Institute of Complementary & Traditional Medicine-ICTM

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as being unwilling to learn 👉📙

Education is the ability to meet life's situations 📙📘📗📕

Health Benefits of Crafting for Seniors

Crafting is more than just a fun activity 😁 - it also has numerous health benefits for seniors! Research shows that engaging in creative activities such as crafting can improve cognitive function and boost brain power. For older adults 👴, this is especially important as it can help maintain mental acuity.

Additionally, crafting has been shown to reduce anxiety and loneliness, making it a great way to improve mental health. Art therapy 🖼, in particular, has been found to benefit seniors with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, providing them with a sense of happiness and reducing feelings of isolation.

Here are some other benefits of crafting for seniors:

🎨 Improves cognitive function
Crafting helps to maintain cognitive skills such as memory, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. It has been shown to help reduce the risk of dementia and other age-related cognitive decline.

🎨 Reduces stress and anxiety
Crafting is a relaxing and calming activity that can help seniors manage stress and anxiety. The repetitive and rhythmic nature of many crafts, such as knitting or crocheting, can induce a meditative state that promotes relaxation.

🎨 Boosts mood
Crafting can be a mood booster and a natural anti-depressant. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from completing a project can increase self-esteem and happiness.

🎨 Enhances socialization
Crafting can provide opportunities for seniors to socialize with others and make new friends. It can also be a way for grandparents to bond with their grandchildren.

🎨 Provides a sense of purpose
Crafting can give seniors a sense of purpose and accomplishment, especially if they are retired or living alone. It can also provide a creative outlet for self-expression.

🎨 Improves physical dexterity
Many crafts require fine motor skills, which can help seniors maintain their manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

Overall, crafting is a fun and engaging activity for seniors that provides many physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Whether it's knitting, painting, or scrapbooking, there's a craft out there for everyone to enjoy! ✌🖌

A goal is not always meant to be reached❤️
if often serves simply as something to aim at!

Is consuming too much refined starch a health hazard?

👉What’re Triglycerides (TGs)?
These are fat molecules generated from consuming refined carbohydrates/sugars. Calories not immediately used are converted to TGs, which are our primary source of stored energy. When energy from beyond blood glucose is required, TGs are broken down from fat cells into glycerol and fatty acids.
Blood TGs are usually tested as part of a standard lipid (cholesterol) profile, which is widely used as a blood marker to ‘determine’ risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). The US National Cholesterol Education defines ‘normal’ TG as less than 150 mg/dL. Both TG and ‘bad’ low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels increase from an average of 50-60 mg/dL in children to about 140 mg/dL in adults. Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) (or chronically elevated blood triglyceride levels) is a fasting TG level of > 2.26 mmol/l (> 200 mg/dl) and it contributes development of a metabolic syndrome.

👉Functions of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy especially for our brain and the nervous system, but not our heart. TGs differ from cholesterol, which our body does not use for energy. Whereas TGs serve as stored energy, cholesterol is a steroid contributing to formation of cell membranes and s*x hormone production. Saliva enzyme amylase helps break down carbohydrates into glucose. Monosaccharides include glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), and galactose (milk sugar) have single sugar unit; disaccharides include sucrose (table sugar), honey, maltose and lactose have two sugar units; and both polysaccharides and oligosaccharides which include complex starches and cellulose have multiple sugar units. Foods/beverages from monosaccharides are considered “empty calories”, whereas the last two categories are “complex carbohydrates” from legumes, peas, beans, starchy vegetables, and seeds providing vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.TGs as stored fat tissues promote abdominal obesity. However, our absorption and transportation of the fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E, D and K depends on intake of some dietary fats. A high-starch diet is a promoter of HTG and so are alcoholic beverages or soft drinks.

👉Excessive carbs intake
Diets consisting of 60 percent or more of mostly refined carbohydrates can promote HTG in adults and in some children. Surprisingly, the USDA Food Pyramid seems to promote such a diet. Furthermore, high glycermic index carbohydrates, or food/beverages high in simple sugars, can cause higher insulin response and consequently greater amounts of TGs being stored.
Conditions causing elevated blood TGs are accompanied by low good HDL cholesterol levels.

👉Major causes of HTG
a. Dietary factors: excessive intake of alcohol, sugar, desserts, sweetened cereals, energy bars, sports drinks, refined starch, potato chips, popcorn, bread, biscuits, buns, and high calorie foods.
a. Lifestyle factors: lack of exercise, being overweight, elevated stress, lack of sleep, skipping meals, and eating large portion at one time.
b. Weight – TG levels increase with the increased BMI with obesity measured as BMI >27.
c. Age: TG levels increase with advancing age, unless reversed by consuming more fibre-rich vegetables and increased physical activities.
d. Metabolic conditions such as hypothyroidism or poorly controlled diabetes.

👉Health issues
HTG is linked to the numerous chronic health disorders including heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, nerve damage, hypertension, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. Since elevated blood TG increases platelet activation and boosts blood clot formation, its elevation raises risk of stroke.

A most common symptom of CAD is accumulation in arterial wall of calcified plaques, which also compose of TGs, oxidized cholesterol, foam cells, immune cells, pathogens and other debris that circulated in the blood. Besides ApoE4 genotype, plaques result from arterial lesions inflicted primarily by chronic inflammation, and aggravated by hypertension, elevated serum ferritin, hyperhomocysteinemia, heavy metal toxicity, and elevated TG levels. Indeed, elevated TGs could contribute some 300% higher cardiovascular disease risk as evidenced from patients with metabolic syndrome. Patients with higher liver TG (fatty liver) tend to suffer poorer blood flow and impaired energy metabolism in their cardiac tissues. Fatty liver disease can raise mortality rate by 30%.

The Copenhagen Men Study showed high fasting TG level as strong risk factor for ischemic heart disease (IHD) independent of good HDL cholesterol. HTG represents a dyslipidaemia (blood fat disorder) useful in predicting premature CAD. Indeed, IHD is a leading cause of deaths in Malaysia.

A 20-year study by Austin et al (2000) on CAD mortality in people with genes promoting HTG found that their baseline plasma TG levels could predict their CAD mortality independently of total cholesterol.

TG molecules are stored in fat cells in the presence of insulin hormone. If TGs are not moved into cells for storage and remain in bloodstream, they may elevate the risk of heart attack and stroke. With low fat-storing insulin, TGs are moved from fat cells to be burnt as energy.

A University of Michigan study (2009) showed that diabetic patients with high TG levels were much more likely to develop nerve damage (neuropathy), which is characterized by painful tingling and numbing in their extremities.
Complementary therapy using ketogenic diet with very low carbohydrates/sugar has long been used as adjunct treatment for cancer since cancer cells feed primarily on sugar for their proliferation.

👉Natural treatment for HTG
(i) Dietary modification. Virgin coconut oil consumption can reduce risk of heart disease. The MCTs which VCO contains seem to offer a triple approach to weight loss: (i) lower calorie content than long-chain fats, (ii) minimally stored as fat, and (iii) thermogenesis (enhanced metabolism) to burn more calories. Furthermore, they suppress appetite due to leptin hormone being triggered by this unique fat type. High abdominal fat contributes to high blood TG levels after eating, more so in men compared to women.
(ii) Lifestyle modifications including:
(a) 45-minute exercising four or five times/week;
(b) Reduce alcohol or soft drinks;
(c) Weekly vegetable fast since TG levels decrease naturally from fasting over a few days;
(d) 8-hour of sleep/nightly; and
(e) Maintain hydrated with two and three litres of fluid daily. Water before meal may mildly suppress appetite too.

Research suggests 20-24% reductions in TG levels with reduced progression of CAD by following these life-style modifications.

Many nutraceuticals exit to lower blood TG levels and these should be taken only under supervision by a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner (www.anfmp.org.my). Do not self-treat.

By Dato’ Sri Steve Yap👨‍🎓
President, Federation of Complementary & Natural Medical Associations Malaysia;
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agrotechnology, University College Yayasan Pahang.

Inspiration comes within yourself~!
One has to be POSITIVE➕
When you're positive,
good things happen~!😎

Nutritional therapy for high blood pressure

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a most common chronic health disorder amongst Malaysians. Some healthcare professionals argue that blood pressure goes up as part of the ageing process, whereas many believe that it’s linked more closely to poor lifestyle and dietary habits. Conventional treatment focuses on controlling blood pressure, where nutritional/functional medicine practitioners seek to reverse hypertension by natural means over time.

👉Health Dangers
Risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage is significantly increased when blood pressure is highly elevated. Some of the longest living individuals have blood pressure of around 115/75 in their 60s. Health problems may appear when blood pressure is above 130/90. Hypertension is widely recognised as a silent killer since this disorder takes years to develop and it can eventually trigger a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

👉Adequate rest
Chronic sleep deprivation is a risk factor for hypertension, besides promoting diabetes, weight gain, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Less than five-hours sleep has been linked to 73 per cent increased risk of obesity, which condition can itself lead to hypertension. A four-hour sleep per night raises the hormone GHrelin, which increases appetite for food. It also lowers the hormone leptin, which helps us to suppress our appetite. Insomnia increases your stress hormone cortisol while raising inflammatory markers such IL-6 and C - reactive protein. Chronic low-grade inflammation has been linked to most modern-day chronic health disorders including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune disease, obesity, and many types of cancer. Foods that promote sleep would include those rich in the amino acid L-tryptophan such as from soy isolate, egg white, fresh corn, peanut, pecan nut, almond, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, seaweeds, wheat bran, wheat germ, wild rice, and cheeses.

👉Lower sodium intake
The major food sources for sodium include table salt (in any form), MSG, soy sauce, canned or preserved foods, packaged food, cheeses, and processed meat/vegetable products. Only a very small amount of sodium may be needed daily for non-physically active individuals. If excess sodium is a major cause of your hypertension, then foods rich in the mineral potassium may help and these include tapioca leaf, Sengkuang, tomato, potato skin, white mushroom, beans, dark green vegetables, dried apricot, prune, raisin, avocado, and banana.

👉Sugary foods/beverages
The list includes soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, and food items made from refined flour such as white bread, buns, pastry, biscuits, breakfast cereals, roti, and noodles. They promote rapid insulin response leading to weight gain. Consuming more complex carbohydrates such as those from lentils, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and unrefined whole grains can lead to better weight management.

👉Deep-fried foods
Except for virgin coconut oil and perhaps palm oil, vegetable-based cooking oils (corn, sunflower, soy, safflower, olive) tend to easily oxidize (degenerate) and may form dangerous trans fats when fried at high temperatures.

👉Lifestyles & dietary habits
• Use sesame oil and/or extra virgin coconut oil in food preparation;
• Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake from strong coffee, strong tea, or soft drinks;
• Quit smoking;
• Avoid fruits high in fructose;
• Avoid food products with hydrogenated or partly hydrogenated fats;
• Reduce intake of red meat, organ meat, or preserved meat products;
• Avoid salted fish/egg white/meat/vegetables as well as miso soup, unless you perspire a lot daily;
• Higher daily intake of fresh organic vegetables;
• Add generous amount of spices such as turmeric, ginger, pepper, garlic and chili to your cooking;
• Avoid having supper, but have nutritious breakfast with little or no processed food items;
• Have a cup of warm Malaysian cocoa (rich in magnesium) at bedtime;
• Add unsalted and non-deep-fried nuts and seeds to your diets or snacks;
• Adequate daily intake of plain (slightly alkaline) water;
• Regular exercises including walking, jogging, aerobic, treadmill, and supervised resistance training;
• Incorporate regular relaxation programmes such as deep breathing, meditation, music therapy, massage therapy, reflexology, aromatherapy, self-hypnosis, far infra-ray, qigong, and mid-day napping (especially for senior citizens);
• Get involved in a useful hobby or joining a support group or social club;
• Develop a habit of learning more self-help techniques for coping with your own chronic health conditions; and
• Maintain a relaxing, pleasing, and positive attitude towards life and towards others you meet.

👉Therapeutic Foods
A vegetable widely consumed for lowering hypertension is fresh celery. Besides potassium-rich foods, other helpful food items include star fruit, guava, almond, water cress, bell pepper, cocoa powder, coconut meat, garlic, fatty fish and dark green vegetables such as spinach and Kailan.

👉Nutraceuticals
After carefully evaluating your overall health conditions, the qualified nutritional medicine practitioner [www.anfmp.org.my] can supervise your intake of nutrients such as L-arginine, L-citrulline, L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, EPA/DHA, B’s vitamins, ginsenosides, magnesium citrate, and potassium citrate. Do not self-treat. Seek competent advice on reducing abdominal fat. Hypertension may also have a genetic link (eg. Asians carrying the ApoE4 allele). If you’re already on medication(s), you must not stop on your own accord without seeking medical advice.

By Dato’ Sri Steve Yap👨‍🎓
President, Federation of Complementary & Natural Medical Associations Malaysia;
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agrotechnology, University College Yayasan Pahang.

Change is the end result of all true learing~! 😎

Managing elevated blood uric acid levels via dietary modifications

High blood uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) can come from intake of foods high in purine or fructose or both, as well as from poor excretion of this acidic waste due to weakened kidney functions. Uric acid is widely regarded as the end-product of purine breakdown by our body. However, there’s much more to this health issue than most people are aware of.

Some of the health issues associated with hyperuricemia include:

• High blood pressure: elevated uric acid level is an independent predictor of future hypertension (Takase et al., 2014). Even for hypertensive adolescents the lowering of their blood uric acid levels can lower their blood pressure too.

• Heart disease: high fructose-induced serum uric acid levels are associated with cardiovascular disease (Johnson et al., 2007), particularly those with pre-existing hypertension. One reason is hyperuricemia can reduce concentrations of endothelial nitric oxide, which is essential for health of the inner lining of our arteries.

• Gout: the blood level of uric acid that triggers gout (joint aches/deformities) varies from individual to individual. Risk is higher in those who are obese (BMI >27), with a family history of gout, having poor kidney functions, and suffer from lead exposure. Do not mix up with the other painful joint condition rheumatoid arthritis, which is triggered by the body’s immune defence system (autoimmunity).

• Kidney stones: uric acid in kidneys can crystallise with minerals such as calcium to form stones, but not everyone with hyperuricemia develops renal stones. Uric acid forms about 9 per cent of all kidney stones (Khan et al., 2016).

• Insulin disorder: hyperuricemia is linked to higher risk of diabetes mellitus Type 2 irrespective of your level of blood fats/sugar (Dehghan et al., 2007).

• Syndrome X: hyperuricemia caused by high intake of fruit sugar or fructose-based soft drinks plays a role in promoting metabolic syndrome as evidenced by increasing number of Malaysians who are overweight and obese. Indeed, uric acid stones are more common among people with metabolic syndrome or obesity (Pasalic et al., 2012).

Furthermore, fructose results in about 50 per cent higher triglycerides (stored fat) production than glucose (common sugar from grains). High levels of stored fats lead to higher BMI. A score of 25 or higher can mean a shorter lifespan compared to those with ideal BMI of 22.

👉Purine-rich foods
High-purine sources include organ meat, seafood such as lobster, herring, sardines and anchovy. Moderately high purine foods include seafood in general, livestock, eel, oatmeal, beans, nuts, peas, lentils, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, beer, and wheat products (bread, noodles, buns, biscuits, pastries). Contrary to popular belief, foods such as beans or those with moderately high level of purine cause little or no risk of gout (Choi et al., 2007). Consequently, regular consumption of fructose from sweet fruits and soft drinks is much more likely to raise your blood uric acid levels. This is especially so if little or no green vegetables are consumed.

Why would fructose from sweet fruits or soft drinks cause health problems despite the fact that its glycermic index (GI) is very low? Fructose has also been used as a major component of many so-called ‘slimming’ food substitutes. The GI system fails to highlight the dangers in consuming excess amount of this very popular sugar since it doesn’t acutely stimulate the fat-storing hormone insulin or the appetite-suppression hormone leptin, nor does it inhibits the hormone GHrelin. These hormones have serious implications for weight (fat) gain and obesity that we see in Malaysia. Fruit sugar is probably the only known type of sugar that raises uric acid levels in addition to slowing down your metabolism. A lower metabolic rate can mean higher levels of blood sugar and cholesterol. Both sucrose (table sugar) and honey also contain high percentages of fructose. Many adults regard fruit sugar as being “natural sugar” and have even been advised by many so-called health professionals to have five servings of local (sweet) fruits daily. As a naturally occurring keto sugar, fructose consumption does not assure health safety (Bray, 2010). There is also some evidence to suggest that high fructose intake during pregnancy and lactation can lead to metabolic dysfunction in both the mother and the newborn (Sloboda et al., 2014). Caution is called for in your selection of tropical fruits. Do not mix up fruits with berries and cherries, which are much more nutrient-dense and generally contain lower fructose.

👉High-fructose corn syrup
It’s a cheaper form of processed sugar extracted from corn starch and corn is grown in abundance in North American under their Federal subsidies and is widely incorporated into virtually all Western-formulated soft drinks and snacks since fructose tastes sweeter than cane sugar.

👉Low uric acid
Surprisingly, some research suggests that very low serum uric acid can worsen multiple sclerosis (Toncev et al., 2002). Even raising these patients’ blood uric levels could result in their reduced relapse rates.

Nutritional therapy📙
Limited research evidence shows that moderate levels of plasma uric acid may act as an antioxidant. If your blood uric acid levels are elevated and causing you problems, you may wish to consider a higher intake of alkaline food items such as banana, green tea, cucumber, coconut water, and dietary fibre.

Elevated uric acid levels can be lowered by taking powdered celery seeds, juicing fresh celery, and/or drinking alkaline water with a pH of say 9. Seek assistance from a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner (www.anfmp.org.my) if you wish to be guided on this natural uric acid detoxification therapy.

By Dato’ Sri Steve Yap👨‍🎓
President, Federation of Complementary & Natural Medical Associations Malaysia;
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Science, Engineering & Agrotechnology, University College Yayasan Pahang.

You don't understand anything until you learn it more than ONE WAY~!✒️👩‍🎓