My Health Screening

After much procrastination, I finally feel compelled to get myself a thorough medical check-up. My last health check-up was in 2008. I should be getting a medical check-up once in two years but you know, I was just too paranoid of the cold hospital atmosphere, test results, and the smell of medicines. So a week ago, I made appointment with the executive health screening centre at Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) and finally I am getting it done after much persuasion by mom and in case before my body decides to surprise me. This will be my first attempt to a healthy living style effort.

The hospital itself was a house of award-winning class, complete sophisticated medical systems, cutting-edge technologies and experienced doctors. I was obliged to go health screening at SDMC not simply because as a Sime Darby staff but I believed in the outstanding healthcare services. Through the experiences of other colleagues, I was told as soon as we walk through the doors, you are no longer a patient. They treat us as a whole person beyond just looking after our illness and after-care. I guess it will not be a mistake once we choose SDMC as our loyal healthcare provider although it can be quite pricey.

As I walk into the reception lounge, I handed in my GL letter and was asked to take a seat. The waiting can be painful at times but I was assured it won’t take that long. Besides, filling up personal information and getting my consent for additional test, my height, weight measurements and eyesight were taken. Then, it all began with blood and urine samples drawn. I was led from one room to another, each for various type of test stated in our health screening programme. All in all, the entire check-up took me about half a day.

At the end of the check-up, the nurse told me that I can collect my results the following day which surprised me. It was quite efficient and I get to pick a consultant to explain my results. I had no idea of all the doctors listed in their list but I chose Dr Ashoka Menon who is a distinguished consultant. The most daunting part of the check-up is the results. A lot of questions went through my head of what will be my state of health. It made me slightly nervous as I have not done any check-up in the span of 3 years!

After what seemed like an eternity, I was called in to see Dr Ashoka who did some check-up on my nervous system and sat down to explain the outcome of my medical check-up. He gave me a clean bill of health although my hemoglobin level is slightly lower than the required range. It was normal for women like me whom menstruate and prescribed me some iron pills for it.

Wow. So glad and relieved that I did it before I reach my thirties and vow to exercise health screening once in every 2 years. And I have since been more conscious and informed about my diet.

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away?

This is a saying that has stayed on with us for many years. If I am not mistaken, it is believed to have originated from an ancient Roman proverb. The Romans truly believed that apples had magical powers to cure illnesses. It sounds cliché to me for years I grew up hearing it every now and then. Of lately my mom has been convincingly packing an apple together with my lunch as a snack to munch on daily. So this is when I started hearing the cliché again when I give her a cold stare each time I catch a glimpse of the fruit tucked in my thermos bag. 

Obviously, deep in my heart, I believe that apples are full of wellness factors for health. And knowing me well, my mom has to coerce me into eating fruits every day. I am fussy in choosing my food, fruits and whatever I consume. I pick fruits like berries, grapes, mangoes, watermelon, banana, kiwis, but tend to avoid certain gifted fruits like apple, oranges, pear, dragon fruits so on and so forth. Why? Simply because I have got bored eating these fruits since it has been there on my fruit basket every other day without fail that I became tired of it (And I am just lazy to peel the skin off partly). That’s very classic of me.

So what’s in an apple that screams out wonders compared to the rest? Since I do read a lot, I remember reading about healthy eating articles that highlighted the wonders of apples. Will you believe if I say that apples have many proven nutritional health values all in just one fruit?  Have you ever wondered how? So I guess the more conceivable reason for the saying lies in the core of what the fruit contains. Apples have properties that no other fruits have and its benefits have been proven overtime. Of course one can dispute the fact by saying that you can get all the benefits of these properties in other fruits. Why only apples? But an apple combines every nutritional value in just one fruit and makes it simpler. So you don’t need running up and down the fruit stores to get assorted fruits with different nutrients to cater your needs.

So, it rang in my mind that the next time when I am tempted to pass over the juicy apple to someone else, I will make it a point to remember the following miraculous properties it has that are worth considering for a quick bite:

1. Vitamic C - Apples are full with vitamin C which is good for our skin, gums and immune system. One apple is said to provide one-fourth of your daily requirement of vitamin C!

2. Pectin - It contains this natural chemical which has been found to help lower blood cholesterol levels and keep the digestive system healthy

3. Flavonoids – Apples are rich in these antioxidants which can prevent coronary and cardiovascular heart diseases

4. Polyphenols – It has the properties to reduce bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol

5. B-Complex vitamins - help as co-factors for enzymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body

Apples are low in calories and therefore eating an apple when you have cravings for unhealthy candies, tidbits or chocolates will replace the desire for artificial sugar intake.  It is also believed to prevent cancers, contribute to a healthier lung and above all reduce risk of stroke. Another feather in its cap! No wonder that the ancient Romans were convinced that the apple had magical powers to cure illnesses.

Remember, the principle of an apple a day keeps the doctor away is something worth considering and that is why I don’t reject my apples anymore. At the end of the day, my mom knows what matters is a healthy living and balanced diet that will keep us healthy and we may kiss bye to all those unwanted illnesses. So what are you waiting for, get your daily dose of healthy food.

P.s. Besides my husband has been another encouragement. He has been eating apples for dinner and he seems to be fitter these days. Thank you honey for convincing me and to my mom for her constant effort to influence me into eating healthily, I must say I love you both. (Source: Google)

Apple gadgets can do the magic too..Ha-ha

It's That Time of the Month…

“It’s that time of the month” is the most unfair reason hurled at women when they are found to be cranky or ill-tempered. But it is not all the time when the red flag is up, women become emotionally subtle and cantankerous. Most often than not, women do show signs of irrationality during their pre-menstrual period. If your girlfriend come down a little too hard on you for a trivial mistake or your sister freaks out and become more than usual sensitive over absolutely nothing; Oh maybe it is that time of the month where the red flag is coming up! 

When God created women, he wanted us to be special with strength to carry the burden of the world yet gentle and caring. One of the blessings is the gift to produce and nurture a living soul in the realm of motherhood. We are his beautiful creation in this world. For ages, women’s biology remains as an exceptional gift to bring a new life into the world. And therefore menstruating process is one manifestation of it that reminds us as we go through the period every month. Aside from the physical pains that we go through –backaches, bodily discomfort, fatigue, cramps etc, menstruation can really knock us down emotionally. Out of blue, a gamut of emotional outburst which is unexplainable sweeps us off balance. As a women that have endured both the physical and emotional manifestation of period, most often than not I am slapped with questions that nearly impossible for me to comprehend and what more can I explain to others around me.

There’s nothing worse than feeling dreadful and you know why but incapable to ease the feeling. Generally, since the onset of my period, I have struggled with PMS manifestation for years and the feeling sinks the week before my period appears. It’s nightmarish not only to me but even to those around me who knows me from near. I become very emotional at the drop of a pin, I get so stressed that I find myself quieter than usual and confine myself to solitary space and worst of all, anxiety slaps me. The mood swings tears apart my composure and sometimes my mind wonders, “what’s wrong with me?” To be frank, I could imagine meaningless things about everything under the sky. The next thing I knew, I am back to normal. Funny, right? But that’s how it goes for me when it’s that time of the month. I call this regular spells that I have taken a control of it. But somehow it gets out of my hands occasionally.  

So how do I explain this scientifically? Well, it is simple. PMS manifestation is associated to our neurotransmitter, serotonin’s interaction with estrogen levels in our body. Therefore days prior to shedding of the uterus lining, our body’s beta-endorphin levels declines significantly. Now this answers to all the complicated emotional outburst that we go through.

There is nothing one can do to stop the feeling.  Just wait for it to leave and try not to wallow ourselves and pull through it slowly. Sometimes I may find difficult to get out of bed in the morning. But somehow I keep myself strong and drag myself out of bed and make it to work. Don’t you think that PMS bring about confusion to our life? It sure does.

Of course I have tried all I could to ease the pain and symptoms but it is still a culprit. And to make things worse, daily stresses of life adds up to it. Men should try to understand that women has high tolerance level to cope with all the stress and kiss away the troubles but not at this time of the month as we are controlled by our hormones level that leads to our irate behavior. So if you can’t lend a hand to them, might as well do not hurt them.

Perhaps a warm hug and words of affection may keep them in spirit.