Health & Living

Health News Digest: Is Coconut Oil ‘Pure Poison’?

27 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. According to Karin Michels, an epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan school of public health, coconut oil is &lsqu...

Doctor in the House: Where Are The Neurosurgeons?

24 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. At the recent World Federation of Neuro...

Why Is My Child Struggling In School (Part 2): Learning Disabilities

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing the conversation on how children learn, we talk to consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, and educational psycholog...

Is Malaysia Ready for Social Health Insurance?

21 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has announced that the Health Ministry is at the final stage of discussions to implement an insurance scheme for th...

Health News Digest: Female Scientists Losing Out

20 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. The conversation on gender bias in the sciences continues. Data shows 90% of engineering and physical sciences fun...

Doctor in the House: Innovations in Healthcare

17 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Prof Dr Vickneswaran joins him this wee...

Public Health #8: Allied Health

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The medical profession isn’t just about doctors and nurses. There is a large and diverse group of science-based professionals, called allied hea...

Brain Waves #17: Exergaming

15 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On Brain Waves this month, Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar is joined by Dr Maziah Mat Rosly to discuss exergaming. Dr Maziah been working on the exergaming stu...

Living with COPD

14 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Are you constantly coughing or wheezing? Do you get breathless all the time? These could be signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whi...

Common Concerns #2: Fruits and Feet

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In our callers’ segment, we address some of your most pressing health concerns with some help from the experts. No case is too trivial. This wee...

Health News Digest: Physician’s Pledge vs LGBT

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. A Nur Illyani Mohamed Nawawi, who claimed to be a physician, insinuated that blood from LGBT donors are suspect, a...

Health News Digest: Tokyo Medical University Cuts Women’s Results

13 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Tokyo Medical University has been manipulating the entrance test results of women for years, while the scores of s...

Doctor in the House: B40 Insurance & Health Screenings for Politicians

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Joining him this week is Dr Helmy Haja ...

Skim Peduli Rakyat

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye announced that an insurance scheme for the B40 group will be tabled in October. He said the proposal could pro...

Mindfulness and Your Purpose

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Subba brings three decades of executive leadership experience and practice of yoga and meditation to coach leaders in mindfulness, self-discovery and ...

Air Retrieval Medicine

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When a disaster strikes, one of the first on the scene will be the retrieval medicine team – the team of critical care specialists who respond i...

Getting a Grip on Hand and Wrist Problems

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Our hands and wrists enable a wide range of functional movements in our daily routines. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh explains the co...

Common Concerns #1: HFMD & Sunscreen

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In our callers’ segment, we address some of your most pressing health concerns with some help from the experts. No case is too trivial. In our i...

Health News Digest: Rogue Healthcare

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Last week, The Star reported cases of bullying and harassment of doctors in public hospitals. We track this develo...

Health News Digest: Doula Director

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Last week, Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said his ministry will meet with doula practitioners in an effort to...

Doctor in the House: Why Are Infectious Childhood Diseases on the Rise?

03 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. With news this week that at least one c...

Adult ADHD

02 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How many of you are struggling at work right now, due to problems like being disorganised, easily distracted, restless and unable to follow directions...

Crippled By Anxiety

01 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We all feel anxious and worried at times. However, if you are constantly swamped by an excessive amount of anxiety in seemingly normal situations, you...

A Balanced Approach to Breastfeeding

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Tomorrow marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week from 1-7 August. The conversation around breastfeeding has become so heated that there are two ex...

Health & Living Live 2018 Part 5 of 5: Intimacy in the Digital Age

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In our rapidly changing world, robotic lovers from the realms of science fiction are becoming a reality. Is this the future of intimacy? Technology is...

Scaling Up Hepatitis C Treatment

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has just announced a partnership in collab...

Doctor in the House: Finding the Missing Millions with Hepatitis

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Worldwide, 300 million people are livin...

Why Is My Child Struggling In School (part 1): Different LearningAbilities

26 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As children in government schools face the mid-year exam period, their parents are facing sleepless nights and stress over exam preparation. Consultan...

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease: What’s Causing the Outbreak?

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In recent weeks, hand, foot and mouth disease cases have risen sharply nationwide, exceeding warning levels in almost all states. Over 35,000 cases of...

Brain Waves #16: The Dishonest Brain

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Why do people lie? And what makes a good liar? A recent study says that there may be a biological reason to that. The paper, published in Nature Neuro...

How Deadly are Head and Neck Cancers?

24 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nosebleeds, chronic pain in the neck or throat, unusual bleeding in the mouth – these are some of the many symptoms of head and neck cancers. Ho...

Health & Living Live 2018 Part 4 of 5: Growing Old is a Gift

23 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Living longer does not always equate to better quality of life. Malaysia will be an ageing nation by 2035, and psychological and physical barriers may...

Doctor in the House: Beyond the Penis and Prostate

20 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. The only time we talk about men’s...

Neuro Rehab #4: Today’s Technology for Neuro Rehab

19 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 4 of 4, Dr Foong Chee Choong and Yapp Nyim Tze of Sunway Medical Centre discuss how technology has improved rehabilitation for stroke and neur...

Neuro Rehab #3: Rehab Evolution

18 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 3 of 4, Dr Foong Chee Choong and Yapp Nyim Tze of Sunway Medical Centre share how rehab for stroke and neuro patients has evolved over the yea...

Doctors to the Rescue

18 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The whole world has been watching the rescue of the 12 Thai boys and their coach, who had been trapped in the Tham Luang cave network in northern Thai...

Neuro Rehab #2: Rehab Medicine

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 2 of 4, Dr Foong Chee Choong and Yapp Nyim Tze of Sunway Medical Centre explain rehab medicine for stroke and neuro patients.See omnystudio.co...

Damaged Nerves – A Forgotten Diabetic Complication

17 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A painful nerve damage can be caused by chronically high blood sugar and diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy actually accounts for hospitalisation more freq...

Neuro Rehab #1: Stroke and Neurological Disorders

16 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 1 of 4, Dr Foong Chee Choong and Yapp Nyim Tze of Sunway Medical Centre introduce stroke and other neurological disorders that they encounter ...

Public Health #7: Mental Health

11 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mental health is inseparable from overall health and quality of life. However, the statistics on mental health problems are alarming: the World Health...

Sniffly and Sneezy

10 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When you have a stuffy or runny nose, it affects your entire well-being. Sinus problems and nasal allergies are among the most common conditions that ...

Health & Living Live 2018 Part 2 of 5: Quality End-of-Life Cancer Care

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Four out of 10 Malaysians will require end-of-life care, and it’s estimated that 40 per cent of that figure will be made up of patients sufferin...

Trapped in the Caves

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, 2nd July, international rescue divers found the Thai football team that had been trapped in the Tham Luang cave network since 23rd June. Th...

Psychiatry Series: The Caregiver’s Journey

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you are providing care or support for someone with a mental health condition, you are probably struggling with a lot of challenges yourself. It can...

Psychiatry Series: The Caregiver’s Journey

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you are providing care or support for someone with a mental health condition, you are probably struggling with a lot of challenges yourself. It can...

Gender and Sex: Are They The Same?

04 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gender, sex, sexuality and intimacy – these words seem to mean the same thing, but actually define very different aspects of our gender and sexu...

Najib: Trial by Social Media

04 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Former Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak was arrested by the MACC yesterday. As we follow the ongoing news, we’re also looking at how s...

Posture: The Root of all Problems

03 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We all have jobs that take a toll on our posture – whether it’s sitting hunched over a computer or on our feet all day. Consultant orthopa...

Health & Living Live 2018 Part 1 of 5: The Cost of Low-Cost Healthcare

02 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Malaysian healthcare system has a public sector that is heavily subsidised, alongside a user-charged private sector. New drugs and new methods in ...

Appointment of Deputy Health Minister

29 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has confirmed that Dr Lee Boon Chye (PKR-Gopeng) has agreed to take up the post of Deputy Health Minister. We speak...

Are Our Food Handlers Spreading Diseases?

29 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this month, the Human Resource Ministry announced its plans to ban foreign cooks in food establishments by January 2019. In one reaction, a na...

Rotten, Rude Children

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Is modern life, including our incessant use of technology, raising a generation of rude children? Consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sar...

Support. Don’t Punish.

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The war on drugs has failed us. We need drug policies that prioritise health and human rights, instead of criminalising drug users. In conjunction wit...

Autoimmune Diseases

26 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Your immune system is supposed to protect your body from disease-causing organisms. However, when something goes wrong, your immune system can turn on...

Health News Digest: Gaming Addiction a Disease?

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. For the first time, WHO has included gaming addiction as a disease in its latest International Classification of D...

Health News Digest: Children in Cages

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. At least 2,000 children have been separated from their parents under US President Donald Trump’s “zero...

Health News Digest: Post-Partum Problems

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Sinar Harian reported that mother in Maran, Pahang, slashed the throat of her two-year-old son, allegedly while ha...

Doctor in the House: (Belated) World Blood Donor Day

22 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. In conjunction with World Blood Donor D...

Treatment For All: Addressing the Cancer Equity Gap

21 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We have come to accept cancer as part of our daily vocabulary. But we shouldn’t be complacent about the fact that cancer kills 4.3 million peopl...

Cardiovascular Wellness of Athletes

20 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Athletes are often perceived as fit, healthy and well. But is that really true? What underlying medical conditions could harm the careers of athletes,...

Healthcare Under Siege

19 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In March, between 15,000 and 30,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip took part in the Great March of Return, a protest against the blockade of the Gaza ...

Health News Digest: Cracker test

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Eating a cracker can tell you how well your body digests carbs, according to BBC.See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Health News Digest: The Rice Dilemma

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Can rice and other similar carbs make children hyperactive? We investigate the effects of sugar on the behavior or...

Brain Waves #15: Super-Ager

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

All humans experience some cognitive decline as they age but how is it that some people in their 80s and beyond still have memory capacity of those 30...

Public Health #6: KPIs for the Health Minister

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The new Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad assumed office three weeks ago and he already has his plate full. In the sixth episode of our Public Health...

Have You Thought About Killing Yourself?

12 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The deaths of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and handbag designer Kate Spade have resurfaced the difficult topic of suicide. One of the questions we ...

Health News Digest: Judged by Doctors

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. A woman’s lung cancer was missed because doctors kept telling her to lose weight. We look at discriminatory ...

Health News Digest: Psychology’s Replication Crisis

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Researchers in the field of psychology have discovered that their findings can’t be replicated. We ask: is i...

Health News Digest: How Crowdfunding Works

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. Tabung Harapan collected RM31.4mil within five days of being launched. What is the psychology behind the act of gi...

Doctor in the House: Personalising Breast Cancer Treatment

08 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Recent news that about 70% of women wit...

Psychiatry Series: Is Burnout a Form of Depression?

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you feel completely exhausted, hopeless and lonely at work, you may be experiencing burnout. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Rabin Gonzaga addresses thi...

Psychiatry Series: Is Burnout a Form of Depression?

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you feel completely exhausted, hopeless and lonely at work, you may be experiencing burnout. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Rabin Gonzaga addresses thi...

Questioning The Dogma of Evidence

05 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When you are ill, what do you want your medical advice to be based on: scientific evidence or someone’s personal belief? Current scientific dogm...

Health News Digest: How the Deaf Enjoy Concerts

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. This week, the theme is ‘Against The Odds’. Deaf or hearing-impaired people can also enjoy live music,...

Health News Digest: Can We Beat Ebola?

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. This week, the theme is ‘Against The Odds’. The deadly Ebola epidemic is back, but this time a new exp...

Health News Digest: Double-Leg-Amputee Climbs Mt Everest

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. This week, the theme is ‘Against The Odds’. We speak to the Malaysian paraplegic athlete who climbed t...

Doctor in the House: Tobacco Breaks Hearts

01 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. In conjunction with World No Tobacco Da...

Cancer Care: It Takes a Community

31 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Is cancer merely a disease to be managed by a doctor? Or does cancer care involve the patient’s community, from family members to service provid...

Is Your Child’s Stomach Ache Caused by Stress?

30 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Does your child constantly complain of a stomach ache because he/she doesn’t want to go to school? Consultant paediatric gastroenterologist Prof...

Nipah Virus

28 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, a mysterious disease caused young, healthy farm workers in Malaysia to fall seriously ill. A team of medical experts from Universiti...

Doctor in the House: Healthcare and Research in the New Government

25 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Prof Dato' Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean...

Pneumococcal Vaccine: Will the New Government Keep Its Promise?

23 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto for GE14 promised to provide compulsory pneumococcal vaccination to all children below two years old under the Natio...

Social Media-Free Parenting

22 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How many times have you seen families in restaurants, where the parents and children are all glued to their mobile phones? Are we so addicted to socia...

Health News Digest: Is Indelible Ink Inedible?

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. After the roller-coaster ride otherwise known as the 14th General Election, we look at the chemical composition of...

Health News Digest: Post-Election Fever

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. After the roller-coaster ride otherwise known as the 14th General Election, we discuss how old is “too old&r...

Health News Digest: Welcome, Minister

21 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. After the roller-coaster ride otherwise known as the 14th General Election, we welcome the newest Minister of Heal...

Doctor in the House: Impotent But Not Incompetent

18 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Dr George is joined by consultant obste...

Lung Health #4: Lung Cancer and Smoking Cessation – It’s Never Too Late

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 4 of 4, clinical oncologist Dr Christina Lai joins cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Anand Sachithanandan and occupational health specialist Dr Anza E...

Monitoring Your Child’s Growth

16 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

How do you monitor your child’s growth? Do you regularly bring your child to the clinic to be measured, or just make some markings on the wall e...

Lung Health #3: Nipping It In The Bud

16 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 3 of 4, occupational health specialist Dr Anza Elias of Sunway Medical Centre introduces us to smoking cessation.This show is part 4 of a seri...

Lung Health #2: The Smoke Signals

15 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 2 of 4, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Anand Sachithanandan of Sunway Medical Centre elaborates on the early signs of lung cancer. This show is par...

Lung Health #1: The Smoker’s Lungs

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 1 of 4, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Anand Sachithanandan of Sunway Medical Centre explains how smoking affects the lungs. This show is part 4 of...

Brain Waves #14: Jumping Genes

14 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nature versus nurture: The perennial debate on whether the genes or the environment matter more in a person’s characteristics. But a new study b...

Mental Health and Authority

08 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Should people with mental health conditions hold positions of authority, such as public office or leadership posts? Does depression, anxiety, bipolar ...

Health News Digest: Boy Undergoes Five-Organ Transplant

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. With the theme ‘Transplant Tales’, we discuss recent news reports about the first child in the UK to u...

Health News Digest: Frenchman Gets ‘Third Face’ in New Transplant

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. With the theme ‘Transplant Tales’, we discuss recent news reports about a Frenchman with neurofibromat...

Health News Digest: Keeping Livers ‘Alive’ Increases the Chances of Success

07 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. With the theme ‘Transplant Tales’, we discuss recent news reports about how keeping livers ‘warm...

Doctor in the House: Access to Hepatitis C Treatment

04 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. Jean-Michel Piedagnel, Head of South-Ea...

Health News Digest: Medical Marijuana Not For Sleep Apnoea

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. This week's theme is 'Nocturnes' and we’re dissecting the position statement by the American Academy of Slee...

Health News Digest: Billion-Dollar Sleep Industry

30 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We bring the latest in health news. This week's theme is 'Nocturnes' and we speak to Matt Armitage for an insight into the billion-dollar business of ...