All you need to know about Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It usually affects the lungs but it can spread to other parts of the body, affecting the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, the gastrointestinal, bones, joints, and even the skin. It has been a major cause of death and disability in developing countries. This illness has declined for years in Singapore; however, there is a slight increase in the last year in Singapore. Even though the numbers are not high enough to cause a widespread panic, but a slight increase is not good news.
How is it spread?
TB is spread by breathing in the air droplets containing the TB bacteria. These are released into the air when an infectious TB patient coughs or sneezes. In areas with high TB, people who inject drugs using unsanitary needles are also at higher risk of getting such disease. The probability of the TB spreading depends upon the amount of infectious droplets released by a carrier, the duration of exposure, and the virulence of the M. tuberculosis strain. TB can also be transmitted by consuming meat infected with the TB.
Preventive measures
Firstly, people who are infected with TB and their contacts will be identified and will be treated if they are infected with the virus. The two antibiotics most commonly used for treating TB are rifampicin and isoniazid. However, the treatment takes around 6 to 24 months to entirely destroy the virus in your body.
Vaccinations are also used as part of the TB control program, most of whom are infants. In Singapore, TB vaccinations are compulsory as a result, the people infected with TB have declined significantly over the years.
This coming festive season….
The festive season is once again upon us. We must however continue to take care of our health by moderating our food intake. The following describe a few foods and beverages that must be moderated.
Red wine has surprisingly profound benefits for our body. It raises good cholesterol levels (high density lipid cholesterol) and prevents bad cholesterol (low density lipid cholesterol) from forming. It also contains a natural antioxidant resveratrol which reduces the risk of blood vessel obstruction. This is because red wine is fermented with grape skins that contain the antioxidant longer.
However other studies state otherwise. In a Danish study in 2000, the Copenhagen Heart Study found that those who drank red wine had about half the risk of dying of heart disease. Other studies however, indicate that drinking red wine isn’t any better than beer or any other alcohol. As a result the American Heart Association (AHA) says it is not clear whether red wine truly has heart health benefits. Thus, we shouldn’t rely on wine alone to maintain heart health, the only reliable way is by exercise and moderating the foods we eat.
The World Health Federation states that having one to two drinks of alcohol per day may reduce heart disease by 30%. Drinking more will damage the heart muscle. The AHA disagrees that it increases heart health but also recommends one to two drinks a day as well. Drinking alcohol in moderation is healthy but drinking in excess will trigger an irregular heartbeat that can lead to stroke.
Salt intake also increases the risk of high blood pressure while intake of sugars will increase the risk of diabetes mellitus. The AHA suggests less intake of beverages and foods with added sugars. AHA recommends less than 7% of energy as saturated fats, less than 1% of energy as trans fat and less than 300 mg cholesterol per day.Though eating is a must, remember to moderate!
Breast Cancer Treatment: What You Should Know
Right now, breast cancer is one of the most commonly contracted cancers amongst Singaporean women in Singapore. But what should we do when we get breast cancer? Here are 5 key points to understand what we should or should not do when we suspect breast cancer.
Fear of Findings: Often, a woman is afraid to visit her personal doctor to check out a lump that she has discovered. If this describes you, then get to your doctor, immediately. If the lump is cancerous, then immediate treatment is a necessity. Taking care of a cancerous breast lump in its earliest stages will make the outcome more positive for you, so do not give in to fear.
Lumpectomy: This surgical procedure removes only a part of the breast, often including some lymph nodes. This procedure works to save as much of a woman’s breast as possible, but can still be disfiguring. Also, there will always be chances of breast cancer reoccurring if the doctor does not get all the cancerous tissue. Hence, it is vital that a highly experienced doctor is approached for this procedure.
Breast Removal: If your doctor tells you that your breast cancer has reached the stage where you need a mastectomy (breast removal), get a second opinion. A lumpectomy can sometimes cure the problem, so do not be too hasty in removing a breast, as you have to live with your choice. A mastectomy definitely can save your life, but it would be better to have more than one doctor’s declaration that you need a mastectomy before you make the official decision.
Radiation Therapy: For the people who checked breastcancer.org, radiation therapy is a viable treatment for breast cancer because it can “…decrease the risk of cancer returning after surgery.” In addition, radiation therapy is not a painful process, taking up very little time, even allowing you to keep your hair in most cases. However, the one major drawback to radiation therapy is fatigue, which may last even after the therapy ends.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical method has helped some breast cancer patients by reducing hot flashes brought on by other breast cancer medications, as well as helping with the pain and the sickness. According to breastcancer.org, this method of treatment does not work well for all breast cancer patients because it could increase the risk of infection and decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Neurocognitive conference 6-7 November
The Singapore Institute for Clinical Studies (SICS) under A*STAR and Abott Nutrition R&D (ANRD) will be jointly holding a 2 day conference in Singapore for the first time. Their main aim is to address neurocognition needs of the young and elderly.
Neurocognition is any form of thought associated with the functioning of one or more specific areas of the brain. Neurocognition not only affects the young but also the ageing. With Singapore’s ageing population as well as falling birth rates, this conference is extremely timely to address the health of the population. The 1st day of the program looks mainly at how neurocognition advances have benefitted youths. Experts will also be present to provide information about how foods and nutrients can aid in the development of cognition in infants and children.
Lower Cholesterol Levels Lowers Risk of High Risk Prostate Cancer
Scientists around the U.S. have conducted numerous studies that prove that lower cholesterol levels lower the risk of high-risk prostate cancer. In a current study conducted by Elizabeth Platz, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other colleagues, analyzed data from over 5000 U.S. men aged 55 and older enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial from 1993 to 1996. Some 1,251 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer during the study period.
In Platz’s study, cholesterol levels had no significant effect on the entire spectrum of prostate cancer incidence, only those that were high-grade. Platz however, cautioned that other factors such as the consumption of cholesterol-lowering drugs could have biased the results. This is a data point the researchers expect to analyze soon. Results of the current study are expected to be published online Nov. 3 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Health Screening on Wheels
The ‘Health screening on wheels’ programme, aimed at making health screenings more accessible to employees was jointly introduced by the National Tripartite Committee on Workplace Health as well as the Singapore Health Promotion Board(HPB).
According to the 2004 National Health Survey, chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are extremely prevalent among Singaporeans. The programme caters not only to major companies. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are eligible for grants to fund up to 90% of the cost of the programme.
Also, workplaces subsidizing health screenings for their employees can apply for the Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) Grant. Mr. Lam Pin Woon, CEO of the Singapore Health Promotion Board expressed his delight and ambition for the programme. He said ‘We hope to encourage Singaporeans to … make regular screening and follow-up a habit for life.’
Discussions are already underway to deploy a buses island wide over the next 6 months. Companies interested can email corporate@htl.com.sg or call 63557788.
PUBLIC FORUM AND HEALTH FAIR – MEDISHIELD COVERAGE FOR YOUR LOVED ONES
The key role of the Women’s Development Secretariat is to develop and implement strategies and programmes to assist women to re-enter the workforce; enhance their employability through training and help them stay in the workforce by promoting flexible work arrangements. However, we realize that there are other equally pertinent areas related to women that have to be addressed as they affect not only our women’s wellbeing but that of their families as well. One key area is health.
Currently, about 250,000 women are not covered by MediShield. This is a significant number that will cause great hardship to the women and add on the burden of their families particularly in old age when healthcare needs escalate.
Thus the NTUC Women’s Development Secretariat (WDS) is partnering the Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board in organising a Public Forum and Health Fair – MediShield Coverage for Your Loved Ones. The Guest-of-Honour is Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health. Collaterals to promote the importance of MediShield coverage for their loved ones especially the women would also be launched.
The event will be held on:
Date : 25 July 2009 (Saturday)
Time : 9.15am
Venue : NTUC Auditorium (Level 7)
NTUC Centre, One Marina Boulevard (Raffles Place MRT, Exit J)
MRT : Raffles Place MRT (Exit J)
We would like to invite friends and family members to attend the main event – MediShield Coverage for Your Loved Ones (free admission) and participate in the fringe activities – Public Forum (by registration) and Health Fair (free admission). All activities are FREE.
We are also giving away FREE Health Pack worth S$50 for 1st 500 who turned up on actual day for the main event at 9.15 am. Participants can sms 90188074 with NTUCHealthWIN, name, HP, number of people coming BEFORE 22 July, Wednesday.
Should you require any further clarifications or would like to sign up via email (please also indicate NTUCHealthWIN, name, HP, number of people) and email to wongem@ntuc.org.sg.
How To Get Your Ex Back – Dealing With A Breakup
You’ve had a painful break up and the time you’ve spent broken up is excruciating. The only thing you can think about night and day is him, either while your bawling or being mad and stomping around. Your friends have tried to get you to go out on dates with other men but none of them are as good as your ex and you know deep in your heart that he is the only man for you. You’ve decided that you must figure out how to get your ex back, at all cost, and you know it will work out if you can just give it one more chance. However you need a bit of help figuring out how to get your ex back and a bit of support from your friends.
Remember that during the break up and afterwards you most likely said some things you regret. Your friends probably agreed with you or even added fuel to the fire, either way plenty of harsh words have been said. Before you try to get your ex back it is probably a good idea to let your friends know what your intentions are. Let your friends know how much their support meant to you during that horrible time in your life and that you were very angry and said some things you didn’t mean but that he really is the only man for you and their continued support is really needed.
Being your friends, they will agree whole heartedly and do whatever it takes to help you get back with your ex. Yeah, right! They will have a fit and ask if you have lost your mind completely! After the initial shock, they will come around though.
Now you need to figure out why it is that you even want to get back together with you ex. Are you still in love and miss him, or do you not like to be alone? Did you have a couple of dates not go so well and it’s comfortable being with your boyfriend? Are you afraid that you will never find someone to love again? This is really important and you need to be very truthful with yourself because what ever problems you had when you were dating are still going to exist. There is no magic wand to wave to make everything better.
It is very important to consider everything before you move ahead with your plan. If you broke up while in the middle of a heated debated then that is one thing, but if you broke up because of a few habits of his that you simply could not stand, then the dating and breaking up cycle will probably continue and you will repeatedly get hurt. It also never hurts to remember that the grass is always greener on the other side.
Do you know if your ex is still single? If the break up was because of infidelity, trying to get him back from the woman he left you for is sad, pathetic and fodder for countless country songs. The old saying “you lose a man the same way you got him” is repeated so often because it is painfully true. If you started a relationship with a man who is supposed to be committed, do you honestly think he will not eventually cheat on you too? If he is not single, then sit yourself down and ask: am I looking for love or revenge?
If he is still single, and you still want to pursue getting him back then you have to realize that nothing has really changed. The problems you had before are still going to be there. If you are not willing to talk about what was wrong, then you are not ready to work out your differences. In order to clear the air, make a list of the problems and see if you are able to compromise.
If you can compromise then take it one step at a time, very slowly. Act as if he is someone new and relearn about him an what made you fall in love in the first place. This time around you will be more aware of the things that you don’t particularity love. Be sure to talk about them before they start to get bigger. Try not to get caught up in the rush of familiarity, and like always, make sure you think with your head as opposed to your heart.
Support for Metta Charity Walk cum Family Carnival
Now in its 12th anniversary, the Metta Charity Walk cum Family Carnival is one of Metta Welfare Association’s main outreach events that aims to build family resiliency and community bonds, while raising funds for Metta’s welfare services. The event details are as follows:
Venue: Metta Building/Metta School (32 Simei Street 1) *Free shuttle bus service plying between Simei MRT station and Metta Building from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm.
When: Sunday, 7 June 2009 from 9 am to 6 pm
Theme: Gastronomic Adventure!
Estimated turnout: Over 5,000
Participating corporations & groups: JPMorgan, Trafigura Pte Ltd (world’s third largest independent oil trader), Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, ITE College East, TES-AMM, National Library Board, Holiday Inn Park View Singapore and many more
Highlights:
Housing over 100 trade, food and game stalls that purvey treats ranging from vegetarian food to unique handicrafts, trendy apparel to henna painting, the event also comprises continuous stage performances, a line dance jam, lucky draws and a walkathon led by Guest-of-Honour Ms Jessica Tan, MP for East Coast GRC.
Metta Welfare Association
Members of the public can take part in our Green Charity Drive by donating used computers, IT peripherals, mobile phones and Li-ion batteries. For every item received, recycling firm TES-AMM will make a donation in kind of corresponding value to Metta. Exclusively for those book lovers, the National Library Board will bring in a massive on-site book borrowing facility featuring choice categories like health & wellness, parenting & cookery, children’s titles and more!
Participants can also get to enjoy manicure services done by students from the Metta School at its special exhibition corner. They can even try making their own potteries and batik paintings or purchase exquisite art pieces done by the students.
About Metta Welfare Association:
A registered charity since 1994, the Metta Welfare Association (click to enter site) reaches out to almost 1,000 underprivileged individuals from various races and religions via medical care (namely home hospice and rehabilitation services), disability care, special education and early intervention programmes offered under 9 centres and a social enterprise.
Shed Post-natal Flab Fast!
Can I shed post-natal flab and those ugly stretch marks?
Your body will go through many changes during pregnancy. It may be hard to believe, but you won’t always look pregnant! Adequate postpartum exercises can aid a speedier return to your pre-pregnancy figure, and increase your ability to cope with demands of a newborn baby.
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