A friend was hospitalised with a serious illness recently. He was slipping in and out of coma and had to be kept in the intensive care unit for 10 days. Luckily, he manages to weather through this difficult time and now he is in rehabilitation. I was asked to provide some advice on the most […]
I recently received an email from An Australian friend who became concerned with the arsenic in rice after reading an online article with the title “Arsenic in Rice: How Concerned Should You Be?”[1]. He sent me an email, and I quote: “What’s your take on this article? Anything we can do to reduce the intake […]
Diabetes is now a global public health problem with over 425 million adults affected by this condition worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation [1]. In Singapore, 1 in 3 residents are at a lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes and the risk is forecasted to increase to 1 in 2 by the year […]
Steamed sweet potato is one of my favourite breakfast items, it is easy to prepare (just wash and steam the whole tuber until soft), delicious to eat, and most importantly, packed with energy and loads of nutritional value! Sweet potato is the tuberous root of a plant scientifically known as Ipomoea batatas. The edible root […]
Diabetes is now a major health problem worldwide. In Singapore, fighting diabetes is now the most prominent government health policy, as mentioned by the Prime Minister in his recent National Day Rally speech. White rice, especially has been single out as an example of high glycaemic index food item. Brown rice as a replacement is […]
Higher intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is known to reduce the risk of cancer with available evidence from more than thirty years of research [1]. Green vegetables, particularly, are an integral part of any anti-cancer diet, and were found to have protective effects against cancers in many studies [2]. Green vegetables are nutritionally rich, […]
Edible mushrooms have been treasured as not only as culinary delicacies, but also medicine since ancient times. Warriors in ancient Greece took mushrooms to gain strength for battle; to the Romans, the mushrooms were the “Food of the Gods”. Similarly, in ancient China, mushrooms were considered the “elixir of life” [1]. Once considered to be […]
Iron is an essential nutrient that the human body cannot do without. It is needed by the body to synthesize haemoglobin (red blood cell) as well as myoglobin (iron-binding protein in muscle) which are important proteins for cells respiration and energy production [1]. Deficiency in iron can lead to anaemia, i.e. insufficient haemoglobin concentration in […]
Most people must have heard something about “detox” these days with many health products being commercially marketed to have detox benefits. We can find detox diet, detox supplements, detox programme, detox juices, detox smoothies, detox massage, detox essential oil, detox soap, etc. And the list goes on. It seems like anything and everything can have […]
Public awareness of osteoporosis has increased over the years. Many people are now aware that calcium is the essential nutrient for building strong bone and vitamin D is needed for better absorption of calcium from the diet. However, bones are not only built from calcium. Healthy bones also depend on many other essential nutrients including […]
