The importance of pap smears

It's interesting to note that each year, there are more than 500 new cases of breast cancer in Malaysia and what is alarming is that some 45% of patients are in the end-stage. According to 2003 statistics from two hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, the Malays recorded the lowest rate of breast cancer but a high fatality rate compared with other races, said Dr Nik Ahmad, an obstetrician and gynaecologist.

He was speaking about Women and Cancer, a health talk in conjunction with a pap smear screening and self breast examination in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, recently.

In Malaysia, more than 50% of breast cancer cases involved women who are below 50 years old.

Women who had early menstruation and late menopause, and those who are infertile are also at risk. Exposure to radiation and those with a history of lumps in their breast are also at risk of contracting breast cancer.

He advised women to practise self breast examination four to five days after their periods. Those who are in their menopause can choose a day each month to practise self breast examination.

After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death for women.

Generally, cervical cancer can be detected through a pap smear. Women who have bleeding after sex or pain during intercourse should be cautious. Women with irregular periods and unusual discharge from the vagina as well as bleeding after menopause should also heed these “warning” signs.

A pap smear takes less than 10 minutes and is painless and inexpensive. It should be done 10 days after one’s period.

Source: Giving a ‘pap’ talk...The Star

Bony issue - Osteoporosis

MOST people think of osteoporosis as an associated risk of menopause. However, adolescent girls and young women are not exempted. A study conducted on 164 young college women by the researchers from the University of Arkansas in the United States revealed that 2% of the group has osteoporosis and 15% had significant low bone density and are at high risk of developing osteoporosis. Scientific findings also show that Asian women all over the world have a high incidence of osteoporosis due to their smaller frames, hence the lower bone mass and density compared with women of other national and ethnic groups.

Aside from menopause, there are several possible causes for bone loss and these include severe dieting, a lack of oestrogen leading to cessation of menstruation (amenorrhea), a dysfunction of the reproductive system, family history, low physical activity and a general poor diet. While medical treatments are available to address body dysfunctions, the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle must be the basis of the management of bone health.

Read full story: Bony issue...The Star

Watercress, the wonder vegetable

Watercress is rich in betacarotene and vitamin C (more than four times that of other wonder vegetables like tomato and broccoli), vitamins B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorous and iodine.

It is a potent source of folate, which keeps women ’s reproductive system healthy, and is good for the nerves and blood. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, powerful antioxidants which protect the lens and retina of the eyes, and the body from potentially damaging free radicals. Quercetin, a type of flavonoid and a powerful antioxidant, is also found in great quantities in watercress.

It is also high in a type of glucosinolate called phenylethyl isothiocyanate, which gives the plant its unique peppery flavour and arms the body to resist certain carcinogens.

Watercress (left), or Nasturtium officinale, of the family Cruciferae, is rich in isothiocyanates, which help to detoxify cigarette smoke, and keep the lungs healthy.

The ancient Greeks called watercress Kardamon and they believed that eating it would sharpen their intellect. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used the freshest watercress to treat his patients.

The Romans ate it to prevent baldness and it ’s even believed to be an aphrodisiac.

Whether it’s for blood cleansing, scurvy, toothache and hiccups, as the Victorians in England were wont to use it for, it’s a remarkably nutritious vegetable.

Here’s an easy-to-do recipe for fish and watercress. It’s fragrant and delicious. As it is baked in foil, you can even use your oven toaster to do it.

RED SNAPPER BAKED WITH WATERCRESS

300g red snapper fillet (ikan merah or hoong choh)
40g watercress leaves (cut from the tips of the watercress; keep the stalks for boiling soup)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 thin slice of lemon
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsps butter (or 3 small pats of it)
Foil for baking

Method

1. Marinate the fish with salt and pepper.

2. Mix honey with lemon juice and drizzle over both sides of the fish. Leave a spoonful for drizzling on the vegetables

3. Lift the fish on to a large piece of aluminium foil. Cover the top of the fish with the watercress leaves.

4. Drizzle the rest of honey mixture over the leaves. Add the butter on different sides of the fish. Put a lemon slice on top.

5. Wrap up the foil parcel and bake in an oven at 190C for 15 minutes.

Source: The NST...by Eu Hooi Khaw

Water the plants - breastfeeding

The lighter side of breastfeeding:

Water the Plants
Just the other day, a nurse colleague made a remark that absolutely threw me into an outburst of laughter. Commenting on her breastfeeding experience, she said to me that she had enough milk to ... you guessed it ... water the plants! Now I usually have mothers describe their milk supplies as "enough to feed the neighborhood" or "an army" (just an expression), but never enough to water the plants! Keep in mind that human milk is about 87% water -- that's why it's a wonderful source of hydration for babies. Keep in mind that many, if not most plants, require water to thrive and survive. I'll admit that I did actually wonder, for a very brief moment, if a plant would benefit from being watered with, well, breast milk!

Source

Importance of Sleep

Many people have come to think of sleep as a luxury that can be cut back on to make time for other “more important” daily activities without much consequence. However, research seems to indicate otherwise. It is impossible to be in truly good health without getting adequate sleep on a regular basis. Cutting back from the standard eight hours of sleep to four hours of sleep for just one week produces striking changes in glucose tolerance and endocrine function resembling the effects of advanced age or the early stages of diabetes.

Chronic sleep loss may speed the onset or increase the severity of type–2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and memory loss. Researchers in Australia suggest that sleep loss can be similar or worse than drinking too much alcohol. Staying awake for as little as 18 hours affects the body much the same as drinking alcohol to the legal limit. Sleep depravation plays a part in 2 out of 3 auto accidents in the US.

Read full story: Importance of Sleep

How to Avoid Sickness When Traveling

Have you ever experienced a cold or the flu shortly after returning from a vacation or business trip? If so, you're not alone; it's a very common occurrence. Why do you get sick after traveling? It could be that you picked up a "bug" from those you visited, or (if you flew) perhaps you got sick from the poor quality of the air circulating in the plane. Furthermore, a change in your eating, exercise, and sleep routine may have lowered your resistance to illness.

Read full story: How to Avoid Sickness When Travelling

The Claim: MP3 Players Can Cause Hearing Loss

THE CLAIM Need a reason to tear yourself from that sleek new MP3 player you can't put down? While most people covet the hours of nonstop music and the snug earpieces, those features, and others, are also the reasons the players may hurt your hearing.

The component that can have the greatest impact is the headphone.

Compared with larger headphones that cover the entire ear, some insertable headphones, like the white ones sold with iPods, increased sound levels by up to nine decibels. That may not seem like much, but because decibels are measured in logarithmic units, it can mean the difference between the noise output of an alarm clock (about 80 decibels) and that of a lawnmower (about 90 decibels).

The other problem, a second study found, is that insertable headphones are not as efficient at blocking background noise as some larger ones that cover the ear, so there is more incentive to turn up the volume.

To be sure, no one is certain what levels of noise the average MP3 listener is experiencing. But a large study of iPod users between 18 and 54 in Australia last month might provide some insight. The study, by the National Acoustic Laboratory in Sydney, found that about a quarter of the people surveyed kept their iPods at volumes that could cause long-term hearing damage.

THE BOTTOM LINE MP3 players may increase the risk of hearing loss for some people.

Source: NY Times

Develop a survival attitude

The work environment can be intimidating, though I believe the strategy is to see things coming. Use your intuition, sense if a person or action is in an orbit around of you: if you see something coming meet it before it is ready to meet you, whether it be work or people related. Meet the challenge instead of hoping it will go away, develop a long term survival attitude at work, and in life.

The above is from The Last Resort - Health & Psycholody Blog. It's a great site. So be sure to check it out.

The Goodness of Papaya

Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it is no wonder the papaya was reputably called the “fruit of the angels” by Christopher Columbus. Once considered quite exotic, they can now be found in markets throughout the year. Although there is a slight seasonal peak in early summer and fall, papaya trees produce fruit year round.

Papayas are spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can be as long as 20 inches. The ones commonly found in the market usually average about 7 inches and weigh about one pound. Their flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues. Inside the inner cavity of the fruit are black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance. Papaya's seeds are edible, although their peppery flavor is somewhat bitter. The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins. This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe. Papain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements and is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.

Health Benefits
Papayas offer not only the luscious taste and sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber. Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer. In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies.

Other qualities include
o Protection Against Heart Disease
o Cancer Protection
o Anti-Inflammatory Effects
o Immune Support
o Protection against Macular Degeneration
o Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
o Protection against Emphysema - If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin A-rich foods, such as papaya, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life, suggests research conducted at Kansas State University.

For more detailed information,
visit "the world's healthiest food"