Friday, April 25, 2008
BAD BREATH
Bad Breath is something that is not welcome. If there is bad breath, quickly find a cure for it.
GETTING RID OF BAD BREATH
Question:
I'd like to find out about chronic bad breath and if there's a cure for it.
Answer:
The main cause of bad breath is ineffective oral hygiene and periodontal disease (gum disease). The accumulation of bacteria and bacterial degradation products result in the formation of volatile sulphur compounds which are believed to be one of the main sources of bad breath.
Smoking has been found to be one of the risk factors of periodontal disease. If the cause is of oral origin, effective oral hygiene, including cleaning the tongue and control of periodontal disease, would improve the situation.
There may also be systemic causes of bad breath. These may include certain oral medications which cause a dry mouth. People with diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, end stage renal problems and respiratory tract infections may also experience the problem.
Associate Professor Lim Lum Peng
Labels: bad breath
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Vitamin Overdose
Beware of vitamin overdose
Thanks Mind Your Body for this meaningful and awareness article.
Popping supplements indiscriminately may be a health risk. For example, large amounts of vitamin B6 in the body can lead to loss of feeling in the arms and legs.
Ms Karen Wright, 40, a dietitian, does not take vitamins or mineral supplements.
Neither do her twin boys, 10, and daughter, nine. What they do take is a supplement containing Omega-3 fatty acids, as studies indicate that they may support brain and heart health.
When it comes to vitamin and mineral supplements, Ms Wright echoes the oft-repeated sensible advice about relying on a healthy and varied diet. She remains suspicious of mega doses of single vitamins and minerals as 'we simply don't know enough' about the long-term results of such supplementation.
Many Singaporeans don't agree. The Straits Times recently reported how latest figures from the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore (HSIAS) showed that Singaporeans spent $374 million on health supplements in 2006.
The lure of the multivitamin pill, antioxidants and other magic bullets that promise to fix your skin and give you better health is still strong.
The current expenditure on supplements represents about a 42 per cent jump from the figure for 2003. According to HSIAS, the market is growing at 12 to 15 per cent a year.
Most popular supplements
So what are the supplements that Singaporeans spend most of their money on? Multivitamins and bone supplements such as calcium and glucosamine, according to the report.
Most health professionals agree that a single multivitamin pill a day is not harmful and can act as a sort of insurance policy.
According to Dr Peter Eng, consultant endocrinologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, a person whose diet includes lots of fruits and vegetables generally does not need additional vitamin supplements.
On the other hand, if your diet is poor in fruits and vegetables, a vitamin supplement may be helpful, he said.
The problem begins when people who are already chronically ill or who are on medication start taking a cocktail of high-dose supplements.
For instance, people with liver and kidney problems, cancer or other degenerative diseases may need to seek specialist opinion before they start a new supplement.
The Food Standard Agency in Britain has a list of supplements that are potentially harmful. For example, high doses of the mineral chromium picolinate may cause cancer and daily doses of vitamin B6 exceeding 10mg over many years may lead to loss of feeling in the arms and legs.
It also cautions that some substances may have irreversible harmful effects if taken for long periods at the highest doses.
Smokers and those exposed to asbestos should not take beta-carotene and vitamin E as it may increase their chances of developing cancer. People who drink more than the recommended amounts of alcohol and take high doses of vitamin A may run the risk of developing liver problems.
Popping multiple supplements is also considered risky.
'There is very little data on how these supplements interact and about their long-term effects on the body,' Ms Wright said.
When a patient with a health issue does seek her advice on dietary matters and supplementation, she does a thorough assessment of what they eat.
'Usually, its best to look at your diet first and see how you can get the maximum nutrients from there,' she said.
The bottom line seems to be: Pills and potions can only 'supplement' an already good diet, not replace it. Also, food is a complex mixture of nutrients absorbed by the body and pills simply cannot provide that.
If you must take a pill, said MsWright, choose one standard multivitamin and stick with it and re-think your daily fistful of supplements.
Labels: b6, multivitamin, overdose, supplements
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Childbirth and Parenting - 1
Planning for baby's arrival
In the first of a six-part series on childbirth and parenting, we explore the need for a 'birth plan'
Childbirth may be the most natural thing but every expectant couple has their own fears and anxieties about this life-changing event.
Enter the birth plan, a blueprint of sorts that a couple can draw up to decide how and where the birth should occur.
Dr Kenneth Lee, consultant gynaecologist at The Women's Clinic, said having a birth plan can give couples a better sense of what to expect. Options include water birth, natural vaginal birth without pain medication, natural vaginal birth with medication or Caesarean (C-section), and elective C-section.
In Singapore, the majority of women go to the hospital to have their babies delivered. According to recent reports, the rate of C-section births in Singapore is among the highest in the world at 30per cent. The World Health Organisation has advised that the rate should not exceed 15 per cent. Studies show that the risk of major complications with a C-section birth is three to five times higher than vaginal birth.
Dr Lee said that C-section births are generally safe and are necessary in a number of pregnancies. They are usually chosen by older mothers or those who might be facing other health issues.
However, many also choose to deliver by C-section for non-medical reasons, such as ease of scheduling or a desire to engineer the baby's birth on a particular day. Dr Lee warns that surgery is not risk-free and that recovery time will be longer than that of a normal vaginal birth.
Birthing options can be controversial, though every choice comes with its pros and cons. Natural birth enthusiasts cite research that says babies born by elective C-section might miss out on hormonal and physiological changes during labour which help mature the lungs. They also point out that 'episiotomy', a procedure where doctors cut the perineum (the area between the vagina and anus) to facilitate the baby's emerging head, is not as harmless as previously thought.
Research shows that natural tears heal faster than those in an episiotomy.
While some camps argue in favour of completely natural births, others feel surgery might be the safest way to go. Dr Lee believes it's a case of different strokes for different folks.
Many women feel comforted by the presence of a midwife or a doula, for instance. A doula is someone who acts as a labour supporter and offers the pregnant woman and her partner reassurance and practical assistance.
Given all these options, a birth plan lets women think them through: Natural or C-section? Epidural or bear the pain? Episiotomy or natural tear?
This is where a local outfit called ParentLink comes in. Run by trained doulas who are mothers themselves, it offers childbirthing classes and help with birth plans.
Ms Tania Grose-Hodge, a certified childbirth educator, doula trainer and mother of three girls, is an Australian who has made Singapore her home for the past 15 years.
At ParentLink, doulas spend a lot of time with mothers-to-be writing a birth plan, teaching them how to be direct without being aggressive.
However, birth plans are not rigid. They allow for changes in case labour does not go normally and can have contingencies written in.
'We don't promote any one approach as better. We are not against medical intervention. We are here to support the woman through the process that she chooses, which might work best for her,' MsGrose-Hodge said.
Mind Your Body
Shefali Srinivas
Labels: childbirth, parenting
