31 Jan 2010. Have you ever realized that hypertension (or high blood pressure) can lead to eye disease? If you do not, it is good for you to learn something more on this matter. If you visit the clinics and hospitals, you probably find poster linking hypertension to eye diseases. The following case of a family member may be a good lesson to share with all of you.
The hypertension patient: aged 73, female, 16 years of hypertension (since early 1990s).
Treatment: regular medical checkup as advised by the government medical doctors.
Modern medicine taken: high blood pressure pills prescribed.
Herbal medicine: occasionally take self-prepared herbal tea.
Progress: The first 10 years, high blood pressure is under controlled.
2009: Had eye diseases and operated left eye to have clear vision. Eye sight did not improve much. Probably go for another operation in 2010.
2010: Had right eye operated at the private hospital. Looks OK and still under observation.
Current dilemma faced: Seek medical treatment from a government hospital and a private hospital where the doctors have different views on treatment and operations. The private specialist said her right eye needs no further treatment but the specialist at the government hospital has different view. Her eyes itched for two days and she stopped applying the eye lotions prescribed.
What do you think is the cause of your hypertension? The patient told me that she is facing more social pressure than anything else. She worries over small matters and indecisive when coming to making decision. When she visits the government clinic and hospital, she worries a lot before even meeting the medical staffs. Even though her self-examination shows hypertension is under control, but when she is at the clinic or hospital an hour later, her blood pressure rises.
Why do you continue taking medicine if the cause lies in social tension? The answer is given is this would ensure that she receives regular medical check-up from the government hospital.
I have nothing else to say to her. That is her choice in life. I wish her best health and she has to prepare for the worst in the eventuality. Her lack of confidence has resulted in her barking at the wrong target when coming to handling hypertension and eye disease.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Diary 19: Breast Cancer
28 Jan 2010. The below is an email received this morning and I like to share with you all.
“Hello, Dr Lim. Good day to you. My colleague is diagnosed with breast cancer and I am not sure which stage is it. I would like her to attend your talk. Would you let me know when and where are your talks held? I personally would like to attend for my knowledge too.”
Perhaps, the first thing we need to ask is why more and more females are diagnosed with breast cancer in this modern age. There are many answers to this and they differ from one cancer patient to another.
Two factors are normally given by the experts, namely genetic factor and food. If you think that it is genetically inherited, the chance of your recovery may be low as you are likely not taking any special effort to handle a major factor, which is acidic food.
Which specific food contributes most to breast cancer? No one is certain. But, if you ask the breast cancer patient her favorite food, the answer is likely to be linked to fried chicken served in stalls, restaurants and at home.
Why fried chicken? It is not difficult to understand if you make an effort to learn something about modern bird farming practices all over the world. The general trend is to make the chicks grow and mature as fast as possible. How fast? About 35 to 40 days compared to the traditional village bird rearing which takes a least 4 months. In the modern bird farming, antibiotics and growth hormones are used to ensure the birds mature in time and free of diseases. These antibiotics and growth hormones remain when the food is served on the dinner. Human being is the last stage of food chain. This contributes to breast cancer and perhaps other cancers too.
Another side of breast cancer, often ignored, is the emotional aspect. A breast cancer patient is likely to have conflicts with someone close to the heart. The person could be the husband, son, daughter, father, mother and even colleague.
What can a breast cancer patient do to lengthen her life? To me, she needs to do at least the following things.
Switch completely to healthy organic food, including giving up meat, eggs & dairy products.
Inhale more fresh and natural oxygen from the forests and parks.
Resolve whatever conflict she has with others as soon as possible.
Retire early and do voluntary work, if possible.
Have good thought, say kind words and act compassionately in daily living.
How effective is the above methods? I have met at least 5 breast cancer patients living more than 10 years instead of less than 5 as predicted by some medical experts.
To all breast cancer patients, you decide your health, not others. Make a wise choice and act now by adjusting your ways of life.
“Hello, Dr Lim. Good day to you. My colleague is diagnosed with breast cancer and I am not sure which stage is it. I would like her to attend your talk. Would you let me know when and where are your talks held? I personally would like to attend for my knowledge too.”
Perhaps, the first thing we need to ask is why more and more females are diagnosed with breast cancer in this modern age. There are many answers to this and they differ from one cancer patient to another.
Two factors are normally given by the experts, namely genetic factor and food. If you think that it is genetically inherited, the chance of your recovery may be low as you are likely not taking any special effort to handle a major factor, which is acidic food.
Which specific food contributes most to breast cancer? No one is certain. But, if you ask the breast cancer patient her favorite food, the answer is likely to be linked to fried chicken served in stalls, restaurants and at home.
Why fried chicken? It is not difficult to understand if you make an effort to learn something about modern bird farming practices all over the world. The general trend is to make the chicks grow and mature as fast as possible. How fast? About 35 to 40 days compared to the traditional village bird rearing which takes a least 4 months. In the modern bird farming, antibiotics and growth hormones are used to ensure the birds mature in time and free of diseases. These antibiotics and growth hormones remain when the food is served on the dinner. Human being is the last stage of food chain. This contributes to breast cancer and perhaps other cancers too.
Another side of breast cancer, often ignored, is the emotional aspect. A breast cancer patient is likely to have conflicts with someone close to the heart. The person could be the husband, son, daughter, father, mother and even colleague.
What can a breast cancer patient do to lengthen her life? To me, she needs to do at least the following things.
Switch completely to healthy organic food, including giving up meat, eggs & dairy products.
Inhale more fresh and natural oxygen from the forests and parks.
Resolve whatever conflict she has with others as soon as possible.
Retire early and do voluntary work, if possible.
Have good thought, say kind words and act compassionately in daily living.
How effective is the above methods? I have met at least 5 breast cancer patients living more than 10 years instead of less than 5 as predicted by some medical experts.
To all breast cancer patients, you decide your health, not others. Make a wise choice and act now by adjusting your ways of life.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Diary 18: Petai
27 Jan 2010. Other the durian, my other favorite forest fruit is petai (Parkia speciosa). Again, the petai trees are normally planted by the Orang Asli (aborigines) living in the forest areas in Peninsular Malaysia.
In the past, petai is food of the Malays and the aborigines. Since the last two decades, the fruits are highly demanded by the Chinese and Indians. The fruits do not taste nice but they are perceived to have medicinal value. Friends are telling me that the fruits help to control high blood pressure and reduce diabetes.
The fruits are mere health food for me. Just like the hill durians, they are considered organically grown.
Normally, I buy 100 pieces of petai from the harvesters or sellers in the rural areas. That meets my family need for about 2 weeks. Buying petai from rural areas provides additional income to the low-income rural folks.
In the past, petai is food of the Malays and the aborigines. Since the last two decades, the fruits are highly demanded by the Chinese and Indians. The fruits do not taste nice but they are perceived to have medicinal value. Friends are telling me that the fruits help to control high blood pressure and reduce diabetes.
The fruits are mere health food for me. Just like the hill durians, they are considered organically grown.
Normally, I buy 100 pieces of petai from the harvesters or sellers in the rural areas. That meets my family need for about 2 weeks. Buying petai from rural areas provides additional income to the low-income rural folks.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Diary 17: Hill Durian
26 Jan 2010. On our field trip from Slim River in Perak to Kuala Lumpur, we stopped at a Malay stall selling hill durians. The female seller explained that the durians were harvested by the Orang Asli (aborigines) on the way to Cameron Highlands. She was able to describe how difficult the Orang Asli have to collect the fruits from the hilly areas. That touched my heart. She was telling the true situation as our research experience among the Orang Asli community indicated the same situation.
The other reason I purchased about 13 durians from the Malay woman was her sincerity in selling them. This category of people needs our support. Sincerity in doing business is important as it has a long term impact on the form of interaction in our society.
Of course, I like hill durian for another reason ---health. As a vegetarian, we need some “hot” fruit to sustain our warm body energy as most fruits are “cooling” in nature. The low-income Orang Asli do not apply chemical fertilizers or pesticides to maintain their durian trees. They normally sell the fruits at between RM1 to RM2 per fruit to traders coming to the remote villages. Consequently, these durians are sold at a reasonable price in the urban market. That is another plus point. It simply means that we can still have good and healthy food at a reasonable price.
Beware, not all expensive durians in the urban markets are good for your health as some growers apply chemical fertilizers or pesticides to ensure good harvest and return.
Choose hill durians for good health!
The other reason I purchased about 13 durians from the Malay woman was her sincerity in selling them. This category of people needs our support. Sincerity in doing business is important as it has a long term impact on the form of interaction in our society.
Of course, I like hill durian for another reason ---health. As a vegetarian, we need some “hot” fruit to sustain our warm body energy as most fruits are “cooling” in nature. The low-income Orang Asli do not apply chemical fertilizers or pesticides to maintain their durian trees. They normally sell the fruits at between RM1 to RM2 per fruit to traders coming to the remote villages. Consequently, these durians are sold at a reasonable price in the urban market. That is another plus point. It simply means that we can still have good and healthy food at a reasonable price.
Beware, not all expensive durians in the urban markets are good for your health as some growers apply chemical fertilizers or pesticides to ensure good harvest and return.
Choose hill durians for good health!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Diary 16: Vegetarians at A Typical Chinese Wedding Dinner
24 Jan 2010. My family attended my nephew’s wedding dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. This was one of the rare occasions as we normally only attend wedding dinners of relatives. Not that we are anti-social. Rather, we do not see the necessity of attending wedding dinners practically every week as invited by colleagues and normal friends. The energy and time could be better utilized for something else.
In any case, of the 14 tables served during this special Chinese wedding dinner, one was for the vegetarians. This reflects the situation of Chinese who are vegetarians in Malaysia. In other words, of the estimated 1350 people attending the wedding dinner, only 9 (1%) are full time vegetarians. We looked around and found that many of the elders do not seem to have good health. This is to be expected.
At the vegetarian table, Mr Liew, a close friend of my brother-in-law, was sitting next to me. He became a vegetarian about 15 years ago, for religious reason. So, he was our peer group in terms of becoming full time vegetarians. The other three full time vegetarians were Mei Lan (village mate from Air Jernih in Terengganu), her daughter and son-in-law. Mei Lan was into full time vegetarian about 25 years ago. She is my senior, to be saluted.
Mei Lan was enthusiastic to share the good side of becoming vegetarians. One looks younger. One has little pimples. One skin is smooth. Of course, vegetarians are generally healthy compared to the non-vegetarians.
Well, I personally hope more people would become vegetarians one day to ensure healthier living.
In any case, of the 14 tables served during this special Chinese wedding dinner, one was for the vegetarians. This reflects the situation of Chinese who are vegetarians in Malaysia. In other words, of the estimated 1350 people attending the wedding dinner, only 9 (1%) are full time vegetarians. We looked around and found that many of the elders do not seem to have good health. This is to be expected.
At the vegetarian table, Mr Liew, a close friend of my brother-in-law, was sitting next to me. He became a vegetarian about 15 years ago, for religious reason. So, he was our peer group in terms of becoming full time vegetarians. The other three full time vegetarians were Mei Lan (village mate from Air Jernih in Terengganu), her daughter and son-in-law. Mei Lan was into full time vegetarian about 25 years ago. She is my senior, to be saluted.
Mei Lan was enthusiastic to share the good side of becoming vegetarians. One looks younger. One has little pimples. One skin is smooth. Of course, vegetarians are generally healthy compared to the non-vegetarians.
Well, I personally hope more people would become vegetarians one day to ensure healthier living.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Diary 15: A Social Scientist Writing Health Book
23 Jan 2010. I was promoting my health books at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa between 3pm to 4.30pm. A buyer inquired about my background. He was a little surprise that I am not a nutritionist but able to write health books.
Before 2002, it was not part of my health path to write health books. I have written a few books before, all related to my work as a social anthropologist.
After 2002, there was an obvious request from the audience attending my talks that I should consider writing a health book based on my good knowledge and interesting family experience.
That sets the goal and direction to write the health books. It was a challenging task. I had to plan my thoughts, my daily life and discipline myself to sit down to write. I talked to the so-called experts and sought their views. I argued with my wife on grey areas. More research on the literature and interviews with patients was conducted. Friends helped to edit and provided additional suggestions. Another friend assisted in designing the book cover.
The first edition of Eating for Good Health was successfully published in 2007. My Chinese friends suggested that the book should also be written in Chinese. I drafted it and later amended and edited by my wife, a Chinese language teacher in the secondary school, who has a good command of Chinese language. The book was entitled Xun Zhao Jian Kang, literally meaning Searching for Health.
My friends read Eating for Good Health and found that it should also be written in the Malay language to benefit the Malay readers. Consequently, I spent another year writing this special book. The book is entitled Makanan Sihat Sebagai Ubat, literally meaning Health Food As Medicine, first published in 2008.
Writing health books has enriched my life in helping others. If I were to confine writing books in my area of work, the impact may be limited. Health is everyone’s concern. Hopefully those reading my health books are able to gain something to improve their health.
Before 2002, it was not part of my health path to write health books. I have written a few books before, all related to my work as a social anthropologist.
After 2002, there was an obvious request from the audience attending my talks that I should consider writing a health book based on my good knowledge and interesting family experience.
That sets the goal and direction to write the health books. It was a challenging task. I had to plan my thoughts, my daily life and discipline myself to sit down to write. I talked to the so-called experts and sought their views. I argued with my wife on grey areas. More research on the literature and interviews with patients was conducted. Friends helped to edit and provided additional suggestions. Another friend assisted in designing the book cover.
The first edition of Eating for Good Health was successfully published in 2007. My Chinese friends suggested that the book should also be written in Chinese. I drafted it and later amended and edited by my wife, a Chinese language teacher in the secondary school, who has a good command of Chinese language. The book was entitled Xun Zhao Jian Kang, literally meaning Searching for Health.
My friends read Eating for Good Health and found that it should also be written in the Malay language to benefit the Malay readers. Consequently, I spent another year writing this special book. The book is entitled Makanan Sihat Sebagai Ubat, literally meaning Health Food As Medicine, first published in 2008.
Writing health books has enriched my life in helping others. If I were to confine writing books in my area of work, the impact may be limited. Health is everyone’s concern. Hopefully those reading my health books are able to gain something to improve their health.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Diary 13: Climate Change and Meat Consumption 2
Fact from British Government’s Climate Change Programme 2006: If everyone in Britain were to abstain from meat one day a week over a year, this would save 13 million tones of car dioxide emissions. The carbon savings would be greater than taking 5 million cars off the road (Allan Koay, “Meaty Issue”, The Star, 10 November 2009).
Look from another angle. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation, livestock farming contributes significantly to the major environmental problems faced today. Think about this: a European com emitting a year’s worth of methane is comparable to a family-size car travelling 70,000km. Cow and pig waste worldwide weighs 5.5 billion tones annually. The gas from that and from millions of tonnes of fertilizers used in the Amazon to grow animal feed, called nitrous oxide, is a green house gas 295 times more potent than carbon dioxide. (Allan Koay, “Meaty Issue”, The Star, 10 November 2009).
We have to adjust our way of life by reducing meat consumption gradually. If you wish to fo a step further later, just give up meat consumption once and for all. Having giving up meat for the last 14 years, I do not wish to take meat any more. Some people feel that I no longer enjoy the tasty food but the truth is I enjoy great health.
When you need to choose between tasty unhealthy food and health food, consider choosing the later.
Look from another angle. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation, livestock farming contributes significantly to the major environmental problems faced today. Think about this: a European com emitting a year’s worth of methane is comparable to a family-size car travelling 70,000km. Cow and pig waste worldwide weighs 5.5 billion tones annually. The gas from that and from millions of tonnes of fertilizers used in the Amazon to grow animal feed, called nitrous oxide, is a green house gas 295 times more potent than carbon dioxide. (Allan Koay, “Meaty Issue”, The Star, 10 November 2009).
We have to adjust our way of life by reducing meat consumption gradually. If you wish to fo a step further later, just give up meat consumption once and for all. Having giving up meat for the last 14 years, I do not wish to take meat any more. Some people feel that I no longer enjoy the tasty food but the truth is I enjoy great health.
When you need to choose between tasty unhealthy food and health food, consider choosing the later.
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