Health & Living

In the UK, a boy who was left disabled during birth could receive record £15m compensation by the NHS. Medics failed to pick up 'abnormal changes' during the latter stages of his mother's labour. James Robshaw faces a lifetime of dependence after complications during his birth left him with cerebral palsy. During hearing lawyers disputed the amount of compensation the 12 year old should rece...

What do your children fear most? Spiders, strangers, or even your neighbour’s poodle? Experiencing many firsts in the world, it’s natural for children to display fear and anxiety growing up. Unfortunately, for some children, these fears grow into a persistent phobia that can seriously hamper their mental health and social lives. How should we handle anxiety and phobias in children? Dr...

Your body is a universe. In your guts live a rich diverse community of microbes that have a say in your digestion, defense against infection and now, also your odds of developing Type-1 diabetes. A study published in February 2015 showed that changes in our guts’ microbial community are associated with the onset of diabetes. We speak to Dr Alexsandar Kostic, author of the study, to learn mor...

From acai to ginseng to zinc, there seems to be a dietary supplement that could boost the performance of every aspect of our health these days. Even as scientists and nutritionists debate on the health benefits of dietary supplements, a geneticist joins us to argue for the roles of genes in maintaining our health. Is it true then that our genes are the reason we wouldn’t need supplements? Dr...

Have you ever donated blood? If you have, you would know how good it feels, trusting your half a liter of blood could save the life of another. Much of the burden however, falls onto the medical staff to make sure the blood is protected from infection and contamination. The chain from collection to storage to transfusion is a long one with many points for bacteria and viruses to penetrate. How are...

In conjunction with Father's Day, we explore the psychology and physiology of fatherhood with Dr George Lee and Dr Michael Menke, a psychological scientist. Combining theirs and callers' experience of fatherhood with scientific findings, George and Michael discuss the challenges of fatherhood and of staying relevant to their families. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we turn our attention to your feet with experts from Sunway Medical Center. We discuss how high heels affect your feet and the common foot conditions caused by long term wearing of high heels. Also, we learn about how prescription orthotics treat foot conditions. Dr Chua Yeok Pin and Ms Lim Yuanshang dish out advice on caring for your feet and selecting the right pair of shoes, even heels. S...

Creative Arts therapy may sound like an abstract concept to many - no pun intended – but it's a distinct form of psychotherapy that is said to have been first defined in the 1940s. We learn more about this form of therapy's origins, principles and purposes with Dr. Johnben Loy, our resident Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Teresita Gutierrez, a senior lecturer and counselling psych...

As is often the case, your parents were right -- you really ought to choose your spouse wisely. For not only till death do you part, but your spouse may affect how well you live in old age too, according to a new study from the University of Arizona. Joining us to help dissect the implications of that study and to discuss healthy aging in general are C onsultant Geriatrician  Prof. Tan Maw Pi...

For years we have been trying to understand depression. What causes it, and how can we treat it? A new study links depression to an unlikely source--inflammation. The author of that study, Dr George Slavich, explains his findings and what it might mean for the millions of people suffering depression. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A study suggests the chances of having a heart attack, stroke or dying young may be hidden in the palm of your hand. Researchers said their findings showed that muscle strength is a strong predictor of death from cardiovascular disease and a moderately strong predictor of having a heart attack or stroke.  We explore the validity of this observational study with Consultant Urologist Dr. George...

Our brains makes up less than 2% of our body weight, but that 2% holds the stories of our lives - the songs that we have heard, the durians that we have smelled - every sensation and reaction have been signals that excited our brains.  Some experiences stayed as memories while others faded away. Our brains also process pain, sometimes amplifying the experience or even making it up at times. B...

There are a myriad of factors and issues that can impact the status of a child's health and development, and if not dealt with properly, children tend to struggle and have lower self-esteem. Katyana Azman, a Behavioural Psychologist and Sandra Florez, a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, discuss how their respective fields of work can help children address the issues that are most impacting their...

Back for their monthly show, consultant psychiatrists Dr. Philip George and Dr. Stephen Jambunathan highlight what they see as an emerging concern in Malaysian schools--cannabis addiction. They discuss the symptoms and what can be done to curb this social ill.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Opioids, such as morphine, are used regularly to manage pain, but are we abusing them?  Reports show that orthopaedic surgeons in the USA are the third top  prescribers of opioids. Dr Harjeet Singh, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, discusses the use of opioids in managing musculoskeletal injuries.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being an introvert or extrovert could mean more than how you spend your Friday evenings. Studies suggest that extroverts also have stronger immune systems, responding faster and better to pathogens. Prof Kavita Vedhara shares her findings with us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your kidney works hard to clear excess salts from what you have digested, but when the salts build up in your kidney, so does the trouble. These salts can harden into stones as big as ping-pong balls and cause you excruciating pain. How can you prevent these urinary stones, and how do you remove them? We learn more from Dr Badrulhisham Bahadzor, consultant urologist from Sunway Medical Center. See...

It’s tempting to workout at the gym, especially when the weather isn’t too friendly. But do you find it boring to run on the treadmill or cycle on the machine? No passing trees, no visual goal on the far horizon to keep you motivated. Video game are about to spice up your gym landscape. A recent study reported that cycling machines with video games gives better exercise than those with...

For most of you, the days of worrying about skinny children are over. The modern concern is the overweight child who eats too much of the wrong foods. Malaysia claims the title of the fattest nation in Southeast Asia, with 44% of our adults obese. Our children do not disappoint either with one out of every seven children obese. Why are our young ones piling on weight, and what can we do to address...

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest. Almost no patients surviving more than 5 years after diagnosis. Still, early detection can improve treatment and quality of life. What are the warning signs and what does diagnosis entail? Here to explore the ins and outs of pancreatic cancer, as well as answering questions of the gastrointestinal tract are Datuk Dr Ryan Ponnudurai and Dr George Lee. See...

If your child struggles to read or recall words, he or she may be dyslexic. And your child is not alone. One out of ten children grapple with dyslexic-like difficulties. With proper attention and help, dyslexic children can perform academically. So how should parents and teachers raise and teach dyslexic children? Dr Rajini Sarvanathan join Mr and Mrs Ho, parents to a dyslexic child, to shed light...

If your body is hurting, you are going to seek help from a doctor. But you may find yourself in an awkward situation: You feel the pain but you struggle to describe the terrible sensation to your doctor. It’s difficult to convey how much it hurts and descriptions like “burning pain, needles poking in my skin, an ant bite” mean different things to different people. How can we bett...

If you wish to understand the 11th Malaysian Plan which was tabled last Thursday might affect your experience at the hospital or clinics, stay tune. The 11th Malaysian Plan outlines the government’s priorities and strategies in this final leg of achieving Vision 2020. But does the Plan address your health care needs? Senior officers from medical professional bodies are here in the studio to...

As a teenager, Frank Chong had it tough. While others were rebelling against parents, Frank was fighting the cancer in his leg. After three years, Frank defeated the cancer. He was fifteen then. Since then, Frank has actively helped raise awareness and funds to support cancer organizations and patients. That includes running in three ultramarathons, each almost 90 kilometers long. He’s about...

Our liver is a hardworking organ. Sitting above and close to our gut and intestines, the liver filters what our digestive systems absorb before releasing them into the rest of our body. How can we keep our liver healthy and prevent diseases such as hepatitis and fatty liver disease? We learn more from Prof Dr Chan Wah Keong, consultant gastroenterologist, and Dr Vijayamalar Balasubramaniam from th...