The health benefits that can be reaped from eating fish overshadow any potential health risks from pollutants, according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Eating two portions of fish per week is beneficial and can cut the risk of heart disease by up to a third, the study found.
This amounts to three ounces of farmed salmon or six ounces of mackerel per week.The lead author of the study, Dariush Mozaffarian, said: "Overall, for major health outcomes among adults, the benefits of eating fish greatly outweigh the risks. "
Somehow this evidence has been lost on the public."
However young children and nursing mothers should not eat as much fish, the study reminded.
Recently there have been concerns raised about the levels of harmful toxins such as mercury present in fish.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
In Perth
Visited the medical school I attended (1987-1992) and the hospital I worked for 2 years (1993-1994) on October 12, 2006.
What has a medical education meant to me?
Well, when I first graduated, it was all about the prestige of being a doctor, and which high-security, bank-rolling profession I should venture into. But with more wisdom over the years I guess my perspective has changed.
I guess now is to have a considered view of future goals, an ethical attitude towards fiancial rewards and a balanced perspective of the financial interest of those whom which we deal with.
Reflection
Many of the modern medicine and anatomical science as we know it originated from Greece in the likes of Hippocrates and Galen.
Willaim Harvey in 1616 demonstrated how blood flowed in one direction. He was highly criticised as it was against conventional wisdom then.
Antoine Lavoisier in the late 1700's published the concepts of metabolism, nutrition and exercise physiology. He supplied basic truths: only oxygen participates in animal respiration, and the "caloric" liberated during respiration is itself the source of combustion. He also proved that respiration produced carbon dioxide and water. However, his findings fundmental to our understanding of energy balance and metabolism, were not only rejected but cost him his life. The Jacobean tribunal beheaded him in 1974.
We are fortunate to have all the insight of those before us.
As Payne who wrote in 1896:
"No kind of knowledge has ever sprung into being without an antecedent, but is inseperably connected with what was known before... We are led back to Aristotle and Galen as the real predecessors of Harvey in his work concerning the heart. It was the labors of the great school of Greek anatomists... that the problem though unsolved, was put into shape that the genius of Harvey was enabled to solve it....The moral is, I think that the influence of the past on the present is even more potent than we commonly suppose. In common and trivial things, we may ingnore this connection; in what is of enduring worth we cannot."
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Herbal Viagra
Be careful if you are taking any herbal viagra that gives you an instant effect. ie. within 30 minutes.
It is most likely to have been adulterated with Viagra, Cialis, Levitra etc.
Herbs, fruits and plants products are not meant to work instantaneously. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not after the first apple. I keep telling people this but somehow the message does not get through in Malaysia. In other countries the consumers are less gullible.
The other day I was given a bottle of P____n registered with the Malaysian DCA. It contains Saw Palmetto, Pumpkin seed and Ginkgo and imported from the USA. After 20 minutes I began to see blue and felt funny (these are the symptoms of Viagra). I am sure there are more such products out in the market. Imported from USA does not mean anything. The manufacurers don't sell any of the products there locally and just export. Usually they are Asian immigrants from Taiwan.
I remember a friend's Singapore company that imported something similar in Singapore from taiwan. I won't name the product. The first few batches were negative for adulterants, but once the commercial lots came in, the adulteration came in.
Manufacturers these days are also being smarter. They add in the adulterants into the soft or hard capsule. This is because most laboratories only test the inside content and not the capsule.
Some manufactuers adulterate say 50% of a certain batch. Thus some may feel some effect, some won't. But those that finds it effective will spread its effectiveness, while those that take the unadulterated batch are those non-responders (even Viagra only work in 70% of cases) or labelled to have something wrong with them (i.e gone case).
COLLAGEN
I remember a few years ago a collagen product was launched by a MLM company. All the old ladies with joint pains and aches were buying it as it gave them pain relief. Collagen does not give you an instant effect, "if at all". Only antiinflammatory drugs and steroids do.
COLOSTRUM MILK
Another MLM company in the last few years has been selling colostrum in sachet nicely packed in a box. Be careful as users says it gives them much extra energy and fell very alert and filled with vigor instantaneously.
They call it IgG milk and in the nutritional facts state the amount of IgG it contains. If you check with the Food Labelling Division, you cannot state the IgG levels on the nutritonal facts. This misleads the public as IgG or any other antibodies can never be absorbed by the gut as it is too big. An IgG antibody comprises of more than 2,000 aminoacids long. It is digested into aminoacids and peptides. The intestinal tract can only absorb peptides of 15-30 amino acids long.
In medical school, we were taught the only useful antibody in milk is IgA, a mucosal antibody that protects the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.
Problem
Most of the companies that promote these kind of products are in for short term financial gain. They may get caught, but they have made their millions. So they will lie low for a few years, and then start a new company and do something similar again.
It is most likely to have been adulterated with Viagra, Cialis, Levitra etc.
Herbs, fruits and plants products are not meant to work instantaneously. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but not after the first apple. I keep telling people this but somehow the message does not get through in Malaysia. In other countries the consumers are less gullible.
The other day I was given a bottle of P____n registered with the Malaysian DCA. It contains Saw Palmetto, Pumpkin seed and Ginkgo and imported from the USA. After 20 minutes I began to see blue and felt funny (these are the symptoms of Viagra). I am sure there are more such products out in the market. Imported from USA does not mean anything. The manufacurers don't sell any of the products there locally and just export. Usually they are Asian immigrants from Taiwan.
I remember a friend's Singapore company that imported something similar in Singapore from taiwan. I won't name the product. The first few batches were negative for adulterants, but once the commercial lots came in, the adulteration came in.
Manufacturers these days are also being smarter. They add in the adulterants into the soft or hard capsule. This is because most laboratories only test the inside content and not the capsule.
Some manufactuers adulterate say 50% of a certain batch. Thus some may feel some effect, some won't. But those that finds it effective will spread its effectiveness, while those that take the unadulterated batch are those non-responders (even Viagra only work in 70% of cases) or labelled to have something wrong with them (i.e gone case).
COLLAGEN
I remember a few years ago a collagen product was launched by a MLM company. All the old ladies with joint pains and aches were buying it as it gave them pain relief. Collagen does not give you an instant effect, "if at all". Only antiinflammatory drugs and steroids do.
COLOSTRUM MILK
Another MLM company in the last few years has been selling colostrum in sachet nicely packed in a box. Be careful as users says it gives them much extra energy and fell very alert and filled with vigor instantaneously.
They call it IgG milk and in the nutritional facts state the amount of IgG it contains. If you check with the Food Labelling Division, you cannot state the IgG levels on the nutritonal facts. This misleads the public as IgG or any other antibodies can never be absorbed by the gut as it is too big. An IgG antibody comprises of more than 2,000 aminoacids long. It is digested into aminoacids and peptides. The intestinal tract can only absorb peptides of 15-30 amino acids long.
In medical school, we were taught the only useful antibody in milk is IgA, a mucosal antibody that protects the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.
Problem
Most of the companies that promote these kind of products are in for short term financial gain. They may get caught, but they have made their millions. So they will lie low for a few years, and then start a new company and do something similar again.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Got a tenage girl?
All girls aged 11 to 12 should be vaccinated against the virus which is responsible for nearly three-quarters of cervical cancers, the Lancet medical journal has advised.
Gardasil was last week given a licence by the European Commission for use in children aged between nine and 15 and women between 16 and 26.
It offers protection against the human papilloma-virus (HPV) types 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70 per cent of all cervical cancers, and types six and 11, which cause roughly 90 per cent of cases of genital warts.
The Department of Health is currently considering whether the vaccine should be offered on the NHS.
Although concerns have been expressed that 11 may be too young an age to vaccinate girls as it could encourage underage sex, an editorial in the Lancet argues: "EU member states should lead by making the vaccinations mandatory for all girls aged 11-12 years." Such a decision would be following in the wake of the US state of Michigan, which last month passed a bill ruling that all girls aged 11 to 12 should be immunised with Gardasil.
The Lancet editorial adds that if HPV is to be eradicated in the long-term, then both boys and girls should be vaccinated. "
Data from the vaccine trials in boys are urgently needed…modelling studies have shown that a female-specific approach would be only 60 – 75 per cent as effective at reducing HPV prevalence in women as strategies that target both sexes," it argues.
Gardasil was last week given a licence by the European Commission for use in children aged between nine and 15 and women between 16 and 26.
It offers protection against the human papilloma-virus (HPV) types 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70 per cent of all cervical cancers, and types six and 11, which cause roughly 90 per cent of cases of genital warts.
The Department of Health is currently considering whether the vaccine should be offered on the NHS.
Although concerns have been expressed that 11 may be too young an age to vaccinate girls as it could encourage underage sex, an editorial in the Lancet argues: "EU member states should lead by making the vaccinations mandatory for all girls aged 11-12 years." Such a decision would be following in the wake of the US state of Michigan, which last month passed a bill ruling that all girls aged 11 to 12 should be immunised with Gardasil.
The Lancet editorial adds that if HPV is to be eradicated in the long-term, then both boys and girls should be vaccinated. "
Data from the vaccine trials in boys are urgently needed…modelling studies have shown that a female-specific approach would be only 60 – 75 per cent as effective at reducing HPV prevalence in women as strategies that target both sexes," it argues.
Friday, October 06, 2006
5 FOODS WOMEN NEED MOST
1 Papaya – This fruit packs about twice the vitamin C of an orange. Add it to your arsenal against gallbladder disease, which afflicts twice as many women as men. After analysing the blood of over 13,000 people, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who had lower levels of vitamin C were more likely to have gallbladder illnesses. One medium papaya (about 280 grams), with 188 milligrams of C and a mere 500 kilo-joules, is a refreshing source of the vitamin. Best of all it’s probably growing in your garden.
2 Flaxseed – Bakers use this nutty-flavoured seed mainly to add flavour and fibre. But scientists see the tiny reddish-brown seed, rich in oestrogen-like compounds called lignans, as a potential weapon against breast cancer. An exciting report at last year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showed that adding flaxseed to the diet of women with breast cancer effectively slowed tumour growth. You can flavour your muffins with flaxseed, but the easiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food shops. They’re easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder. But get seeds – there are no lignans in the oil.
3 Tofu – Foods high in soya protein can lower cholesterol and may minimise menopausal hot flushes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soyabeans that have a structure similar to oestrogen, may be the reason. Though animal studies form the bulk of evidence, a human study found that 90 milligrams of isoflavones was beneficial to bone (specifically the spine). And two other studies suggest that 50 to 76 milligrams of isoflavones a day may offer some relief from hot flushes. Half a cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 milligrams of isoflavones.
4 Pork – Due largely to menstruation, women tend to be more anaemic than men. And low iron levels in blood can cause severe fatigue. To get a good dose of iron, try pork. It has what every diet-conscious women wants – lots of iron and fat that can be easily removed, compared to most cuts of meat. According to the Asian Food Information Centre in Singapore, a palm-sized pork steak has about 1.4 milligrams of iron. Best of all, says Dr Mark Wahlqvist, president of the International Union of Nutrition Sciences, eating a small amount of pork with a meal increases the absorption of iron from accompanying vegetables and cereals.
5 Cabbage – This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which affects many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 per cent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. Researchers point out that dark-green leafy vegetables – brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli – are all good sources of the vitamin. But cabbage is among the best.
There you have it: five great foods for women that can keep both of you well fed and healthy at the same time.
2 Flaxseed – Bakers use this nutty-flavoured seed mainly to add flavour and fibre. But scientists see the tiny reddish-brown seed, rich in oestrogen-like compounds called lignans, as a potential weapon against breast cancer. An exciting report at last year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showed that adding flaxseed to the diet of women with breast cancer effectively slowed tumour growth. You can flavour your muffins with flaxseed, but the easiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food shops. They’re easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder. But get seeds – there are no lignans in the oil.
3 Tofu – Foods high in soya protein can lower cholesterol and may minimise menopausal hot flushes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soyabeans that have a structure similar to oestrogen, may be the reason. Though animal studies form the bulk of evidence, a human study found that 90 milligrams of isoflavones was beneficial to bone (specifically the spine). And two other studies suggest that 50 to 76 milligrams of isoflavones a day may offer some relief from hot flushes. Half a cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 milligrams of isoflavones.
4 Pork – Due largely to menstruation, women tend to be more anaemic than men. And low iron levels in blood can cause severe fatigue. To get a good dose of iron, try pork. It has what every diet-conscious women wants – lots of iron and fat that can be easily removed, compared to most cuts of meat. According to the Asian Food Information Centre in Singapore, a palm-sized pork steak has about 1.4 milligrams of iron. Best of all, says Dr Mark Wahlqvist, president of the International Union of Nutrition Sciences, eating a small amount of pork with a meal increases the absorption of iron from accompanying vegetables and cereals.
5 Cabbage – This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which affects many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 per cent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. Researchers point out that dark-green leafy vegetables – brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli – are all good sources of the vitamin. But cabbage is among the best.
There you have it: five great foods for women that can keep both of you well fed and healthy at the same time.
5 FOODS MEN NEED MOST
1 Tomato Sauce – Men who eat a lot of tomatoes, tomato sauce, or pizza smothered with the stuff may be giving themselves a hedge against prostate cancer. So say researchers at Harvard University, who studied the eating habits of more than 47,000 male health professionals. They found that men who ate tomato sauce two to four times per week had a 35 per cent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men who ate none. A carotenoid called lycopene, which tomatoes contain in abundance, appeared to be responsible. But scientists were puzzled: tomato juice didn’t seem to have a protective effect. Other research show why. For best absorption, lycopene should be cooked with some kind of fat. So pizza may be just what the doctor ordered.
2 Oysters – Myth has it that oysters are the food of love. Science may agree. Just two to three oyster deliver a full day’s supply of zinc, a mineral critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Scientists are divided over reports that sperm counts have declined over the last 50 years and that environmental factors are to blame. Nutritional deficiencies do seem to be the cause of certain cases of low testosterone. Getting adequate zinc is sometimes the answer (up to 15 milligrams per day is recommended for men; more than 40 milligrams can pose risk). In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone level and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.
3 Broccoli – A recent Harvard study finds that cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, may protect against bladder cancer which is common among Asian men. Scientists analysed the diets of nearly 50,000 men and discovered that those who ate five servings or more per week of cruciferous veggies were half as likely to develop bladder cancer over a ten-year period as men who rarely ate them. And broccoli and cabbage were singled out as the most protective foods.
4 Peanut butter – If you want a healthy heart, spread your morning toast with peanut butter. Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women, but men fall victim at an earlier age. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University compared the cholesterol-lowering effect of the step II Diet of the America Heart Association (AHA) with a higher-fat diet based on peanuts. The AHA plan included more carbohydrates. The peanut regimen was 36 per cent fat. After 24 days both diets lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol. But the peanut plan also caused a drop in blood fats called triglycerides and did not decrease HDL, the “good” cholesterol. The AHA diet raised levels of triglycerides and lowered levels of HDL. “Peanut butter is a little higher in fat,” says Penny Kris-Etherton, the lead author of the study. “But it’s the type that’s good for you – monounsaturated fat.” Researchers have predicted that the peanut diet could reduce heart-disease risk even more than the AHA diet could. Just don’t go nutty plastering on the tasty spread, since it is high in kilojoules.
5 Watermelon – Until the age of 55, more men suffer from high blood pressure than do women. Research suggests that foods rich in potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. The evidence is so convincing that the US Food and Drug Administration recently allowed food labels to bear a health claim about the connection between potassium-rich foods and high blood pressure. “A good goal for potassium is about 2000 milligrams or more a day,” says Antigone Blazos, a lecturer at Asia Pacific Health and Nutrition Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Watermelon is a rich source of this mineral and has more potassium – 664 milligrams – in just one large slice than the amount found in banana or a glass of orange juice. So cut yourself another slice and enjoy its cool taste.
There you have it: five great foods for men that can keep both of you well fed and healthy at the same time.
2 Oysters – Myth has it that oysters are the food of love. Science may agree. Just two to three oyster deliver a full day’s supply of zinc, a mineral critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Scientists are divided over reports that sperm counts have declined over the last 50 years and that environmental factors are to blame. Nutritional deficiencies do seem to be the cause of certain cases of low testosterone. Getting adequate zinc is sometimes the answer (up to 15 milligrams per day is recommended for men; more than 40 milligrams can pose risk). In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone level and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.
3 Broccoli – A recent Harvard study finds that cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, may protect against bladder cancer which is common among Asian men. Scientists analysed the diets of nearly 50,000 men and discovered that those who ate five servings or more per week of cruciferous veggies were half as likely to develop bladder cancer over a ten-year period as men who rarely ate them. And broccoli and cabbage were singled out as the most protective foods.
4 Peanut butter – If you want a healthy heart, spread your morning toast with peanut butter. Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women, but men fall victim at an earlier age. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University compared the cholesterol-lowering effect of the step II Diet of the America Heart Association (AHA) with a higher-fat diet based on peanuts. The AHA plan included more carbohydrates. The peanut regimen was 36 per cent fat. After 24 days both diets lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol. But the peanut plan also caused a drop in blood fats called triglycerides and did not decrease HDL, the “good” cholesterol. The AHA diet raised levels of triglycerides and lowered levels of HDL. “Peanut butter is a little higher in fat,” says Penny Kris-Etherton, the lead author of the study. “But it’s the type that’s good for you – monounsaturated fat.” Researchers have predicted that the peanut diet could reduce heart-disease risk even more than the AHA diet could. Just don’t go nutty plastering on the tasty spread, since it is high in kilojoules.
5 Watermelon – Until the age of 55, more men suffer from high blood pressure than do women. Research suggests that foods rich in potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. The evidence is so convincing that the US Food and Drug Administration recently allowed food labels to bear a health claim about the connection between potassium-rich foods and high blood pressure. “A good goal for potassium is about 2000 milligrams or more a day,” says Antigone Blazos, a lecturer at Asia Pacific Health and Nutrition Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Watermelon is a rich source of this mineral and has more potassium – 664 milligrams – in just one large slice than the amount found in banana or a glass of orange juice. So cut yourself another slice and enjoy its cool taste.
There you have it: five great foods for men that can keep both of you well fed and healthy at the same time.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The Different Bee Products
Propolis is a bit out of vogue but someone asked me whether it was the same as bee pollen, The answer is NO.
Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is the thick, creamy milky-white nutritionally rich substance produced in the glands of the worker honey bee and fed to the queen bee. It is believed to be the key food that enhanced the queen bee’s growth. When used in our diet it is believed to be a natural stress buffer, antimicrobial and vitality booster.
Bee pollen
Bee pollen is made from the bee’s choice pollens – generally those containing the highest amounts of protein and other nutrients – and mixed with the bees’ own secretions. Nutritionists believe that its rich nutritional content supports body functioning, increases alertness, helps circulation, improves skin and enhances energy and stamina.
Honey
Honey is the basic nectar of the hive. This sweet viscous fluid is manufactured by bees from nectar collected from flowers and stored for food. Honey has little nutritional value but it has greater sweetening power than sucrose (table sugar), so far less is needed. Honey is known to be soothing to the skin and throat.
Propolis
As you can see the above three (3) produce have no medicinal value but mainly nutritional benefits.
Propolis has very little direct nutritive value apart from the small amount of amino acids, minerals, certain vitamins and sugars. It use in humans is almost solely as a therapeutic, and hence it is normally classified as a “traditional medicine”.
During the last part of their lives, worker bees stop gathering nectar and pollen, and their job changes to gathering tree saps and mixing them with their own secretions. The resulting mixture, called propolis, is used to coat every inch of their internal walls of the hive to sterilize the comb and keep their hives free from bacteria. The hive is an enclosed unit, it is hot and moist, the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms. Because of the propolis, the hive is virtually free of bacteria, mold and mildew.
Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is the thick, creamy milky-white nutritionally rich substance produced in the glands of the worker honey bee and fed to the queen bee. It is believed to be the key food that enhanced the queen bee’s growth. When used in our diet it is believed to be a natural stress buffer, antimicrobial and vitality booster.
Bee pollen
Bee pollen is made from the bee’s choice pollens – generally those containing the highest amounts of protein and other nutrients – and mixed with the bees’ own secretions. Nutritionists believe that its rich nutritional content supports body functioning, increases alertness, helps circulation, improves skin and enhances energy and stamina.
Honey
Honey is the basic nectar of the hive. This sweet viscous fluid is manufactured by bees from nectar collected from flowers and stored for food. Honey has little nutritional value but it has greater sweetening power than sucrose (table sugar), so far less is needed. Honey is known to be soothing to the skin and throat.
Propolis
As you can see the above three (3) produce have no medicinal value but mainly nutritional benefits.
Propolis has very little direct nutritive value apart from the small amount of amino acids, minerals, certain vitamins and sugars. It use in humans is almost solely as a therapeutic, and hence it is normally classified as a “traditional medicine”.
During the last part of their lives, worker bees stop gathering nectar and pollen, and their job changes to gathering tree saps and mixing them with their own secretions. The resulting mixture, called propolis, is used to coat every inch of their internal walls of the hive to sterilize the comb and keep their hives free from bacteria. The hive is an enclosed unit, it is hot and moist, the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms. Because of the propolis, the hive is virtually free of bacteria, mold and mildew.
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