A Step Away From Good
Health
Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Maintaining good health
does take time.
However, it may not take
as much time as you
think. Our top
experts in various
fields share easy and
amazingly fast steps you
can take to improve your
quality of life
significantly.
1. Shaking off lifestyle
diseases by omitting
salt in your diet
Have you been avoiding
foods high in fat and
cholesterol? Are
you exercising on a
regular basis? Now
you may ask if there is
anything else you should
do to stay healthy.
The answer is simple –
stay away from foods
that contain a lot of
sodium.
Studies have shown that
a high sodium intake is
associated with higher
blood pressures and
increased risk of
cardiovascular diseases.
Avoid adding extra salt
to pre-packaged or
pre-prepared food as
they already contain a
lot of sodium. “If
you can taste the salt
in your food, then there
is too much of it,” says
Ms Nehal Kamdar, Senior
Dietitian at
Raffles Internal
Medicine Centre.
“Canned foods, snack
foods, fast foods, other
pre-prepared foods and
pre-blended seasonings
are loaded with sodium.
If you need to add salt
in your cooking, add it
at the end of cooking –
you will need much less!
You may also consider
using condiments, herbs
and seasonings to
enhance the flavour
without increasing the
need to add salt!
If you think your meal
is high in sodium,
balance it by adding
high potassium foods
like fruits and
vegetables. Try to
eat out less often as
restaurants, hawker
centers and fast food
joints add excess salt.
For dishes that are
cooked to order, request
for less or no salt, MSG
and sauces.
Alternatively, sauce or
salad dressing could be
ordered on the side”,
adds Ms Kamdar.
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2. Screening and
controlling diabetes and
high blood pressure to
prevent chronic kidney
disease and kidney
failure
As you age, so do your
kidneys. That is
the reason why chronic
kidney disease (CKD) and
kidney failure is
associated with
lifestyle and
age-related diseases
such as hypertension and
diabetes.
The leading cause of
kidney failure in
Singapore is diabetes
mellitus. Hypertension
and glomerulonephritis
(inflammation of the
kidneys) are the other
two common causes.
As diabetes and high
blood pressure often
lead to CKD, a cheap and
effective way to prevent
CKD and kidney failure
is to screen for
diabetes and high blood
pressure regularly.
Yes, it can be that
simple.
Long-standing diabetes
and poorly controlled
hypertension cause
changes in small blood
vessels and filtering
units in the kidneys
which can lead to damage
of the kidneys.
This damage can result
in CKD and kidney
failure.
“When a person develops
diabetes or
hypertension, the kidney
tissues become damaged
and start to leak
proteins into the urine.
These proteins further
damage the tubules, the
small tubes in the
kidney.” says
Dr Ekachai Danpanich,
Specialist in Renal
Medicine at Raffles
UroRenal Centre.
Because the kidneys have
a central role in
controlling blood
pressure, it is also
common for people with
diabetic kidney disease
to have raised blood
pressure. Diabetic
kidney disease and high
blood pressure
accelerates the decline
in kidney function – in
other words the two
problems multiply each
other’s effect. By
controlling diabetes,
lowering blood pressure
and changing our
lifestyle, we can slow
down the progression of
chronic kidney disease
and prevent kidney
failure.” adds Dr
Danpanich.
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3. Brush your teeth to
reduce chances of heart
disease
Brushing your teeth is
not only good for your
pearly whites, it also
decreases your chances
of developing heart
disease.
Inflammation plays an
important role in the
pathogenesis of
atherosclerosis, and
markers of low-grade
inflammation have been
consistently associated
with a higher risk of
cardiovascular disease.
“Poor oral hygiene is
the major cause of
periodontal disease, a
chronic infection of the
tissues surrounding the
teeth. Therefore,
gum infections may add
to the inflammatory
burden on individuals,
thereby increasing
cardiovascular risk
which may eventually
lead to a heart attack,”
says
Dr Wong Wai Yee,
Specialist in Oral &
Maxillofacial Surgery at
Raffles Dental. Keeping
your teeth in good
health may be well worth
your efforts, since it’s
good for your heart as
well.
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4. Lose weight for
healthier knees
The health problems
associated with obesity
are numerous.
While many fret over it
for cosmetic reasons,
most do not realise that
it’s not only bad for
your health; it’s also
bad for your bones.
“Carrying excess weight
is one of the strongest
risk factors for
osteoarthritis of the
knees,” says
Dr Sittampalam
Krishnamoorthy,
Specialist in
Orthopaedic Surgery at
Raffles Orthopaedic
Centre.
If you are overweight,
take proactive steps to
reduce your weight by
not over-eating and
exercising regularly.
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5. Stay positive to
strengthen your immunity
Our state of mind affect
our health, and extreme
emotional stress may
damage immunity and
bring on illness.
“Research into the link
between mind and
immunity is ongoing with
evidence of correlation.
What is more compelling
is evidence of increased
illness and even death
among the recently
bereaved.” Says
Dr Lim Yun Chin,
Specialist in Psychiatry
at Raffles Counselling
Centre.
Good social support is
also thought to improve
immunity in people under
stress. Therefore,
building strong and
lasting relationships is
not only good for your
emotional well being, it
is good for your health.
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6. Keep your emotions in
check for healthy organs
Similarly, Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM)
theories contain a lot
of insights about the
human emotions.
“In TCM, each organ is
said to be associated
with a particular
emotion and excesses of
emotion can impair the
functioning of the
related organ.
Very severe negative
emotional reaction can
impact the liver in
particular – and
impaired functioning of
the liver can lead to
many problems such as
clinical depression,”
says Mr Wu Yue,
Consultant TCM Physician
at
Raffles Chinese Medicine.
Try to keep your temper
even, and your attitude
upbeat at all times.
Your organs will thank
you for your efforts.
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7. Walk towards good
health
The health benefits of
exercise need no further
elaboration.
Regular aerobic exercise
is good for the heart.
Weight bearing exercise
builds bone and muscle.
Walking is a safe and
easily accessible way to
keep fit, brisk walking
over a sufficient
duration burns calories
and does so with low
impact to the weight
bearing joints of our
body. If one
decides to walk for
fitness, wearing good
walking shoes, walking
for at least 30 minutes
at a pace of between 3
to 6 km/h, and doing
this at least three
times a week are some
tips from the experts.
“Choosing the right
shoes is important.
Shoes made for walking
have flexible soles and
stiff heel counters to
prevent side-to-side
motion. For normal
terrain, any
comfortable, cushioned,
lightweight, low-heeled
shoes will be
appropriate. Just
remember to avoid
stiff-soled shoes that
don't bend,” says
Dr Lim Lian Arn,
Specialist in
Orthopaedic Surgery at
Raffles Orthopaedic
Centre.
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8. Keep dementia at bay
by keeping the mind
active
A study published online
in 2007 in Neurology,
the medical journal of
the American Academy of
Neurology, found that an
elderly person who was
cognitively active was
2.6 times less likely to
get dementia and
Alzheimer's disease, as
compared to his
cognitively inactive
counterparts. This
reduced risk was after
factors such as past
cognitive activity,
current social activity
and socioeconomic status
had been accounted for.
The brain, like our
physical muscles, also
needs exercise.
“In our Asian context,
doing tai chi, qigong
exercises, playing
mahjong, having a circle
of extended
family/friends are all
ways to preserve
cognitive functioning
and delay deterioration.
Engage in activities
such as a game of chess,
solving puzzles, reading
a book or the newspapers
and watching a play.
These would not only
help keep Alzheimer's
disease away, they also
keep us mentally active
and stimulated.
Most importantly, they
add color, meaning and
fulfillment to our
lives,” says
Dr Alvin Seah,
Specialist in Neurology
at Raffles Internal
Medicine Centre.
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Article contributed by:
Raffles Medical Group
Dated: December 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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