Health & Living
Episodes
The Most Precious Bones in the World (For a Month)
28 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
World Cup Fever will soon be in full swing, and for us it may just mean a month of sleeplessness and high excitement. But for the footballers in Brazi...
Employee Wellness
26 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Long regarded as an unnecessary cost to the company, many modern organisations now recognise the importance of employee wellness. Joan Collar ex...
Genetic Profiles for the Premier League
23 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In March this year, The Telegraph revealed that two Barclays Premier League clubs had commissioned genetic profiles of their players to identify their...
Size Doesn’t Always Matter
21 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In our quest to get bigger (or smaller), more bulked up (or leaner), we tend to focus on large muscle groups. But to work out effectively, we also nee...
Nerve Damage and Repair
20 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Nerve damage can seriously impact our lives - in terms of motion, pain and function. But now new technology exists that can go a long way towards repa...
Are You Prepared For Death?
16 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The poll of 2000 adults for the Dying Matters Coalition of care organizations in United Kingdom indicates that only 21% of people have discussed their...
Hearing Loss
15 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In a noisy classroom, restaurant or coffee shop, you occasionally cannot follow a conversation. Sometimes you fake a response. Or nod and hope the pau...
How to Have That Perfect Baby
09 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysia is a great place to be a mother--the second best in Southeast Asia, according to a recent report. A mother wishing to have a healthy ba...
World Ovarian Cancer Day
08 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A cancer that is especially deadly in its later stages, ovarian cancer is often disguised by its unassuming symptoms. In conjunction with World Ovaria...
Ankle and Foot Surgery
07 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We expect our feet to carry us through all the days of our lives, but with all the dashing about we do on a daily basis, the damage can stack up. Dr. ...
Musculoskeletal Health at the Workplace
06 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
From the time we start work to our retirement, we will spend pretty much half of our lives at work. With that, can come some damage to our bodies. Dis...
#Selfies and Body Image
05 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like you can hardly peek into social media these days without seeing dozens of selfies. As many practice this form of online self-appreciatio...
Stem Cells and Your Skin
02 May 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Animals have always been used for product testing in the cosmetics industry, but might skin grown from stem cells stop animal testing? Join Dr. Ruban ...
Ebola, Humanitarian Efforts and Digital Mapping
30 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As the ebola virus outbreak occurs for the first time ever in West Africa, Medecins Sans Frontieres have mobilised quickly to assist. However, the cha...
Oculoplastic Surgery
29 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The eyes are the window to the soul, which means that we want them to look their best. Oculoplastic surgery is a discipline that provides solutions bo...
A Day in the Life - Sr Tham Kwee Peng
28 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Following in the A Day in the Life series with Sunway Medical Centre, we go on a journey with the 'baby whisperer'.See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...
Organ Donors
25 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As Scottish organ donations have doubled since 2007, Dr. George Lee and Dr. Lela Yasmin discuss how important organ donation is and what it might take...
Dentistry 911
24 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
What is considered a dental emergency? Explaining when it might be time to call in the cavalry is Professor Dr. Khoo Suan Phaik, oral physician.See om...
Neglected Injuries
23 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Whether through willful ignorance or wishful thinking, sometimes injuries get ignored. However that can cause serious long-term damage that would take...
World Primary Immunodeficiencies Week
22 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Primary immunodeficiencies are disorders in which part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function normally. Primary immunodeficiencie...
Anger and Heart Health
21 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As it becomes increasingly clear that stress can have a seriously adverse affect on our health, research also suggests that rage often triggers heart ...
HIV Home Test
18 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Meera and Dr. George are joined by Dr. Ilias Adam Yee to discuss the HIV home test following the legalisation of its sale by the UK government.See omn...
How to Live to 130
16 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve been searching for the mythical fountain of youth since time immemorial. Might the answer lie in our genes? Dr. Arif Anwar, resident genet...
Hospital Design
15 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we like it or not, many of us will be in hospitals either as visitors or the ones being visited. How should hospitals be designed to accommoda...
The Importance of Reacting Quickly to Strokes
14 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
F.A.S.T is the mnemonic device used to quickly identify a stroke when it’s happening, standing for: Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech d...
Diabetic Eye Project
11 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology is holding a public health campaign to prevent blindness from diabetic retinopathy and Dr. Tara George joins us...
Know Your Medication
10 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We take our medicine when we’re sick but how much do we really know and understand about the ingredients they’re made out of and what else...
Know Thy Cancers--Cytopathology
09 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing his Know Thy Cancer series, Dr. Sri is focusing on the technology and know-how needed to diagnose diseases on a cellular level.See omnystud...
Age is Just a Number
08 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Contrary to what many think, the youthful appearance of skin is not just about wrinkles. Many other factors - pigmentation and so on - play a role. Ex...
World Health Day 2014 - Vector-Borne Disease
07 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with World Health Day 2014, we stick to the theme of vector borne disease, with the head of the Vector Borne Disease Sector from the Mi...
The Statin Effect
04 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have always sought ways to fight heart disease. Recently, researchers debated the safety of using statin drugs that can lower cholesterol. We s...
National Eczema Awareness Month
03 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Eczema is a term for a group of medical conditions that cause the skin to become inflamed or irritated and can affect children and infants. Professor ...
Should We Worry About the New Strain of Avian Flu?
02 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Reports in February indicated that there was a new and deadlystrain of avian flu threatening us. How much do we need to worry, and what steps are bein...
Unleash Your Inner Orthopaedic Surgeon
01 Apr 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With it being April Fool’s, Dr. Rajesh Singh has a special trick or two up his sleeve for his monthly slot discussing all matters health and ort...
Healthy Organs and Healthy Ageing
31 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With an upcoming event, and an ongoing focus on healthy ageing, Dr. Lim Poh Hin and Professor Nathan Vytialingam from the Malaysian Healthy Ageing Soc...
Women and Cancer
28 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah's female cancer month kicks off, we invite Dr Ragu Shanmuganathan, Senior Consultant and Head of Gynae Oncology...
Use and Abuse of Party Drugs
27 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With recent reports suggesting that a new (and still legal) party drug may be to blame for the tragic deaths at Future Music Festival Asia, we speak t...
The Difference between Growing Pains and Teenage Depression
26 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Hot on the heels of a recent report that suggested that a biological test for clinical depression in adolescents may soon be available, Dr. Fairuz Naz...
Cooking and Eating Well with Nadia Lim
25 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with New Zealand week, we speak to cook and dietitian Nadia Lim. As she grew up with two distinct cultures - Malaysian and Kiwi- we lea...
Science of Itching
24 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Ruminations on itching doesn't just occur every seven years - the truth is, doctors and scientists often don’t understand the source or reason f...
A Day in the Life - Clement Francis Xavier
21 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
When dealing with an injury or illness and wondering whether you'll ever be back to 100 percent - help can be welcome. This Friday, meet one of those ...
Doctor in the House: Drug Use and the Kidneys
21 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Following on the recent tragic deaths at Future Music Festival Asia, Dr. George Lee cautions everyone on the toxic effects of drug use on the kidney a...
Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
18 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Spinal surgery is a scary prospect to many - which is why having minimally invasive options are a very attractive proposition. Explaining the latest r...
Giant Virus Unthawed
17 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A previously unknown giant virus has been revived from 30000-year-old permafrost, suggesting another possible threat from climate change as well as to...
Neck, Back and Hip Pain
13 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we attempt to answer the question of whether back, neck and shoulder pains are just “part of our evolutionary heritage”. Expert...
Bioprinting Technology
10 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
3D printing has made a huge impact on the world surrounding us, but might bioprinting be taking it to the next level? Envisioning a future in which we...
Loneliness and the Elderly
07 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A new study has recently added to the growing body of research that suggests that loneliness can be seriously detrimental to the physical and mental h...
The Painful Truth About Shingles
06 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
While most of us believe that having had chickenpox once immunises us for life, the truth is that studies have shown that about 95% of adults over 50 ...
Navigation in Surgery: Where Will It Get You?
04 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Technology and medicine are the most comfortable of bedfellows, and modern technology allows for unprecedented access and understanding of anatomy and...
The Dangers of Binge Drinking and NekNominate
03 Mar 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With at least five deaths being blamed on the viral spread of binge drinking game, Neknominate, and with it being such a prevalent problem in East Mal...
Older Fathers
28 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A new study has suggested that older fathers potentially produce children with a wide variety of disabilities or problems. To get to the bottom of thi...
Rampant Anxiety
27 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Worldwide, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness today. Covering a wide spectrum, they can be very crippling and affect daily life. Viz...
Joint Pain
26 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Joint pain is one of the most common discomforts adults feel in daily life. Dr. Harjeet Singh, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, explains when one would...
Exercise and Macular Degeneration
25 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A recent study examined the relationship between exercise and the prevention of degeneration of the eye. Dr. Michael Chong, consultant ophthalmologist...
Drug Testing
24 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
How stringently are drugs tested before they come into our country and are prescribed to us? What are the boundaries? To find out, we speak to Dr Yeoh...
A Day in the Life-Yanni Chew
21 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever wondered what a day in the life of a doctor is like, wonder no more. Today at 4.45PM, we're taking you through A Day in the Life o...
Women and Fitness
20 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus - but how does that extend to fitness? Karen Siah and Teoh Sue Ling explain how fitness for women ...
Increasing Intelligence and Brain Training
19 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Intelligence is a subjective thing, but that doesn't stop everybody from trying to become smarter. Is this possible, though? Caroline Ong, personal br...
A Holistic Guide Through Cancer
18 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
After diagnosis, many cancer patients still have a long journey to go through and while much of the process will be guided by Western medical principl...
Sleeping and Snoozing
17 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the first thing you do every morning? Odds are good that you might not be springing out of bed, but smacking the snooze button instead. D...
Valentine's Day Special: Chocolate & The Blue Pill
14 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The Blue Pill was originally developed as a heart medication. After discovery of a big side effect, it was repositioned as a drug to solve a growing p...
Weight Loss Surgery and Obesity
13 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In this series with the experts of Sunway Medical Centre, we cover current topics in bariatric surgery, better known as weight loss surgery. The discu...
Dengue Task Force
12 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In January 2014, triple the amount of dengue cases were reported compared to January 2013, with Selangor reporting the highest numbers in the country....
Coming Out of a Coma
11 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As the world waits to see if F1 legend Michael Schumacher is going to pull through, we learn more about the process of coming out of a coma and the po...
Getting Fit with your Smartphone
07 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
For those of us who've gone over to the dark side of using smartphones, we know that they've taken over the large swathes of our life: from communicat...
Preventive Screening Methodologies for Cancer
06 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that prevention is better than cure, but some diseases feel unpreventable to most - diseases such as cancer. However, this isn't true as D...
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Initiatives in Healthcare
05 Feb 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Medical audits are a necessary part of hospital life and improvement, but what are some factors standing in the way of patient safety and quality impr...
Exercise and the Elderly
29 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Exercising has obvious and immediate health benefits. But what about in the future? Dr. Harjeet explains how exercise can have positive impacts on you...
Neural Tube Defects in Newborns
28 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Neural Tube Defects like Spina bifida are defects of the brain and spinal cord. They can often be detected before birth via screening, but what is it ...
The Importance of Health Screenings
27 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
We're inundated with advertising and banners asking us to get our blood, our eyes, our general health checked up - but who needs it really and what do...
Doctor in the House: Gout
24 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In preparation for a prosperous festive season, Dr. George Lee and Dr. Emily Goh examine the rich man's disease - gout.See omnystudio.com/listener for...
Corporate Fitness
23 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
It can seem like one of the major things standing in the way of our fitness is, in fact, our job. The reason we can't seem to find the time or energy ...
What We Inherit From Our Families
22 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With this being the season of festivities and family, Dr. Arif discusses the traits and qualities we get from our families, revealing that the line of...
Obesity and Bariatric Surgery
21 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysia is ranked sixth in the Asia-Pacific region for obesity and tops the list in South-East Asia for both obesity and diabetes. With that in mind,...
Raising Awareness About Adult Blindness
20 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us, the idea of losing our sight is almost impossible to imagine, coming as it does with the follow-through effects on our work and our da...
General Wellbeing 2014
16 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
If health is indeed wealth, many of us may find ourselves starting the year with a deficit. How can we get back up to pace? Discussing general wellbei...
Latest Hypertension Guidelines in Malaysia
15 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Hypertension, with its high prevalence and links to other illnesses, is one of the great concerns in medicine. With new guidelines on the disease bein...
Boosting Your Immune System
13 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With this still being the first month of the year and with Malaysians still in full blown festive swing, it seems fitting to discuss our immune system...
Doctor in the House: Drugs from the Illegal to the Legal
10 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
This Wednesday, it was announced that New York City governor Andrew Cuomo has unveiled a plan allowing for medical marijuana for people suffering from...
Know Thy Cancers: Kangri Cancer, The Heat of the Matter
09 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing the Know Thy Cancer series, Dr. Sri Ganesh Kalimuthu, consultant histopathologist, is taking us from the past to the present today, examini...
The Bare Bones of Anatomy
07 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
It is impossible to overstate the importance of anatomy to medicine. Without it, one would not know what anything was, much less how to identify what'...
3D Printing and Neurosurgery
06 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
3D printing has been making headlines recently, with the man on the street now seemingly capable of manufacturing anything from Yoda figurines to plas...
Looking Forward in 2014
03 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
As with the start of every year, many opt to make resolutions, and spend the next 365 days (or not) trying to fulfill them. We talk to Dr. George Lee,...
Best of - Eye Advice 2013
02 Jan 2014
Contributed by Lukas
In our final look back at the year that was, we hear some of the most salient eye advice offered up by our panel of ophthalmologists and retinal speci...
Best of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Advice 2013
31 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We take a look back at what the best and brightest of our obstetrics and gynaecology specialists have had to say in 2013, including commentary on big ...
Neuronavigation
30 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The thought of someone performing surgery on the brain - a part of the body so delicate and integral to our very beings - is deeply frightening. Now t...
Dr. George Lee Year-End Review
27 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
It being the end of the year, we’re taking a look back at some of the most memorable moments of 2013 courtesy of our Doctor in the House, Dr. Ge...
Oral Health Resolutions 2014
26 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
As you begin to put together a list of resolutions for 2014, we here at The Bigger Picture would like to urge you to think about your health. Specific...
Overhauling Your Diet for 2014
24 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Diets have gained a bad reputation as something that seems to be just for starving people forcing themselves to eat salad. However, the word in and of...
Fitness Goals for 2014
23 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
With 2014 peeking just round the corner while 2013 ends in a flurry of overindulgence, fitness trainer, Karen Siah discusses how we can start se...
Men's and Women's Brains are Wired Differently
20 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Men are from Mars, women are from Venus so they say. And now new research has confirmed that our brains are wired differently. What does this really m...
The Case of Beth Warren: Keeping Her Late Husband's Sperm
19 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
With Beth Warren's case recently making headlines as she fights to extend the consent of her husband's sperm for potential future usage, we speak to D...
Autism and Genetics
18 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
As autism becomes a more common diagnosis in the modern day and age, questions keep pace: what causes this condition, can it be treated, does my child...
Epilepsy and Employment
17 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
For people living with epilepsy, there are a multitude of different challenges involved, one of which is the issue of employment. How does epilepsy in...
Body Sculpting and Fat Freezing
16 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The struggle to lose some weight and shape up is a perennial one, but is especially relevant during the festive season. Dr. Lim Ting Song, aesthetic p...
Doctor in the House: The Prospect of a Male Pill
13 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Australian scientists say they have taken a significant step forward in developing a safe, effective and reversible male pill. With this development c...
Malaysian Medical Gazette
12 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Between Wikipedia, WebMD and Twitter, the internet is awash with information that inform and frighten us all in turn. So where can we go to for accura...
Staying Healthy During the Festive Season
11 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The end of the year is almost always accompanied by a festive blitz, from Hari Raya to Deepavali to Christmas and to New Year's. This blitz is often a...
The Role of the Radiologist in Modern Medicine
10 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Not just the doctors manning the X-Ray machines, radiologists play a crucial role in diagnosis and understanding what’s going on within the huma...
Common Infectious Diseases in Malaysian Children
09 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Dengue, Japanese Encephalitis, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease - these are illnesses we worry about our children coming down with. Telling us more about ...