Health & Living

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it’s not only the disease and the rigorous treatment that they have to deal with, but also the financial burden. They have to navigate medical bills, employment issues and income loss, and they often have to do it on their own. We speak to Prof Dr Adlinda bt Alip, Consultant Clinical Oncologist from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, and Koh Swee Khim, a breas...

Local universities in Malaysia have just begun their second semesters, and students are feeling the pressure of dealing with higher education and living away from home. We speak to Dr Nicole Chen, a registered counsellor and founder/clinical director of a private counselling centre, about how families can support university students in navigating this transition while managing their mental well-be...

When family medicine specialist Dr Karen Christelle sees a patient from the Orang Asli communities of rural Perak, she has to look at more than just numbers and tests. The Orang Asli are not a homogenous group, and each community or village has different needs, mindsets and attitudes towards their health. We look at some of the main health challenges faced by the Orang Asli of rural Perak, and div...

Boys and young men are seeing social media influencers pushing the idea of testosterone as a marker of being “real men”. We explore why these narratives of toxic masculinity are dangerous, from the medical and psychological perspectives. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, the Health Minister announced that MOH is establishing 10 primary health clinics with integrated clinical obesity management. With obesity increasingly being recognised as a complex and chronic disease, we explore what difference it could make when it comes under the care of family medicine specialists, at the primary care level. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

When a newborn baby’s cough and runny nose could quickly turn into breathing trouble, prevention matters. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common infection that can be especially severe in babies, particularly in the first few months of life. On the show, we speak to Dr Muniswaran Ganeshan, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, to find out how protection from severe RSV illness can be...

How would you define strength? Is it just about chasing defined muscles and sculpted physiques? We speak to consultant sports medicine physician Dr Arvin Raj and personal trainer Anna Rina, both with experiences in bodybuilding and powerlifting, on whether the goal is to be strong or look swole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Ladies, how often do you put off getting your health screenings done because there’s just too much else that takes priority? Do you know which tests you need and how often you’ll need them? In conjunction with International Women’s Day (8 March), we ask consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist Dr Hoo Mei Lin all you need to know about the check ups you need. Image Credit: Shutterstock See...

We know there is a problem with female representation in the tech industry. But what happens when women seem to be invisible even in the technology itself? In conjunction with International Women’s Day on 8 March, we look at the gender gap in the fastest-growing area of healthcare technology today: AI systems and tools.  Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

An extremely common nasal-related problem that affects children is a blocked and stuffy nose. These persistent symptoms can be very frustrating and parents are often going from doctor to doctor to find a solution for their children. We speak to a consultant ENT surgeon Dr Lim Wye Keat to find out what the science says about the various therapies to help children with symptoms of a chronically bloc...

According to OpenAI, more than 230 million people ask its chatbot questions about their health and wellbeing every week. Are you one of them? Open AI has introduced ChatGPT Health, while Anthropic has launched Claude for Healthcare, to analyse your health information and give you advice. How much can we trust the information from generative AI? How will this evolution affect people’s healthcare de...

As Malaysia’s ageing population grows, we’re seeing the government and policymakers being more proactive when it comes to our ageing strategy. From the 13th Malaysia Plan to the National Ageing Blueprint as well as the Malaysia Care Strategic Framework and Action Plan, plans are being put into motion to prioritise the needs of an ageing population. But ageing is not gender-neutral. So do these pla...

"If you have ever lost a loved one, then you know exactly how it feels. And if you have not, then you cannot possibly imagine it." That’s a quote from Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Grief comes in many forms, and no one journey is ever exactly the same. So how do you learn to live with grief? Do you really need to process it? To answer these questions about grief, we speak to lic...

Netflix’s new documentary, ‘Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model’, has revived concerns over unrealistic beauty standards, and how body shaming and disordered eating arise from the perpetuation of such stereotypes. A recent episode of the Asia Specific podcast by the BBC World Service, unpacked Asia’s obsession with thinness. Mariko Oi, presenter of Asia Specific, joins us on the show to...

The government’s new policy to allow children to start Standard 1 at the age of six has caught many by surprise. With early enrolment being optional, we discuss the pros and cons of this policy to help parents make decisions that are rooted in their children’s best interests. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natrah Aziz, an educator and artist, was late-diagnosed with autism and ADHD in her early 30s - a moment that gently unravelled years of confusion and helped her make sense of her past, her struggles, and ultimately, her purpose. On this episode of Because Feelings Matter , find out how Natrah had to fight against disbelief and dismissal, to finally find the words to describe her reality. ‘ Becaus...

Walking is one of the easiest exercises to do - or so we’re told. We speak to consultant sports medicine physician Dr Malini Karupiah about whether walking is enough exercise, and what happens when we graduate from walking to jogging to running. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 23 years old - when most of us are planning for the life ahead of us - Caroline Rajan was told that she was HIV positive and her world came crashing down. This virus would not only affect her physical health, but the stigma and judgement associated with it led her mental health to spiral and made her think that a romantic relationship would forever be out of her reach. In this episode, Caroline...

Methadone has been in the news following the death of an 11-year-old child and hospitalisation of two younger siblings due to accidental intake of methadone in the home. Misinformation about methadone and its use in the treatment of chronic pain and substance use disorders can lead to stigmatisation of vulnerable groups of people. We’ll find out more about methadone maintenance therapy and why it’...

Malaysia is currently experiencing a tuberculosis outbreak, with over 2500 cases already reported this year. With clusters being reported across most states and over 85% of the recent cases involving Malaysians, should we be worried? We speak to consultant respiratory physician Prof Dr Roslina Manap on how concerning this latest outbreak is and what people need to know about TB.  Image Credit...

It is the eve of Chinese New Year and that means only one thing: food! As we prepare for reunion dinner as well as the feasting and snacking that will happen over the 15 days of celebrations, how can you also be mindful of what you eat without missing out on the joy of CNY cookies? We speak to dietitian Denise Phang to find out.  Listen to Part 2 on mindful eating during Ramadan here . Image...

In Part 2 of our festive eating episode on Health & Living today, we’ll be taking a look at how to eat well during Ramadan. The fasting month starts this week, just a couple days after Chinese New Year. It’s a time for restraint in food, amongst other vices, but the struggle is real when you’re at a Ramadan bazaar and the food just looks so enticing. So how can you practice self-control? We sp...

“Richer than its neighbours but doing worse on child nutrition.” That’s how Malaysia was described by non-profit research publication Our World In Data, as they put together a graph that showed malnutrition or childhood stunting rates in Malaysia and some of our neighbours. But why is this happening? Consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by nutritionist Prof Dr Poh Bee Koon from Universiti...

One in about 12 people in Malaysia is aged 65 and above. A significant proportion of them may need some sort of care eventually, as the likelihood of disorders and disabilities increases with age. But in a society where the bulk of care work is usually carried out by informal caregivers, where is Malaysia when it comes to developing a care ecosystem to support our ageing population? And why is it...

When we think of the accident and emergency department, what immediately comes to mind is that of serious accidents or sudden health crises like heart attacks and stroke. But the emergency department or ED also plays a crucial role in being a refuge for people struggling with mental health issues. On this episode of Mind Matters, we’ll be delving into the role of the ED in helping people through m...