pingofhealth

Diabetes occurs when:- (i) Type 1 - our body is unable to produce insulin (hormone that stimulates our cells to take in and store glucose from our bloodstream) (ii) Type 2 - our body's cells start to fail to respond to insulin . Can diabetes result in blindness? Yes. There are 2 ways. 1. Diabetic macular edema It's the more common condition amongst the working population. High levels of blood glucose in our body can eventually result in the weakening of our blood vessel walls. The weakened blood vessel walls cause leakage of proteins and fluids into our eye, particularly the macula . This causes the macula to swell up, resulting in blurred vision. Diabetic macular edema can develop without symptoms. 2. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy The small blood vessels become leaky and there is lack of oxygen to our eye (hypoxia). This hypoxia leads to increased VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which is a critical factor that leads to the growth of new blood vessels. Unfor...

Cervical spondylosis is a degeneration of the joints in the neck, where there is abnormal wear on the cartilage and bones. It is a form of arthritis , but rarely becomes crippling or disabling. It is a very common cause for long-term neck pain . It is estimated that more than 85% of people over 60 are suffering from it. Our spine is divided into 3 segments: 1) cervical spine (neck region), comprising 7 vertebrae 2) thoracic spine (chest region), comprising 12 vertebrae 3) lumbar spine (lower back region), comprising 5 vertebrae. The vertebrae are joined to each other via ligaments. In between, there are intervertebral disks , which consist of jelly-like material encased by a fibrous ring. This helps cushion our spine from external forces. These disks degenerate and lose water content as a result of age. The facets of the vertebrae experience increased pressure and start to degenerate too. The cartilage wears away. Bone rubs on bone. As a result, arthritis develops. Our body may resp...

It is currently estimated that 1 in 4 Malaysians will develop cancer in their lifetime. The Good News is, certain risks of cancer are preventable. These are the top 3 risks : Tobacco . Our exposure to primary and secondary cigarette smoke is still very high. Poor eating habits . The Health Ministry found that 90% of adult Malaysians do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, resulting in a rise in colorectal cancer . Click on this link to discover why is dietary fibre so important and how to choose a good dietary fibre:  http://www.pingofhealth.com/2012/09/why-do-we-need-dietary-fibre.html Lack of exercise . About 20% of Malaysians are obese.  Getting rid of these factors can reduce your risk of cancer by one-third or half. The Bad News is, not all cancers are preventable. Genetics play a large part. For instance, being Chinese predisposes you to nasopharyngeal cancer (affecting your throat). About 80% of nasopharyngeal and oral cancer patients are Asians. Half of them die wi...

Having a healthy heart is more than just an idealistic notion; it’s a necessity in a world where heart disease is a top killer among male and female adults. While this disease can strike without warning, there are ways to mitigate your risk factors for declining heart health. Many of these habits are prudent to develop for an overall healthy-lifestyle, despite the fact that for many, they are much easier said than done. Consider embarking on the path to solid heart health, from utilizing arginine supplements to working more activities into your day, to ensure a long and lasting quality of life. Step 1 -  Get an assessment of your current health status This is key because before you start to change your eating habits or embark on an exercise regimen, you need to ensure that your heart can withstand the changes and that you are cleared health-wise before doing so. This is important in taking nutritional enhancements as well. Get a physical, so that you have a starting point. If losi...

Image courtesy of Steven Zimmet, M.D. Raised, swollen, red veins that begin in the legs and move throughout the body are known as varicose veins . Varicose veins are large swollen, enlarged blood vessels on the surface of your legs.  They are different from spider veins in that it comes in various colors such as purple and blue and it is larger in size. Spider veins are generally more localized to the legs, chest, and face. There are several factors that can lead to varicose veins: these include genetic tendency, occupations that require one to stand for long periods of time, those who are overweight, and individuals with a history of blood clots. In addition, there are risk factors that affect only women. These include hormone changes due to puberty, pregnancy and menopause. Furthermore, both birth control and post-menopausal hormone replacement all lead to increased incidents of varicose veins. Because of these additional risk factors, women have much higher chances of developing...

Xenoestrogens are chemicals (mostly industrial compounds) that mimic natural estrogen. The presense of xenoestrogens in our daily lives can cause great harm to our body. Chemicals found in pesticides, detergents, petroleum products, plastic products, carpeting, furniture, toiletries and cosmetics produce estrogenic effects in our bodies and cause the symptoms of estrogen dominance . The imbalance of estrogen against progesterone ( hormone imbalance ) causes the body to react by producing problematic symptoms, and increases the risk of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovaries, breast cancer, uterine cancer and thyroid imbalances . How do you reduce exposure to these chemical compounds? Pesticides Some pesticides and fertilisers used in agriculture contain compounds that have a chemical structure similar to estrogen. These xenoestrogen-containing pesticides find their way into our body through fruits, vegetables, grains and meats. Solution?  Buy organic produce, as...

Steroids are chemical compounds that can occur naturally. They are present in our body and our body cannot function without them. These include: sex hormones - estrogen, progesterone, testosterone fight or flight hormone - cortisol body building hormone - anabolic hormones cholesterol etc. Steroid creams are corticosteroids that are applied onto the skin, and sometimes used with other medications, i.e. antibiotics or antifungal creams. Many types of skin diseases are due to inflammation, and steroid creams work by reducing this inflammation. This is achieved by altering the proteins and skin immune cells involved. This will reduce the redness and severity of the skin disease. Side effects of steroid creams Application on the skin may cause it to develop redness due to visible blood vessels, thinning of the skin or it may be more prone to bacterial infection . Application around the eyes may cause cataract and glaucoma . Long-term usage may lead to hormonal imbalance, central obesi...