Health & Living
Episodes
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 ...
Modern Life Turning People Off Sex
06 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A recent report by BBC titled 'Modern Life Turning People Off Sex' was published, and got many people talking. Is there any truth to this in the Malay...
Epidermolysis Bullosa
05 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a long name for a what can be a very painful condition of the skin. Telling us more are Dr. Leong Kin Fon, consultant pa...
Home Births
04 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Home births, once the only option for expecting mothers, has faded away in the 20th century, but may be experiencing a revival of sorts. However, afte...
Living With HIV/AIDS
02 Dec 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The first case of HIV in Malaysia was reported in 1986. As of 2011, the number of people living with HIV in Malaysia is approximately 79,855 persons. ...
Doctor in the House: Biomarker Sperm Test
29 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Recent research suggests that a test that focuses on the use of biomarkers is a good indication of whether or not there is sperm left in the testes. J...
Bubble Boy Gene Therapy
28 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Made famous by movies and David Vetter, the term 'bubble boy' refers to children with severe combined immunodeficiency, a genetic disorder. Recent inr...
Motor Neuron Disease
27 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Motor neurone disease is the name for a rare condition where parts of the nervous system become damaged - very much an incurable disease. This causes ...
Speech Therapy for Children with Special Needs
25 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Children with special needs often have the odds stacked against them as far as learning and education goes, and Deena Al Sharif, as a specialist speec...
Prostate Cancer Aggression Test
22 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The test that identifies whether prostate cancer is aggressive or benign has been developed by scientists, who say it could help patients decide wheth...
Running Safe and Not Scared
21 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
From the ancient San Bushmen of the Kalahari to the extraordinary feats of Usain Bolt, humans have always run, whether to eat, compete or improve thei...
Correctional Training
20 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We're all told to exercise 3-5 times a week, take 10,000 steps a day and so on. We know what we need to be doing to get fit and stay healthy. Sometime...
Medical Laws in Malaysia
19 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
It's a staple storyline on dramas like Grey's Anatomy, but in real life, how many of us really understand the ramifications of medical law on our expe...
Egg Freezing
18 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A technology that's only become available in the last few years, egg freezing is allowing women to have more fertility options. But it's newness is al...
Doctor in the House: Bladder Dysfunction
15 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A device that could one day restore bladder function to patients with a severed spinal cord has been devised by UK researchers and has been tested in ...
The Importance of Vaccinations
14 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Paediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Adriano Arguedas speaks to us about the science of vaccines and their importance in terms of the protecti...
Bacterial Interaction and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
13 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The human body carries about 100 trillion microorganisms in its intestines, a number ten times greater than the total number of human cells in the bod...
Checking up the Mountains
12 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most deficient areasof adequate medical care in the remote north Indian Himalayan region of Ladakh is that of women's health. Countless wom...
Hypnotherapy and Obesity
11 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
In the search for weight loss solutions, hypnotherapy offers a seemingly perfect solution: use your mind to help your body lose weight. Is it really t...
IRONMAN Malaysia
08 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Just the idea that someone has the fortitude to swim, bike and run for dozens - sometimes hundreds of miles is fascinating. IRONMAN is a triathlon tha...
Diabetes in Children
07 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
As of 2010, an estimated 285 million people had diabetes, with this number expected to double by 2030, mostly in Asia and Africa. How much of this bur...
Artificial Intelligence in Histopathology in Clinical Practice
06 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Last month, Dr. Sri Ganesh Kalimuthu, consultant histopathologist, joined us to talk about artificial intelligence in histopathology and how it might ...
Sexual Intercourse and Pain
04 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike what Fifty Shades of Grey might want us to believe, pain during sexual intercourse is not always a desirable thing. In fact, it might be ...
Exercise and Brain Growth
01 Nov 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A recent study found that regular endurance exercise could trigger brain growth, and researchers at the Dana Farber Medical Centre at Harvard Medical ...
Sleepless in Selangor (Documentary)
31 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Though sleep is a crucial part of our wellbeing and happiness, it seems like many busy Malaysians just can't seem to get it right. Getting to the bott...
Genetics Research in Malaria
30 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Malaria vaccines have been a tricky proposition, to say the least, but now there might be inroads led by genetics research, in both humans and mosquit...
6 Pillars of Wellness
29 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Holistic lifestyle coach and sports therapist, Liam Harkness joins us for a discussion about the six pillars of wellness as well as their importance t...
Are Parents Too Concerned for their Children?
28 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Some reports are finding that parents may be doing too much when it comes to fussing over their children who aren't feeling well, sometimes even inadv...
Vitamin D Pills' Effect on Healthy Bones Queried
25 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Healthy adults do not need to take vitamin D supplements, suggests a study in The Lancet which found they had no beneficial effect on bone density, a ...
Cancer Research and Control
23 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Cancer doesn't come by it's nickname, The Big 'C' lightly. It is a worldwide threat that continues to scare people everywhere. With us over the ...
Looking Forward to World Psoriasis Day
22 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A chronic, lifelong condition, psoriasis can be a challenge to treat and manage. As we look forward to World Psoriasis Day on October 29th, we hear ab...
Cycling Training
21 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The saying 'It's like riding a bike' is a common one - usually denoting an activity that one hasn't done in awhile, but that should come naturally. Ho...
Advancements in Treatments for Advanced Stage Colorectal Cancer
17 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The fourth most common cause of cancer related death worldwide, the treatment of colorectal cancer hinges on early detection, but what about when it's...
The Role of the Anaesthesiologist in Modern Medicine
16 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Many people still think of anaesthesiologists as the face behind the mask right before they drop off in surgery. However, they actually do so much mor...
Calisthenics
14 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us will have memories of early mornings spent at school doing jumping jacks and push ups to get us healthy. However, in modern day parlance, w...
Genetics and Designer Babies
11 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Based on recent stories on companies 23andMe and GenePeeks, a question is posed: How far would you go to ensure a healthy child? Three more big questi...
World Mental Health Day - Depression
10 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with World Mental Health Day, we are looking at one of the most common mental health conditions that afflict us worldwide and here in M...
Hip and Spine Injuries
09 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Injuries to the hip and spine aren't just upsetting for patients, but also potentially debilitating as they can limit mobility. Taking us through the ...
Best Places to Retire
04 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
According to the Global AgeWatch Index, Sweden is the best place in the world to be old and Afghanistan the worst. Dr. George Lee, Consultant Urologis...
Muscle Health
03 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Healthy muscles matter - and not just for the Mr. Universe competition. They can also play a huge role in general health and disease prevention. Dr. H...
Artificial Intelligence in Histopathology Assessment of Tumours
02 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What role does artificial intelligence play in histopathology and how might it shape its future as well as that of medicine as a whole? Dr. Sri ...
Decision Making in Healthcare
01 Oct 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Who gets to make decisions in healthcare? Where does the ultimate power lie? Dr. Rajesh Singh weighs in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...
The Importance of Sports Sciences
30 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What would it take for Malaysia to win our first gold medal, and what role might sports science play in all of it? Explaining what a sports scientist...
Doctor in the House: HPV Vaccine for Boys
27 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The HPV Vaccine has traditionally been administered to girls with the aim of preventing cervical cancer. Now a study in the UK suggests that giving it...
First Aid
24 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Much more than just CPR, first aid encompasses all sorts of life-saving measures. Covering all manner of different situations - choking, fainting, eme...
Understanding Lung Cancer
23 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death for men and women worldwide, so it's more important than ever that we understand it - its...
Opting Out of Organ Transplantation
20 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
September 26th is the day a new act on organ donation in this country will be passed - switching Malaysia from an opt-in to an opt-out system. What ar...
Cow's Milk Protein Allergy
19 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The most common food allergy among infants is still one that can be tricky to diagnose and treat. Dr. Yong Junina Fadzil, consultant paediatrician, ex...
The Health Benefits of Plant-Based Diets
18 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There are many reasons to switch to a vegetarian diet, one of the most pressing being that of health. However, what does this really entail and how ca...
Limb Loss to Diabetes and Proper Wound Care
17 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Many diabetic patients can sometimes underestimate the dangers of cuts and wounds - contributing to the horrifying statistic of a foot being cut off e...
Doctor In The House: The Evolution of Fathers and Testicle Size
13 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered how good of a father you are? Recent research shows that the most objective way to find out is to look downwards - to the size of your t...
Jaw Pains
12 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What do jaw pains and door creaking have in common? Dr. Khoo Suan Phaik, oral physician, joins us to discuss the complex structure of our jaw - analys...
Wing Chun
11 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There is so much more to the martial art of Wing Chun than its popular association with Grand Master Ip Man - the fact that it was founded by a woman;...
Weight Loss Myths and Tricks
10 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
No bread in the morning - boiled aggs and brown rice prefered? Jogging keeps fat in your body and not out? Liam Harkness, lifestyle coach and sports t...
Preventing Childhood Allergies
09 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt that itch on your neck or burn on your lip that may come as a surprise when indulging in a delicious butter-prawn - a feeling that ...
Doctor In The House: Gene Superiority and Consent
06 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Are some genes really better than others? How much claim do you have over your sperm? In light of a recent incident regarding a Bosnian man suing his ...
Thalassemia and Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis
05 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered if you are a carrier of Thalassemia? Most probably not - yet, research shows that almost 1 in every 20 Malaysian happens to be ...
The Common Cold and Influenza
04 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There are many diseases we take for granted - one of them being the common cold. However, there are many other diseases, including the potentially fat...
Smart Teams in Healthcare
03 Sep 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There are currently smartphone apps that allow people to monitor their health, perform tests and get results - with such technology available to every...
Merdeka Medical Documentary
30 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
From groundwork laid by the British, to the first medical schools in Malaya, all the way up to modern Malaysia and the doctors we produce today, we've...
Bladder Cancer and Genetics
29 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What would you do if you received a grant to improve your research on an international scale? Asst Prof. Dr. Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam at the Fa...
The Genetics of Scoliosis
28 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Is it possible to prevent scoliosis or is it a sealed fate in our genetic make up? Dr. Arif Anwar, our resident geneticist, and Dr. Madeline Ting, chi...
Know Thy Cancer: 3D Histological Imaging To Infinity and Beyond
27 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
How are detective methods used in The Dark Knight related to figthing cancerous tumors? It all relates to the idea of creating 3D images out of 2D inf...
The Realities of Practicing Medicine in Malaysia
26 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
People say that laughter is the best medicine - but can the study of medicine necessarily produce the best laughter? Dr. Jason Leong, Medical Officer ...
Doctor In The House: Enforced Sterilisations
23 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A High Court judge in the UK has recently sanctioned the sterilisation of a man with learning disabilities on the basis of it being "in his best inter...
The Politics of Breastfeeding
22 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Breastfeeding has undoubted health benefits for newborns, but is a topic that is contentious and deeply personal to mothers and families. What are the...
Applied Science in Fitness
20 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Scientific Theory has developed to the extent that it can now be used to definitively assist with fitness goals - be it weight loss, muscle gain or ju...
Bookmark: People, Culture and Ideas
20 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
From books on antiheroes to Disney’s most notorious film, Uma speaks to Maya Tan of The B-Side on the literature of people, culture and ideas.Se...
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
19 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
While it's a well known fact that pregnant women shouldn't drink, the full spectrum of ill effects that could result from it are less understood. ...
Doctors in T-shirts
16 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The recent ban of the conventional white coat in the UK has prompted interesting questions regarding what can be considered appropriate for professio...
Tar the Roads, Not Your Lungs
15 Aug 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Arsenic kills if you swallow it; tobacco kills if you smoke it. Dato Dr A.J. Halim (Consultant Paediatrician), Dr Salleh Mohd Yatim (Obstetrics and Gy...