Category Archives: Health And Wellness

Because of the hot and humid climate in Singapore, it can be very easy for us to get dehydrated. To put it simply, when we don’t have enough water in our body, our organs don’t function at their best. Hence, we can get easily tired and even become more prone to sickness. Apart from that, here are all the other reasons why you should try to drink enough water every day.

Water helps overall brain function

One of the more important reasons why you should stay hydrated is that water (alongside oxygen) is obviously needed by the brain. When you are dehydrated, it can affect the electrolytes that travel through the brain and your nervous system. This means that your cognitive function may be affected negatively. So, when you start feeling thirsty, think about it as your brain telling you that it needs water.

Our body simply needs it

All our organs need water! All our cells are basically made of water, so not having a good enough supply will hinder our organs’ ability to function effectively. Our bodily systems from the digestive system, circulatory system and etc. all rely on having water to be able to carry out the processes through and through. Our skin and our eyes also need water to stay healthy and efficient.

Water helps with weight loss

Drinking water can help with weight loss simply because you feel fuller. When you drink a lot of water before eating a meal, for example, you can limit the amount of calories you intake. This can be an effective method for those who are dieting to lose weight. This is also a great substitute for sports drinks when you’re trying to lose weight in the gym since water does not add calories.

Water can improve your physical performance

Again, because our cells are made of water, having enough supply will help us carry out physical activities much more efficiently. When you lose water from sweat, for example, your muscle tissues start to lose energy. This is because muscles mostly have a higher water composition. So, if you start sweating too much, make sure to resupply your body with water.

Water cleanses the body

Because of all the fast food and processed food that we eat, we’re taking too much sodium inside our body. Another main function of water is that it can help the body flush these toxins out. We do this through sweating or urinating. If we don’t drink enough water, the excess sodium left in the body might develop and become harmful toxins. That is why it is important to drink enough water to clear the body of any excess and harmful toxins.

According to SingHealth, almost half of Singaporeans don’t get enough sleep. A whopping 44% of us are sleep deprived, a number higher than the figures in the US (where only around 35% percent are sleep deprived). Modern-day habits, like a drive for higher productivity and the use of artificial lighting, are making us sleep less and less. While we know that sleep is important, is it really that bad to be sleep deprived? Here are a few science-backed effects of the lack of sleep, and why it’s bad for your health.

1. Lowered productivity
All around the world, many accidents are caused by a lack of sleep, from car crashes to oil spills. This is due to the fact that when we sleep, our neurons are repaired, creating better connections and solidifying memories. Without sleep, your brain doesn’t perform as well as it could, making you sluggish and prone to mistakes. You are also prone to slower reaction times, making you move more slowly and making you do less work than usual.

2. Lowered levels of cognition
When you’re sleep deprived, your brain finds it harder to process and store information. In other words, it’s harder to learn when your brain lacks sleep. And since your brain cannot solidify previously acquired memories, you would have trouble applying the things you have learned in the past, hampering your progress in learning a new skill or information.

3. Lowered immunity
For those of you who are prone to pulling all-nighters, chances are you have noticed that you get sick more often. This is because sleep deprivation impairs the immune system, the system that helps fight off bacteria that leads to colds and the flu. Sleep deprivation also affects the reaction of the body to harmful bacteria; simply put, the less sleep you have, the less effective your body is in fending coughs and colds.

4. Increased risk of diabetes
Diabetes is an illness that affects the production of insulin, which leads to high levels of glucose in the body. When sleep deprived, insulin production is also altered in the body, leading to a higher risk of diabetes, along with other diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure.

5. Lowered mental health and wellbeing
Most of us are cranky and irritable if we had a bad night’s rest. Tossing and turning during the night can turn to arguments and moodiness during the day, which can distance us from colleagues and loved ones. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation leads to mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. This isn’t surprising, considering that sleep deprivation also leads to a brain that has a harder time on concentrating, which can lead to frustration and irritability.

Although typhoid is no longer common nowadays because of the vaccines and better overall sanitation, families still need to take steps to prevent infection, especially when preparing their food.

Typhoid Fever
Simply put, typhoid fever is a type of infection caused by the Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi found in food and water. Doctors consider it a serious illness that sometimes show similar symptoms to other diseases. The danger of ignoring these seemingly harmless symptoms is the possibility of them developing into life-threatening complications. There is also a similar disease caused by the Salmonella Paratyphi A, B, and C called paratyphoid fever, which might be confused with typhoid.

Typhoid Symptoms
Symptoms vary among affected individuals, although they will exhibit these common signs of typhoid fever, such as; fever, headache and nausea, constipation or diarrhea, stomach pain, and loss of appetite. Typhoid fever may be mistaken for another illness, especially if the symptoms are mild, but ignoring these can place the person’s life in danger. A persistent of high-lasting fever should be a red flag that the person needs medical attention. The severity and the type of complication from typhoid fever also vary, that is why the number of fatalities are still high.

Typhoid Vaccine
Travelers are often advised to get one of the two vaccines available before traveling to countries that are at high risk. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends two vaccines; such as the live attenuated oral Ty21a vaccine and the injectable polysaccharide vaccine. The former is recommended for individuals older than five years, while the latter is recommended for individuals two years and older.

Typhoid Prevention
Besides getting any of the two vaccines, you still need to observe sanitary practices when preparing your food. The vaccines after all are only 50% to 80% effective. The doctor will advise you to be careful when buying or preparing your food and drinks, especially if you travel to areas where the disease is common. As a precaution, make sure that your food is always served cooked and hot, dairy products are pasteurized, and the vegetables and fruits are washed in clean water. Avoid raw or undercooked or soft-cooked food, food made with fresh ingredients, and food served at room temperature.

Typhoid Treatment
Once the presence of the bacteria is detected in the blood, urine or stool, treatment begins with the prescription of antibiotics to fight off the Salmonella bacteria. However, doctors are careful when identifying the type of antibiotic that should be used, because it has to be based on the geographic region and the individual’s resistance. Usually, improvements can be seen within a period of ten days with proper care and medication. In some cases, the individual’s gallbladder is removed if the symptoms are severe. If left untreated, typhoid fever can lead to pneumonia or intestinal perforation.

Foot reflexology is the study of foot reflex points to help cure the bodily stress that can cause pain, sleeplessness or other physical problems. This healing technique stimulates our own physical healing process. Reflexology can be a treatment to some medical conditions like insomnia by relaxing the body to relieve tension and stress.

Most people believe that insomnia is just the inability to sleep and rest but in fact, it can go beyond that. Mentioned below are some of the symptoms of insomnia which you might have been experiencing too.

1. Lying in bed for almost an hour but unable to sleep
2. Waking up without any reason during wee hours of night and having problems of going back to sleep again.
3. Waking up feeling un-refreshed and tired, and feeling the same thing all throughout the day.
4. You feel sleepy during the day when you shouldn’t be sleeping.

Lack of sleep for a day is not very harmful. The sleep pattern can be easily restored when you’re able to regain your bio clock again. But lack of sleep for how many days or weeks is a different thing.

People who have insomnia often say that the natural sleep has different satisfaction compare to the kind of sleep they get with sleeping drugs. That’s why most of them turn to foot reflexology to bring back their natural sleeping habit. There are certain reflex points on human’s foot that can be manipulated to increase physical and mental clarity. This reduces bodily stress so they can regain their healthy and restful sleep again.

How Reflexology treat insomnia?
Reflex points located in our toes links to our brain, which is the centre of all our actions. These are then stimulated to regain the sleeping habit of an insomnia patient.

In addition, the reflex point that links to the pineal gland is also treated. The hormone secreted by this gland, known as melatonin, affects the human sleeping pattern. There are also other more brain reflexes like the solar plexus, spine, respiratory and circulatory system that should be stimulated to clear up the imbalances leading the human body to a relaxed and healthier sleeping pattern.

Effective Reflexology Techniques
There are so many techniques used to renew body energy and relax pressured joints. Some of them include finger walking, and thumb walking. Consulting a professional reflexologist who knows what areas to avoid, what areas to work, and what techniques should be used, will guarantee you of getting back your great night’s sleep. The benefits of foot reflexology aid insomnia patients to cope up and relax under conditions of tension and stress. People who suffer from insomnia will experience better sleeping patterns, with uninterrupted longer rest cycles.

Stress, one simple word but has such impact on our lives. It’s everywhere, from our homes to our workplaces. It’s inevitable; no matter how much we plan out our lives, some unfortunate events are just beyond our control. It’s horrible; there are just moments when we can’t take it anymore and feel so hopeless.

Stress is bound to be a part of our lives but fortunately there are things we can do to alleviate its effects on us. Some busy professionals choose to drink their worries away. Some homemakers opt for a relaxing day at the spa. Some fathers unwind with a round of golf. Whatever you choose to manage your stress levels, it’s always better if it’s something that will make you happy but also will be good for your health.

And if you’re in search of a better way to fight off stress, you could consider trying yoga. Yoga has been around for many centuries now. Originating from India, it has now travelled all across the globe and is now being practiced by many, different nationalities.

Here in Singapore, there are also several practitioners of this healing exercise and there are also many studios which offer yoga classes. One of which is True Yoga. Established in 2004, True Yoga is Singapore’s largest Yoga centre with outlets at Ocean Financial Centre and at The Pacific Plaza. They have Yoga Masters from India and offer 35 different types of Yoga. You could start with Beginner’s Yoga or Gentle Yoga and move your way up to Ashtanga Led. And what’s more is that for your little ones, they also offer Kid’s Yoga classes.

For another Yoga studio, you might also want to check out Bikram Yoga at HarbourFront Centre. Bikram Yoga is a 90-minute class with a total of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. It is intended for beginners, thus there are no advanced postures here, but all levels of practitioners are very much welcome to join. What sets this yoga apart from the other types is that Bikram is done in a studio heated to 105 degrees to allow deeper stretching. This is a great way to rejuvenate your mind and your body, so enrol yourself into one of their classes. You’ll find all the information you’ll need at www.bikramyogasg.com.

Oftentimes, we think that we cannot live on this planet for eternity. Hence, we have to celebrate and live our lives to the fullest and stay happy at all times. On the other hand, we death comes into our mind; we get scared and stop all the things that we do. In fact, you don’t have to because we only live one here on Earth. Therefore, we must enjoy it and live a happy life. Below are some tips to lengthen your happiness here on Earth:

• Have fun with your pets. If you have a dog or cat, go play with them. Through this, you can eliminate and prevent stress. You will also be less lonely (a contributing factor to live for short years) and discouraged which will sometimes lead to suicide. By playing with your pets, you also gain physical activity which improves the performance of your heart and thus gives you a long life.

• Spend time with God. Most of the time, people who are close to God are granted with a long life. However, there are times that it is not that long because it’s the will of God. Also, God doesn’t want anything bad to happen to their children.

• Visit your physician regularly. If you do this, there is a great chance that you can prevent some serious diseases that might be inside your body. Therefore, giving you some extra years to live on Earth.

• Have the right attitude. There is no definite attitude that you need to follow in order to have a long life. To achieve this, be who you are and stay strong. Changing our attitude is not good and you can never change it instantly. So, just keep it.

Detox is among the easiest things to do in order to maintain a healthy figure. Ideally, detox or cleansing the body must be done quarterly or at least twice a year. On the other hand, our body have natural detoxification process like crying, breathing, urinating, sweating and defecating. Another simple way of cleansing the body is drinking purified water.

Drinking and the mentioned natural activities of a human being will make the physique healthy and fit. Water is a very helpful substance to make a person feel like urinating. Today, massage therapy is one of the commonly used cleansing methods in the country since it allows many people to perspire more.

Massage Therapy

Massage is extremely advantageous when it comes to removal of toxins and bacteria. It is a very helpful activity to relieve body pain such headaches, back, neck and shoulder pain and many more. Also, it improves the function of vital organs in the body. In addition, massage is really an effective way to have a systematic circulation and to have an equal supply of nutrients in the body.

What is Detox?

Many people just go and try detoxifying themselves without even knowing what detox is all about. Detox is a short term for Detoxification – a process wherein a person undergoes a general clean-up all over the body. Through this process, it will make a person feel relieve of what pain he is experiencing.

Why Body Detoxification is Essential?

Because of many pollutants that the environment had acquired today, it is very hard for the body to detoxify properly. Toxins and bacteria double in number making many people sick. Most of the time, the absence of detoxification will make the immune system weak making the body easily obtain mild to severe illnesses.

Basically, there are many detoxification massage therapy and one example is lymphatic massage. This type of massage method helps the lymphatic system to remove body waste. Therefore, it will be cleansed. It is done with a gentle pressure to guide the flow of the toxins from the excretory system. Lymphatic massage usually aids paralyzed people to avoid bad bacteria and toxins around its body.

Here in Singapore, many people always think that getting a massage is only an indulgence. However, massage is curative both physically and mentally, and when it is done properly it alleviates stress, eliminates or if not lessen body pains and aches particularly in joints and muscles. On the other hand, it can improve muscle and skin tone, and it can also increase flexibility.

It is said that detox massage is a very effective technique to aid many individuals in:

• Enhancing the immune system: When the body is cleared from toxins and other harmful bacteria and substances, there is a huge possibility that you can achieve a healthy body.
• Muscle and tissue strengthening: Like an ordinary massage, detox massage have some focal points to press. Once the points are hit, there is an increase muscle stability and firmness. However, it’s not the same to a person who’s always in the gym to have workout.
• Remove obstructions in the circulatory system: Obstructions in the circulatory system often leads to illnesses which are mostly related to the heart. Therefore, with the help of detox massage therapy the flow of blood in the circulatory system is will be continuous.