Do you know that every 3 second, there is an osteoporotic fracture worldwide? Our bones and joints are very important for our daily movement. As we age, the bone mineral density will decrease and the joint health will be affected which is causing many elderlies who experience joint pain or bone fracture in old age. According to the statistic, osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide and every 1 in 2 women above 40 years old which means approximately 50% of women above 40 years old are suffer from osteoporosis. So, how can we protect our bones and joints?

1.Healthy Diet

Maintaining healthy diet is a crucial step in protecting our bone health. Calcium is an important mineral which can improve the bone mineral density and therefore, reduce risk of osteoporosis. Our bones lose their density and become thinner as we age, it will then cause the porous bones and leads to higher risk of fracture. Increasing calcium intake could protect our bones from losing density. Besides Calcium mineral, Vitamin D, Magnesium and Zinc are good for our bone health too. Vitamin D could improve the Calcium absorption in our body. However, coffee is not advisable to take with your calcium source as caffeine will block the calcium absorption in our body. 

2.Exercise

There are many people who may be avoiding exercise or too much extra movement due to joint pain but sedentary physical activity can cause joint pain or even make it worse. Exercise helps to build muscle and muscles take the load off of our joints. If we do not have enough muscle to support our body weight, our joints will take the hit instead. For people who work in office, if you usually sit for long periods of time, try to get up and move around once every couple of hours. 

3.Weight management

Some people might be managing weight for better appearance, but weight management are also important for our bones and joints health. For underweight population, they are having higher risk of bone loss while for overweight population, their weight are causing extra stress on joints. Therefore, it will lead to higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy body weight to keep your bones and joints healthy.

4.Reduce smoking and drinking

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have many negative impacts towards health. Smoking has been proven to cause bone mass depletion and studies showed that smoking increase risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture. Besides, people with high alcohol consumption have been proven to have higher risk of having broken bones and brittle bones. Drinking interferes with the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. it also results in an increase in hormones that deplete bone density. Therefore, reduce alcohol intake and smoking could aid in reducing bone damage. 

5.Posture

Maintaining a right posture is important to prevent joint damage which could restrict our movement, incorrect posture can lead to extra burden on joints and causing joint pain. Slouching puts extra pressure on your joints which can lead to back pain, neck pain or shoulder pain.

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi:

Bones and joints play an important role in our body to support our movement. Through the aging process, bone and joints might degenerate which might affect our movements. Therefore, taking care of our bones and joints health are very important. If you are worried about your bone health, you can get a bone mineral density test to have a better understanding on your bone condition. From our daily diet, you could increase the calcium intake from your daily diet from calcium rich food such as milk, cheese, broccoli, chia seed and almonds, collagen intake could also help with our joints health. Support your bones and joints today, they will support you tomorrow!

Blueberry

Blueberry is rich in Vitamin C, ellagic acid, lutein and anthocyanin. Blueberries protect our eye health by preventing damage from blue light or ultraviolet rays. With the advance technology, most of us uses at least one electronic device in our daily life. However, do you know that blue light from electronical devices damage our eye cells and increase the rate of visual fatigue. Blueberries exhibit strong antioxidant properties which can reduce oxidative stress and improve eye health.

Cranberry

Cranberry has been widely used for preventing or treating Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). Due to the busy schedule, there are many people who do not consume adequate amount of water everyday which could increase the risk of getting UTI. Cranberry is rich in A-Type Proanthocyanidins, it can help in preventing the adherence of bacteria, particularly E. coli to the walls of bladder.

Elderberry

Elderberry exhibit strong antioxidant activity which is 20 times stronger than Vitamin C. It has been proven in clinical studies that the elderberry could significantly reduce the severity and accelerates the recovery of flu. Besides, elderberry aid in reducing the risk of osteoporosis and strengthen our cardiovascular health. 

Raspberry

Raspberry helps in delaying skin aging and repair skin cells, it possesses strong antioxidant properties which can enhance cardiovascular health and blood circulation, allowing the brain cells obtain sufficient amount of oxygen from the blood. Raspberry has also been proven to aid in improving memory and protect brain cells. 

Strawberry

Strawberry has been named as the king of Vitamin C in the berries family. Strawberry rejuvenates the skin cells, enhance the skin texture and minimise the pore size. Due to the rich nutrients content, strawberry has been widely used for beauty purposes where the vitamins, minerals and the Alpha Hydroxyl Acid (AHA) in strawberry can effectively increase skin elasticity and tighten the skin. It has also been proven in clinical studies that strawberry showed positive effects in brightening skin tone and skin hydration. 

Blackcurrant

Blackcurrant is rich in anthocyanins, it can help in enhancing eye health, improve visuals, and protect eye from blue light and ultraviolet ray damage. The blue light from electronic devises and the ultraviolet rays from the sun are causing huge damage towards our eyes which leads to the acceleration of visual cells aging.

Grape

Grapes help to strengthen cardiovascular health, it has been proven to significantly reduce risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Besides, grape contains Vitamin B12 which is very rare in daily diet especially for vegetarian. Vitamin B12 are usually found in meat and internal organs of animals, resulting in many vegetarians are facing the problem of lacking of Vitamin B12.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

In your daily diet, you could add in berries to boost your immunity and different types of berries contribute to different health benefits. Berries are rich in vitamins and minerals, which can provide our body cells with complete nutrients. Especially if you are always craving for snacks in between meals, you could also choose berry as a substitution with lower calories and higher nutritional values. Both fresh berries or freeze-dried berries have high nutrients retention, which can boost our overall wellbeing.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most frequent bacteria infections among women. But does UTI only happen in women? No, men can also get UTI. However, due to the biological differences between men and women, women are at greater risk of developing a UTI than are men. According to statistics, around 50–60% of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime. 20–30% of them will have a recurrence of UTI. 

Symptoms of UTI: 

• Burning sensation during urination
• Frequent urination 
• Cloudy or pinkish urine
• Painful urination
• Strong-smelling urine

Ways to prevent or take care of UTI:

Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water increase the urination frequency. By urinating, it can aid to flush the bacteria out of the urinary tract. Therefore, drinking adequate amount of water is an important step in preventing and relieving UTI.

Cranberries

Cranberry juice is commonly used for the prevention urinary tract infections. Cranberries are rich in A-type proanthocyanidins, which can prevent E. coli from attaching to the wall of urinary tract, prevent bacterial growth, and help to relieve UTI symptoms and reduce risks of recurrence of UTI.

React to the urge of urination

Not reacting to the urge of urination will increase the risk of UTI, urine contains high level of bacteria and by holding your urine could increase the risk of bacteria attachment on the wall of urinary tract which could further lead to the bacteria infection.

Taking care of hygiene after urination

As the bacteria is the main reasons of infections, poor hygiene could increase the risk of getting UTI. After urination, wiping from front to back can help in preventing bacteria from spreading to the urethra.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

Many people might think that urinary tract infection is just one of the common bacterial infections. However, people who have experienced UTI will know the suffer of UTI. It will lead to a very uncomfortable experience which can even affect their work. Recurrence of UTI is even more troublesome, so if you have not experienced UTI, you should drink more water in your daily life and avoid holding back urine. For people who are experiencing recurrence of UTI, you can consume more cranberries or cranberries products to reduce the risk of UTI. If you notice symptoms of UTI, remember to seek medical advice.

Eyes are the window to the soul, our eyes are the second most complex organ in our body after brain. Our eye cells gradually degenerate in our aging process which might leads to blurry vision, visual fatigue or even some eyes related health problems.  Nowadays, the use of electronic gadgets has been continuously increasing with the advanced technology, resulting in eyesight deterioration. Time to take care of your eyes and protect your eye cells. Do you know what are the nutrients that could improve our vision? 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is very crucial to healthy vision because it has essential roles in photoreceptor cells in the retina. Vitamin A is an important factor affecting the dark adaptation of photoreceptor cells, therefore, vitamin A deficiency could leads to night blindness. 

Food rich in vitamin A includes carrot, pumpkin, tomato, broccoli, corn and papaya.

Anthocyanin

Anthocyanins have high antioxidant properties which can protect the retinal pigment epithelial cells from free radical damage. Anthocyanins improve ocular blood circulation, stimulate the regeneration of rhodopsin, reduce visual fatigue and also aid in reducing the risk of cataracts.

Food rich in anthocyanin includes cranberry, blueberry, eggplant, purple cabbage, purple potato and purple onion.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C possess high antioxidant properties, which can protect our eyes from UV light exposure. Vitamin C is important in enhancing the ocular blood flow and help delaying the aging of eye cells.

Food rich in vitamin C includes orange, lemon, kiwi, bell pepper and guava.

Lutein

Lutein is one of the important nutrients found in the macula and retina in human eyes. It helps in reducing eye dryness, relieving visual fatigue and light sensitivity problem. Lutein can protect the eyes from blue light damage, especially for people who are exposed to electronic devices all the time and some office workers who need to use computer on a daily basis. Blue light of electronic devices can penetrate through lens to the retina and cause retinal photochemical damage. Lutein helps to absorb blue visible light and protect the eye cells from UV damage.

Food rich in lutein includes spinach, peas, pumpkin, onion and papaya.

Omega-3 fatty acids

The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in Omega-3 are good for eye health, they can improve the health of the retina and help preserve our vision. DHA is found in high amounts in our retina, it can enhance vision and improve visual acuity. It has been proven in clinical studies that DHA in Omega-3 has positive effect on relieving dry eyes problem.

Food rich in Omega-3 includes salmon, avocado, tuna, walnuts and chia seed.

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi’s words:

Don’t take your eyes for granted, our eyes are very complex but fragile. The risk of many eyes related health consequences increases with age, such as cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and some of serious eye diseases may even cause blindness. You can try to add more nutrients which are crucial for your eye health into your daily diet, such as carrots, purple cabbage, goji berries, or high-antioxidant fruits. Good eye health starts with the right nutrients on your plate.

What is aging?

Aging is a natural process of becoming older as we age and it occurs in all body cells. Cells are the basic unit of human body, therefore, our body health begins at the cellular level. Human body is composed of 40 trillion to 60 trillion cells. Every day, numerous cells are damaged, dead and regenerated. Cell damage causes the decline in cellular functions, and eventually leads to cell death. As the cellular aging process accelerates, organ function will be affected. Therefore, healthy organ begins with healthy cells.

Aging process

Cellular aging is closely related to telomeres, telomeres shorten as we age. Do you know what is telomeres? Telomeres are like protective caps which located at the end of the chromosomes to protect our DNA. As much as it might be difficult to imagine, you may visualize it as a shoelace where there is a plastic cap at the end to prevent the shoelace from being loosening. As the cell divides, telomeres gradually shrink, the length of telomeres indicates the cell’s ability to replicate. Telomeres are like a countdown timer of cells. As the telomeres shorten, the cells gradually age to the point of cell death.

Factors that cause aging

Besides the natural aging process, there are many external factors that could accelerate the aging process, such as stress, ultraviolet rays, smoking, alcohol consumption, sugar intake, and poor dietary choices. Tobacco contains hundreds of harmful substances that will damage the skin collagen and elastin. And nicotine in the tobacco could even leads to the constriction of blood vessels, affecting nutrients and oxygen flow to skin cells. Besides lifestyle habits, eating habits are also playing an important role on cellular aging. Food which are high in trans fats, sugar and carbohydrates have great influence in cellular aging. Sugar speeds up the shortening process of telomeres and accelerate the cellular aging process. From our daily diet, besides sweet food or beverages, carbohydrates that we consume daily such as bread, noodles and rice are also converted into sugar in the human body.

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi:

There are many non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as stroke, heart disease and diabetes which are associated with aging. When the aging process accelerates, the risk of the NCDs will also increase. Dietary choices play an important role in cellular aging process, therefore, try to reduce the consumption of high fat, high sugar or high carbohydrate food. You may increase the consumption of high antioxidant  food in your diet such as citrus food, broccoli and legumes. Antioxidant could protect cells from free radicals attack and delay cellular aging process. Besides, it would be better if you could quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption not only accelerate aging, but also affect our organ health. 

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body, found in many other parts of our body such as hair, teeth, blood vessels, joints and corneas. Over 30% of the total proteins in the human body are collagen. Collagen is an important building block that holds the body together and support many parts of our body, thereby maintaining the structure and function of skin , joints and bones.  

Why is collagen so important for our health?

Through the aging process, the body’s collagen will be constantly lost. Before the age of 25, you might not realize the aging signs due to the high collagen production in our body. However, starting from age of 25, the amount of collagen produced in the body has gradually decreased. The amount of collagen lost has exceeded the production of collagen in our body, therefore, it is unable to replenish the collagen needed in the body. Studies have shown that the body collagen decreases by approximately 1,000 grams every 10 years, and the aging process of women is faster than men. Based on clinical studies, women lose up to 30% of the body collagen during the first five years of menopause. When the process of collagen loss continues, symptoms of aging will begin to appear, such as fine lines or skin wrinkles, joint pain, brittle nails and hair fall problems.

Where can I get collagen?

Collagen can also be obtained from natural food sources, such as fish maw, pork skin, trotters, fish skin and chicken feet. However, the collagen molecules in natural food source are very large (> 100,000 Daltons), which would be difficult to be absorbed by the human body. Several high collagen food are high in calories or fat, which may lead to weight gain or increase in cholesterol level. Therefore, collagen supplement could be a better choice to replenish collagen needed by our body. 

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi:

As the collagen production gradually declines with age, our collagen production is lesser than the collagen loss which leads to the lacking of collagen in our body. Therefore, proper intake of collagen can activate cells. However, there are different types of collagen supplements in the market, so how should we choose the right one for ourselves? The most important factor in choosing collagen supplements is the absorption of collagen in human body, because the effect will be insignificant if the absorption is low. Most of the collagen supplements in the market are derived from bovine, porcine or marine source, studies have shown that the absorption of marine collagen are highest in human body. The absorption of collagen derived from fish is 1.5 times higher than that of collagen from porcine source. Besides collagen source, the units size of the collagen is also very important. Collagen, collagen peptide, collagen dipeptide and collagen tripeptide have different unit sizes which collagen tripeptides are having the highest absorption. Collagen tripeptide (CTP) is the minimum collagen unit, which is 1/1000 size of collagen. Due to the extremely small unit size, the absorption rate of collagen tripeptide in human body is over 95% and can be absorbed within 10 to 30 minutes. Choosing the right collagen supplement allows you to achieve better skin condition in a shorter time.

Depression is an illness or disorder that will cause persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Depression is closely related to the hormone in your body. A hormone named Serotonin is a major hormone or neurotransmitter that regulates mood and sleep. When your serotonin level is too low, it can lead to depression. There are some of the ways that you could try to help with your current conditions. 

1.Eat the right nutrition 

Many people might not know but the food you take in could be closely related to the depression condition. Having balance and healthy diet is especially important for your mental-health and well-being. You can consume more selenium-rich food such as beans and nuts. Brazil nuts are high in selenium and high selenium intake could aid in improving mood. Omega-3 has also showed to improve depression conditions. Salmon and tuna are some of the examples of omega-3 rich food. There are also some foods that you should avoid eating in excess such as alcohol, refined sugar, caffeine and deep-fried food. 

2.Exercise 

Exercise is a good way to release stress and make you feel lighter and refreshing. Exercising can boost the level of endorphins in your body. Endorphins are one of the hormones that could contribute to the happiness feelings and studies has showed that endorphins level are closely related with depression condition. You can set an exercise routine such as starting with 3 times a week. Even simple exercise like jogging could make a difference. 

3.Get adequate sleep 

Lacking of sleep could make the depression condition worsen and vice versa, depression could lead to insomnia. Insomnia could increase your stress level or might even lead to the occurrence of anxiety. If you are having insomnia problem, you can try some of the ways to fight for insomnia such as drinking warm milk before sleep, listen to relaxation music or placing lavender oil in your diffuser.

4.Seek for social support 

Try not to keep everything to yourself. You might think that it is very hard for you to speak up or you might worry to burden others but it is very important to open up yourself instead of keeping everything to yourself. You may try talking to your friends, family members, counsellor or anyone that you are comfortable with. You might realise that you will feel much lighter when you share your thoughts with someone and having someone by your side can give you motivation. 

5.Boost self-confidence 

Depression is hormone induced disorder, it could affect your feeling and your thoughts. In a long term, depression could destroy your self-confidence bit by bit. You can try to write down a list of things that you want to do and find back your passion from executing the things in the lists. By fulfilling every one thing, it can help to boost your confidence bit by bit and increase your self-appreciation. Besides, you can also express yourself through different ways such as writing and singing. Writing journal or diaries is a good way in terms of self-confidence and stress management. You can make it a habit to note down 3 things you are grateful for or 3 things that make you smile everyday before you sleep. This could help to slowly rebuild your self-esteem and also it allows you to end your day with a positive note.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

Having depression is not your fault. Depression is an illness and no one should be ashamed of having any kind of illness or disorder. You should not blame yourself for having depression, instead, you should seek help from mental health professionals to aid with your conditions. If your family or friends are depressed, try to support them without shaming or blaming them. Just be there for them and let them know that you care about them is a big support for them. Try to spend more time to care for your family and friends, sometimes, you will never know who is secretly having hard time themselves without sharing with the world.

Chinese New Year is just around the corner, besides family reunions and festive celebrations, good foods are definitely one of the best thing we can enjoy during the CNY, and we tend to overindulge on our favourite CNY snacks, yee sang and scrumptious dinners. However, changes on diet could also cause changes on body shape. Still worrying about eating too much on CNY which may lead to weight gain? Let’s take a look at some of the foods that you should avoid!

High-calories foods: 

Most of the Chinese New Year snacks are high calories and unhealthy. Binge eating could lead to overindulge and weight gain. Examples of Chinese New Year’s cookies that are high in calories:

10 pieces of Peanut cookies 500kcal 

10 slices of Honeycomb biscuits 500kcal

10 slices of Kuih Kapit 525kcal

Deep-fried food: 

Fried treats are definitely one of our favourites during Chinese New Year. Although we can’t deny that they are tasty, however, excessive consumption may lead to digestive problems and increased cholesterol levels. Shrimp rolls, spring rolls and fried seaweed snacks and other common CNY snacks should be consumed in moderation. 

High sugar foods: 

Desserts such as rice cakes and candies are popular during the CNY. Sugar not only affects cellular health, but also damages our collagen and accelerates our aging process. Therefore, you can try to limit your sugar intake during the CNY, food and beverage such as pineapple tart and soda are high in sugar.

High salt foods: 

Some dishes such as Chinese sausage, preserved foods, salted fish and different types of sauces are high in salt. Excessive salt intake may lead to high blood pressure, so it shouldn’t be ignored. The jerky which we call it “bakgua” is not only high in salt but also high in calories. 1 slice of jerky is 370kcal, which is equivalent to 3 bowls of rice.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

It is indeed very difficult to avoid the temptation of good food especially during Chinese New Year. In order to enjoy festive food while maintaining health, it is recommended to choose smaller portion sizes and taste a variety of different dishes; eat more fruits and vegetables to balance out the dishes; drink more water to keep your body hydrated; and consider healthier cooking methods such as steaming or stir-frying rather than deep-frying. Of course, these are some of the suggestions that you can use as references, and we hope that you can still enjoy delicious and amazing dishes during the Chinese New Year while maintaining your health.

Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage our body cells, creating oxidative stress. Since cells cannot be seen by naked eyes, you can imagine the process as the enzymatic browning of the apple. After we cut the apple, we can observe that the flesh turns brown, and the taste of the apple will deteriorate. That is the oxidation process when the apple flesh is exposed to oxygen. Same goes to free radical damage on cells, when the free radicals attack cells, it will lead to oxidative stress causing cell damage which will affect our health. 

Free Radicals Damage

Free radicals attack our body cells, causing cell membrane deterioration, affecting the cell structure, and damaging the DNA in cells. When the cell membrane is deteriorated, the ability to absorb nutrients and remove toxin will be affected. Cell damage will lead to the decline in organ function, which will affect our overall health. Do you know where do the free radicals come from?

Sources of free radicals

Our lifestyle habits are one of the most important factors which could lead to the generation of free radicals, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, frequent usage of electronic products, food additives, lack of sleep, being in long-term stressful condition, unhealthy diet such as fast food or deep-fried food. These are the factors that can cause free radicals damage towards our cells. Besides lifestyle factors, some of the environmental factors which are inescapable part of life also play an important role in causing free radical damage. Exposure to air pollution and ultraviolet rays of sunlight are some of the examples. Therefore, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important to reduce free radicals damage towards our body cells.

Antioxidation

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating their own electrons. Therefore, it could help to inhibits the formation of free radicals, suppress and scavenge free radicals, and reduce the free radicals damage towards the cells. Antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress on cells caused by free radicals and therefore, delays the aging process of cells. There are many health consequences and diseases are closely related to cells aging or damage, such as cataracts, cirrhosis, and heart disease. It is very important to protect our cells as health begins at cellular level.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

Healthy lifestyle and healthy diet are the two most important keys to health. Besides fixing your bad habits in your daily life, you could also add in high antioxidant food into your diet. There are many fruits and vegetables which exhibit strong antioxidant properties such as berries, orange, lemon, pomegranate, tomato, broccoli, and corn. Besides adding strong antioxidant food into your daily diet, you could also substitute your unhealthy snack such as potato chips and candies with nuts such as walnut and Brazil nuts which could helps in suppressing free radicals and thereby reducing free radical damage towards our cells.

Constipation is one of the common gastrointestinal problems. The usual symptoms of constipation are having trouble to defecate, belly bloating and many more. Some people defecate every 3 days and some even longer which dragged up to one week. Have you ever wondered where all these stools go? In fact, they did not go anywhere, they just keep hoarding in our intestines. And constipation might not be as simple as you think. Constipation will lead to excessive water absorption of the stool, and the toxins in the stools could affect your cellular health. Time to say goodbye to your constipation with these good habits.

1.Don’t ignore the urge to defecate

Many people tend to resist the urge to defecate due the cleanliness of the public toilet or busy lifestyle. However, if you do not react to the urge of defecate, it could lead to constipation. The toxin and bacteria in the stools could affect our health if the stools stay in the intestine for too long. 

2.Increase your fibre intake

In your daily diet, you can try to include more dietary fibre such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables including apples, broccoli and bananas. Besides increasing feces volume, dietary fibre can also help with peristalsis of the intestines. Dietary fibre helps to keep the feces hydrated, and therefore, reduce the problem of constipation.

3.Drink plenty of water

When food move through the colon, water will be absorbed while forming the stools. So, if you are having constipation, the stools will become hard and dry because the colon absorbed too much water. It could lead to haemorrhoids problems. Therefore, it is recommended to consume 2000ml of water every day. Drink a glass of water within 30 minutes after waking up can help to relieve constipation problems.

4.Simple exercise

Simple exercise can induce bowel movement and improve gastrointestinal health. If you are too busy, you may also try to do a simple move which is lying on your back and hold your knees with your hands for 5 minutes before going to bed. Repeat this action every day can help with bowel movements.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

There are many people who ignore constipation problem. If you are having constipation problem, time to make a difference. In fact, it is not difficult to get rid of constipation, convert the tips into your daily life so that you can easily and smoothly defecate. After getting rid of constipation problems, you will realise that besides having healthy gastrointestinal system, you skin will become smoother and healthier too.

High blood pressure, also known as Hypertension, is often called “silent killer”. The symptoms of high blood pressure are very rare in the early stages, and most patients are not aware of their elevated blood pressure level. However, hypertension or high blood pressure can lead to huge damage towards our health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that high blood pressure has become the second largest risk factor affecting death rate globally. The number of people suffering from hypertension worldwide is up to 1.28 billion, and the complications from hypertension account for 9.4 million deaths worldwide every year. In Malaysia, the proportion of adults suffering from high blood pressure has exceeded 30%, and approximately three out of five of them are not aware of their high blood pressure problems. Due to the diet choices and living habits, the trend of hypertension in adults below age of 40 are gradually increasing. Therefore, we should monitor our blood pressure level regularly, especially if you have a family history of hypertension.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is created by the force of blood exerted on the walls of arteries when the heart pumps blood into the blood vessels. Blood pressure is shown as two numbers which are systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.

Systolic Pressure measures the force of blood against your artery walls as the heart contracts and pump the blood out.

Diastolic Pressure measures the force of blood against your artery walls as your heart relaxes.

Risk Factors of Hypertension:

• Diet Choices

High salt intake, deep fried food or food high in trans-fat, and lacking of potassium in the diet could increase risk of hypertension.

• Living Habits

Besides diet, maintaining healthy lifestyle is also an important factor which can affect blood pressure. Stressful condition could lead to the increase in blood pressure. Insomnia problem or lacking of sleep can also cause irritability, mood swings, and elevated blood pressure. Some of the bad lifestyle habits such as smoking and alcohol abuse are one of the risk factors for hypertension and should be minimized or avoided. Exercise is proven helpful for hypertension, exercise can improve blood vessel elasticity and reduce the risk of hypertension.

• Family history of hypertension
• Aging 

Complications of hypertension

High blood pressure is closely related to many fatal diseases and complications. When blood pressure is not under controlled, it may lead to some of the complications of high blood pressure which includes heart failure, heart disease and stroke.

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi:

Hypertension may have no warning signs or symptoms, therefore, it is recommended to measure your blood pressure regularly. Especially for people with high blood pressure, it is necessary to measure and record it every day to ensure that the blood pressure is maintained at a normal level and under controlled. If you notice constant increase of your blood pressure, you should inform and discuss with your doctor. Healthy lifestyle starts from ourselves, you can make changes to your life. Try to cut down on food with high salt and oil, do more exercise, and try to release stress whenever you feel congested.

There are many people who wanted to lose weight but never really exercise and take care of their diet. Are you one of them? Achieving your dream body figure is never easy, it requires determination and effort. And more importantly, you should understand your current body condition in order to lose weight efficiently.

BMI (Body Mass Index) 

BMI (Body Mass Index) is often used internationally to measure body fats.

The calculation formula is: BMI = weight[kg]÷height2[m2].

However, BMI is a general index mainly dependant on our body weight. If you are planning to Lose weight, it is important to know the number of calories that you burn every day.

Firstly, you will need to calculate you Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The algorithm for BMR is different for men and women:

Basal metabolic rate in men:

66.47 + (13.7 x weight [kg]) + (5 x height [cm]) − (6.8 x age)

Women’s Basal Metabolic Rate:

655.1 + (9.6 x weight [kg]) + (1.8 x height [cm]) − (4.7 x age)

In addition to basal metabolic rate, the daily activity level should be taken into consideration as well.

Depending on your activity level, multiply your BMR by the number corresponding to your activity level to get the average number of calories your body burns per day.

Excess calories: will be stored as fat and muscle

Insufficient calories: use up fat and muscle

Balanced Calories: no weight gain or loss

If the calories that you consume are more than that of your daily calories burned, the excess calories will lead to weight gain. So, managing your calories consumption is very important in weight management.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

You can draft your meal plan according to the calories that you wish to burn everyday. Try to reduce the consumption of deep-fried food, oily food and high sugar food and beverages. There is no shortcut to losing weight, it requires a lot of hard work and effort. High fibre food is good for weight management as it is low in calories but it can provide satiety. Protein is also very important in building our muscle tissues, you can consume more high-protein foods such as eggs, chicken breasts, dairy products, beans, etc. Exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy low-fat diet are the important steps in losing weight.

Menopause does not only occur to women, men can also experience menopause, however, women’s menopausal symptoms are more serious. Menopause generally occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, and it is the time that marks the end of menstrual cycles. During the menopause period, women experience some changes both physically and psychologically. And these menopause symptoms include:

Physical symptoms:

• Night sweats and hot flashes
• Joint pain
• Palpitations
• Headache
• Urinary incontinence
• Loss of breast fullness
• Chest stuffiness

Emotional symptoms:

• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Depressed 

These are some of the menopausal symptoms in women, and they are caused by the gradual decrease in female hormone, estrogen secretion. During this period, menopausal women experience irregular periods. During menopause, women are at increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, so menopausal women should replenish nutrients from balance diets. Menopausal women can try to adjust their mood by participating in more group activities and meeting some new friends, it can help to relieve their emotional symptoms. As for physical symptoms, it is recommended that menopausal women maintain a healthy lifestyle, go to bed early, reduce smoking and alcohol consumption.

CHEVIN Nutritionist KeQi:

You may complain that mothers often lose their temper over the smallest things, but in fact these are out of their control, it is due to the decline in estrogen level during menopause causing physical and emotional changes in female. Just like adolescence, menopause is just a life stage. Our mothers never complain during our puberty period, so we should not complain either, we should be more tolerant of our mothers especially during their menopause. We can be more caring, considerate, and understanding towards our mothers. Try to lighten their burden as much as possible, communicate with your mother, and be a good listener to listen to their concerns. Get through this tough time with your mum or other menopausal female.

Liver is the largest internal organ in our body, it plays an important role in metabolic processes in the human body. It breaks down the harmful substances in our body and detoxifies the blood. There are many factors which might affect our liver health such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking and lack of sleep, however, alcohol is one of the most important factors that affects our liver health. Alcohol consumption has been proven to negatively affect our liver cells.

Alcoholic Fatty Liver

         Degeneration of liver cells could lead to the increase of the risk of getting liver diseases. One of the most common liver diseases is fatty liver, it has been categorized into two groups which are non-alcoholic fatty liver and alcoholic fatty liver. Over 90% of the alcohol consumed is broken down in the liver, therefore, excessive drinking will lead to the damage of liver cells. When the liver cells are continuously being damaged, the liver functions will decline affecting the detox process, which could result in other health consequences.

 The Danger of Fatty Liver

Fatty liver could lead to scarring of liver, cirrhosis and even liver cancer which is irreversible. Cirrhosis could be developed after 10 years of heavy drinking. According to statistics, over 90% of the heavy drinkers suffer from fatty liver problems, approximately 25% develop alcoholic hepatitis and up to 15% develop liver cirrhosis.

 Signs of unhealthy liver cells

         Fatty liver could be asymptomatic in the early stage, therefore, it is very important to keep track of the condition of your liver. There are some signals which might (be hinting) your liver problems including body weakness, oral bitterness, dryness or bad breath, poor sleeping quality, skin problems, easily tired and loss of appetite. If you notice some of the signals stated, you should monitor your liver health or seek for a proper liver check-up. It could also be monitored through a common blood test, where liver enzymes are tested and they are important in monitoring your liver health. You could focus on Alanine transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate transaminase (AST). When the degeneration and the damage of liver cells continuously increase, the ALT and AST level will be affected.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

We should try to reduce alcohol consumption in our daily diet as it might lead to a negative impact on our liver. Especially for people with liver problems or diseases, you should stop consuming alcohol as it might cause continuous damage towards your liver cells. For patients who are suffering from liver diseases and people with family history of liver problems, it is important to get frequent check-ups on your liver to keep track of your liver health. Take care of your liver before it is too late.

Fatigue | Skin Problems | Stress & Mood Swings | Memory Decline | Poor Sleeping Quality & Insomnia | Changes in Eating Habits | Gastrointestinal Problems | Dizziness & Headache | Hair Loss | Poor Immunity.

Have you ever encountered any of the symptoms above? Those are the top ten symptoms of suboptimal health. Suboptimal health is a state of declining physiological function. Some people often experience discomfort, but there are no abnormalities shown in medical check-up. That may be a sign of suboptimal health. People with suboptimal health symptoms mostly fall between 18 to 45 years old with higher risk in female. Most people tend to ignore the symptoms of suboptimal health. However, those symptoms are early warnings of many health consequences. If you are facing more than two symptoms stated, it means that your health are deteriorating.

Fatigue

• Constantly feeling of tired or lack of energy
• Concentration difficulties, easily distracted 
• Feeling tired whole day long without specific reason
• Physical strength deteriorates 
• Visual fatigue after facing electronical devices for long hours

Skin problems

• Dull complexion and imbalance skin tone
• Moisture lost causing dry skin and wrinkles 
• Oily skin causes clogged pores, blackheads and acne problem

Mood swings

• Sudden change of mood
• Intense shift of emotional state 
• Easily irritated
• Intense sadness, anger, stress or anxiousness.

Memory decline

• Worsened memory
• Forgetfulness 
• Often forget simple things in life 

Poor sleeping quality or insomnia

• Suffer from insomnia or sleep deprivation
• Difficulty falling asleep at night
• Poor sleeping quality, easily awakened 
• Vivid dreams resulting in tiredness and lack of rest on the next day

Changes in eating habits affecting gastrointestinal health

• Changes in taste and flavour preference
• Unhealthy food choices such as oily, spicy or salty food 
• Loss of appetite
• Overeating or binge eating
• Irregular meal time leading to bloatedness 
• Gastrointestinal problems such as indigestion, gastric problem or diarrhea

Dizziness and headache

• Headache without a specific reason
• Continuously dizziness 
• Repeated headaches which affect work performance and mood

Hair fall problem

• Hair fall problem at young age
• Hair volume decreases 
• hairline begins to recede 
• Excessive oily or dry scalp
• Unhealthy scalp such as dandruff problem, itchiness, and redness

Weak immunity, get sick easily

• Weakened immune system 
• Get sick easily such as cold, sore throat and fever.

Chevin nutritionist Ke Qi:

There are many health problems or consequences which are begins with bad habits in life. If you encounter more than 2 symptoms stated above, it’s time for you to make some changes. You can try to exercise more and reduce the usage of electronical devices, eat and sleep at regular time daily and prevent skipping meals or staying up late. Mood swings could be due to long term stress, hormonal imbalance or mental illness. If you are facing emotional problem or stuck in a toxic or stressful environment, you should seek for professional help such as consultant or you can try to release stress by talking to your family or close friends. Besides, diet choices is one of the most important factors in maintaining health. Try to reduce having food that are high in salt, sugar and oil. Instead, you can consume more antioxidant rich food. Antioxidants help to strengthen the immune system, reduce sickness and also enhance skin condition.

Prostate problem is a very common condition as men age, and prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. According to statistics, 1 in 8 men get prostate cancer in a lifetime. So, every man should take good care of prostate health.

Symptoms of enlarged prostate:

• Painful urination
• Trouble urinating
• Increased frequency of nocturia
• Decreased force in the stream of urine
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty starting to urinate

 Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), is the enlargement of the prostate. Enlarged prostate causes compression and pressure towards the urethra, causing discomfort during urination. Studies have shown that over 50% of men over the age of 40 are facing prostate enlargement problem. Protect your prostate health by maintaining healthy lifestyle habits before it’s too late. 

Tips to protect prostate health:

• Prolonged sitting

Sitting for long periods of time can cause pressure on the prostate, which can affect prostate health.

• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption 

Tobacco and alcohol could lead to the dilation of blood vessels, which can cause the prostate enlargement.

• Don’t ignore the urge to urinate

Holding your urine for too long can lead to pressure, congestion, and swelling of the prostate gland over time, which could lead to prostatitis.

• Reduce spicy food

Spicy food is highly irritating, which can affect the prostate health and leads to the urethra compression.

CHEVIN nutritionist KeQi: 

If you are facing similar symptoms, it is recommended to have a proper check-up. Prostate problem should be treated as soon as possible to prevent the continuous enlargement of the prostate or the development of related health consequences. Especially for men over 50 years old, it is recommended to have regular prostate check-ups every year. You could also increase the consumption of pumpkin seeds or pumpkin seed oil in your daily diet, which is beneficial for prostate health. The active ingredient in pumpkin seeds helps relieve early prostate enlargement and helps reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Studies have shown that eating about 25 pumpkin seeds a day can help in reducing the risk of prostate problems. Maintaining healthy lifestyle is very important for prostate health, starting from today, don’t ignore your prostate health!

Our gastrointestinal system plays a central role in digestion and also, it has far-reaching effects on our immune system. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat,” and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to gastrointestinal health. A balanced gut microbiome is essential for overall health and wellness. An imbalance gut health can lead to a variety of health problems. Here are some tips to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system:

Fermented Food: 

Incorporate fermented food like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi into your diet. These foods are rich in probiotics, which can help replenish beneficial gut bacteria.

High Fibre Food: 

High fibre food such as leeks, banana, mushroom and asparagus are rich in prebiotics. Prebiotics are indigestible fibres that nourish beneficial gut bacteria.

Limit Sugar and Processed Foods: 

Excess sugar and processed foods can promote the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. Reducing your intake of these items is crucial for gut health.

Stay Hydrated: 

Drink adequate amount of water to support the mucosal lining of the GI tract and help maintain its protective functions.

Proper Chewing: 

Chewing your food thoroughly aids in the digestive process and ensures that the food you ingest is properly broken down for absorption.

Rest Well & Manage Stress

Getting adequate amount of sleep is essential in maintaining gut health. Studies have found that chronic stress and sleep deprivation can negatively impact the gut health.

Regular Exercise: 

Physical activity can help stimulate healthy gut motility and promote overall digestive health.

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

Protecting your gut health could be a long journey but gastrointestinal health is a cornerstone of overall well-being. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can have a better idea in improving your gut health and maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system.

Do you face acne problem, which knock your confidence level and affect your self-esteem? In fact, many young adults are facing similar problems. Despite using various types of skin care products, and some people even seek for dermatological advices, but the acne problem could not be fully solved. Have you ever noticed the common area on your face which are having acne very often? In fact, acnes on different parts of the face are derived from different reasons! It is important to know the root cause of the problem in order to solve the acne. Let’s find out the main causes of acne!

Different area on face:

Forehead : Unhealthy lifestyle, stressful condition

Nose : Excessive oil secretion, constipation, indigestion

Chin : Hormonal imbalance

Cheeks : Toxins, lack of sleep

Cheek side : Excessive toxins, tiring lifestyle

Hairline : Remaining makeup which clogged the pores

Between the eyebrows: lack of exercise, irregular heartbeat, anemia

Temples : Unhealthy eating habits, High lipid intake

Lips : Toxins in the body

How to solve acne problem:

• Healthy diet 

Eat more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet and reduce spicy foods and deep-fried foods. Spicy food could lead to hormonal changes, which can cause acne problems, while deep fried foods can cause excessive oil secretion on the face, which is more prone to breakouts.

• Skin care routine

It is also very important in maintaining skin moisture. If your skin is lacking of moisture, the skin will secrete oil to protect the skin, and oily skin will lead to acne, especially in the T-zone.

• Cleansing

Cleansing or removing makeup is a very important step. If you didn’t remove your makeup, the remaining makeup can clog your pores and worsen your acne problems. Therefore, it is necessary to deeply clean and remove your makeup, and even if you are only wearing sunscreen, cleansing is necessary.

• Living habit

Lacking of sleep and stressful lifestyle is some of the reasons causing declined skin condition. If you are situated in a stressful condition, it is recommended to find a way to relieve stress, so that it will not affect your health and further lead to acne or other health consequences.

CHEVIN Nutritionist KeQi:

Acne problem not only affecting your appearance but many people might have mood swings or low self-esteem due to their breakouts. If you realised that your acnes are continuously appearing on the same area on your face, you can try to understand the root cause of it. Blindly relying on certain skincare products might not be the best way to treat your breakouts. By targeting the root causes of your acne problem, coupled with healthy diet and lifestyle, it can help to relieve your acne problems.

Year-end has been a peak season for travelling for Malaysian due to the school holidays. The traveling rate has increased drastically after the pandemic, it has been called “post-Covid travel boom”. Travelling is a good way to release stress and explore different cultures, however, it also exposes us to various environments and potential source that could challenge our immune system. Strengthening your body’s defences is key to enjoying a healthy and vibrant journey. Here are some effective strategies to boost your immunity during travelling.

Eat a Balanced Diet: 

While traveling, trying good food is definitely one of the important parts of the journey. However, your diet may not always cover all nutritional needs. Therefore, while trying delicious food and snacks, you can also focus on nutrient-dense foods rich in vitamins and minerals, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. These provide the building blocks for a robust immune system.

Stay Hydrated: 

If you are not getting enough water during your trip, you might experience dehydration which can weaken your immune response. Therefore, you should always drink 1500 to 2000ml water everyday, especially in dry or hot climates.

Prioritize Sleep Quality: 

Overpacking your itinerary could lead to lacking of sleep, on top of that, changing of time zones might lead to jetlag which can lead to insomnia. Some people might be overly excited which can also affect the quality of sleep. Quality sleep is essential for a strong immune system, adult should get 7 to 9 hours while kids should get 9 to 11 hours of sleep per day.

Practice Good Hygiene: 

Wash your hands frequently to remove gems and prevent infections. Carry hand sanitizer for times when handwashing isn’t feasible. Avoid touching your face to prevent the transfer of germs.

Adaptation to Environment

Be prepared for changes in weather. Dress in layers to accommodate temperature variations and protect yourself from extreme conditions to prevent cold or other health conditions.

Be Mindful of Food and Water: 

Consume safe and clean food and water to prevent gastrointestinal issues. Unhygienic food or beverage could contain bacteria which can lead to diarrhoea, and having diarrhoea during the trip could totally affect the overall experience. 

Consider Supplements: 

Having cold or other illness is very common during travelling as we are exposed to various environment, people and object which could contains bacteria and viruses. You can consider supplementing yourself with probiotics or antioxidants to support your immune and gut health. 

CHEVIN Nutritionist Ke Qi:

Prioritizing your health and immune system while traveling is an investment in a vibrant and fulfilling journey. By complying to the tips, you can fortify your immune system and fully embrace the wonders of your travel experiences. Traveling with a strong immune system not only enhances your enjoyment but also ensures a healthier and more enriching adventure.

Cow colostrum is the first milk produced by cow in the first few days following the birth of calf. With the growing interest in natural health and wellness, cow colostrum has been offering various health benefits to both children and adults. Cow colostrum is often referred as “King of Immunity in 21st Century” or “Nature’s First Superfood”. Let’s dive into cow colostrum now!

Nutrients of Cow Colostrum

Immunoglobulin

One of the main reason cow colostrum has been well known for the nutrients is due to the high level of immunoglobulin. Cow colostrum contains IgA and IgG, immunoglobulins are important for the immune system, bovine colostrum can have from 8% to above 25% IgG.

Vitamins & Minerals

Cow colostrum is rich in nutrients especially of various types of vitamins and minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12 and etc.

Protein

Cow colostrum contains higher protein content than that of common milk due to the level of immunoglobulin and casein. Protein is an important macronutrient for children’s growth and development. 

Health Benefits of Cow Colostrum

Immunity 

The immunoglobulin that are naturally found in cow colostrum has strong immune-boosting ability. Cow colostrum is especially beneficial towards children as it could help in reducing risk of getting infections and reduce the rate of sickness.

Growth & Development

The growth factors, lactoferrin and antibodies in cow colostrum can promote tissue growth which can help in modulating healthy growth and development in children. 

Digestive Health

Cow colostrum has been clinically proven to promote gut health. It could help in reducing diarrhea and promote healthy digestion. 

CHEVIN Nutritionist KeQi:

Children are very susceptible to getting sick especially during the age gap between 6 months to 3 years old. This is mainly due to the weaning stage where the infant’s IgG antibodies started decline quickly after age of 6 months old which led to the increase in the rate of sickness and concerned a lot of parents. Thus, this period from 6 months to 3 years old has been called “immune gap period”, where the child’s immune system is weakened.  Before 8 years old, children’s immune system is not fully developed, therefore, children under 8 years old get sick easily. After 8 years old, even as the immune systems start to mature, is at risk from many pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Hence, taking care of children’s health is very important since young, With the rich nutrients presence in cow colostrum, not only it could replenish the IgG, it could also take care of children’s gut health, growth and most importantly their immunity.