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By ANUSHIA KANDASIVAM
Vaccinations are to
diseases what an
umbrella is to rain.
As a result of Malaysias
National Immunisation
Programme, the majority of
the rakyat is protected from
the infectious diseases that are
commonly found in the
South-East Asian region.
On an individual and social
level, the effectiveness of vaccines
means that the majority of the
Malaysian population those aged
below 60 has never seen a severe
form of a disease or a pandemic in
their lifetimes.
The fact that such a large
percentage of the population
is protected creates a form of
indirect immunity in people who
are not immune.
Basically, the disease will
not have a chance to reach the
unvaccinated person who is
surrounded by hundreds or even
thousands of immune people.
This phenomenon is called herd
immunity.
Individuals who cannot become
immune, such as newborn
babies or people with medical
complications that severely
compromise their immune
systems or prevent them from
receiving vaccines, depend on
herd immunity for protection.
However, things are changing.
The anti-vaccination movement
has reached Malaysian shores,
prompting parents to refuse
vaccinations for their children,
YOUR HEALTH 3
Newborn
1 month
2 months
3 months
5 months
6 months
10 months
12 months
18 months
4 years old
7 years old
13 years old
15 years old
Managing
childrens allergies
I
Seeing a specialist
Most parents would bring their
child to a general practitioner,
who should be fully capable of
diagnosing an allergy and advising
parents on how to manage it.
However, allergies are often
not as simple as you think and
it may be quite difficult to even
determine that the child is having
an allergic reaction as opposed
to a cough or cold if you are not a
trained allergist or immunologist,
reveals Dr Amir.
A specialist will be able to
advise parents on the optimal
treatment of the childs allergies
and work with the parents and
child to manage them so that they
have minimal effect on the childs
daily life.
Prevalence
It is unsurprising that parents
worry when their young child falls
ill. However, children naturally fall
ill quite frequently, says Dr Yeoh.
Babies are still protected by
their mothers antibodies for about
four or five months after birth,
so they rarely get sick then. After
Recognising
skin ailments
A RASH on the skin may be
caused by a number of factors
and may be indicative of a
number of problems.
In many children, rashes
are indicative of allergies.
Parents should learn how to
differentiate an allergic rash
from something less harmful
such as a heat or diaper rash.
Diaper rashes are caused by
friction of the skin against the
diaper and the combination of
urine and faecal matter. Heat
rash occurs when there are
high temperatures and the
sweat glands are blocked. Heat
rash goes away when the body
is cooler.
Allergic rashes, such as
eczema, are caused when
the skin comes into contact
with an allergen such as dust
mites or certain foods such as
seafood, peanuts or egg white.
The skin becomes red
and bumpy and starts to itch.
It may also be accompanied
by other symptoms such as
a runny nose and wheezing,
explains Dr Khoo Teng Hock,
consultant paediatrician at
Pantai Hospital Ampang.
Children who are more
prone to allergies atopic
children may have a
hereditary propensity to
allergic skin reactions when
they come into contact with
allergens or insect bites.
Eczema can affect children
of all ages. In babies aged
two to six months, eczema
presents as rashes over the
cheeks and neck. In older
children, the rash can occur on
the outer parts of the arms, on
the elbows and on the legs.
Treatment
The easiest treatment for
allergic eczema is avoidance
of the trigger. This means
that parents and the doctor
must work together to find
out what the child is allergic
to and remove it from the
environment.
Hygiene is also important;
the childs skin should be
properly washed with a gentle
soap to remove any trace of
the allergen.
Use a soap or shower gel
that has the same pH levels
as normal skin, which is
between five and six. Also,
use hypoallergenic cleansers,
moisturisers and other
products on the skin and do
not bathe too often, advises
Dr Khoo.
With eczema, the outer
layer of skin is more prone
to losing moisture, which
contributes to its dry and itchy
state.
The doctor may prescribe
an emollient a moisturiser
to help the skin regain and
retain moisture, he says.
In severe cases, where
there is redness, itchiness and
swelling over the whole body,
the doctor will administer the
emollient and then wrap the
child with bandages to trap
the moisture next to the skin,
In babies aged
two to six
months, eczema
presents as
rashes over
the cheeks and
neck. In older
children the rash
can occur on the
outer parts of
the arms, on the
elbows and on
the legs.
Dr Khoo Teng Hock
he continues.
The itchiness can also be
treated with an antihistamine
and, in extremely severe cases,
with a low to medium potency
steroids.
A child with eczema will be
more susceptible to other skin
infections, such as Staphylococcal
aureus bacteria or viruses such as
herpesvirus, which may enter the
system through the eczema sores.
Common symptoms
of eczema
The inflammation
is usually caused
by viruses,
bacteria and
parasites. If the
source of these
is contaminated
food, the
gastroenteritis
is called food
poisoning. It is
usually caused
by a bacterial
infection.
Dr Shariza Lukman.
times in 24 hours)
l Vomiting
l Bloody stools
l Abdominal pain
The biggest problem in AGE,
however, is not the symptoms
but rather the complications they
cause. Because of the diarrhoea
and vomiting, the child loses
bodily fluids and electrolytes and
may become severely dehydrated.
Severe dehydration can be
dangerous. If the child is less
than six months old and shows
the symptoms of AGE, parents
should seek medical attention
immediately, advises Dr Shariza.
Treatment
In most cases of mild AGE,
oral rehydration salts (ORS) is the
treatment of choice. These contain
a balance of electrolytes, glucose
and minerals and are dissolved in
water and given to the child.
ORS are recommended as a
treatment by the World Health
Organization. Drug therapy is
unnecessary in most cases.
If small children are vomiting,
they will not want or be able to
drink a whole glass at one time,
so parents should give them a few
sips every five minutes to slowly
rehydrate them.
Also continue breast feeding or
giving the child milk, but perhaps
a lesser amount more frequently,
says Dr Shariza.
Signs of dehydration
YOUR HEALTH 5
Management
In many cases, very young
children often outgrow their
asthma.
Many children develop
asthma when very young
because their immune systems
are not developed enough to
fight infections or they just have
very small lungs and airways.
Once their immune system is
Asthma myths
Prevention as treatment
A wholesome
staple food
A
Natural goodness
The hull of brown rice is still intact
with the grain, thus includes the added
nutritional value of the bran and germ that
store plenty of nutrients such as protein,
natural fibre, calcium, vitamin B complex,
plant-based fat and other vitamins and
minerals.
This makes your meals more wholesome
and nutritious when consuming
ecoBrowns unpolished brown rice.
With ecoBrowns
unpolished brown
rice, you can create
healthier, more
wholesome dishes
that boost the
well-being of you and
your family.
Alongside a pleasant and subtle nutty
flavour, brown rice contains natural fibre,
protein, calcium and vitamin B complex
as well as many other vitamins and
minerals.
It is rich in selenium, which reduces the
risk for common illnesses such as cancer,
heart diseases and arthritis.
It also contains antioxidants and
manganese that help the body synthesise
fats. Packed with all this healthy
goodness, brown rice is one of the most
wholesome foods that should be included
in ones diet.
Recipe
Method:
Soak the osmanthus in hot water for about 10 minutes.
Filter the water to remove the petals.
Rinse the brown rice and cashew nuts.
Cut long beans into half-inch pieces and set aside.
Pour sunflower seed oil into the wok and fry the cashew nuts over low heat. Add
the long beans, mushroom grains and carrots. Stir-fry until fragrant and set aside.
Place the rice into rice cooker. Add the osmanthus water, salt and pepper and
switch on to cook.
Combine the cooked rice with cashew nuts and vegetables before serving.
Seasoning
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower seed oil
Method
Heat the sunflower seed oil in a frying pan.
Add brown rice then add mixed nuts.
Stir evenly until cooked. Add salt to taste.
Serve hot with garnish and dishes of your choice.
YOUR HEALTH 7
Dugro 5-Nutri contains protein, vitamin A, lcFOS and DHA, which are nutrients that support the overall
growth of children.
Nurturing a
well-rounded child
D
Brain development
A childs brain undergoes significant
growth in the first three years.
It is no wonder that a young child may
seem like a sponge that absorbs lots of
information.
Nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) are important to support this rapid
growth.
A good supply of
calcium during
childhood is essential
in laying the
foundation for healthy
bones when they enter
adulthood.
In this case, it is important to have the
right amount of vitamin A to support the
immune system as well as maintain good
vision and healthy skin.
Dugro 5-Nutri contains DHA, which is importand for the development of childrens brains.
Ensuring
public health
F
Input
Chemical and
fertiliser supplier
Feed supplier
Seeds supplier
On-farm production
Growing/breeding
Harvesting/slaughtering
Manufacturing
Processing/
packaging
Storage
Transporting
Distribution
Fresh food
Processed food
Based on WHOs
report, unsafe
food is linked to an
estimated two million
deaths worldwide
every year. Diarrhoea
diseases alone kill an
estimated 1.5 million
children annually.
worldwide annually.
Food containing harmful
microorganisms or chemical
substances are responsible for
more than 200 diseases from
diarrhoea to cancer and as our
food supply becomes increasingly
globalised, so do the emerging
threats that come with it.
Among the common harmful
foodborne microorganisms are:
l Bacteria: Salmonella and E. coli
l Parasites: Giardia and
Trichinella
YOUR HEALTH 9
Consumers matter
C
Good Manufacturing
Practices Certification
Food Safety
is the Industry's
Responsibility
Launched in 1998
Guarantee of the
safety of food
products
Launched in 2007
Assists entrepreneurs
to meet the
pre-requisites for the
food industry
Launched in 2012
Assists SME food
entrepreneurs to meet
the requirements of
the Food Hygiene
Regulations 2009
Food safety certifications and campaign by the Food Safety and Quality Division.
Beauty
&Wellness
YOUR HEALTH 11
Beauty
&Wellness
Proper suncare
is important for
children to remain
healthy and happy.
Revitalising
your scalp
T
Smart Reader Worldwide executive director Kevan Ong with some of the Smart
Reader Kids students
Healthy
juices
JUICING is an effective way for
your family members to consume
their minimum daily intake of
fruits and vegetables. By doing
your own juicing, you can ensure
that the contents of your juice
suit your dietary needs as well as
preferred taste.
All juicing is good, but some
methods are better than others.
Although blenders are efficient
in reducing fruits and vegetables
to liquid form, the violent
chopping action of the blades
inside a blender can bruise and
damage produce, destroying good
nutrients.
Additionally, blenders have
a tendency to heat up after
prolonged use, which may cook
and neutralise the enzymes that
you are aiming to obtain from
juicing.
Centrifugal juicers are not
only better at squeezing the
good nutrients out of fruits and
vegetables than blenders, they
also use blades that speedily
chop up the produce.
The friction caused by the
fast blade of these juicers both
oxidises the fruits and vegetables
and cooks the enzymes you can
only get from raw produce.
Masticating juicers (slow
juicers), however, treat produce in
a different way. They move slowly,
using a part called an auger to
gently squeeze juice out of fruits
and vegetables.
The slower action of this
type of juicers preserves the
good nutrients of raw fruits and
vegetables. Because these juicers
squeeze instead of chop, the
friction that causes oxidisation is
kept to a minimum.
Therefore, juices prepared this
way stay good and fresh for longer
periods of time.
NUC Electronics from South
Korea has launched the worlds
first wide-mouth slow juicer
YOUR HEALTH 13
Hirudoid is a Swiss-formulated
product containing an active
ingredient that can help treat
varicose veins.
The active ingredient,
mucopolysaccharide polysulphate
(MPS), dissolves blood clots in
affected veins, improves blood
flow and alleviates symptoms of
varicose veins.
MPS can alleviate the
symptoms by counteracting the
inflammatory responses that
Natural detoxifier
BARLEY grass possesses a higher nutritional
value compared to wheatgrass and has
a wide spectrum of naturally occurring
nutrients available such as vitamins,
proteins, amino acids, enzymes and
minerals.
BarleyGreen nutrition advisor from the
United States, Dr Bob Terry, says that the
nutrients in BarleyGreen have a synergistic
effect. This synergy makes it an ideal
detoxifier, improving peoples
health in a natural and effective
manner.
Superior detoxifying
effect
Dr Terry explains that
among the nutrients available
in BarleyGreen, enzymes
and chlorophyll are the two
substances that possess
detoxifying power.
BarleyGreen contains high
amount of live enzymes of high
quality that neutralise toxins to
their least harmful states.
The toxins present in a human
body may include pesticides, heavy metals,
food additives, preservatives, chemicals and
food colouring.
Antioxidants vs
non-communicable diseases
Free radicals are known to be highly
chemically reactive, found in water and food
and pose a threat to the human body when
they react with cellular components such as
DNA and protein.
This can lead to chronic diseases such
as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and
premature ageing.
Fortunately, antioxidants oppose the
negative effects of free radicals by reducing
the damage it causes to the human body.
Dr Terry says, BarleyGreen contains a
relatively high amount of antioxidants such
as 2-0-GIV, which is a type of flavonoid.
Lowering the
prevalence of diseases
Undoubtedly, fat-laden foods
are the main culprit for arteries
blockage, leading to the
likelihood of various diseases.
BarleyGreen effectively
breaks down the lipids and
cholesterol content in food,
lowering the prevalence of
chronic diseases.
Consumption of alcohol
will increase the level
of acetaldehyde and
propionaldehyde, which are
oxidation products of alcohol in
the blood.
This causes discomfort, hangovers,
headaches and the weakening of liver
function.
Davis Laboratories, a non-destructive
testing service in California, has carried
out studies that show that the presence
of a unique bioflavonoid in BarleyGreen
known as 2-0-GIV helps to suppress the
damage caused by toxins from alcohol on
the human body.
It does this by preventing the formation
of acetaldehyde from alcohol, hence
reducing the unpleasant effect of alcohol in
the body.
Despite the human body having
its own detoxifying system, Dr Terry
believes that with the increasing toxins
in our environment today, our own body
detoxifier will be insufficient to eliminate
all toxins in our body, thus requiring
external resources of the required
enzymes.
Breaking the
cycle of obesity
S
Proven effectiveness
Extended studies have also shown that
oat beta-glucan can assist in weight loss
due to its effects on the digestive system.
Its viscosity in the gut when consumed
gives a feeling of satiety thus suppressing
overeating or cravings.
The same viscosity effect helps reduce
blood cholesterol level by binding dietary
fats and cholesterol in foods to prevent it
from being absorbed into the body.
A study by the University of Toronto,
Canada, discovered that the ability of oat
beta-glucan to lower LDL cholesterol is
related to its molecular weight and viscosity
in the gut.
It was found that consuming 3g of oat
bran cereal per day consisting of highmolecular weight oat beta-glucan lowered
LDL cholesterol by 5%.
Higher molecular weight oat betaglucan (more than 2,200kDa) was shown
to produce higher viscosity effect in the
upper gut (small intestine), thus producing a
greater effect in lowering LDL cholesterol.
Low molecular weight (less than 210kDa)
oat beta-glucan, on the other hand, had
minimal or no effect on LDL cholesterol
level.
Consumers should ensure that they take
the recommended amount of 3g of oat betaglucan a day as well as be aware of whether
Mechanism
Stabilises blood
sugar levels
Promotes
bowel regularity
Keeps you
full for longer
periods
YOUR HEALTH 15
Diabetic retinopathy is
undetectable until the eye
tissues have experienced
considerable damage.
and swells, leading to the damage
of nerves and eye tissues, which
causes vision loss at the later
stage.
Researchers are working
on a treatment for diabetic
retinopathy. Since the 1960s,
bioflavonoids extracted
from French maritime pine
(Pinus pinaster) bark has been
extensively studied for the
benefits of human health. It
consists of a highly bioavailable
antioxidant procyanidins and
phenolic acids patented and
marketed as Pycnogenol.
Up to date, Pycnogenol showed
significant health protection in
diabetes as demonstrated in a
study published in International
Powerful antioxidant
In addition to its role in energy
production, CoQ10 also functions
as a powerful antioxidant by
stabilising cell membranes and
protecting against the damaging
effect of free radicals in the heart.
As an antioxidant, it possesses
the ability to protect low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol from
oxidation in the body, thus aiding
in preventing atherosclerosis.
CoQ10 is a compound that is
naturally made in the body but
can also be obtained from food
source.
Organ meats are among the
richest sources of CoQ10. For
example, beef liver contains
39mg/kg to 50mg/kg of CoQ10
and heart contains 113mg/kg.
Replenishing CoQ10
Although our bodies can
produce a certain amount of
CoQ10, people may experience a
certain degree of deficiency of this
nutrient for various reasons.
Age can be a factor, in