Category Archives: Men’s Health

Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

The Silent Enemy: Fight Joint Injuries Together

Kordel’s has been the main sponsor for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia (AFM) for 11 years running and they have recently collaborated with local sports associations, both professional and amateur athletes as well as Sports Medicine Specialist at University of Malaya Medical Centre, Dr. Muhammad Rahmani Jaffar to raise awareness on the threats of silent joint injuries and how to reduce the risks and take preventive measures. 

The purpose of this collaboration is to educate the public on the rising epidemic of arthritis, and the types of joint nutrition they could take early on before it seriously impacts a person’s health and lifestyle. 

This partnership came shortly after the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Cheah as the new President of the new Arthritis Foundation Malaysia for the period of 2019 till 2021. With over 23 years of experience in the medical field, he is also a Consultant Physician and Rheumatologist in Pantai Hospital and Consultant Rheumatologist in Parkcity Medical Centre and IMU Healthcare. 

According to Dr. Benjamin, although joint ailments can affect everyone from every walk of life, it is not clear exactly what causes osteoarthritis as age, weight (obesity factor), past injuries, family history as well as bone deformities are all part contributory to the onset of osteoarthritis. 

While it is commonly associated with the elderly, athletes and younger adults can also be afflicted with this degenerative disease. When osteoarthritis strikes, the cushioning material (cartilage) that covers the ends of the bones breaks down. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, crunching or grating sounds (when the joint is flexed), swelling and loss of flexibility. When cartilage wears away completely, the bones rub against each other, which can be even more painful and debilitating. 

 

Research has suggested that athletes and sports professionals are more prone to osteoarthritis than the general population. “Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, therefore serious wear and tear is bound to occur,” continues Dr. Benjamin. 

“In my younger days, I injured both my knees while doing sports and I’ve endured pain ever since. We shouldn’t wait too long to take action as we can prevent further damage with the right nutrition and practice,” shares Mike Mahen, Mr World Champion 2016 -2018. 

“Many patients as young as in their 20s to 40s suffer from painful arthritic conditions. Education and awareness on how to recognise the symptoms are as important as taking preventive steps,” weighs in Dr. Muhammad Rahmani. 

Backed by the latest research on nutritional healing and disease prevention, Kordel’s has introduced Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia in their Joint Care range. It is formulated with a blend of hydrolysed water-soluble eggshell membrane, and added with Boswellia an extract which contains boswellic acids. This daily joint nutrition supplement has a Triple Actions Formula that can help to (1) repairs and protects Tendon and Ligament, (2) repairs and protects cartilage and joints, and (3) anti-inflammation thus helping in joints recovery early at the early stage. 

“Should anyone sense any discomfort in moving or stretching, it could be a symptom of early osteoarthritis, especially those who are above the age of 30 or those who does a lot of strenuous activities. Prevention is always better than cure,” mentions Mr. Zid, brand manager for Kordel’s. 

Kordel’s Eggshell Membrane plus Boswellia contains 2 unique patented ingredients which are the patented Biovaflex from eggshell membrane that provide 6 bioactives ingredients to nourish and regenerate joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, while the patented Boswellin is an extract from the Boswellia plant that acts as a natural analgesic to stop inflammation fast and effective without side effects. 

As part of their corporate social responsibility efforts, Kordel’s will be having their annual Family Charity Walk on the 8th September at Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This 7km walkathon is a charity drive to increase public awareness on joint health and raise funds for Arthritis Foundation Malaysia. 

For more information, please check out at Facebook “2019 Kordel’s Family Charity Walk”. 

AFTNews, Men's Health

USANA Malaysia sponsors top athletes Muhamad Heidy, Adli Hafidz Mohd Pauzi & Welson Sim Wee Sheng

USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: USNA), an international nutritional company, is proud to continue its tradition of sponsoring deserving Malaysian sportspersonswho are role models to all young athletes in the country.

The USANA Elite Athletes Malaysia are:

1.Muhamad Heidy, a top notch dodgeball player whose achievements include:

# Vice President & Head Coach of Malaysia Dodgeball Federation – Present

# 1st Runner Up for Asean Dodgeball Championship 2015 and

# Ranking #2 in Dodgeball World Cup 2016, Manchester.

 

2.Adli Hafidz Mohd Pauzi, up and coming boxer with milestones including:

# Silver medallist light-heavy boxing category in 2017 SEA Games Kuala Lumpur

# WBC Asia Silver Champion for middleweight category and

# WBC Asia Exemplary Boxer of the Year 2018 Award from Asian Boxing Council.

 

3.Welson Sim Wee Sheng, national record holder for several swimming freestyle categories with other achievements including:

# Olympian of the Year 2017 by Malaysian Olympic Council

# Best Sportsman of 2017 SEA Games and

# Defeated 2016 Rio Olympic Gold Medalist Australian swimmer, Mack Horton.

Ms Vivienne Lee, Regional General Manager for USANA Malaysia, Singapore & Taiwan said:“Today marks a very special occasion for all of us as USANA Malaysia is delighted to contribute in a truly meaningful way in the career development of these three fine sportspersons and we are continuing a tradition of sponsoring local athletes ever since 2016.

“USANA is active in sponsoring athletes who rely on USANA supplements to keep them in top shape and we are helping them to be in the circle of world-class athletes and elite champions who trust their health to USANA products.

“For all the three USANA Elite Athletes Malaysia, their sponsorship is worth more than RM100,000 including supplements sponsorship and networking with the USANA athlete community, for at least one and a half year.

“We are thrilled to welcome our dynamic trio to the USANA family. All athletes need nutritional products that help keep them in top form for stamina, energy and focus that only peak health can bring.

“USANA Health Sciences is proud to have all three of these outstanding athletes join the ranks of more than 4,500 professional athletes throughout the world who are using our wide range of products to keep them in the best possible physical and mental condition,” she said.

They include among the many others, five-time world boxing champion Timothy Bradley Jr and  2016 Rio Olympics swimming contender Kelsi Dahlia, who are all drawn to USANA’s unrivaled nutritional supplements.

The USANA elite athletes around the globe rely on USANA products to maintain their health. They choose USANA because of the quality of its products, and the potency guarantee the company provides, ensuring what’s on the label is what’s in the product—and nothing else.

“USANA is excited that Muhamad Heidy, Adli Hafidz and Welson have chosen to trust their health to USANA, and we are delighted to play a role in helping them achieve their dreams of becoming a leading professional sportsperson globally,” added Vivienne.

*The mentioned athletes are either distributors or dedicated users who have received compensation for their partnership and/or complimentary USANA products.

 

 

Beauty & Health, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

DNA fitness testing across four continents

An article in New York Times in 2018 described a novel benefit for employees introduced by Levi Strauss & Company in San Francisco: free genetic screening to assess their hereditary risks for certain cancers and high cholesterol.  Its CEO Chip Bergh wanted to reduce the company’s employee health care costs – naturally, any CEO would! So he hoped for a positive response from his employees.  In the article, it states that other companies in the US like Nvidia, Salesforce, SAP, Slack, Stripe, Snap and Visa have offered the genetic screenings as an employee benefit. The company they used was US-based Color Genomics, a start-up that has quickly become a leader in employee genetic screening and counseling.

Hong Kong / Singapore

Meanwhile over in Hong Kong, Bloomberg article delves into a test subject from Hong Kong – David Leung who took a genetic test that came free with an insurance policy and has since followed a diet plan inspired by his DNA report. Prenetics Inc analysed Mr Leung’s genes and has sold more than 100,000 DNA testing kits in 2018 and aims to double sales volumes this year as it starts marketing directly to consumers as well as through insurers. Its executive officer Danny Yeung said that they want to “democratise genetic testing.” Leung’s genetic analysis and diet recommendations were provided in a 44-page report with an additional feature of an app that enabled him to interact with a health coach.

Prenetics seem to have outdone itself with a new brand, Circle DNA – claiming it as THE WORLD’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE DNA TEST at USD189.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPD2NChDoeY#action=share

Moving down towards the equator in Southeast Asia is Singapore-based Imagene Labs that markets itself as a DNA-based beauty and wellness company that creates customised solutions based on individuals’ unique genetic traits. Its Managing Director Wong Mun Yew says, the company’s sales strategy is to forge partnerships with spa and fitness chains.

Australia

Further down under in Australia, we found myDNA. Founded in 2007 by leading Clinical Geneticist, Associate Professor Leslie Sheffield, myDNA aims to unlock the power of personal genomics for everyday consumers. May 2019 marks the month that this Aussie company has stepped into the United States of America and will be launching two main products for that market; Nutrition & Fitness (MSRP USD99) provides personalised Nutrition, Fitness and Caffeine Reports. Vitamins (MSRP USD89) identifies 12 genes that help determine a person’s need for nine different vitamins and minerals.

Making nutrition personal in the USA

Personalised nutrition is forecasted to be worth $US11.5 billion by 2025 worldwide (2018 Axiom Market Research report). An article by the Australian Financial Review spoke to Dr Michael Fenech, founding president of the Asia-Pacific Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics Organisation who co-authored a paper evaluating scientific evidence for genotype-based, personalised, dietary advice. Basically, eating right for your gene-type. He gave an example about obesity. An area where our responses to food differ and where, potentially, nutrigenomics could help us lose a few kilos. “Multiple genes, including the FTO gene, are involved in metabolism and weight control and a personalised diet may increase the chance of a dieter’s success,” he says.

DNA testing disclaimers

When customers sign up, swab and send their DNA to the respective DNA testing providers, they need to know that their data may be shared with research partners of those DNA testing labs. Also, that they need to be prepared for unexpected surprises from the results of their DNA tests.

Is DNA testing a means to gather data to prolong life span?

Did you know, that search engine giant Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have such great interest in researching to extend life span that they setup Calico, a research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies to increase our understanding of the biology that controls lifespan. Their interest was reported in an article in the Australian Financial Review, which shares, “Brin inherited a gene that predisposes him to Parkinson’s disease, and Page has nerve damage that affected his vocal cords.” I found this intriguing that the world’s largest Internet search engine company has made its mark in DNA Testing via AncestryDNA, a provider known for ethnicity genetics testing from only USD59. Besides providing the world with free internet, perhaps this could be the start of a life lengthening elixir.

This article has been compiled from various sources gathered from published articles, written and edited by Jasmine Low, co-founder Asia Fitness Today. No payment has been derived from this piece and is not an advertorial nor endorsement. Thoughts expressed are the author’s own.

Fitness at Work, Men's Health, Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), Wellness, Women's Health

Stressed out?

A quick dive into what STRESS means, and how you can manage it!

Pressured to perform at school? Managing timelines at work? People handling. Keeping the peace within the family. Everything is interconnected, and there are so many ways in managing and reducing stress in your life. Everyone is different too, so while some people may react explosively, others may simply laugh it off, run a marathon or resort to a quieter method be it through prayer, medication or mindfulness. Stress can arise from anything or anyone who places a high demand or expectation from you.

“Stress, if adapted can motivate us every day in our daily life”, – MYHEALTH

In an article excerpt from Ministry of Health of Malaysia MyHealth website, writers Prof. Madya Dr. Alvin Ng Lai Oon suggests that stress can be good or bad. He writes, “We need stress to survive. Stress, if adapted can motivate us every day in our daily life. Through stressful situations, we develop abilities to adapt, cope and respond to life’s demands. On the other hand, stress is bad when we are not able to manage it properly or when we view it negatively. Poor stress management leads to feeling out of control which in turn will lead to other unhealthy coping strategies,”.

According to a journal by Harajyoti, Dipankar, Lipika and Nabanita (2012) – “Comparative Study on Stress and Contributing Factors Among Graduate and Graduate Students”, stress factors were found to be behavioural, psychological and psychosomatic. In terms of behaviour, the study suggests that stress is caused by instability in relationships. The psychological aspects are where stress stems from from anger, low self-esteem, depression where all of it seems to be related to emotional disturbance. In psychosomatic terms, factors such as headache, sleep problems, ulcers and high blood pressure tend to cause stress and pressure. 

In the study, they found that females show often more symptoms in anxiety, back pain, neck pain, appetite and skin rashes. The report also said that there were studies that suggest that the inability to adapt to stress is associated with the onset of depression or anxiety. In one study, two-thirds of subjects who experienced a stressful situation had nearly six times the risk of developing depression within a month of experiencing stressful events. Some evidence suggests that repeated release of stress hormone produce hyperactivity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gain and disrupts normal level of serotonin, the nerve chemical that is critical for feeling of well being. Certainly, stress diminishes quality of life reducing feeling of pleasure and accomplishment
and relationship are often threatened. The data was derived from a sample pool of 250 participants comprising of students and post-graduate students.

University of Puerto Rico’s Michael J. Gonzalez & Jorge R. Miranda-Massari (2014) published “Diet and Stress”. Here’s an excerpt from the report:
Stress happens in 3 stages. The first is an initial state of alarm (fight or flight response), which produces an increase of adrenaline. Living organisms can withstand
occasional extreme stress and still survive. The second stage is a short-term resistance mechanism that the body sets up to cope with the problem. The final stage is a state of exhaustion. The exhaustion stage occurs when the body has used up all
its available resources. If the situation is not taken care of, stress can produce long-term damage to the body, including heart problems, high blood pressure, the immune system problems (susceptibility to infections and allergies), skin problems (acne, itchy
rashes, psoriasis, and eczema), pain (neck, shoulder and back), diabetes, and infertility.
Stress affects the whole body.

Musculoskeletal System

When muscles are tense for prolonged periods of time, other reactions of the body promote stress-related disorders. Tension headache and migraine headache have been associated with chronic muscle tension in the area of the shoulders, neck,
and head.

Respiratory System

Stress can make breathing more difficult. For those with asthma or a chronic obstructive disease, getting enough oxygen can become difficult.

Cardiovascular

Repeated acute stress and persistent chronic stress can induce inflammation in the vasculature, especially of the coronary arteries. This is one of the proposed mechanisms associating stress to myocardial infarcts. It addition, it has been shown that the way a person responds to stress can alter cholesterol levels.

Endocrine

Stress affects how the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland and the autonomic nervous system to secrete the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol. The hypothalamus stimulates the adrenal glands cortex to produce cortisol and the adrenal me-
dulla to produce epinephrine. This gives the body the energy to run from danger.
In every stressful situation, there is a solution. Finding the root cause is key. In the next paragraph, we share some tips on the best methods in which you can manage stress in your lives. Remember these 3 letters, E, E & E!

Eat

A balanced diet is based on the “Myplate” of the food set. Eating is one of life’s simplest pleasures. Ever head the term “comfort food”? Nourishment for your mental and physical being comes from the food you meticulously plan throughout the day. Keep your food simple, light and nutritious so it’s easily digestible and keep you from feeling sluggish after lunch.

Stressful situations can increase the acid content in our stomach. Makes one think differently when they say “I have butterflies in my stomach”!

Our team had a very insightful read of Diet & Stress by Michael J. Gonzalez & Jorge R. Miranda-Massari, 2014. Citing the report, “…a food industry that provides main staple foods that are additional stressors (refined carbohydrates, excessive animal fats, artificial colours, preservatives, and sweeteners). Unhealthy eating patterns will only result in an increased level in stress, followed by further health problems in the near future if the issues are not resolved. With a healthy eating plan accompanied with scientific supplementation and a proper stress management program, one can overcome stress, prolong one’s life span, and reduce the likelihood of stress-related illnesses,”

“One of the main problems with on-going stress is the depletion of nutrients. The stress response is fight or flight; either action requires lots of energy. Stress utilizes many nutrients for energy production, even if one sits in front of a computer screen all day,”.
“B vitamins are essential for coping with stress, as they are used in most metabolic enzymes. Substances like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine will drain these resources and affect the functionality of the body and the brain. When under stress, the body uses reserve B vitamins,”.
“Foods can help relieve stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal can boost levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical,”.

Exercise

For busy executives, you could incorporate some exercise into your day, just as though it were an important appointment. We would suggest a less strenuous routine, that would help you work out a sweat but without stressing your body out too much. 

Ed Haynes, founder and head trainer at a gym in Hong Kong shared that exercise itself stresses your body. So it’s not a good idea to pack physical stress on top of an already stressed body. You can read more about it here.

Rest

A really good rest is penultimate. When you get enough rest, your physical and mental condition is calm, balanced and ready to to make right decisions. Heed this advice. It’s been said, good rest is productivity’s best friend.

Here’s a tip from Dr Lim Li Ling, Consultant Neurologist at the Singapore Neurology & Sleep Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre and Director, Sleep Disorders Unit, Singapore General Hospital.

Sleep-wake Schedule

Go to bed and get up at about the same time every night and morning respectively, including weekends. Try to have a regular schedule of going to bed and waking up. This will help you to anchor your circadian (“biological”) clock and establish a consistent rhythm of sleep. Read more…

REFERENCES:

  • Stress management by MyHealth. Read more…
  • A Comparative Study on Stress and it’s Contributing Factors among the Graduate and Post-Graduate Students by Harajyoti Mazumdar, Dipankar Gogoi, Lipika Buragohain and Nabanita Haloi. 2012. Read more…
  • Stress dan Kesihatan. Dr Izzat Haznil Bin Ismaal. Pegawai Perubatan PKU UTMKL. Read more…
  • Diet and stress. Michael J Gonzalez and Jorge R Miranda-Massari. 2014. Read more…

This article was written by AsiaFitnessToday.com editorial team with research by Nabila Azamuddin and Nur Nadiah Yazid, UiTM Sports Management faculty.

Diet & Nutrition, Features Malaysia, Men's Health, Wellness, Women's Health

Dahaga? Jangan sampai tahap dehidrasi

Pentingnya air dalam badan kita dalam menjalani aktiviti seharian! Semua orang mempunyai pengetahuan bahawa hidrasi adalah sangat penting dalam tubuh badan kita. Hal ini kerana, setiap aktiviti yang kita lakukan akan memerlukan kuantiti air yang banyak dalam badan. Jika tubuh badan kita dalam keadaan dehidrasi, ianya akan menyebabkan kita kekurangan tenaga dalam badan. Selain itu, ianya juga akan menyukarkan kita untuk melakukan aktiviti-aktiviti harian kita seperti bersenam, bekerja serta dalam menggunakan otak untuk berfikir.

Disebabkan itu, jikalau kita perhatikan pelajar-pelajar, pekerja-pekerja serta para atlet sangat mementingkan air sepanjang mereka melakukan aktiviti harian mereka. Mereka tidak akan lupa untuk membawa sebotol air dalam melakukan aktiviti harian mereka. Dalam satu keratan akhbar Harian Metro ada menyatakan air bersih boleh merangsang system pertahanan badan, metabolisme sel dan mengurangkan risiko sel menjadi tidak normal, mencegah bahan toksik daripada merebak ke sel lain dan mengurangkan risiko terhadpa jangkitan.

Menurut artikel guesehat.com, salah satu hal yang perlu kita ketahui tentang hidrasi badan adalah tubuh yang kekurangan cairan tidak hanya boleh dilihat dari warna urin. Menurutnya lagi, warna urin yang kita keluarkan belum tentu sesuai menggambarkan keadaan hidrasi
tubuh yang tengah dialami. Faktor luaran yang lain seperti makanan, minuman serta pengambilan vitamin dan mineral turut dapat mengubah warna urin menjadi lebih pekat.

Dehidrasi sangatlah penting untuk dijaga, sepertimana yang telah dinyatakan diatas kesan- kesan sampingannya. Konklusinya, sentiasa membawa sebotol air putih kemana jua kita pergi walaupun tidak melakukan aktiviti yang berat. Seterusnya, air putih juga mempunyai banyak khasiat untuk badan kita. Nantikan artikel seterusnya untuk mengetahui dengan lebih lanjut mengenai nutrisi makanan yang baik.

Artikel ini disusun oleh tim Asia Fitness Today yang mengambil inspirasi dari laman web Guesehat dan Harian Metro.