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Electronic cigarettes are a product said to help smokers quit the habit. Is that really the case?

ELECTRONIC cigarettes, which are also known as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and “e-cigs”, are devices that deliver a vaporised mixture of nicotine and other chemicals to the user’s lungs.

Each device has an electronic vaporisation system and controls, rechargeable batteries, and cartridges, which contain varying amounts of liquid nicotine to be vaporised.

Most ENDS also contain propylene glycol, which is an irritant when inhaled.

Some ENDS have flavours that are attractive to the user, and some claim they do not contain nicotine.

Although many ENDS appear like their tobacco counterparts, a match or lighter is not required for its use. All that is needed is for the user to puff on the device, and the ENDS heats up the liquid nicotine, converting it to a vapour, which is inhaled. The user appears to be smoking a cigarette or another tobacco counterpart, but there is no smell because there is no burning.

ENDS have been available in the United States since 2007. It is estimated that there are more than 250 brands available in the US, with different designs and quality, which impact upon the nature and potential danger of the vapour.

As such, it is difficult to put all ENDS in the same basket. There is no information available on the number and types of ENDS available in Malaysia.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tobacco Survey 2011, the prevalence of ENDS smoking in Malaysian adults was 0.8% – an estimated 164,000 people.

It is estimated that about one in five smokers in developed economies have tried the ENDS.

Since the ENDS do not contain tobacco, they are not subject to laws. This means they can be purchased by anyone and can be used in public places.

Safety issues

Manufacturers claim that the nicotine vapour has advantages over traditional cigarette smoking. Some claim that ENDS is beneficial as an alternative to tobacco. However, most manufacturers of ENDS have not made specific claims about the safety of their products.

Health experts and regulators worldwide are unsure about the safety or otherwise of the ENDS. Questions are being asked about the possible risks of inhaling nicotine vapour to the user and the public.

The jury is still out on the safety of ENDS. There is insufficient information from scientific studies available to make definitive conclusions about its safety.

by Dr Milton Lum.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Columnists/The-Doctor-Says/Profile/Articles/2013/12/01/esmoke-stoke-controversy.aspx

A nurse attending to a diabetic patient at the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

PETALING JAYA: The number of diabetics is continuing to rise and the more worrying statistic is that the disease is claiming more younger Malaysians as among its victims.

The most recent National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) shows that almost double those in the 30 to 39 age group were afflicted with the disease compared to five years earlier in 2006.

With one-in-five adult Malaysians over 30 already a diabetic, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subra­maniam said this situation could impact the economy and lower quality of life, particularly when complications of the disease set in.

“The fact that it is affecting younger people, which in turn has an effect on productivity as well as the economy, is very worrying. It also leads to a lower quality of life,” he said.

Some 2.6 million adult Malaysians aged 18 and above are diabetics and this figure is projected to hit 4.5 million by 2020, according to the 2011 NHMS.

The survey also shows an increasing number of diabetic patients across all age groups – almost doubling from 4.9% (in the 2006 survey) to 9.4% for those aged between 30 and 34 years, and from 6.4% to 10.9% for those between 35 and 39.

For those in the 40 to 44 age group, the increase is from 10.3% to 17.6%; and those between 45 and 49 – from 15% to 20.6%.

by Audrey Edwards.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/11/14/Diabetics-getting-younger-Disease-to-affect-productivity-and-quality-of-life-in-the-long-run.aspx

PETALING JAYA: We all know of someone who is diagnosed with diabetes. In a 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey, it was estimated that 2.6 million Malaysians are affected by the disease.

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the world, and sadly, there is no cure for this chronic and often deadly disease. In conjunction with World Diabetes Day, we explore 10 hard facts about diabetes.

1.   Eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas completely stops making any insulin (a hormone that helps the body process glucose in foods for energy). Scientists suspect environmental factors, viruses or genetics playing a role in a person developing type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is caused when the body doesn’t produce sufficient insulin and/or is unable to use insulin properly. This form of diabetes usually happens in people over 40 years of age, overweight, and has a history of diabetes in their family.

2.  You cannot catch diabetes from someone else

You cannot catch diabetes from someone else like a cold or flu; it is not an infectious or contagious disease. Although scientists are not entirely sure what causes diabetes, there appears to be a genetic link with the disorder. This means that if diabetes runs in your family, you may have a higher chance of getting the disease.

3.  Fat people do not always develop diabetes

There are diabetics who are never overweight

Being overweight or obese does increase the risk of developing but it does not mean that an obese person will definitely become diabetic. And there are still many diabetics who were never overweight.

by Victoria Brown.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/11/10/diabetes-10-hard-facts.aspx

EPIDEMIC is a scary word. In our minds, we picture people falling sick in increasingly large numbers, often resulting in deaths, as a contagious disease races indiscriminately through the population.

What terrifies us are the rapidity and randomness of infection, and the difficulty in containing the spread of the disease. That kind of fear commands our undivided attention and compels us to change our behaviour.

So why is it hard for us to see diabetes in the same way?

It is not mere wordplay when the Health Ministry says there is an epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCD), including diabetes. It is also telling that the Government chose diabetes as the entry point for Malaysia’s response to the NCD epidemic.

The Ministry’s National Strategic Plan for NCD, a 2010 document, says cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and their related complications “pose a real and significant threat to Malaysia”.

There are numbers to support that. When the National Health and Mor­bidity Survey was conducted for the first time in 1986, it reported a prevalence of diabetes of 6.3%. That number kept rising, reflecting the change in our eating habits and lifestyle choices.

The fourth survey in 2011 revealed that 20.8% of Malaysians above 30 had diabetes, while the prevalence in those above 18 was 15.2%.

The World Health Organisation has projected that Malaysia will have 2.48 million people with diabetes by 2030. Apparently, we are way ahead of the curve. Based on the 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey, at least 2.6 million adults in the country already have diabetes.

That figure was cited in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s Budget 2014 speech last month, when he announced that sugar would cost more.

“Statistics indicate that 2.6 million Malaysians aged 30 and above are diabetic. If left untreated, patients will face various complications such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

The Star Says.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Columnists/The-Star-Says/Profile/Articles/2013/11/10/Stopping-a-Malaysian-epidemic-called-diabetes.aspx

IF you’re a fan of natural health products, a new study suggests using caution – Canadian researchers have found that “the majority” of herbal products on the market contain ingredients not listed on the label.

Researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario used DNA barcoding technology to test 44 herbal products sold by 12 companies, finding nearly 60% of the products contained other plants or herbs not listed on the label.

More than 20% contained fillers such as rice, soybeans, and wheat, also not listed on the label. Only two of the companies provided authentic products without any substitutions, the researchers said.

All of the products tested are available in both the US and Canada, with some available throughout Europe, head researcher Dr Steven Newmaster, an integrative biology professor and botanical director of the Guelph-based Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, told Relaxnews. “This is a global issue as we are now testing products from around nearly every continent.”

Findings were published online Friday, October 11, in the journal BMC Medicine.

“Contamination and substitution in herbal products present considerable health risks for consumers,” Newmaster said. “We found contamination in several products with plants that have known toxicity, side effects and/or negatively interact with other herbs, supplements, and medications.”

One product labeled as St John’s wort, used to treat depression, contained Senna alexandrina, a plant with laxative properties. Unlike St John’s wort, it is not intended for prolonged use and can cause chronic diarrhoea and even liver damage, the researchers warned.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/Alternatives/2013/10/14/Herbal-products-contain-too-many-unlisted-ingredients.aspx

KUALA LUMPUR: The higher price of sugar may not lead to lower number if diabetics, said the Association of Muslim Restaurant Operators Malaysia.

Its president, Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed, said there was no direct correlation between the price of sugar and the disease.

“Sugar is just one factor out of many that contribute to diabetes.

“Diabetes is connected to one’s lifestyle, not purely by sugar intake.

“Schools should take part in raising the awareness on diabetes as Malaysians are still clueless on the importance of healthy living.”

He was commenting on the government’s move to abolish sugar subsidy in the 2014 Budget.

He felt the implementation should have been introduced in stages.

“The people are still adapting to the recent fuel price hike.

“It is not the right time to further burden them with a sudden increment of 34 sen.”

He said the abolition of sugar subsidy would not necessarily result in higher food prices, though he cautioned that it might happen if manufacturers increased the prices of processed food.

“Canned drinks, condensed milk and syrup are just a few examples of many sugar-based products that are used in restaurants.

“If the prices of these items go up, restaurants will have no choice but to raise their prices, too.”

BAGS of sugar were “flying” off the shelves in supermarkets and shops soon after it was announced that subsidy on the item would be abolished.

The directive takes effect today.

In George Town, Sun-shine Square Bayan Baru supermarket manager Loo Toon Hean said 188 packets of 500gm sugar were sold within an hour of the announcement.

“Most of the buyers I recognised as hawkers and coffee shop operators, who snapped up as many packets as they could,” said Loo.

He had not expected such a last-minute rush for sugar.

“We are prepared as we have a few thousand packets of sugar in stock,” he said when contacted.

Fomca secretary-general Datuk Paul Selvaraj (pic) said they supported doing away with sugar subsidies but they had hoped it would be done in a gradual manner.

“Our concern is the multiplier effect this will cause on the prices of food because sugar is used in many items,” he said.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the move was long overdue.

“The money saved by the Government from the subsidies can be channelled to help the poor.”

National Kidney Foun-dation chairman Datuk Dr Zaki Morad lauded the subsidy removal, saying that diabetes was the most common cause of end-stage kidney failure.

Almost 60% of patients on dialysis were diabetics, he said.

“We can save on a lot of money on complications that could arise if we control diabetes better,” he said, adding that incentives for healthy lifestyle should also be promoted.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/10/26/Subsidy-removal-sparks-sugar-rush-Traders-make-lastminute-grab-before-price-increase.aspx

A TOTAL of 397 food poisoning episodes, involving 9,777 cases, were reported nationwide between January and September.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said 214 (54 per cent) episodes involving 6,795 cases (69 per cent) saw students as victims.

“The incidents were caused by contaminated raw meat, food left uneaten for more than four hours, bad cooking process or meat undercooked causing bacteria to breed and unhygienic food preparation methods,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Studies show that an active lifestyle is the most effective, non-pharmaceutical way towards healthy ageing and long life.

Let us learn from Japan, which currently has the highest number of people over 100 years old. These centenarians have been active throughout their lives, with physical activity levels higher than their peers. – AFP

WHAT makes us age, and can we do anything about it? Looking at the rapidly increasing number of older adults around the world, these burning questions cause sleepless nights for many among us.

Researchers, and even governments, are interested in the formula for a long and healthy life.

So, what are the answers?

Generally, the complex ageing process boils down to our genetic code and lifestyle.

While we cannot do much when it comes to our genes, we have a strong say in how we live our lives.

Researchers have shown that despite the belief that the way we eat plays a major role in how well we age, the secret ingredients are not smoking and doing physical activity.

Further studies even conclude that an active lifestyle is the most effective, non-pharmaceutical way towards healthy ageing and long life.

Interestingly, this is not a really new concept, as the dangers of inactivity were acknowledged by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428-348 A.D.) when he urged his people to exercise in order to maintain their health.

Nineteenth-century British physicians concluded that beds and graves fall in the same category, highlighting the strong health impact of being physically “lazy”.

In recent years, scientists wanted to know whether this anecdotal evidence could be backed up with research results. And after many studies, it is clear that physical activity can indeed increase life expectancy.

by Andre Muller and Dr Selina Khoo.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2013/10/13/Tips-for-a-long-healthy-life.aspx

SINGAPORE: Malaysians are among people from four other countries who are not doing enough weight-bearing exercise to maintain bone health.

A new consumer research commissioned by Fonterra to mark World Osteoporosis Day today found that many Asians are not doing enough to look after their bone health.

The research stated that many people across five Asian countries surveyed – Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philip­pines – were not getting the recommended level of exercise, with 68% of Indonesians and 63% of Singaporeans exercising less than three times a week, and only one in three Filipinos exercising a few times a month, or less.

People need at least 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise three times a week, as well as a balanced diet rich in calcium, protein and vitamin D to maintain healthy bones.

Furthermore, 30% of Malaysians and 24% of Filipinos are not getting enough calcium through their daily diet and 70% of Singaporeans and 73% of Filipinos do not know how much calcium they should be consuming on a daily basis.

Fonterra nutritionist, Joanne Todd, said the results showed that more needed to be done to raise awareness across the region on the role of diet and exercise in maintaining healthy bones.

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has predicted that half the world’s osteoporotic hip fractures will occur in Asia by 2050 and suggested that low calcium intake is a key contributing factor.

Read more @ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/10/20/Malaysians-not-doing-enough-to-maintain-bone-health.aspx