Health & Living

Karen Siah returns with the goods on what's safe and what's not for pregnant women and postpartum mothers keeping fit or getting back in shape. Joining her is fellow fitness enthusiast Hui Mathews, who managed to stay fit throughout her recent pregnancy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an ageing society, dental health problems become an increasingly particular issue since they can arise from other medical conditions. Older people are often associated with missing teeth, gum disease and dentures. Dentist and Prosthodontist, Dr Jacob John, presents an insight into healthy teeth for healthy ageing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick Swayze, Luciano Pavarotti, Steve Jobs. What do they all have in common? They all lost their lives to the same disease: Pancreas cancer. After years of extensive studies, researchers have identified the mutations that cause pancreatic cancer. The new findings propose four different subtypes of this fatal disease, each linked to specific genes. Clinical Oncologist and Radiotherapist Dr Ho Gw...

When a baby or young child cries, we often dismiss it as 'kids being kids'. But paediatric pain management is a real concern and could greatly reduce unnecessary sufferings in children and improve the quality of care in hospitals and healthcare institutions. Dr Allen Finley draws attention to the problem of under-treatment of pain in children and babies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

We’ve probably all been there before – at the end of a long-term, usually romantic, relationship. Most people are able to eventually recover and move on but not all. Lauren Howe a researcher from Stanford University found through her study that rejection makes people redefine themselves and their future romantic prospects. What are the consequences of linking rejection to your cor...

Have you entered a room and forgot why you went there? Do you sometimes misplace or lose things? Do you think you’re losing your mind? Learn the difference between absent-mindedness and dementia from Consultant Psychiatrists, Dr Philip George and Dr Stephen Jambunathan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Health Organisation announced in 1994 that leprosy has been eliminated in Malaysia. But that does not mean that the country has no leprosy cases. The Health Ministry’s data also shows that the number of new cases had risen to 308 in 2014 from 244 cases a decade before. The reason for this rise has been attributed to the inflow of foreign workers as about half of these cases were de...

Watery eyes, also known as epiphora, is a condition where excessive tears flow from one or both eyes. Dr. Ong sheds some light on this less-discussed syndrome, and the ways to treat it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think stress only affects adults? Think again. Research has shown that stress can alter young people's brains. Find out how kids and teens express stress and learn stress management techniques for children from Consultant Developmental Paediatrician, Dr Rajini Sarvananthan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The scientific study of the human-animal bond is still in its infancy but according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pets can decrease cholesterol levels, blood pressure and feelings of loneliness. Additionally, animal-assisted therapy uses animals, mainly dogs, to improve social and physical activities. Dr S Sivagurunathan and Anthony Thanasayan share their views from medical...

Nerves are part of the 'wiring' system that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. These messages include telling the body to move or detect changes in pressure and temperature. Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Rajesh Singh, explains how injuries to the nerve can stop signals to and from the brain, causing the body to not function properly. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Before 1998, erectile dysfunction was an absolute downer. Treatments were tough and the subject taboo. All that changed in 1998 when the drug sildenafil, more commonly known as the Blue Pill, was launched. It shot to global fame and racked up blockbuster sales within months. Within a decade, scientists found that sildenafil also improves symptoms of people suffering from pulmonary arterial hyperte...

In a first-of-its-kind occurrence, a British mother has launched a legal battle to access her dead daughter's frozen eggs so she can give birth to her own grandchild. Our panel of experts weigh in on the medical, legal and ethical aspects of the event. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year-long bout of diarrhoea turned out to be colon cancer. At only 27 years old and with no family history of cancer, the diagnosis came as a surprise to budding emcee and columnist, Choo Mei Sze. After removing her entire rectum and 12 cm of her large intestine, Mei Sze is now a year and a half cancer-free and ready to share her story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

February 29th marks Rare Disease Day. Fittingly, the date was chosen because February 29 is a rare day. It became annually observed worldwide on the last day of every February. Consultant Paediatrician and Clinical Geneticist, Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, who is also advisor to the Malaysian Rare Disorder Society, gave us more details ahead of the 2016 observation of this day. See omnystudio.com/list...

Do you feel a little bit troubled about all that Chinese New Year bingeing? Not sure how to keep up with your exercise routine after cancelling that expensive gym membership? Indeed, fitness and healthy eating can be a costly affair, especially in the current economic climate. Find out how you can keep your body fit and your wallet happy with some tips and tricks from Personal Trainer, Karen Siah....

Mention ‘Hospital Bahagia’ or ‘Tanjung Rambutan’ and everyone knows what you are referring to. But what really happens behind its doors? Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr Hjh Rabaiah Mohd Salleh from Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta shares stories from inside psychiatric wards. Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Philip George, also weighs in. This show is brought to you in collaborat...

He is known for performing the coronary artery bypass surgery on former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad in 1989. He went on to play an instrumental role in establishing the National Heart Institute of Malaysia, better known as IJN in 1992. It was there that he performed Malaysia’s first heart transplant five years later. He is Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Yahya Awan...

Mindfulness has long been practised, and is said to have complementary benefits that include stress reduction, relaxation and improved quality of life. Find out more about how to practise mindfulness to improve your health from Dr Phang Cheng Kar, Consultant Psychiatrist, from Sunway Medical Centre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the gallbladder really just a useless organ that might occasionally produce some offending stones? Hepatobiliary Surgeon, Dr Haritharan Thamutaram, gives us the insights into the commonly misunderstood gallstones. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sherene Azli, CEO of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) spoke to us about Frost & Sullivan's Transformational Health 360° Research report about the future of the healthcare industry, and what the outlook is for medical tourism in Malaysia. For more podcasts on Medical tourism, be sure to check out: Enterprise's interview with Rhenu Bhuller of Frost & Sullivan The Breakfast G...

Social networks is as important as exercise and diet in reducing health risks in each stage of life. Dr Johnben Loy, US Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist explained the findings from this new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Joining him in the discussion was Chiropractor, Dr Barry Kluner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a skin is torn, cut or punctured due to an injury or surgery, wound management is an integral part of its care to promote healing and to restore the patient's' quality of life. Find out more about the importance of wound management from specialists from Sunway Medical Centre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A controversial Cochrane review in October 2015 opened a can of worms and sparked debate about the benefits of mass deworming. Although currently recommended by the World Health Organization, the Cochrane review claimed that deworming drugs had little or no effect. Prof Dr Yvonne Lim, the Immediate Past-President of Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine with expertise in soil-tra...

2015 was a challenging year for everyone and that includes those involved in the fight against cancer. Last year we learned that about half of Malaysian cancer patients go bankrupt a year after their diagnosis. This year, in conjunction with World Cancer Day on February 4th, we spoke to Farahida Mohd Farid from the National Cancer Council (MAKNA) to get the latest updates on news concern...