More Huffs and Puffs

Saturday 19 October 2013.
More tests today with Dr Nahar and Gabriel

Arm strength test

Mr Das

Peter in the VO2 Max test

Me warming up

Dr Nahar recording our VO2Max results

Gabriel printing out our results

Water therapy

I swim at the Bangsar Sports Complex at least twice a week.

 Swimming and water therapy are very good exercises for the overall body conditioning and skin tones. There are a few senior citizen swimming daily in the complex. We really enjoy ourselves with the water. Sometimes playing and splashing water at each other like kids

Me showing the use of a noodle. 

Me holding the yellow noodle and a palm pad in my right hand

Join me at the pool?

Allen Lai

First Foray

Wow factor - Not me yet

Me. Haha 

 Warming up by cycling for one hour in my neighbourhood

Smile

Saturday 12 October 2013. First Foray with UMMC. Dr Nahar issued us with one resistance band each for our first set of exercises. UMMC wants us to have biceps like the picture above. Don't drool. Possible? Definitely yes. No study is without homework. Aiyoh. Alamak. We are to do exercises on alternate days using the Resistance Band Exercise Group 1 & 2 worksheets.

I have already started using it. It looks easy, but not so, after 10 repetitions with 3 sets for each drill. The orange rubber band is one mean equipment. Simple stretches and versatile, but effective. I had muzzle sore straight away. Long way to go for me. But slow and steady I shall deliver.

Dr Nahar also reminded us on no cheating on the sets and repetitions as he will issue us with a log book next weekend.

Yikes!! But it is going to be fun. What, the ladies group is already into their 3rd month. Siew Fune showed us her biceps. Wow.


Take care.

Enhance your muzzle building with proteins

Sources of proteins

Our body needs proteins. A normal person needs 20 to 30 grams per day depending on his muzzle mass in the body. One chicken breast is about 30 grams. Two eggs and yogurt for breakfast provide adequate proteins for the body. Meat proteins are superior to vegetable proteins. It has more complete amino acids.

Proteins promote muscle recovery and muscle growth. Whey and Casein are the two major types of protein source. Whey proteins absorbs faster than Casein protein. Protein shakes have an advantage because it absorbs fastest.

We would normally need 1 – 1.3 grams proteins per kg body weight. We could spread protein intakes over 2 to 3 hours daily. But if we are to deliberately build our muscle groups, then we would need more than 2 grams of proteins per day. We should take our proteins within one hour from finishing our exercises.

Take care.

Allen Lai

VO2Max

Elite athletes use VO2Max reading to show their fitness and performance levels.
VO2 Max shows the peak oxygen intake per minute. The test name stems from the terms Volume, Oxygen and Maximum.

Below show the two graphs for VO2 max readings.

My VO2Max reading on 5 October 2013 was 24.16. It is just barely Fair for my age. I need to work on it to improve my VO2Max data.

Graph shows Relative VO2 max  per body weight norms

Graph for absolute VO2 Max norms.

You can get a quick estimate of your VO2Max by using the formula below:

VO2Max =15X HRmax devide by HRrest

Take care

Allen Lai

The Seven Pillars of Health

It is back to basics. The Seven Pillars of Health – The Naural way to Better Health for Life by Dr. Don Colbert, MD. This book was on the New York Times Best Seller list. Written in 2007, Dr Clobert’s book is not outdated and still holds true to good health and good lifestyle since biblical times. He attest to 50 days to a healthier you.

The Seven Pillars of Health are:

1.     Water.

2.     Sleep and Rest.

3.     Living Food.

4.     Exercise.

5.     Detoxification.

6.     Nutritional Supplements.

7.     Coping with Stress

Water.

Water is the most essential element for the body. The body needs to be hydrated to function properly.

 Increase water intake by eating more salads, vegetables and fruits.

 Tap water generally contains high levels of unfiltered minerals, chorine and other contaminants. Tap water needs to be filtered.

 The general formula for the amount of water to drink is Body weight (LB) divide by 2 = ounces per day.

Sleep and Rest.

Sleep and rest restores , repairs and rejuvenates the body.

 Sleep is vital to the immune system.

 The body needs at least seven to nine hours of sleep.

 Insomnia stems from stress, anxiety, depression, caffeine, chronic pain and medications.

 Take time to rest. At least one day a week.

Living Food.

Eat more vegetables, fruits and healthy nuts.

Dark Chocolate is very high in antioxidants

Avoid processed foods.

Meats are cautioned foods

 Worst food are Hydrogenated fats and trans fats. Excessive saturated fats and

Excessive polyunsaturated fats.

Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

People who restrict their calorie intake lives longer.

Exercise.

 Stagnant bodies build diseases.

Walk five minutes three times a week, build up to thirty minutes three times a week.

Exercise keeps off excessive weight.

Heart rate for training zone is 220 minus your age times 0.6 for low zone and times 0.9 for high zones. Keep within the zone levels.

Detoxification.

Toxicity permeates our environment.

There is a need to detoxify our body waste daily.

One hour of indirect smoking equals to 4 cigarettes.

Body odor sometimes are sign of a toxic body.

Eat fiber to detox

Eat more alkaline foods

Perspiration is detoxification through the skin.

Periodic fasting is a powerful detoxification process.

Nutritional  Supplements.

Diet alone is not enough.

Consider taking a daily multivitamin.

Most common deficiencies are Vitamins A,B6,C,D,E and K.

Minerals frequently deficient are magnesium, calcium, fiber and potassium.

Get 10 minutes of sunlight daily for Vitamin D.

Eat rainbow colored salads daily.

Avoid rancid fish oils.

Mega supplements are harmful.

Coping with stress.

Manage your stress well.

Identify what things you can control and what you cannot.

Laugh a lot

Do not worry.

Learn to do medition.

Lower your stress hormones.

Forgiveness releases stress.

Accentuate the positives and eliminates the negatives.

Practice proper breathing techniques.

Thank God daily for your good health.

Take care.

Allen Lai

UMMC Study Group

A big thank you to Peter Wong for arranging with Dr Mohd Nahar  of UMM sports department. for an exercise related study .Eleven of our Prostrate Support Group members enlisted. The study is scheduled for 6 months. We were weighed in and our baseline body mass and physical fitness recorded.
The following analysis were made for every individual:

Body Composition Analysis.
Muscle Fat Analysis.
Obesity Diagnosis.
Nutrition Evaluation.
Lean mass Evaluation
PBF/Fat Mass Evaluation
Fitness score.
Basal Metabolic Rate.
Body Impedance.


Another process to evaluate our stress tests and VOmax test are scheduled this coming Saturday.

 Dr Mohd Nahar

 KS Wong and Zack with Dr Nahar

 Mr Das weighing in

 Gym equipment

 More equipment

 Spa therapy

Alternative Medicine

Do you believe in magic? The sense and nonsense of alternative medicine. This is the latest book by Dr Paul A Offit MD. 

Dr Paul Offit is not the first to write his professional views in this subject. There are many such views of alternative medicines. Some are known variably as alternative, complementary, holistic or intregative medicines. These alternatives to conventional treatments have made it to be mainstream treatments. 

Do you believe in magic? What is magic? But belief is a powerful thing as real as Reality Distortion Fields. Placebo effects are very much a magic syndrome.

Dr Offit argues that there is no such thing as alternative medicines, only medicines that works or medicines that don't work. He also is not in favour of megavitamins and stressed that megavitamins are dangerous. Read about the shocking revelations by Dr Offit.

If you are thinking about alternative medicines, I strongly suggest you read Dr Offit's book, as least as a second opinion. Don't just believe. Whatever your choice, do not forsake conventional treatments. Modern medicines are strictly evidence based and regulated.

Take care

Allen Lai

Elekta VMAT Radiotherapy

Hi all,

Doctor John Low also introduced to us the latest machines in radiotherapy. The VMAT is now available in Pantal Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. 

VMAT

Read Elekta's product description below :

Next generation arc therapy for faster treatments, lower radiation dose to the patient

Elekta VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) is Elekta’s next generation arc therapy technique that establishes new standards for radiation therapy treatment speed and dose reduction to the patient. With Elekta VMAT, single or multiple radiation beams sweep in uninterrupted arc(s) around the patient, dramatically speeding treatment delivery. Doctors can use Elekta VMAT with complete or partial arc(s) to reduce treatment times from the eight to twelve minutes required for “conventional” radiation therapy to as few as two minutes.

Three-dimensional volume imaging technology integrated into Elekta treatment systems increases the precision of Elekta VMAT. This enables physicians to visualize the tumor target at the time of treatment and to guide therapy that both maximizes the radiation dose to the target and minimizes exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

Most important, compared to other commercial arc therapy techniques, Elekta VMAT provides the oncologist with the greatest freedom of choice regarding how the optimal dose will be delivered. This is achieved through the unique flexibility of Elekta treatment systems to simultaneously apply digital control to all treatment parameters, allowing doctors to manipulate the radiation dose and the imaging dose. Both advantages mean patients receive the lowest possible dose outside of the targeted area with their Elekta VMAT treatment.

Take care.

Allen Lai

The Hallmarks of Cancer

Dr Low, Head Pantai Cancer Institute used the Hallmarks of Cancer to explain the cancer cell, its properties and characteristics. The slides below are fairly complex and technical.

The Hallmarks were presented by Dr Dauglas Hanahan and Dr Weinberg and are the most recent explanations of cancer cell properties.

Visit the site below for full explanation:

http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/fedomany/Bioinfo05/lecture6_Hanahan.pdf


I will try to explain in plain language in my coming posts. (If I can).

Talk by Dr John Low

Full Gospel Hall KL organised a talk by Dr John Low, Head Pantai Cancer Institute on Saturday 21 September 2013 at FGH. 

       

Dr Low

Attendees at the session.

The talk was well attended by canncer patients, survivors and care givers.

Dr Low elaborated the on causes and current approaches to cancer treatments . He also introduced the new VMAT radiotherapy now available in Pantai Hospital. Dr Low emphasised that we should be knowledgeable in cancer and know how it grows and spread. He explained that cancer is ultimately a genetic disease; a defect or damage in the DNA of our body cells. He also emphasised that cancer victims should not avoid medical treatments, exercise to be strong and change our lifestyles. The only cure is to seek treatment. After care include continue a healthy lifestyle, have close followups and join support groups.

The Q&A session was well answered by Dr Low.

FGH is hosting a cancer support group in its premise. Registration is open to all. FGH shall hold monthly activities, the next talk is scheduled in 3 weeks. This was FGH first session of talks to be organsied for FGH Cancer Support Group

Take Care.

Functional Foods

Hi all

These posters say it all. Healthy eating.

Allen Lai

Gait Speed

Gait Speed tests are easy to perform and evaluate. Gait Speed is the pace of movement of an individual. Slow gait speed are mostly due to body and mind ailments. Whilst Gait Speed tests are being used  primarily to gauge the health of elderly people, the test can also generally be used for cancer patient's prognosis.

Generally most people can walk at a pace of 3 mph.

Frail people moves in a much slower speed. Visit here to read more about Gait Speed tests and its implications.

Take care

Allen Lai

Relay For Life Kuala Lumpur 2013

Hi all,

The annual Relay For Life event organised by the National Cancer Society Malaysia was held on 24 and 25 August 2013 at the Padang Petaling Jaya,Taman Jaya. The occasion was well attended with an appropriate theme A World without Cancer.

The pictures below says it all.

Me

 Happy are the clowns

 Not too old nor young to celebrate

 Great supporters

 Opening ceremony

 Pink Unity on the go

 Guolin Qigong 

 Mahbuhay

 Piped music

 Mr Dass interviewed by TV3

'

 Colours on parade

 Mr Dass reading a tribute for the late Dr Borhan

 Torch bearers

Luminaries

More Photos here. Please feel free to download.

Thank you and lets meet again next year.

Allen Lai

SMIP004 - the next drug for prostrate cancer?

Hi all,

I am pleased to read the announcement in July 2013 of Sanford- Burnham's research into SMIP004. I am all for the approach to down regulate the androgen receptors of cancerous cells. This is seen to be the first stage to arrest the rapid growing of the cancerous cells leading to metastasis.

SMIP004 is specifically good with prostrate cancer patients who have developed into the castration resistant stage and have cancer cells who are insensitive to androgen dripivation therapy.
Let us pray that SMIP004 will be successfully tried out in vivo and accepted by the FDA soonest.

Visit   Here
 for details.

Take care

Allen Lai

Resistant Starch Foods

 I was reading The End of Diabetes by Dr Joel Fuhrman, MD and realised the importance of resistant starch foods; not only to diabetics but also for people with cancer.

Resistant starch foods are foods that does not digest normally like other foods in the stomach and small intestines. It actually ferments in the stomach giving food to the colonies of bacteria in our stomach. Resistant starch foods are mostly beans, peas, green vegetables and whole grain nuts. These foods contain amylase inhibitors that resist digestion of their starch. Resistant starch foods also contain a high percentage of fiber. The calorie content of  resistant starch foods are taken into account in food labeling, which is not exactly correct to some extent as full digestion of the food does not take place.

Notwithstanding that eating resistant starch foods is an important strategy to control diabetes, it is also an applicable strategy to control cancer.

Cancer cells feed primarily on simple sugars. Resistant starch foods does not digest immediately to produce the simple sugars. Resistant starch ferments in our stomach and in the digestive tracks, in that very little of it gets absorbed into the blood, like other starches. Eating a higher amount of resistant starch foods actually provides less food to cancer cells.

However a point to note is that resistant starch foods should be slowly and deliberately introduced into our diet. We should also take other non resistant starch foods to complement our diet. Resistant starch foods complements well with probiotics and yogurts.

Food data from Dr Fuhrman's shows the percentage resistant  starch in some common foods. 

% Of Resistant starch in foods :

Black Beans - 26.9

Northern beans - 28

Navy beans - 25.9

Red kidney beans - 24.6

Lentils - 25.4

Split peas - 24.5

Black eyed peas - 17.7

Corn -25.2

Barley 18.2

Brown rice - 14.8

Millet - 12.6

Rolled oats - 7.2

White rice - 14.1

Whole wheat flour - 1.7

Pasta - 3.3

Potato flour - 1.7

Take care

Allen Lai