Health & Living
Episodes
Circumcision: To Cut Or Not To Cut
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Circumcision is a practice that is both familiar and mysterious in Malaysian culture. We know that berkhatan is a common practice for Muslim boys, yet...
Healthy Ageing: What Makes An Age-Friendly City?
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do Taiping, Ipoh, Penang Island, and Sibu have in common? They’re all committed to being age-friendly cities! Together with consultant geriatri...
Mind Matters: From Sembang To Support
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In her PPR community in Batu Muda, Kak Lynn is a mother, office employee, home business owner, and trained community advocate for mental health. Kak L...
Is Kidney Disease On The Rise Among Teens?
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You may know how common chronic kidney disease is, but did you know that the disease could soon have a new - and much younger - face in Malaysia? With...
Public Health: Childhood Obesity In Malaysia Is An Alarming Trend
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One in three school-aged children in Malaysia is overweight or obese, putting them on a worrying trajectory of chronic diseases in adulthood like diab...
How To Stay Fit In Your 40s
12 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is it true that it’s harder to exercise and see results in your 40s? Find out more about the changes your body goes through at the mid-life stage an...
Humans of Healthcare: The Geriatrician
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You might see a cardiologist for heart issues, a rheumatologist for arthritis, or an endocrinologist for diabetes. But as you age and have more comple...
Are Supplements Safe If You’re On Psychiatric Meds?
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As mental health issues like depression and anxiety rise, more people may be on short- or long-term prescriptions of medications for these conditions....
Are Generic Drugs Less Effective?
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are generic drugs less effective than brand-name ones? Generics are often described as cheaper but just as effective alternatives to brand-name drugs,...
Counsellor’s Corner: Why Does Rejection Hurt So Much?
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you deal with a “no”, whether it’s having your project pitch shot down at work, or being turned down for a date? On this month’s Counse...
Preventing Women From Dying After Childbirth
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Severe bleeding after childbirth, also known as post-partum haemorrhage, continues to be a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide, including he...
Listen Up! Here’s How To Protect Your Hearing
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us spend hours a day listening to sounds at levels that our ears are probably not meant for. But how often do we stop and think about how it’...
Can We Cure #4: Cancer?
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could one day cure all cancers? Why has it been so difficult for scientists to find a cure? In this mini series, we explore the challenges ...
Your Guide To Glucose
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our body needs glucose to function, but as with all things in life, you can have too much of a good thing. We dive into what glucose does to our body ...
Phones Off, Books Down!
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a parent today, it’s easy to get caught up in debates over Montessori versus traditional kindergartens, international versus national schools, an...
Physiotherapy For Children with Rare Disorders
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Improving quality of life for someone living with a rare disorder isn’t just about treating or finding a cure to the condition, but also about helpi...
Because Feelings Matter #38: How A Father Survived Suicide Loss
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2022, Fuad would visit KLIA regularly over the course of April to June, where his late son’s architecture installation, ‘Polyhedron Pavili...
NCD Chronicles #25 (Part 2): Living with Type 1 Diabetes
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The struggles faced by children and young adults with Type 1 diabetes are still largely unnoticed by the public, healthcare providers and policymakers...
Why Malaysians Have Poor Diabetes Control
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One in six adults in Malaysia have diabetes, but more than half do not have good glucose control. With poorly controlled diabetes comes astronomical c...
Ask A Doctor: Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this month’s Ask A Doctor, we are addressing questions about high cholesterol and blood pressure. Consultant cardiologist Dr Effarezan Abdul Rahm...
Healthy Ageing: Move It or Lose It
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’re often told that we must “move it or lose it” when it comes to our musculoskeletal health, and this is especially true in your older years....
Mind Matters: Mental Health Support For Social Sectors
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People who work in the health, social and education sectors are the foundation of society. Think of teachers, nurses, doctors, welfare providers, pris...
Can We Cure #3: Allergies
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could one day cure allergies, like that perennnial, pesky hayfever or your potentially life-threatening peanut allergy? In this mini series...
Should Vaping Be Regulated Or Banned Completely?
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The question of whether vapes and e-cigarettes should be banned outright has arisen again, with Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad sayin...
Public Health: The Health Workforce Crisis
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The healthcare workforce in Malaysia is currently facing a multitude of challenges that threaten the sustainability and effectiveness of the healthcar...
Humans of Healthcare: The Paediatric Dentist
12 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like working as the doctor no one likes to see? It’s not uncommon for many of us to fear a visit to the dentist, but in this episode of H...
Can We Cure #2: Genetic Disorders?
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could one day cure all genetic diseases? Would it be ethical to do so, even if we could? In this mini series, we’ll be exploring the chal...
Are More Young Adults Getting Cancer?
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your risk of getting cancer increases as you age, but these days, it seems like we hear more and more about people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s being di...
Counsellor’s Corner: How To Show Your Partner You Care
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On Counsellor’s Corner this month, we dive deep into the heart of relationships—how to show your partner you care, how to handle conflict, and how...
UMMC’s Increased Charges: What and Why
05 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The year started with a shocking bit of news for patients of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, when the teaching hospital announced that it would be i...
Understanding Why Healthcare Costs Money
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fee-for-service versus diagnosis-related groups. Value-based care. National health financing. These terms keep showing up in the current heated discus...
Can We Cure #1: Alzheimer’s Disease?
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could one day cure Alzheimer’s disease? In this mini series, we’ll be exploring the challenges scientists have faced in curing life-cha...
Healthy Ageing: And A Healthy Heart
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your heart beats non-stop even before you’re born to pump blood around your body. But how does age affect the way it functions? On this episode of H...
Can We Eliminate #4: Childhood Diseases?
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would our world look like if we no longer had to worry about infectious childhood diseases? In this series, we’ll look at how we can eliminate ...
How T-Cells Help With Tracking Cancer Treatment
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve often heard about the use of immunotherapy when it comes to cancer treatment, and while we’ve seen incredible advances, there remains more t...
Because Feelings Matter #37: Stalked For 8 Years And Fought For Survival
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when your world is violated and you no longer feel safe in your own life? When your places of creativity, your physical environments, and...
NCD Chronicles #25 (Part 1): Living with Type 1 Diabetes
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“The insulin pen is my best friend.” For Nazril Hadani, being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four means a lifetime of “being poked...
What Is Spina Bifida?
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Some babies are born with a gap in their spine, a condition known as spina bifida. But how exactly will it affect them from childhood into adulthood? ...
Can We Eliminate #3: The Flu?
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would our world look like if no one caught the flu anymore? In this limited series, we’re looking at how we can eliminate the public health cha...
Humans of Healthcare: The Emergency Medicine Physician
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve watched a medical drama, you would’ve seen scenes of emergency physicians rushing about trying to save people’s lives - but is t...
Public Health: Alarm Bells Over Medical Insurance Hike
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Medical insurance policyholders have received a temporary reprieve from a huge increase to their premiums. But what happens after 2026, when higher pr...
Orphan Drugs As A Lifeline for Rare Diseases
15 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When speaking to individuals with rare disorders or their families, it’s not uncommon to hear about the diagnostic odyssey they’ve been through ju...
Does Eating Salted Fish Cause Nasopharyngeal Cancer?
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you hadn’t heard of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) before Lee Chong Wei was diagnosed with it, you’re not alone. Although NPC is a very common can...
Can We Eliminate #2: Maternal Deaths?
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would our world look like if mothers no longer died from pregnancy or childbirth? In this series, we’ll look at how we can eliminate the public...
You Can Retract Papers But Can You Retract Misinformation?
10 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Remember that time during the pandemic Trump and many others promoted hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment? Well, the paper that people referred...
How To Help Parents Shed Trauma and Toxic Stress
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can't be a good parent if you're emotionally stressed and dealing with trauma. Where is this trauma coming from? What is the impact of these stres...
Mind Matters: How Gambling is a Public Health Threat
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, a report by the Lancet public health commission on gambling found that gambling is a growing threat to public health globally, with about 45...
What Physicians Do At Sporting Events
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What role do medical teams at sporting events play beyond just treating injuries that happen during the event? How much has sports medicine evolved to...
Can We Eliminate #1: HIV/AIDS?
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What would our world look like if HIV was eliminated? In this series, we’ll look at how we can eliminate the public health challenges that continue ...
Is This The Year To Quit Smoking?
03 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Quitting smoking is probably one of the most difficult goals to achieve. Despite stories of smokers successfully quitting cold turkey, many people wil...
Counsellor’s Corner: Reclaim Your Spark This Year
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you feeling a little unmotivated and stuck in a rut, even though everybody around you is making resolutions or setting goals for the new year? Lic...
Play! We Need More Of It
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a world where we’re constantly told to study harder, work longer hours, and earn more money, do we still have time to play? Is play just for chil...
Healthy Ageing: We Need To Talk About Loneliness
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone can experience loneliness at any age - for older adults, it’s been said that they are often at higher risk of experiencing loneliness and s...
Phages v. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: Who Will Win?
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve heard about “superbugs” - bacteria that are resistant to multiple types of antibiotics that were previously effective in treating infectio...
Ask A Doctor: How To Lose Weight
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this month’s Ask A Doctor, we are addressing questions about weight loss, including how much to lose, how to go about it, and how do you know whe...
Doctor in the House: The Cost of Rising Medical Insurance Premiums
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The reports about medical insurance premiums rising between 40 to 70 percent next year has gotten many Malaysians incensed and worried about whether t...
Public Health: Healthcare In A Politically Polarised World
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If Senator Robert F. Kennedy Jr becomes the United States’ Secretary of Health and Human Services, America will have a health leader who is a scienc...
Because Feelings Matter #36: “Tak Nampak Macam OKU Pun”
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When she was growing up, Insyira never thought her vision problems were a disability. But when she was 17, she was told that her impairment precluded ...
Counsellor’s Corner: Gratitude
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we march towards the end of 2024 and you reflect on the past year, how much do you have to be grateful for? On this episode of Counsellor’s Corne...
Brain Waves: Other Cells Can Have Memory Too?
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We often associate memory as a function of the brain, but what if other cells in our body also have that ability to remember and learn? On this episod...
Doctor in the House: Conversations About Your Illness
06 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does your doctor say to you when you enter the consultation room, or after delivering the news of your diagnosis? How does the nurse communicate ...
Step Down Care: In Between Hospital And Home
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Picture your mother who’s just undergone knee replacement surgery. The surgeon discharges her after several days of recovery in the hospital. Howeve...
Humans of Healthcare: The Audiologist
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you have hearing problems, the audiologist is an important healthcare professional who should be involved in helping you to assess and manage your ...
Why Your Cells Glow: The Science You Didn’t Know
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do glowing animals and nanotechnology have in common? More than you might realise, as, the science behind the concepts of fluorescence and nanote...
Supporting People Living With HIV in Sarawak
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no denying that we’ve made significant progress in tackling the stigma against people living with HIV as well as improving support and acc...
Doctor in the House: For Chronically Ill Patients, How Can They Get Financial Help?
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For patients with chronic diseases, it’s not just managing their health and treatment to think about, but how the costs could add up over time. Espe...
Can We Break The Cycle of Child Abuse?
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was recently reported that of the 266 children rescued from GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH), a third were found to be suffering from anxiety, and ano...
NCD Chronicles #24: Living With A Disease With No Known Cause
27 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you come to terms with a diagnosis when you go from leading an active, healthy life, to one riddled with symptoms that even doctors can’t tel...
Because Feelings Matter #35: Finding Balance In The Chaos
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Like an abstract painting, there is balance in the chaos of life. But for artist Adli Nazrin, the chaos was overwhelming when he went to the UK to pur...
How Drug Addiction Impacts The Brain and the Body
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you wondered how much we understand about the impact of drug use on someone’s brain, and thus their behaviour? How far have we come in helping ...
When Antimicrobial Resistance Intersects With Chronic Diseases
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most pressing threats we face to human health, because it makes diseases much more difficult, if not impossible...
Healthy Ageing: When To Take Older Adults to Emergency?
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How often do older adults need or end up in the emergency department? How different are their medical needs compared to someone younger? Here to unpac...
Finding Your Authentic Self
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to live an authentic life? Why does it bother us when we think that someone is not being authentic or genuine? We ask consultant cli...
Mind Matters: How Are Refugees in Malaysia Coping?
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Refugees are often at higher risk of developing mental health issues, because of the often traumatic experiences they’ve had fleeing their home coun...
Ask A Doctor: Headaches and Migraines
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you bothered by headaches, and worried about whether their frequency is cause for concern? Or do migraines significantly disrupt your quality of l...
Helping Ovarian Cancer Patients Break Free!
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Being diagnosed with cancer will never be an easy journey. But a lot has changed in the landscape of cancer care. Today, a woman diagnosed with ovaria...
From Testing to Treatment: A Real-Life Experience And An Expert’s Insights
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What we know of cholesterol comes from sensational headlines about eggs and santan, or the bewildering numbers that appear on a lab report from a scre...
Public Health: Why Was Pneumonia The Top Cause Of Death in 2023?
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2023, pneumonia overtook ischaemic heart disease as the number one cause of death in Malaysia, ranking highest among older adults above the age of ...
What A Liver Cancer Diagnosis Means
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Your liver’s biggest role is to remove toxins from your blood, but what happens when that function is impaired by cancer? Consultant general and hep...
Counsellor's Corner: Unpacking Your Emotional Baggage
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all carry it – unresolved hurts, past traumas, and emotional wounds that shape how we see the world and ourselves. But what happens when this emo...
Doctor in the House: Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In Malaysia, breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women, and the risk tends to rise with age. However, breast cancer is not ...
Humans of Healthcare: The Cardiologist
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like being the person who looks after people’s hearts? On this episode of Humans of Healthcare, consultant cardiologist Dr Raja Ezman Far...
Innovations In Assisted Reproductive Technology
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has made significant strides in recent decades, expanding the possibilities for individuals and couples experie...
Rheumatological Disorders
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rheumatological disorders are a broad category of diseases caused by inflammation in the joints and connective tissues.Together with consultant orthop...
Your Guide To Hearing Aids
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Currently more than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss. For some of these people, hearing aids may improve their hearing, so that the...
Doctor in the House: Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer
01 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does genetic testing have to do with breast cancer? What can a genetic test tell you, and does every woman need it in order to know her risk of d...
Menopause Hormone Therapy: Myths and Facts
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The word ‘menopause’ conjures up images of greying, elderly women, while menopause hormone therapy (MHT) continues to be the bogeyman that frighte...
Ageism in Healthcare
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Although we pride ourselves on being a society that is filial and respectful to the elderly, we also embrace a lot of age-related biases against older...
NCD Chronicles #23: Eczema, The Itch That Disrupts Everything
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Asyraf has struggled with eczema since he was in preschool, growing up with the constant skin redness, persistent itching, and unpredictable flare-ups...
Are Southeast Asian Countries Prepared for the Next Outbreak?
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The COVID-19 pandemic might feel like a distant dream, but the possibility of humankind facing another pandemic is very real. But are countries prepar...
Gifted Children: Raising Child Prodigies and Geniuses
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In October, twelve-year-old Izz Imil made news headlines when he became the youngest student to enrol at Universiti Malaya, pursuing a Bachelor of Sci...
Because Feelings Matter #34: Dealing With Duality Of Work And Personal Lives
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
About 15 years ago, Herman Jorgensen seemed to be winning at life, so why was he also having panic attacks, feeling a sense of emptiness, turning to a...
Ask A Doctor: Exercise & Fitness
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this month’s Ask A Doctor, it’s all about getting your body moving! Whether you’re still figuring out what exercise works best for you, or hi...
Budget 2025: Breaking Down Health Allocations
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What did Budget 2025 deliver for Malaysia’s healthcare needs? For an analysis of the healthcare allocations in next year’s budget, we have Dr Mura...
Brain Waves: When Misconduct Happens in Scientific Research
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Eliezer Masliah is a well-known neuroscientist in his field, having carried out and led research of neurological conditions over the past few decad...
Budget 2025: What Do We Need For The Future of Our Healthcare Workers?
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From burnout to brain drain, the wellbeing and future of our healthcare workers has been a long-standing issue that continues to plague our public hea...
Mind Matters: Mental Health Goes Beyond Healthcare
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with World Mental Health Day in October, we explore a broader perspective to mental health, challenging the notion that mental healthca...
Budget 2025: A Budget for Digital Health Records?
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Health Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has said that within the next four to five years, the Ministry of Health plans to introduce a “One P...
Autoimmune Disease Community Asks For RM20mil In Budget 2025
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Autoimmune rheumatic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis pose a lifelong burden for people diagnosed with these conditions. Acc...
Public Health: Could Private Wings in Public Hospitals Work?
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, the Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad proposed expanding “private wings” in government hospitals to raise revenue for the...