Health & Living

What's something we use every day, but don't notice until it's gone? If you thought the answer was our 'voice', you were right. To bring attention to this, World Voice Day is celebrated every April 16th, and joining Chwi Lynn Lee in this celebration today is Professor Kartini Ahmad, voice pathology specialist and founding head of the UKM Speech Pathology Program, and Professor Dr. Siti Charaini Pr...

Leaps and bounds have been made in sports, especially in terms of the equipment that's now available. But have all these been done for the benefit and betterment of the sportsperson? Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Harjeet Singh discusses why there was a need for the use of advanced materials in sporting goods and it's impact for the sportsperson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Immunohistochemistry is a routine and essential tool in diagnostic and research laboratories, assisting in diagnosing a cancer as benign or malignant and determining the stage and grade of a tumour. Dr. Sri Ganesh, histopathologist, continues his Know Thy Cancer series by telling us more about it.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us have - at one point in our lives- ridden a mountain bike. Learning to cycle is one of the hallmarks of childhood, but while we use the gears on our mountain bikes, to ride up or down the slopes of our neighbourhoods or playgrounds, the bikes are built for much more than that. Darcy Steinhardt, founder of Zero2Hero and coach, tells us more about mountain biking for health and the kind of...

When we first get the sniffles or a headache that won't go away, the first people we see are always the general practitioners. The people who run our neighbourhood clinics and who we trust. But what kind of work and communication should really go into this patient-doctor relationship? Dr. M Sarveswara, general practitioner, explains more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They always say that fitness is an investment, and it's one that will particularly pay off in old age, as it keeps people healthy and social and independent. Karen Siah, fitness instructor, gives her perspective and tips on exercising for the elderly.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rebel Extreme program, Six Hours in Hell is as much about finding your own limits, as it is about pushing them.  Telling us more about the program as well as the relationship between fitness and mindset is Jason Moriarty, fitness coach and Rajesh Gill, participant in the program.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anaesthesia is a crucial part of modern surgery, removing pain from the procedure, However, the job of an anaesthetist goes far beyond the surgery alone and it isn't only about putting the patient under. Dr. Foo Sze Yuen shares the ins and outs of her profession.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In some instances, diagnostic tests can be as serious and invasive as the actual treatment, and a prime example of this is in the oral biopsy. Requiring a sample of tissue in order to identify what the cause of an illness might be, it's also a procedure that requires careful planning and skill.  Professor Khoo Suan Phaik, oral physician, tells us more bout the procedure and explains why 'When...

Kidneys are organs in our bodies that we need for multiple reasons : filtering waste, producing hormones and generally helping us to run efficiently. Kidney failure is something that often needs to be treated with permanent measures, either with dialysis or a kidney transplant. Dialysis can be a draning experience, physically, emotionally and financially, so how can support be provided to both the...

Clubfoot is a fairly common condition that people are born with, with numbers suggesting that it affects 1 out of a 1000 children. Treatment options for clubfoot have ranged from surgery to massaging and stretching to leg-braces. However even modern treatment is long-term and requires special gear that may be beyond reach for some families. Explaining the condition as well as why some help is need...

More than the other cancers, colorectal cancer has a direct link to diet, and nutrition can play a big role in both the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer. With so many factors - Omega-3 oils, antioxidants, selenium- being touted as good for you, how do we really know what we need to be taking, along with how much of it we should be consuming? Periandal Asha, a dietitian from the Nation...

Dr. Rita Colwell is a Distinguished University Professor both at the University of Maryland at College Park and at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, but she also travels the world to promote science and technology cooperation between the United States and other countries, and to build international partnerships through scientific exchange. She joins us to explain the conc...

In conjunction with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we take a look at silent casualties in the war against cancer, with cancer patients living in low-income communities not having the same advantages that we often take for granted. Dr. Christina Ng, founder and president of Empowered, explains how the work they do focuses on bringing education and access to treatment to low-income communities....

The times they are a-changing, and science is changing quicker with the times than almost anything else. Work that once needed to be done delicately in labs and that could be lost or damaged, can now be shared and stored virtually, making everything that much quicker and easier. Such are the possibilities of virtual pathology. However, like any other modality, there are pros and cons, and weighing...

Food and nutrition is an integral part of making our bodies run at optimal levels, and it is no different for our eyes. But with so many reports and so much research to do, getting started on eye-healthy foods can be confusing.  Dr. Kenneth Fong and his wife, Goo Chui Hoong , wrote a cookbook to help elucidate what eye-healthy foods are and how they can be incorporated into a daily, delicious...

The road to recovery after major cardiac events and disease can be long and arduous, requiring help from a multi-disciplinary team of medical experts and cooperation from the patient. Telling us more about cardiac rehabilitation and its importance in recovery and long-term health is Dr. Rameezan Begam Abd Rahim and Mr. T. Mahenthiran.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all heard about Pilates and all the things it's touted to do for our fitness and our bodies. But with no standardised qualification available, how do we know who's teaching us and what qualifications they have? Carolyne Anthony explains the different certifications available and how one can attain them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love is a word that means many things, used to describe many things and can cause you to do a great many things - some of which might not make sense. This Valentine's Day, Vizla Kumaresan examines its multiple facets, how it impacts our psyches and some of its lesser known incarnations, such as platonic love.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Infertility, in its simplest terms, means being unable to conceive after a year of trying. However, not many people are aware of that definition and often do not seek help as early as they could or should. Explaining more about the need for awareness on infertility amongst couples in Malaysia as well as a study that sheds light on the decision-making process behind getting pregnant, is Professor Z...

Another entry in the Know Thy Cancer series, Dr. Sri Ganesh gives us the breakdown on gastric cancer, examining facets such as the cellular structure of the tumour, common risk factors and how to catch a disease that tends to only present obviously in its later stages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who wants to work out in a neon-lit bow with blaring MTV when you could get fit in the fresh air? Noel Chelliah, fitness instructor, explains why public gyms in parks are the future of exercise. Is this why we fail miserably at the gym? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should men pledge to take more responsibility this year over contraception and sexual health? And whose responsibility is it anyway?  Continuing the New Year's Resolutions series, Dr. George Lee and Meera Sivasothy visit a pub in TTDI to talk to local men and women about contraception and vasectomies.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peripheral neuropahty is a term used to describe damage to nerves that are outside the brain and spinal cord. Our body's ability to sense things and relay information relies heavily on the nerves that run throughout. So what happens when these nerves are damaged? Professor Dr. Goh Khean Jin gives us the facts on peripheral neuropathy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our discussion on the myths of cancer this World Cancer Day, Dr. Ahmad Kamal from the Malaysian Oncological Society joins Meera Sivasothy to discuss the second and third myths of cancer, namely, that cancer is a disease that only affects the wealthy, the elderly and those who live in developed countries, and that it is a death sentence.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...