Health & Living

HIV is one of the most complex and threatening infectious disease we face. In the last a decade however, new infections have been decreasing as better anti-HIV drugs become more available. Here to tell us more about the virus and treatments for it is Prof Sharon Lewin, Director of Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Australia. Lewin explains how the HIV can hide in our bodies for...

The use of electronic cigarettes, or vaping, is quickly gaining ground in Asia. First introduced in the USA in 2004, the habit of puffing a metal tube that heats up nicotine-containing liquid is advertised as a safer alternative to conventional tobacco cigarettes. Studies support the ‘safer alternative’ claim, but anti-smoking camps argue that e-cigs are defeating efforts to eliminate...

  Nerve cells and connections define each of us. Everything we feel and respond to, our actions and thoughts, what we remember and forget. Yet our nerves are as delicate as they are crucial, and a slight error in diagnosis or surgery can scar one’s physiological and psychological state forever. Here to share first-hand experience on the challenges of neurosurgery and how technology...

Scientists have just engineered viruses to kill skin cancer cells. This study, led by the Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom, reports the new method as a breakthrough that can cure skin cancer with fewer side-effects than chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Should we be thrilled or skeptical? Join us to learn more as Dr George Lee discusses the study with Dr Arif Anwar, our resident gen...

Last month, Dr Rajini Sarvanathan spoke about fears and phobias on among children. Today, she returns to further explore the anxiety disorders that our young ones may grapple with. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sidelined for two weeks by injuries and you may lose up to one-third of your muscle strength, according to Danish scientists in a study published earlier this month. What explains such drastic loss just from a brief break in physical activity? More importantly, how can we prevent such muscle loss? Dr Harjeet Singh, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, shares his tips on building up muscle health for bo...

Hepatitis is a viral infection of the liver that can be prevented; some can even be vaccinated. Yet every year 1.4 million people die from hepatitis infections. In conjunction with World Hepatitis Day today, we speak to Malaysian Liver Foundation to learn about hepatitis situation in the country and what we are doing to manage it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each of us is different, including the way we react to diseases and drugs. Even when a flu ravages through the office, some are spared while others clawed at the tissue papers. Our genetic make-up and environment sculpt us into unique individuals. In recent decades, scientists are learning to match drug types and doses to the needs of the individuals--a practice which falls under the umbrella of &...

With one ovary removed and another failed due to chemotherapy, what chances would a woman have of becoming a mother? In November 2014, a Belgian woman achieved just that with the help of frozen tissues collected from her removed ovary. Dr Suhaimi helps us understand the procedure and its implications for women who suffer ovary failures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps it’s an occasional ache on the lower back or it could feel like you have needles jabbed into your spine--almost everyone has suffered back pain. What is it all about and what help should we seek? Today we examine the length and insides of our spine to understand what aches with neurologists from Sunway Medical Center. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Returning to work after a long Raya weekend can be daunting experience, especially if work is already piling up to your chin. How can we manage work stress and prevent it from sabotaging the rest of our lives? Consultant psychotherapist Dr Xavier Pereira explains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our region bears the highest burden of HIV infection out of Africa, but there are fewer new HIV infections across the world. The reason? More people taking antiretroviral medication to suppress HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis pills to greatly reduce risk of HIV infection. What are these anti-HIV medications and how can they change the AIDS landscape in Malaysia? Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean of...

Dengue cases continue to rise with alarming death rates due to an apparent deadlier strain of this Aedes mosquito-borne virus. Abroad, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome has ignited a scare in Korea; infected travellers spread the disease to China and Thailand from Korea and Middle East countries. Effective surveillance network and public education are needed to stem both dengue and MERS. Is Mal...

Asbestos was once the darling of industrialized countries in Europe and North America. But by the 90s, most developed countries have either banned or reduced asbestos use because it is shown to cause cancers and respiratory diseases. The mineral however, is pouring into Asia, with countries like India and China consuming more than half of world’s asbestos. You may be living or working right...

Aging affects our metabolism and nutritional requirements. With Malaysia’s population trajectory estimated to turn into an aging nation by 2035, we turn our attention to how seniors should be eating. We speak to Dr Takuji Shirasawa who shares his expertise in ageing medicine and imparts some of Japan’s decades long experience of an aging nation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Back for their monthly show, consultant psychiatrists Dr Philip George and Dr Stephen Jambunathan take a critical look at antidepressants. Some studies show that antidepressants offer little improvement over placebo, but side-effects are prevalent. So how should doctors and patients decide when it comes to antidepressants? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you know that your saliva can help diagnose diseases? Our resident consultant oral pathologist, Prof Khoo Suan Phaik, is back for her monthly show to explain how much we can learn from our saliva. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 1998, the drug Viagra had been prescribed to more than 23 million men worldwide to help them treat erectile dysfunction. And is expected of any drug that treats one aspect of our body, it changes others. So far, Viagra has led to some men experiencing vision and hearing problems. Now a new study in the Journal of the American Medicine Association is associating Viagra use with higher risk of...

Try to grab something or pinch. If the base of your thumb hurts and you struggle to move your thumbs, you may be suffering from De Quervain's Tenosynovitis. A condition that affects the tendons between your thumb and wrist, De Quervain's Tenosynovitis is also called Mama Thumb or Gamer’s Thumb. Dr Teh Kok Kheng and Ms Nor Haryanny from Sunway Medical Center explain this painful condition and...

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” This is a familiar phrase, but unfortunately we tend to blame others for their mistakes more than we forgive. And if we are the ones who had committed the mistakes? We blame others for not being more forgiving. The act of forgiving is universally praised and encouraged, but how can we embrace and live it? Here to help us with that are Dr Johnben L...

When you get a replacement tooth or bridge, your dentist will place a dental implant in your jaw to serve as an artificial tooth root. It is quite an expensive procedure and with alternatives available, we explore what is involved when you decide on dental implants. Dato Dr Sharifah Alhabshi explains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we age, we worry about osteoporosis and breaking our bones that turn more brittle with time. Yet it turns out that osteoporosis has its roots in our childhood. Today we learn about ways to grow and develop healthy bones and joints with Dr Harjeet Singh, consultant orthopaedic surgeon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About one in ten Malaysian adults suffer from chronic kidney disease, and almost all of them do not realise it. Although the patients can take measures to manage the progress of kidney disease, most do not until it is too late. And in developing countries, 11 million yearly cases of acute kidney injuries can be prevented and treated. We speak to Dr Robyn Langham and Dato Dr Ong Loke Meng to learn...

When we go for a health check, the doctors will examine us and collect all sorts of data. Blood pressure, blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels. All of these to get a better picture of our health. But here is one thing you might not have expected doctors could check--the gases inside your intestines. Prof. Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh explains intestinal gases and how we can measure them to better un...

To feed a burgeoning and protein-loving population, farmers are driven to produce more livestock in shorter time, and in increasingly stressful conditions. To keep the animals healthy, they are given lots of antibiotics. But with more bacteria evolving resistance to the antibiotics, what is a better alternative to antibiotics? A new method that boosts the animal’s defense against bacteria in...