentially mutated and becoming cancer
cells. Which is why it is very important to consume food that is high in
antioxidant. It also contains high vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin E,
as well as phytonutrients that battle cancerous cells (2).
Durian also, is found to helps in maintaining healthy
bones due to its high potassium content. It can help in alleviating depression
and sleeping problem, for it contain tryptophan – a natural sleep-inducing
compound, that can increase level of serotonin and melatonin for better sleep
and emotion management. Durian also contain high fibre which can aids in
digestion and helps in infertility for it has high estrogen hormone for
conceiving (2).
Albeit durian has many health benefits, when it comes to its consumption with other foods and beverages such as alcohol, it is said that it can interfere with liver function. In detail, durian contain sulphur-containing volatiles which can inhibit the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (enzyme that helps in process alcohol), thus explaining why consuming durian together with alcohol is a deadly mixed (4).
As for the consumption of durian with paracetamol, there
is no study on human has been conducted, so far. But there is study on lab rat
regarding this. The study shows that, rat that receive paracetamol and durian
gives sign of hypothermic effect (significant drop in temperature) thus explain
that the two mixture is toxic. However, the mechanism of toxicity is still
unknown. To be safe, it is not safe to consume durian together with paracetamol
(5).
In conclusion, for people who does not have any health
concerns, consume durian within the recommended intake and consume it in
moderation, is very much advisable. While for those who have health concerns,
eat durian very minimally, it is advisable to eat other types of fruit that
have lower calorie count as compared to durian, but since it is in the season
thus consume it very minimally with caution towards calorie intake from other
food types as well is recommended.
References
Latok, grape seaweed or its scientific name is Caulerpa Lentilifera, is a common ‘ulam’ for Sabahan. Study on latok in Malaysia is still very little perhaps because previously there is only small number of people who consume it regularly, but there are actually extensive studies conducted in Philippines on this latok, since it is a very common food in Philippines as well (1).
Surprisingly, according to studies, latok has various health benefits! However, the nutrient content in latok, is vary from one another based on its size, the location where it breeds, the ecosystem of its habitat and the maturity of latok when it is harvest (2).
Previously in Asian countries, seaweed has been utilized as a source of phycocolloids, thickening and gelling agents in the food industry. Since people have not yet discover it health benefits, perhaps it is about time for people to commercialized latok for its health benefits. Since studies shows that, latok is high with iron, zinc, calcium and fibre (2,3).
Latok is even recommended to be consumed by pregnant women, adolescents, and teenagers for its high calcium content, since these two groups of people is at the stage of needing high calcium for their growth and development (2,3).
Apart from its micronutrients, latok also has large amounts of polysaccharides, most of which cannot be digested by humans without the required enzymes for degradation. These polysaccharides can therefore be regarded as excellent source of dietary soluble fibre. This property therefore can lower the risk of constipation (2,3).
There are also studies claiming that, latok has the ability to lower the cholesterol, thus preventing heart disease and it has anti-cancer property (2,3). However, what more important is how people consume it. It is such a culture in Malaysia where people eat ‘ulam’ or vegetables with various kind of gravies such as sambal belacan, budu, cincalok, kicap and many others. It is such a waste to all these high content of nutrients where is supposed to be given benefits to the body but in returns give harm because all these gravies contain high salt content thus can even pose high risk for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.
References
Quinoa, is
it really superfood?
Superfood is a non-medical term, usually refers to foods
that have health promoting properties. According to American Heart Association
(AHA), there is just no specific category when it comes to superfood. It mostly
is plant-based food but sometimes it can be fish and dairy that are
nutritionally dense as well. Superfoods usually contain unusually high content
of antioxidant to ward of cancer, high in fiber which does not spike blood
glucose thus have the properties to prevent diabetes and digestive problem. It
is also high with healthy fat to prevent heart disease and contain
phytochemicals that is responsible for food deep colors. Example of superfoods
are green tea, acai berries, salmon and quinoa (1,2).
What is quinoa?
Quinoa or also known as pseudo-cereals is world most popular
superfood, even recognized by Harvard School of Public Health. Quinoa is gluten
free, high in protein and one the few plant foods that contain complete all
nine essential amino acids (3).
It is not only rare to have all the nine essential amino
acids in a food, but it is as well is important and easy for us! To make it
easy to understand, for amino acid there are two kind of amino acids, essential
and non-essential. Essential amino acid is the amino acids that cannot be
synthesized by human body, it must be gathered from diet, while the
non-essential amino acids is the amino acids that can be synthesized by human
body itself. Amino acid is important for the growth, repairing of body tissue,
breaking down the food and many others. Thus, when quinoa has its all, this
superfood really is NUTRITIOUS (4,5)!
Quinoa also is high in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins,
iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, E vitamin and various antioxidants (4,5).
Is Quinoa really superfood?
Yes! Even according to Harvard School of Public Health!
Quinoa is technically a seed, but due to its nutritious properties it is considered
as whole grain. One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8g of protein and 5g of
fiber. Thus, it really promotes satiety and is suitable for breakfast, lunch,
and dinner.
When it comes to superfood, there are various claim with
regards to this. Some critical claim said that, a superfood might be a
superfood but the process itself might make the superfood not as nutritious as
it would be, which is why, it is really important to understand the cooking
process and food process itself.
As for quinoa, it has different level of maturity of
seeds even in the same plant, thus it must be hand-picked undergo the process
of removing saponin – a bitter chemical compound coating the exterior part of
quinoa that act as natural pesticides. After this process, quinoa is then
healthy and safe to be eaten!
But due to its high nutrient content, some people said
that, it not really palatable, especially with the Asian or Malaysian palate!
Thus, there are few cooking or serving suggestion with regards to quinoa if you
are to consume this superfood!
Replace your carbohydrate with quinoa
Since quinoa is better than the average rice, pasta, and
many other carbs, thus it is advisable to replace it with quinoa. As an
example, you may replace quinoa in sushi, pasta salad and you can even prepare
it as a breakfast cereal by simply cook it with milk or water and diced in some
fruits or pop in some cinnamon and a table spoon of nuts!
But, since Quinoa is prominently in cultivated in
country such as Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador, thus it is really difficult
to get the quinoa in the country like Malaysia, so what can one do with regard
to this ?
It is to.. choose food product that has quinoa
as its main ingredients!
You may drink it as it is and still get the benefits
from quinoa if its in powder form, or you can even add this product in your
salad, as gravy or in less sugar cookies, muffin, bownies or even pancake!
Example below on how quinoa can be served as!
Quinoa as breakfast cereal
Quinoa with salad
Quinoa puffed
Quinoa muffin
Quinoa bites
References
Among Hari Raya celebrated by Muslim all over the world
is Hari Raya Aidiladha. There are various reasons behind this celebration, but
most importantly, during this celebration Muslims all over the world slaughter
animals as to share this meat with those unfortunate. Since it is nearing the
celebration of Hari Raya Aidiladha, let us share with you regarding the
consumption of red meat, is it healthy? And is it true that people with
hypertension cannot consume meat?
Meat refers to the muscle or organs of an animal
consumed as food. In most parts of the world, it comes from animals raised on
large industrial farms. As for red meat, it is referring to meat from
the source of pork, ham, cuts from pig, lamb, and beef. Red meat is
particularly said to have link with various kind of disease such as heart
disease and cancer, the question is, is this true?
Well, this statement is partially true. First, there are
various kind of red meats on the market. There is lean meat (meat without its
fat), meat (meat with its fat), and processed meat. Processed meat refers to a
processed where meat has undergone such as salting, curing, fermenting, smoking
and other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Processed meat
include ham, salami, bacon, and sausages such as frankfurters and chorizo.
Certain minced meat on the market, also undergo this kind of processed which
makes it processed food as well.
Meat itself, referring to the lean meat, is a healthy
food. It is a good protein source, it contains micronutrient such as zinc,
vitamin B12 and iron. Iron that is in meat is easier to absorb or in another
word has higher bioavailability as compared to iron from plant-based food. Lean
meat also, is part of food that is recommended to be eaten in the Malaysian
Food Pyramid.
Recommended intake of meat
As stated in the fish, poultry, meat, and legumes
section on the food pyramid, it is recommended to eat 1 to 2 serving of either
poultry, meat, or legumes but and 1 serving of fish every day. This is because
in the Malaysia Dietary Guideline (MDG), the key message is to consume balance,
moderate and variety of food. Thus, it is recommended to consume from different
source, such as protein-based food, it can be from fish, meat, poultry, and
eggs. Thus, if you already got your protein that day from fish source for your
lunch then for your dinner your protein source must be from meat, poultry, or
eggs. Now another question pops up, how much is one serving?
Example of serving size of protein, but this portion is
for healthy male and female only, not for individual with health problem.
Serving is loosely translated into ‘sajian’ or
‘hidangan’ in Bahasa Malaysia, thus picture above shows how much per serving of
protein is. As for meat, 1 serving of meat is about 2 matchboxes size of meat.
For fish, medium size of fish is equivalent to 1 serving, while for chicken one
part of chicken such as drumstick is considered 1 serving of chicken. As for
egg, 1 egg are considered 1 serving of protein.
As mentioned earlier, it is not advisable to consume protein from the same source, thus it is also not advisable to consume meat every day, since we have protein-based food from variety of source which will give different kind of nutrient as well, such as ‘tauhu’, ‘tempeh’, eggs, seafood and many more.
Picture below show the easy way of knowing how much you
should consume, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits and protein just by using
your hands!
Good and bad things about meat
Study mostly found out that, lean meat has various
positive outcome on individual health, especially for those with strength
training exercise like athletes, as compared to if they consumed food from
carbohydrates source like pasta or rice, their muscle growth is much less and
slower. Another meta- analysis study which search on the consumption of lean
red meat less than 0.5 servings per day noted that, the consumption of lean red
meat does not negatively affect blood lipid and blood pressure. Which means the
consumption of lean red meat does not impose risk to heart problem, provided if
it is consume within the recommended intake.
However, there are also study indicates that the
consumption of red meat can impose health problem such as, its saturated fat can
lead to colon and breast cancer, the higher the cooking temperature for meat
can make it carcinogenic, and heme that is found in meat when cooking, can
produce compound that can damage the cells and leading to cancer.
Which is why, when it comes to food there is just no
healthy food and unhealthy food, it is more than that. It is depending on the
health status of the individual consuming it, it is depending on the cooking
method and various other factors.
In conclusion
Limit red meat and processed meat to not more than 70g
per day or 2 servings per day is the best. Consume protein – based food from
the other sources of protein as well not only red meat and processed meat just
as per recommended by Malaysia Dietary Guideline (MDG).
References
History of dietary fat recommendation (4)
The confusion on dietary fat intake, started long ago when nutrition scientist failed to communicate finding of the nutrition studies to the public. Previously based on the classic diet-heart hypothesis, dietary fat was told bad due to two key observations from observational studies and randomized controlled trial.
Current finding on dietary fat intake (4)
Previously, study was very concentrated on the single causal outcome, but nowadays extensive research has identified that there are multiple pathways that mediate the development of cardiovascular diseases, not only total cholesterol intake or LDL level (marker for bad cholesterol and risk for CVD) but as well as other factors such as, smoking, overweight and obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and many more.
Types of fat and cholesterol and dietary recommendation to it (4,5,6)
To understand the dietary recommendation to fat and cholesterol intake, first, let’s understand types of fat and cholesterol. There are few types of fat, there are saturated fat which usually consider as ‘bad’ fat, there are ‘good’ fat which further divide into two, which is monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.There are even worse types of fat which called trans-fat.
Saturated fat is the fat, that is in the state of solid in the room temperature. It can increase body weight and LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. Food source that is high in saturated fat are meat, chicken skin, margarine and dairy product that is high in fat.
As for unsaturated fat, it is consider as ‘good’ fat since it can helps in increasing HDL level (good cholesterol) level, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) Level , lower blood pressure, and lower the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Unsaturated fat can further be divided into two, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Example of monounsaturated fat includes, palm oil, canola oil, olive oil, and cashew nuts. Whilst the example of polyunsaturated oil is corn oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil. For the best result, study suggests mixing 1:1 ratio of these two types of oil, such as 1- part palm oil with 1 part of sunflower oil in the cooking.
Another kind of fat is called trans-fat. Trans fat formed when fat in the liquid form is convert to solid to form such as during the hydrogenation process. Trans-fat or also known as trans-fatty acid is usually found in the processed food, frozen food since it is used to keep the food fresh in the long-time span. Consumption of trans-fat need to be limit, since the consumption is related to the increase in the LDL (bad) cholesterol level, increase risk of cardiovascular disease, and increase risk of certain types of cancer. Food source that contain trans-fat are margarine, fry food using monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat such as sunflower oil, or processed food like ready to eat food, canned food, and pastry.
In conclusion (4,5)
According to study there is no specific standard limit for each types of fat due to various reasons. But in general, World Health Organization (WHO) suggest that fat intake should be in between 20% to 30% of total calories. In Malaysia, this consumption is equivalent to 45g – 67g of fat which is about 3- 5 tablespoon of oil (based on 2000kcal/day).
Thus, as a consumer, it is important to know which type of fat is good for health and which one is not, and to limit the intake of bad fat is very much essential in order to incorporate healthy eating habit into lifestyle.
Among things that can be practiced is, there are many processed food products on the market nowadays such as tempura, finger food for children and many more. Instead of consuming these process foods, the healthier choice is to consume fresh poultry or seafood rather than the processed one.
Another thing to note is that, cooking method again is very crucial in making sure that food is healthy, choose food that is cook using method such as steam, baked, boil and grill. Especially if you are frequently eating outside, since most of food in the restaurant or stall recycle the oil thus by choosing the better cooking method it is opting the healthier choices.
Limit intake of trans fat is very important, apart from processed food, frozen food, food that is high in cholesterol such as mayonnaise, animal internal organs, anchovies head also must be limit as well.
Being mindful about what to put into your body is just as essential as being mindful about what to put into your mind, flourish your body and mind with good nutrients for the healthier life by choosing the healthy fat for your body!
Calcium is among very common micronutrient heard by public and
milk advertisement is the contributor to this. Through this many people know
that calcium is very important for bone and teeth. Calcium can be found in
various food products nowadays not only milk. It has becoming partly marketing
strategy for food company to incorporate calcium in their food product
especially if the target consumer is children or elderly since many people know
that calcium is vital for these two groups, children, and elderly.
Function of Calcium?
Body needs calcium for strong bones and teeth. Calcium is also
required to carry out important function such as for muscle to move, for nerves
system to carry messages between brain and body parts, for blood vessels to
move blood throughout the body, and for body to help release hormones and
enzyme that affect almost every function in the human body (1,2,3).
How much calcium is needed?
Normal adult need about 1000 mg of calcium daily, however there are certain condition which require to consume up to 1300 mg of calcium daily such as for pregnant lady, lactating mother, post-menopausal women, and man who is above 70 years old of age (1,2,4).
Calcium and diet
Body does not produce calcium, so it needs to be consumed from
foods. Luckily, calcium can be found in variety of foods such as dairy
products, dark leafy vegetables, fish, and many other fortified food products
(1,2,3). As for our local food products sardine, anchovies,
cencaluk, budu, tofu, tempeh, broccoli, kalian, and tapioca leaves are among
food that is high with calcium (4).
It is also important to take note that in order to absorb
calcium, body needs vitamin D. Only a few foods containing small amount of
natural vitamin D, such as egg yolks and salmon with bones. Mostly, we rely on
the exposure to sunlight in order to get enough vitamin D, of course in
Malaysia the country with sun all year long have no problem with this! However,
as currently we are still in the so to say the ‘lockdown’ phase thus it is very
important to remind everyone to get the sunlight every day at least 20 minutes
for its vitamin D and calcium absorption (1,2,4).
Though all the foods stated above are easily found, but there are
conditions which hinder individuals from getting enough calcium from diet thus
require it from calcium supplementation.
Condition for calcium supplementation
Before considering calcium supplement, individuals must
understand how much calcium needs by the body (stated above). Then individuals
must seek help from nutritionist, dietitian, pharmacist, or doctors, where they
will assess your calcium consumption from your diet through diet recall. If the
calcium intake falls short thus you need to top up calcium from supplement.
Hypertensive individuals and diet with large amounts of
sodium.
Several literature reviews on topic of total calcium intake
from food and supplements with regards to hypertension suggested that there is
possible link to lowering high blood pressure. However, since most of the study
design have small number of subjects, and were tested with people from
different background, and not to mention possess various kind of biases thus
making it difficult for scientist to draw conclusion (1,2).
However, a large study subject (Women’s Health Study), found
out that calcium intake was inversely associated with risk of hypertension in
middle-aged and older women, in terms of preventing hypertension (1,2).
The consumption of high sodium food lead to more calcium
excretion through the urine, which will lead to constriction of blood vessels,
which in the end resulting in high blood pressure. Drinking large water
after consuming salty food, is not enough, as it may be making blood pressure
return to its slightly normal condition, but it is not helping with the loss of
calcium (1,2,5).
Pregnant and lactating mother
Often times, pregnant women is being reminded of how important
is folic acid for the baby, even from the trying to conceive period, healthcare
providers already advise them to consume folic acid, in order to prevent spina
bifida to the baby. However, calcium is as well very important for mothers
throughout pregnancy and lactating period especially for mother who is lack of
calcium from diet (1).
Several professional organizations recommend calcium
supplements during pregnancy for women with low calcium intakes to reduce the
risk of preeclampsia (a condition where gestational hypertension always occur).
For example, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ACOG) states
that daily supplementation with 1,500–2,000 mg calcium may reduce the severity
of preeclampsia in pregnant women who have calcium intakes less than 600
mg/day. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 1,500–2,000
mg calcium for pregnant women with low dietary calcium intakes, particularly
those at higher risk of gestational hypertension (1).
As for normal healthy mother, the consumption of calcium is
especially important during lactating period, mother may notice symptoms such
as cramps which indicates lack of calcium during pregnancy and lactation
period. Also if a mother is on iron supplementation as well, it is advisable to
not consume both at the same time, it is best to gap several prior the
consumption of these two since it can interfere with the absorption (1,2).
Post-menopausal women and elderly
Throughout the lifespan, bones are constantly being broken
down and built up in a process known as remodelling. Bone cells called
osteoblasts build bone, while other bone cells called osteoclasts break down
bone if calcium is needed. In healthy individuals who get enough calcium and
physical activity, bone production exceeds bone destruction up to about age 30.
After that, destruction typically exceeds production. This is sometimes called
“negative calcium balance,” which can lead to bone loss. Women tend to
experience greater bone loss than men later in life due to menopause, a
condition that lowers the amount of hormones that help to build and preserve
bone (5).
Getting enough dietary calcium at all ages may help to slow
the degree of bone loss, but calcium intakes at any level are not known to
completely prevent bone loss. Calcium is less easily absorbed at later ages,
and therefore eating a very high amount of calcium will not always resolve the
problem (5).
Individuals with lactose intolerance and limit dairy products
Individuals with lactose intolerance usually, is unable to
consume food that has high amount of calcium especially if it come from milk
and dairy source of food. Thus, lactose intolerance individuals need to consume
it form dark leafy vegetables and soy-based product. However, in most cases the
consumption is not enough or individuals with lactose intolerance consume not
enough vegetable rich with calcium or other food source rich with calcium, thus
for this specific population calcium supplementation is needed either from
fortified food product such as ready to eat cereals or from calcium
supplementation tablet itself.
Individuals receiving treatment on certain medication in the
long period
Well, there are certain medication which can influence the
absorption of calcium. Medication such as to treat osteoporosis
(bisphosphonates), antibiotics (fluroquinolone), medication to treat low
thyroid problem (levothyroxine), anticonvulsant (phenytoin), diuretic
medication (Lasix and bumex), antacids containing aluminium and magnesium and
also glucocorticoids (prednisone). These are all either causing calcium loss in
the urine or cause calcium depletion in the bone. Thus, if you are on these
medication, it is advisable to take calcium rich foods four hours prior or after
the intake of medication, so that it would not interfere with the absorption of
calcium, it is also best if you consume calcium supplementation if you do have
poor intake of calcium rich food as well (2).
In conclusion, in these situations, calcium supplements may
help you meet your calcium requirements. Talk with your doctor or dietitian
about whether calcium supplements are right for you.
References
Due to this there are various benefits of grapeseed
extract to human body such as to help prevent disease, to protect against
oxidative stress, tissue damages, inflammation and many more. In this article
we are going to deep dive into potential health benefits of grapeseed extract
(GSE) from studies:
Wound healing activity and antioxidant properties.
Numerous studies have shown that grape seed extract has high level of antioxidants properties. Studies using punctured wounded mice has shown that mice who were treated with GSE in the wound affected area, grow tissue in that area faster than mice who were treated with normal saline only. Another thing noted is that, more organized tissue formation and higher rate of collagen deposition in mice that were treated with GSE as compared to mice with placebo. Topical application of 2% of GSE cream in the area of post-surgery surgical wound also shows to completely heal wound on an average 8 days as compared to placebo which took 14 days for wound healing. It is as so, due to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) properties of GSE which promotes regeneration of the damaged blood vessels and increases the quantity of free radicals present at the wound site. Free radical helps in killing and clearing pathogenic bacteria and endotoxin from the site and helps in curing wound.
Apart from wound healing and skin health properties, it
also has anti-ageing properties. Proanthocyanidins in GSE reduce lipid
oxidation on the skin structure therefore delay skin ageing.
Cardiovascular and antihypertensive properties.
Cardiovascular disorders (CVD) are among one of the
major problems that arises due to the modern and unhealthy lifestyles which
results in the primary cause of death worldwide. In general, it refers to the
disorder related to the condition and function of heart and blood vessels.
Alteration of these two may lead to cardiac arrest, heart stroke, hypertension,
chest pain and many more. Studies show that GSE may prevent atherosclerosis
(condition where there is build-up of fats, cholesterol, etc in the blood
vessels walls which can restrict blood flow), inhibit or limit the oxidation of
LDL (bad cholesterol), reducing inflammation, inhibit platelet aggregation, and
lower blood pressure. It lowers blood pressure by supressing the oxidative
stress, and inhibit the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) and nitric oxide
mediate vasodilation, hence making the constricted blood vessels dilate and
improve blood pressure.
Antimicrobial activity.
GSE has shown that it has effective antimicrobial
property against both gram positive ( baccilus cereus, staphylococcus aureus,
bacillus coagulans, etc) and gram negative bacteria ( pseudomonal aeruginosa,
escherichia coli, etc). GSE contains resevatrol, in which when apply topically
it will then increase production of cathelicidin, which inhibits the growth of
bacteria.
In conclusions, GSE has various benefits to health due to its high antioxidant properties, it is able to scavenge the free radicals which an essential feature that could help with various body functions.
References
Infographic above explains types of good and bad fats. But what about the differences between Omega 3, 6, and 9? All these three fats can be considered as good fat, but there are certain thing which differ it from one another.
MUFA or Omega 9
Monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) or also known as omega 9, is because of the double bond position which is on the ninth position from the omega end. It is a type of fat that is found in vegetable and animal fat such as in canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil and in nuts. Unlike Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), Omega 9 is a non essential fat, which means body is able to produce this types of fat. However, there are also benefits when it is obtained from food such as it can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and help to eliminate plague build up in the arteries which can cause heart attack and stroke.
PUFA or Omega 3 & Omega 6
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can be divided into
Omega 3 and Omega 6. The difference between these two is that the position of
the double bond for Omega 3 is at the third position from the end, whilst for
omega 6 is in the sixth position from the end.
Among types of Omega 3 with extensive scientific
research are Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and alpha
lipoic acid (ALA). The difference between these three types of Omega 3 fat is
the number of carbon atoms 18, 20, and 22 for ALA, EPA, and DHA respectively.
ALA can be converted to EPA and then to DHA, but the conversion which usually
occurs in liver is less than 15%, which is why it is recommended to consume EPA
and DHA directly from foods or/ and dietary supplement. ALA is present in plant
oils, such as flaxseed, soybean and canola oils. DHA and EPA is present in
fish, fish oils, and krill oils. But the DHA and EPA in krill oil is not
originating from krill but rather from the ingestion of microalgae.
Whilst, among types of Omega 6 are linolenic acid (LA)
and Arachidonic acid (AA). The difference between these two are the position of
double bond in the omega 6 fatty acid chain. Linolenic acid (LA) is the same
like ALA, it is essential fatty acids which cannot be produced by human body.
Sources of food with LA are soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, peanut
oil, cottonseed oil and rice bran oil. Whilst source of food for AA are peanut
oil, meat, eggs, and dairy products.
Omega 3 and Omega 6, are beneficial for cardiovascular
diseases where it can help with managing cholesterol level, triglycerides level
and blood pressure level. There are also certain supporting data stated that it
can help with reducing weight and waist size, improving infant brain
development in fetus and fighting inflammation. However, other than for
cardiovascular health the finding are rathe inconclusive. But as for Omega 3
and 6 (PUFA) and heart health American Heart Association (AHA) recommends
that 8-10% of calories should come from PUFA as there is evidence eating more
PUFA up to 15% of daily calories in place of saturated fat can lower risk of
heart disease.
Diagram below shows the comparison between these three
types of good fat.
All in all, Omega 3, 6, and 9 are beneficial for the cardiovascular health, as it can help with lowering LDL level (bad cholesterol), increasing HDL level (good cholesterol) and help with blood pressure level. Several other studies also mentioned that certain good fat can help with inflammatory diseases such as joint pain and skin health such as eczema. However, consumption of all these fat must be in balance since overconsumption of these can lead to serious health effect! However, replacing bad fat (or even good fat) with refined carbohydrates food, does not help with your health either. It is so important to note that everything must be in balance, and consuming healthy food is not about one type of food only, it about variety kind of food and the quality of food, and the food source as well!
References
Research on the benefits of fish oil supplement also vary greatly, which is why in this article we are going to list out who might need fish oil supplement in their daily life!
Benefits of fish oil consumption vary greatly from one study to another, there is study link between mental health and disorder with omega, as it said that EPA and DHA can improve brain development ability, even in young children, there are also study noted that it can help with cardiovascular diseases, joint pain, and skin problem such as eczema. The question is, is true that fish oil consumption can help with these all? ?(1)
Individual with mental health problem/disorder
Researchers examined link between suicide and consumption of fatty acids intake among more than 205, 000 participants in three long term studies from 1988 to 2008 found out that there is no evidence that intake of fatty acids or fish lowered the risk of suicide. “The vast majority of previous literature on whether there is a mental health benefit from fatty acid intake has been based on depression screening data. Our study represents one of the few times—and it is certainly the largest of its kind—that this relationship has been studied with hard data on suicide mortality.” (2)
Whilst for brain health, study noted that it is better to eat nutritious diet and be physically active than to take omega 3 fatty acids supplements or fish oil, Study showed little benefit of omega 3 supplements on memory of a 3073 elderly people at risk of macular degeneration (an age related cause of vision loss). The participants of the study were randomly assigned to take omega 3 pills or placebo for five years. The researcher concluded that supplement cannot replace a healthy dietary pattern, if you eat a healthy diet with high amounts of fruits, vegetables, and marine fish, you probably don’t need to take fish oil supplement. The overall dietary pattern is more important than a single nutrient (2).
Individual with cardiovascular disease
Recently there are many studies suggesting that Omega 3 will not lower the risk of heart problem. To answer this Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist from Harvard Medical School said that, he gathered 20 previous studies involving more than 68, 000 patient since 1989, overall, fish oil supplement neither harm nor good, since they found that the supplements did not significantly reduce people’s risk of mortality, cardiac death, heart attack, and stroke. But according to him, the research and link between the fish oil supplementation and heart problem is rather complex, since it does not only take fish oil to shield heart from various problems and diseases, it also take weight status, exercise frequency, cigarettes’ or substance use and many more (3,4,5).
Which is why interpreting the study, we would still recommend customers and patients to consume fish more as a first line measure. But, if you do not like fish, or you feel like your consumption of fish is not enough or you simply want to be sure that your body is getting omega 3, there is no harm in taking fish oil, it will certainly help with the nutrient essential nutrient, since omega 3 is a nutrient that your body cannot produce can only get form diet (3,4,5).
Individual with skin problem
A systematic review for the treatment of atopic dermatitis or eczema using fish oil supplementation is very scarce, the studies available are all only small sample size studies. Not only these three studies are small, it is also described as poor methodological studies from reviewer, as it has many confounding factors, but the outcomes of these studies shows positive outcome from eczema condition and overall daily living as compared to placebo (6,7).
Another convinced relationship between consumption of fish oil and skin health is that in a study where pregnant lady were given fish oil during pregnancy and follow up to 6 years found out that, consumption of fish oil during pregnancy lead to positive skin health outcome on babies skin health. The study also concluded that maternal supplementation with fish oil might have prophylactic potential for long-term prevention of asthma in offspring (6,7).
In conclusion, consumption of fish oil has mixing result in studies depending on what kind of problem that we are looking at to solve with fish oil. Since there are various factors influencing a particular health problem. There is no magic pill in this world honey! You need to however eat healthily, consume a lot of vegetables and fruits, and exercise, but if you think that you do not get enough omega 3 from diet, as you dislike fish, or you are afraid to consume fish regularly due to contamination etc, or you simply would like to make sure that your body has enough omega 3, then there is no harm in taking fish oil supplementation. It just that in order to make sure you get the right omega 3 for your body, buy it from pharmacy, make sure the product has Ministry of Health (MOH) notification number, and simply ask healthcare professional on which omega 3 supplementation suits you, simply for the dosage and perhaps current medication that you are on and you are good to go!
References
Why do we need CoQ10?
CoQ10's main function is to act as an energy transfer molecule, where it is a co-factor in the production of energy. Essentially, all cellular functions are dependent on an adequate supply of energy, which explains why coq10 is vital for all tissues and organs. CoQ10 is also one of the most significant lipid antioxidants that prevents the generation of harmful substances in the body, such as free radicals, which can lead to the modification of proteins, lipids, and DNA.
Antioxidant is defined as a substance that inhibits the oxidation process or is a scavenger of free radicals that are produced by normal body processes, hence making the body more stable.
Due to its function as antioxidants, not only can it help neutralize free radicals and prevent the damage caused by free radicals, but it can also improve energy and augment the immune system.
Who needs CoQ10?
There are certain individuals who need to consume more CoQ10 as the amount in their bodies is diminishing.
How much do we need CoQ10?
A typical CoQ10 dosage is about 30–90 mg per day, taken in divided doses, but the recommended amount can be as high as 200 mg per day. CoQ10 is a fat-soluble antioxidant, so it is better absorbed when taken with a meal that contains oil or fat. The clinical effect of CoQ10 may take up to eight weeks.
Food source with CoQ10?
Primary dietary sources of CoQ10 include oily fish (such as salmon and tuna), organ meats (such as liver), and whole grains. Most individuals obtain sufficient amounts of CoQ10 through a balanced diet, but supplementation may be useful for individuals with particular health conditions. CoQ10 is available as a supplement in several forms, including soft gel capsules, oral spray, hard shell capsules, and tablets.
Safety precautions
Consumption of CoQ10 might not really be suitable for individuals who consume warfarin medication, pregnant women, or breastfeeding mothers.
References
Therapeutic benefit in hypertension.
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood pressure rises above 120/80. CoQ10 has been shown in animal model studies to significantly reduce blood pressure levels while having no effect on other hypertension-related parameters such as plasma renin, serum/urine sodium and potassium, or urinary aldosterone. It is also suggested that varying COQ10 dosage results in a reduced need for medication. In a human study, taking 60 mg of CoQ10 twice daily for 8 weeks reduced blood pressure, plasma inulin, glucose, and several lipid compounds. Other human studies have ranged from 100 to 225mg/day for 4.4 to 10 months.
Therapeutic benefit in coronary artery disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when the coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your muscles become narrowed due to a gradual buildup of fatty material within their walls. The condition is also referred to as atherosclerosis. Pretreatment with CoQ10 has been shown in animal studies to reduce myocardial ischemia (occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is obstructed by a partial or complete blockage of plaque buildup (atherosclerosis)) and cardiac dysfunction. In human studies, a dose of 300 mg/day for 7 days straight improves heart efficiency as measured by oxygen consumption per energy formed. Another study on humans using a 150mg dose of CoQ10 found that the supplement increased treadmill exercise tolerance. However, because these two studies involved a small number of subjects, they are not statistically significant.
Therapeutic benefit of congestive heart failure
A small study of 17 patients with congestive heart failure discovered that using 30 mg/day of coenzyme Q10 improved the patients' condition, with 53% of the patients becoming asymptomatic after four weeks of treatment (no symptoms). Another large-scale study involving 2664 patients who took 50-100mg/day of coenzyme Q10 for three months found that 54% of patients improved in their symptoms of insomnia, nocturia, and vertigo.
Is CoQ10 recommended for heart health prevention and treatment?
In conclusion, it appears that CoQ10 may be beneficial for heart health prevention and treatment, particularly for people with coronary heart disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. This is due to its ability to prevent LDL oxidation. It also appears that the majority of patients with heart disease are deficient in coenzyme Q10, which can lead to a variety of heart-related complications later on.
References