Health & Living

Brain Waves: Scientists Make Breakthrough in Creation of Synthetic Human Embryos

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

An embryo is formed as a result of the fertilisation of an egg by a sperm, and that’s what goes on to develop into a foetus. But what if an embryo c...

Be Fit Malaysians: And Be Flexible Malaysians!

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yoga can be intimidating for newbies, especially if you think that you’re inflexible and out-of-shape, and the various poses involved seem almost im...

All You Need To Know About Radiotherapy

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Radiotherapy is one of the main tools in our arsenal of cancer treatment, and advancements in technology have led to improvements in how radiotherapy ...

Mind Matters: Can Mental Health Apps And AI Chatbots Help Me?

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s an app for everything these days, and that includes mental health. From making mood tracking easier to using artificial intelligence to offe...

Ask A Doctor: Root Canal and Dental Pulp Problems

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In our monthly open clinic segment, we speak to endodontist Dr Mark Low about problems related to the interior of the tooth, and answer listeners’ q...

Unpacking the Health White Paper #3: The Future of MOH

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is another episode of our mini series Unpacking the Health White Paper, in which we break down some of the reforms that have been suggested in th...

Médecins Sans Frontières: Everyone, Everywhere Deserves High Quality Care

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Founded in 1971 by a group of journalists and doctors, more than 50 years later Médecins Sans Frontières or Doctors Without Borders is now a familia...

Public Health: The Gender Biases in Heart Disease

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Worldwide, what disease is the number one cause of death among women? Your first thought might be breast cancer, but in fact, coronary heart disease i...

Healthy Ageing: Why Older Adults Should Get The Pneumococcal Vaccine

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that the pneumococcal vaccine is not only recommended for infants, but for older adults as well? Consultant geriatrician Prof Dr Tan Maw ...

Humans of Healthcare: The Ob-Gyn

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of Malaysia’s proudest healthcare achievements since independence is related to the care of mothers in pregnancy and childbirth. We have dramati...

Unpacking the Health White Paper #2: How Will We Fund Healthcare?

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Health White Paper lays the foundation for much needed reforms to the public healthcare system over the next 15 years, with one of those proposed ...

Malaysian Children Score D- For Physical Activity

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The report card for Malaysian children’s physical activity levels is out, and the results are near failure. According to the Malaysia 2022 Physical ...

Ask A Psychologist: Dating & Romantic Relationships

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this age of dating apps and swiping left, are romantic relationships what they used to be? Consultant clinical psychologist Paul Jambunathan joins ...

Does Chinese Medicine Have A Place In Modern Healthcare?

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To each of us, the idea of traditional Chinese medicine may vary depending on our cultural knowledge. But does it belong in our modern world of techno...

Dr Pimple Popper On Being A Dermatologist, Skin Health & Popping Pimples!

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pimple popping videos are polarising: you either find satisfaction in watching them or you’re easily grossed out by them. And it’s clear that a lo...

Health White Paper #1: Laying The Foundation for Reforms in Healthcare

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The last Parliament sitting unexpectedly saw the much-discussed Health White Paper being passed by a voice vote. Said to lay the foundation for reform...

Had A Health Scare? It Could Affect Your Mental Wellbeing

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you had a health scare recently? Maybe you contracted a bad bout of COVID-19, and you’re still experiencing distressing symptoms of long COVID....

Benefits of Doodling, And Getting Started

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 If you’re someone who usually fills the margins of your notebooks with doodles, you probably made those loops and lines while your attention w...

NCD Chronicles #10: Lupus, The Disease With A Thousand Faces

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us would’ve first heard of lupus when Selena Gomez shared in 2015 that she has been diagnosed with the disease. An autoimmune disorder with ...

Cholesterol Nation

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For years, cholesterol was the buzzword in health circles. This fatty substance in the body received plenty of media attention, with the focus on how ...

Because Feelings Matter #20: When Struggles In Childhood Go Unnoticed

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teenagers in Malaysia are increasingly struggling with mental and emotional problems. According to the recently-published National Health & Morbid...

Surgery for Stroke Prevention

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Malaysia, more than 40,000 cases of strokes are reported each year, leaving many of these individuals with significant disabilities and health comp...

Mind Matters: While Mum Takes Care Of Everyone, Who Takes Care Of Her?

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re doing a great job of protecting mothers during pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal mortality - deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth - has red...

Humans of Healthcare: The Infectious Diseases Physician

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 might be the most infamous infectious disease at this point in time, but it is by no means the only one that we need to worry about. From den...

Our Adolescents Are Sexually Active, But Do They Have Sexual Education?

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to the National Health & Morbidity Survey 2022 on Adolescent Health, 75% of teenagers in Malaysia reported having sex recently, but 88% ...

ASEAN Dengue Day 2023: On The Frontiers of Dengue R&D

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dengue is an infectious disease that many of us are all too familiar with in Southeast Asia. While we’ve yet to see an effective vaccine or even a c...

Public Health: Filling The Gap in Dental Care

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our mouth is the gateway to the rest of our body, and hence an important gatekeeper to our overall health. Yet, oral health is often treated separatel...

Healthy Ageing: Hear Me Out, This Is How You Spot Hearing Loss

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How often has an older adult asked you to repeat what you said or to speak louder because they can’t hear what you said? We might think that hearing...

How Occupational Therapy Helps Children With Disabilities

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is a child’s occupation? Is it to attend school and learn? To play with friends? And for children who have disabilities or are non-typically de...

Doctor in the House: The Bitter Truth About Artificial Sweeteners?

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How many of you go to a mamak and order a kopi or teh ais kurang manis? Or maybe you’ve chosen to switch to artificial sweeteners instead. Malaysian...

Should We Use ChatGPT in Orthopaedics?

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody’s using ChatGPT, or at least talking about using it - whether it’s for academic writing, creative use, daily planning, coding, legal dec...

Ask a Psychologist: How To Be With Yourself

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When was the last time you were completely alone with your thoughts, with no one to talk to and nothing to do? You may think you did that just this mo...

The Heart of Medicine: Controversial and Misunderstood Therapies

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In medicine, healthcare professionals are always battling misinformation, especially when it comes to purported therapies and cures that circulate on ...

Attempted Suicide Is Decriminalised. Now We Need Better Mental Health Services.

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, the Dewan Rakyat unanimously agreed to abolish Section 309 of the Penal Code, which effectively means that attempted suicide is now decrimi...

Why Millennials and Gen Z-ers Should Be Aware Of Colorectal Cancer

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2020, approximately 49,000 people in Malaysia were estimated to be newly diagnosed with cancer. This number is expected to rise to 66,000 new cases...

How Far Have We Come In Treating Coronary Artery Disease?

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Coronary heart disease is unfortunately a disease that many Malaysians are all too familiar with. Most of us likely know of a family member, a friend ...

Generational Endgame Bill: Will It Be All Smoke And No Fire?

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On 26 May, Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni confirmed that the Cabinet had approved the tabling of the Control of Smoking Product for Pub...

NCD Chronicles #9: “The Pain Is Like A Parasite” (Living With Fibromyalgia)

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“I’m tired, and in pain all the time.” Words that cannot possibly sum up the debilitating and disabling effects of fibromyalgia, a chronic ...

Healthy Ageing: Getting Too Hot To Handle?

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hot, hot, and hot. While we’re all struggling with the heat and humidity during this prolonged heatwave, how are people who are more vulnerable, lik...

Working For Children With Special Needs in Sarawak

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the past 23 years, the Association for Children with Special Needs Sibu (ACSNS) has been quietly working at the community level in Sarawak to prov...

Brain Waves: The Twist in Rosalind Franklin’s Role in DNA Discovery

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been 70 years since the discovery of the double helix structure of the DNA back in 1953, by James Watson and Francis Crick. These two and Mauri...

Because Feelings Matter #19: Leadership Starts With Your Own Mental Health

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

During the pandemic, the MCO was the hardest on women, especially working mothers. The lockdown saw the lines of their lives collapsing, as they took ...

Occupational Therapy To Regain Independence

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Occupational therapists have an important role in working with clients to help them achieve independent function, when they have a physical, neurocogn...

Doctor in the House: Is COVID-19 Well And Truly Over?

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In early May, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 is no longer considered a public health emergency of international concern, or PHE...

Health White Paper: It Is Time To Revive Malaysia’s Health Reforms

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia’s health system is in dire need of meaningful and systemic reforms. Despite years of attempts, however, efforts and calls to transform the ...

What Is A Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus?

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The birth of a child is often one of the most exciting moments for new parents. To find out at that moment that your child has a rare condition can be...

Mind Matters: Depression and the Chemical Imbalance Theory

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world, and today, it’s something that we’ve grown more comfortable talking abo...

A Blow To The Chest…And The Heart

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In January, an NFL football player for the (American football team) Buffalo Bills, Damar Hamlin, collapsed suddenly on the field after suffering sudde...

Doctor in the House: A New Treatment for Neurofibromatosis in Malaysia

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In April, the Ministry of Health announced that it has given the “orphan medicine” status to Koselugo, a prescription drug used in treating childr...

Humans of Healthcare: The Physiotherapist

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Movement is everything in our daily lives. Movement is not just limited to mobility, in terms of getting around, but is a fundamental principle underl...

Public Health: When People Move, It Saves Lives…And Money

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

7.30am, stuck in traffic. 1pm, no parking available. 6.30pm, bumper-to-bumper traffic. 8pm, still not home yet. That’s the daily commute for most Kl...

Be Fit Malaysians: Swimming, Cycling, And Running… Can You Do A Triathlon?

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Running, cycling, and swimming are probably some of the most common workouts that people enjoy. But how many of us have done or thought about doing al...

Managing Pain In Cancer Patients

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pain is one of the most common symptoms experienced by cancer patients. It is often debilitating and disruptive to patients’ quality of life. Yet, m...

Doctor in the House: Reaching Communities Deprived of Surgical Care

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Prof Dr Ina Ismiarti Shariffudin, President of the Malaysian Society of Anaesthesiologists, and Dr Gunalan Palari Arumugam, Consultant Anaesthesiologi...

Severe Asthma: When Control Is Difficult

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have asthma, and you’re struggling to control the flare-up of symptoms despite using the inhalers and medications as prescribed by your docto...

Healthy Ageing: Skincare Starts When You’re Young

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From serums to chemical peels to 10-step routines, skincare has never been more popular (or difficult to figure out). But what does it really take to ...

Autism Community’s Wishlist for the National Autism Council

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Ministry of Health has proposed the formation of a National Autism Council, which will serve as a multidisciplinary platform to coordinate and pro...

NCD Chronicles #8: Endometriosis Is Not Life Threatening, But It Is Life-Altering

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s estimated that 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, but this is a condition that is all too often underdiagnosed, often because the most common sy...

Because Feelings Matter #18: The Bumpy Journey in Education For Children with Autism

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Children who are neurodivergent face more challenges in education, with many learning environments unable to fully support children who learn and beha...

Taking Care Of Your Mental Health During Hari Raya

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you look forward to the festive season, where you get together with loved ones and friends for traditions and celebrations that only come once a ye...

Ask A Doctor: About Caring for Babies & Toddlers

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are back with our monthly Ask A Doctor episode, and this month we’re joined by Dr Sanjay Woodhull, consultant paediatrician, to answer any and al...

Mind Matters: SPM Is Over - Now To Stress About The Rest Of Your Life

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With SPM done and dusted for the 2022-2023 graduating year, another batch of 18-year-olds stands on the cusp of adulthood, making decisions about stud...

Dengue in ASEAN: Challenges and Lessons Learned

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, countries in Southeast Asia have learned to live with a deadly killer: dengue. Dengue is endemic to all countries in this region, and it ...

Doctor in the House: Forever Chemicals Are Everywhere - What Do We Do?

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A recent study by researchers in the University of Florida found that 21 major toilet paper brands sold worldwide contain PFAS, dubbed “forever chem...

The Heart of Medicine: Being An Ethical Doctor

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, a proposed strike by a group of contract doctors in Malaysia highlighted the question of ethics among healthcare professionals and how these...

Public Health: Nicotine, Vaping and Taxes

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nicotine liquids and gel, used in e-cigarettes and vape devices, have been exempted from poison control, following a gazetted order signed by the Mini...

Humans of Healthcare: The Speech-Language Therapist

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered what happens if you need to relearn how to speak or even how to swallow? Speech-language therapists may not be the most glamoro...

Clinical Hypnosis: Sifting Through The Pseudoscience

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is hypnotherapy just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, or is it a legitimate form of therapy provided by mental healthcare professionals? Why does it matter whe...

Doctor in the House: What Would You Change About Your Healthcare Experience?

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This World Health Day, we are asking listeners to tell us what’s the one thing they would change about their healthcare experience, and what they wo...

The Forgotten Leaky Heart Valve

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The valves in our heart enable blood to flow in the right direction. When there are problems with any of the valves, this can lead to serious complica...

How To Talk About Self-Harm on Social Media

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Social media has been a great platform to raise awareness on mental health issues, but it can also be a trigger for those who are still struggling, es...

Put Your Best Foot Forward (But Shod Or Bare?)

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our feet get us places. But if they’re not well taken care of with the right footwear, every step becomes a pain-filled one. What role do shoes play...

How Occupational Therapy Helps In Physical, Neurocognitive and Mental Health Issues

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are many medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that can affect a person’s ability to live and work independently. Between the point of rec...

Doctor in the House: PrEP Prevents HIV & Must Be Accessible To All

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

PrEP - or pre-exposure prophylaxis - can be life-saving, as it’s highly effective in preventing HIV when taken as prescribed. Recently, Deputy Healt...

NCD Chronicles #7: No One Chooses To Be Obese

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

About half of the Malaysian population are either overweight or obese, and it’s not surprising when Malaysia is the fattest nation in Southeast Asia...

Back Up: Let’s Talk About Degenerative Spine Diseases

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Back pain is one of the most common problems in the modern world, and most of us have probably experienced it at one point or another. But how do you ...

Because Feelings Matter #17: Balancing Courage and Vulnerability

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From a young age, Sumitra Visvanathan, Executive Director of the Women’s Aid Organisation, was imbued with a strong sense of service towards others ...

World TB Day 2023: Make Life-Saving TB Drugs Affordable & Accessible

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that before COVID-19, tuberculosis was the leading infectious killer, even higher than HIV/AIDS? While it has now been overtaken by COVID...

Doctor in the House: No Fun In Fungal Infections

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will Ellie find out the truth about what Joel did? This is the cliffhanger question in the season finale of ‘The Last Of Us’, a TV series about a ...

Advances in Glaucoma Treatment To Prevent Blindness

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Worldwide, 78 million people have glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness around the world. However, it is also a preve...

Brain Waves: Zombie (Cells) In Your Brain and Body

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if you were told that you had “zombie cells” in your brain? And that they have an impact on age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s or even c...

Be Fit Malaysians: How To Exercise Safely If You’re Overweight

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to obesity, one of the main solutions prescribed to people is to exercise to lose some of their weight. How do you do it right so that y...

Ask A Doctor: The Mouth

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In our open clinic segment on World Oral Health Day, Associate Professor Dr Mas Suryalis Ahmad, President-Elect of the Malaysian Dental Association, j...

To Live Well, We Need To Talk About Dying

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Death and dying is still a taboo subject in Malaysian society. But to live well until your last days also means planning your care for times when you ...

How Far We’ve Come in Treating Stomach Cancers

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We often hear that you are what you eat. But does your diet affect your risk of stomach cancer? Who is at higher risk of stomach cancer - also known a...

Mind Matters: Surprise, Surprise, Living in Cities is Bad For Your Mental Health

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa brought up in the Dewan Rakyat that people living in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have the highest rates of...

Humans of Healthcare: The Cancer Researcher

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an age where superheroes like Thor, Black Panther, and Wonder Woman occupy our imaginations, a cancer researcher may not appear to belong in that g...

Recovering From A Head Injury

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you hear the word “head injury”, many of us often think of the worst case scenario. But with head injuries ranging from mild to the more seve...

Doctor in the House…No More? What ChatGPT Means For Medicine and Research

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Healthcare providers rely on studies published in scientific journals to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in medical research. But what ha...

World Kidney Day: Keeping Your Kidneys Healthy

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How often do you think about how your kidneys are doing? While we can lead a healthy and good quality of life with just one kidney, it doesn’t mean ...

IWD 2023: Prof Dr Woo Yin Ling on Making Cervical Cancer A Thing of the Past

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers - both through HPV vaccinations and screening tests - and could one day be history for Malaysia...

Preparing For Pregnancy (And Beyond)

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pregnancy is the beginning of a thrilling, roller coaster ride for any couple, but the journey actually begins even before the baby is conceived. Join...

Am I Easily Distracted or Do I Have ADHD?

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re on social media, you’ve probably come across posts or videos by people describing how they’ve had oddly specific habits their entire l...

Another Step In Understanding COVID-19 Immunity

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A recent study by a team of Australian scientists found a protein in the lungs that sticks to the COVID-19 virus like velcro, thus immobilising it. It...

Doctor in the House: Fatty Liver On The Rise

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You can’t escape the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle, especially one centred around a high-fat, calorie-laden diet. One of the organs that ca...

My Mind and Me #4: Finding Your Support System (And How To Support Others)

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Part of learning how to manage your mental health is finding a support system that works for you. But telling friends and family that you’re struggl...

Ozaki Procedure For Aortic Stenosis in Children

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Childhood - a time of fun and play - can be disrupted when a child is born with a faulty valve in the heart. Aortic stenosis is a congenital heart con...

Because Feelings Matter #16: Caregiving Is A Journey Of Love

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a psychologist, Dr Hariyati Sharima Abdul Majid was the one that people turned to when they were struggling with mental health issues. But when Dr ...

Budget 2023: Are We Investing Enough in Health?

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Budget 2023 has been retabled - once again - with health receiving the second largest share out of the entire budget at RM36.3 billion. But is this en...

Raising An Inclusive Child

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Why does she look like that?” or “He talks funny” are some things children may say when they encounter someone who is differently-abled, or h...