Medicine For Good

Is inflammation the silent culprit behind the two most deadly global diseases—cancer and cardiometabolic disorders? In this episode of Medicine for Good , Dr. Julieta Gabiola welcomes Felix Oen and Dr. Han Chong Toh to explore the powerful link between chronic inflammation, cancer, and cardiometabolic diseases . Research shows that persistent low-grade inflammation weakens the immune system, incre...

In this episode, we explore a groundbreaking leap in cancer detection—one that may save millions of lives through early screening. Imagine a world where a single blood test could detect over 50 types of cancer, including those that are often diagnosed too late, like pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancers. The Galleri Test , developed by GRAIL, offers a revolutionary approach to identifying cancer i...

What if a simple blood test could detect cancer early enough to save lives? In today’s Medicine for Good episode, Beyond the Signal , we delve into the inspiring and hopeful story of Roger Royse, a Silicon Valley startup lawyer diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. Unlike many others, Roger’s cancer was detected early thanks to a groundbreaking Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) blood test, G...

No more bloating, cramping, and irritability every month.  No more migraines every period. No more birth control pills.  No more worries about diapers, teenage children, and no more worries about getting pregnant, especially during these uncertain times. No more menstruation.  Yes, menopause is the time when another door opens. It is the time when we can pursue what has been stalled...

Have you ever had a broken heart? We have always been told stories about lovers or devastated individuals dying because of their shattered hearts. Maybe their pain and anguish were too much for their hearts to bear. But is this something that could truly happen, or are these just false tales? Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy or also known as the “Broken Heart Syndrome” has been linked to significant emoti...

In the medical industry, innovation is an integral part of the process to enhance systems and boost efficiency and productivity inside the facility while also improving patient outcomes. Helmet-based ventilation isn’t something new in the medical field yet through creative applications it can provide practical solutions even with the pandemic we are experiencing today. In Episode 39, we are learni...

Becoming parents for the very first time can be quite scary. Fear, anxiety, and overwhelm are some of the challenges you will face. Whether you’re an expectant mother, in your postpartum stage, or overcoming a miscarriage or loss, you’ll definitely need someone whom you can trust, provide support and inform you about the options and decisions you’ll have to make. You might consider hiring your ver...

Dealing with cancer is a very challenging battle that no one deserves to go through. Cancer can affect not only your physical health but also your mental well-being. Living with it may not only give you depression and distress, but it can also cause struggles that impact life in general. As a parent, seeing your child suffering from cancer or any other illness is the most heartbreaking experience....

Art is found in almost everything. It can be the songs you listen to while you drink your morning coffee, the scenery outside your window, the packaging of your family’s favorite cheese, or even this beautiful description you are reading. Art is everywhere. With all the challenges we face in life, we tend to develop anxiety and depression where we lose inner peace. During these times, we need to r...

It’s been two years since the pandemic forced us to isolate ourselves, pivot, and even transform our lifestyles. We had no choice but to adapt and find ways to continue our lives despite the limitations COVID has caused us. As the cases go down and solutions arise, a new variant is becoming more prolific and has quickly spread with vengeance, leading to more uncertainty.  The Omicron variant...

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people not physically, and mentally, but also in their day-to-day life. It has also affected the global economy and led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide. The virus has spread so fast that it destroys the body’s immune system causing different symptoms most especially to those who are already suffering from comorbidities. Fortunately, after a...

In previous episodes, we’ve discussed the health consequences of obesity, its lifestyle modifications ,  and surgical options to counter this medical condition The primary job of every physician is to enable patients to have quality of life and low mortality.  Lifestyle modification and healthy eating habits are not enough to help you lose weight. You should know that there are medicatio...

“When healthcare providers take the time to make human connections that help end suffering, patient outcomes improve and medical costs decrease.” - Dr. Stephen Trzeciak Healthcare providers are in the front line of patients acquiring chronic illnesses, diseases, or viruses. They are the ones having exceptionally close contact with different life-threatening cases. But do you ever wonder why these...

If you are dealing with obesity, you might not know it but your body still has a chance to get rid of your excess weight as soon as possible. Obesity is heavily associated with other comorbidities, and the longer you have it, the harder it gets to treat. This is the reason why doctors suggest weight loss surgery as an option for patients with comorbid conditions and have a body mass index (BMI) of...

As humans, we all experience difficulties in our lives. Whatever problems we encounter, whether big or small or even silent battles that we face, are ineluctable and already part of our lives. In this 21st century, mental health is one of the most prevailing problems due to cases of anxiety and depression that undeniably affect many people’s lives. But as US President Franklin D. Roosevelt once sa...

As we continue to talk about obesity, cardiovascular and energy metabolism are significant to each other because the blood flow of the body is regulated by hormones that control, adjust, and remodel heart metabolism. This is the reason why exercise is an important dietary approach to obesity.  Cardiovascular is also one of the four pillars of exercise just like flexibility, strength, and neur...

Today’s episode is the last installment of a three-part series on a health topic that’s highly relevant and necessary in today’s culture and generation. We’ve talked long and hard about why obesity is a ticking time bomb, ready to explode anytime. We continue the discussion by talking about how obesity may also be a risk factor for several diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease...

Obesity has now become a major global health concern. We now know that obesity is a risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths and talking more about it will help each one of us take care of our bodies more to be aware of our food intake every day.  Approaching weight loss is not easy and committing a certain diet requires discipline and lifestyle change. When you finally decide on a...

With the advancement of technology today, everything can be bought online. With just one tap, you get to order your favorite fast food and snacks delivered to your doorstep. It has also promoted a very unhealthy lifestyle as it altered children’s way of physical activity and adult’s bonding time.  This could be one of the reasons why we are plagued with a variety of complex illnesses. Obesity...

Medical practitioners all over the world are still fighting the rise of COVID-19 cases and deaths are still being reported day by day. This pandemic has impacted all of us, however, the pandemic's effects are perceived differently and still depends on our status as individuals and as members of society.  Only by working together, cooperating with rules of the government, and learning to liste...

Many of us can be too hard on ourselves. We judge ourselves negatively and incorrectly. We overwork, and accept stress as much as we can to keep up with our daily tasks and responsibilities. But being mindful of our wellbeing is unquestionably a fair and beneficial approach to self-love. A genuine act of kindness to ourselves allows us to be more confident and happy. We are humans - we all make mi...

The primary goal of health care is to improve the quality of life by improving the health of any individual. It aims to preserve or restore physical, mental, or emotional well-being but now, we, as a nation, are being deprived of one of our most basic needs which are being healthy. Access to healthcare should be free and available to everyone because the government must ensure that everybody has a...

“Show me your mentor, and I’ll show you your future.”  - John Shin - The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a never-ending increase of infected individuals, widespread lockdowns, economic downturn, and rising poverty levels. Because of this, individuals across the globe are having a financial crisis due to unemployment. Wealthy people have gotten wealthier and the poor have gotten poorer durin...

“The meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”  - Nelson Henderson A hero is someone who possesses a great deal of bravery, courage, intellect, and willpower. Anyone can be a hero as long as he or she aspires for better things in life. Each one of us may have different definitions of a hero but we have one thing in common - our heroes greatly affect our li...

Racism is defined as the assumption that some races have distinct cultural characteristics that are determined by genetic influences, making certain races inherently superior to others. The belief that one race is naturally superior to others led to discrimination against members of other races. Sadly, racism still exists to this day - if not even more prevalent although seemingly discreet. Even i...