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Once a person catches COVID, it doesn't always go away easily. Approximately 10-35% of COVID survivors suffer from Long Covid whilst 85% of those who were hospitalised as a result of COVID experienced severe post-COVID symptoms.

Credit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9846887/

Even after the line fades on the test, many COVID patients still find themselves facing long-term illnesses such as fatigue, shortness of breath, 'brain fog' and insomnia. But what if there was a solution?

When COVID enters your body, it enters deep into your lungs, into the Alveoli. It is a small organ that medicine normally cannot reach. This means that lung disease is difficult to treat conventionally. The only exception to this is: Molecular Hydrogen.

In China, Molecular Hydrogen is utilized in their post-Coronavirus treatment programs. Let's explore why Hydrogen helps Post-COVID symptoms.

1. Antioxidant
The antioxidative effects of molecular hydrogen neutralises toxic free radicals formed in the lungs by the COVID virus, which relieves oxidative stress and repairs cells. Hydrogen selectively targets the bad free radicals while leaving all other cells untouched. The only byproduct of this neutralisation is water! As Hydrogen is capable of selectively neutralising toxic free radicals without affecting other body cells, it means that there are no side-effects or contraindications.


2. Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is your body's natural response to disease but chronic inflammation can lead to long-term health issues. When your body recovers poorly post-COVID, it's because your body's inflammatory response is ringing its alarm bells while it detects the oxidative stress in your body. By neutralising free radicals, Hydrogen relieves your body's inflammation.


3. Improves Sleep
Oxidative stress can affect sleep. By neutralising it, Hydrogen helps you get the sleep you deserve. Also, when your body is less inflamed, sleep becomes more comfortable and natural.


4. Boosts Energy

Fatigue is a common Post-COVID symptom. With Hydrogen's reparative effect on cells, it brings back your cell's ability to generate energy to give your body the boost it needs. Furthermore, with Hydrogen, you'd be sleeping better which means that you'd have more energy during the day!

Discover how molecular hydrogen aids Post-COVID recovery: https://youtu.be/Kzdw5XnOiZk?si=UtQOoQLT5jRgWffG

Our Post-COVID Recovery Care Plan

Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy combines the curative effects of Molecular Hydrogen with our certified physiotherapists to help patients recover after contracting COVID. Beyond just treating the symptoms, Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy also guides you on lifestyle changes that supplement our Hydrogen Therapy to help you solve your health conditions from its root cause.

If you are interested in finding out how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help you, make your appointment now!

Introduction

Knee Pain is a condition that many people of all ages face during their lives. It can have a wide variety of causes and may happen suddenly with great intensity or may manifest as a dull ache over a long period of time.

Causes of Knee Pain

Obesity

Over 50% of Malaysians are either overweight or obese. This means that if you aren’t overweight yourself, you are very likely to know a person who is overweight or obese. Structures of the Anterior Knee such as the Patella, the largest sesamoid bone in the body, experience forces equal to up to five times our body weight. Having a high body weight can contribute to these bones and joints overworking to compensate. More wear and tear will occur on the knee as a result.

Sports

The most common form of Knee Injury is Knee Sprain. According to a study, strains and pains accounted for more than 40% of knee injuries. A study conducted in 2015 estimates that 32% and 57% of all knee strains and sprains occurred at a sports venue.

One of the major sources of knee injuries comes from Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries. These injuries are common in athletes who participate in sports that involve a lot of high-impact pivoting movements. This includes sports like football (also known as soccer in the United States), basketball and badminton.

Another sports-related knee injury is the Meniscus Tear which occurs in sports that involve a lot of twisting and tackling of the knee.

Age

As you get older, your muscles and bones start to deteriorate. This can cause weakness and pain in your joints. Furthermore, as you get older, the Menisci (cushioning in your knees) will start to wear away causing a condition known as Osteoarthritis.

Knee-Related Medical Conditions

Baker Cyst

Known also as a Popliteal Cyst, a Baker Cyst is a fluid-filled cyst that may manifest at the back of the knee causing stiffness and discomfort. These cysts normally form due to meniscus tears or osteoarthritis. This happens as a result of the body’s response to inflammation – increasing the flow of synovial fluid until it accumulates behind the knee.

Non-surgical treatment options are available for managing Baker Cysts such as the usage of NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), Steroid Injections and Aspiration (removal of the fluids). However, large cysts that are causing nerve or vascular problems may be removed via excision surgery.

Osteoarthritis

If you are suffering from Osteoarthritis of the knee, you will likely experience pain while walking, particularly when going up or down inclines like hills or stairs. You may hear a grinding or grating sound in your joints while moving it. In severe cases, your knees might even buckle, causing imbalance or difficulty in balancing. We have written an article about Osteoarthritis, click here to read it.

Osgood-Schlatter disease

Osgood-Schlatter Disease is a type of swelling below the knee joint along the tendons on the front of the knee. It is caused by irritation of the bone growth plate and mainly affects children, especially growing children who are active in sports.

This condition usually goes away with ample bed rest and a reduction of intensive activity for children who are susceptible to the condition. Ice Packs after activity and the usage of knee pads may help reduce the effects of the condition. Medicine such as acetaminophen or NSAIDs may be used as advised by your doctor.

Infections

Bone infections are also known as osteomyelitis and they may be responsible for acute or chronic knee pains. It occurs when bacteria enters the bone through your bloodstream or through an open wound. Symptoms of osteomyelitis include fevers, chills, local swelling and general discomfort.

Treatment is usually conducted with antibiotics to kill off the harmful bacteria and, in severe cases, surgery.

Home Care to Reduce Knee Pain

Though certain knee pain conditions require medical intervention by your doctor, here are some things you can do at home to assist your recovery journey.

Bedrest is an important aspect of recovering from bouts of knee pain as movement can cause compression on the knee joint which prevents it from recovering as quickly as it should. When lying down, keep your knee raised to reduce swelling. You can use a pillow underneath your knee while sleeping to keep it elevated.  

Icing the area is another thing you can do from your home to improve recovery from knee injuries. Wrap some ice cubes or an ice pack in a bundle of cloth and apply it to the swollen or painful areas. Refrain from pressing the ice directly onto the skin to prevent discomfort or injury.

Preventing Knee Pain and Injuries

Warm Up and Cool Down

Always warm up before exercise and cool down after you are done. This can be done by conducting some stretches of the muscles on the front and back of your thighs, your quadriceps and your hamstrings. Watch this video for some simple stretching exercises as taught by our Hi-Bliss Physiotherapists

YouTube video

Reduce Joint Impact

As your knee joint bears a lot of weight during daily activities, it is important to reduce the impact where possible. This includes walking down inclines (downhill) instead of running. When it comes to exercise choice, instead of running or jumping, consider cycling or swimming.

Weight Management

As we have mentioned before, obesity plays a huge factor in your joint health. Managing your weight can bring many healthcare benefits including improving your cardiovascular health, your lungs and even your mood! If you are suffering from weight-related knee pain, you should consider speaking to your doctor or a dietician about weight loss options.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy isn’t necessarily only for those with injuries. You may consider physiotherapy as a preventative route to reduce your risk of knee pain or injury. Physiotherapists can help by strengthening your surrounding muscles to help give your knee joint more support.

How Hydrogen Therapy Can Help

YouTube video

We already suggested physiotherapy in the previous section but what if there was something better than just physiotherapy?

Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy combines the anti-inflammatory properties of Molecular Hydrogen and a team of highly-trained physiotherapists to help people who are suffering from knee pain improve their condition and reclaim their active and healthy lives.

During your first session with Hi-Bliss, our physiotherapists will conduct a few health assessments to identify the state of your condition. It will be helpful to bring some of your scans or medical reports from previous doctor visits.

Then, our therapists will perform a palpation check, a sense-of-touch test to identify muscle weaknesses and stiffnesses.

When that is done and treatment points are identified, our physiotherapists will spray molecular hydrogen gas onto your body.

Hydrogen gas is non-invasive but due to its nature as the smallest molecule, it can penetrate your skin painlessly to relieve inflammation in your body and joints. This is done by reducing oxidative stress by neutralising free radicals. There are no side effects to Hydrogen Therapy so no worries and no fuss. All you need to do while undergoing Hydrogen Therapy is just relax!

After being sprayed with Hydrogen gas, our therapists will conduct manipulation on your body. This includes some static stretching and massages.

Finally, your Hi-Bliss Therapist will teach you some basic stretching and strengthening exercises to do at home for a holistic healing experience.

If you are interested in trying out Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy to manage your knee pain, make your appointment now!

  1. National Health & Morbidity Survey | NHMS 2019
  2. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Knee Patella.
  3. Obesity and Anterior Knee Pain | University of Michigan
  4. Epidemiology of 6.6 million knee injuries presenting to United States emergency departments from 1999 through 2008
  5. Incidence of Patients With Knee Strain and Sprain Occurring at Sports or Recreation Venues and Presenting to United States Emergency Departments
  6. Age-proof your knees
  7. Baker's Cyst (Popliteal Cyst) | Orthoinfo
  8. Osgood-Schlatter Disease | John Hopkins Medicine.
  9. Osteomyelitis
YouTube video

Initially struggling with limited mobility, Mdm Low had difficulty performing everyday tasks like lifting her arms and raising her legs, which greatly affected her quality of life. Through the expert guidance and care of the dedicated team at Hi-Bliss, Mdm Low was able to regain her strength and mobility.

Mdm Low started her journey with us with complaints of pain in her right arm and difficulty of lifting fully. Her left upper arm also had a lot of tightness. This impeded her daily life and her ability to comfortably wear her clothes.

After her consultation with our Hi-Bliss Health Consultants, she was prescribed our Muscle & Joint Program.

After only 3 sessions, she saw significant improvement in mobility and range of motion. Her lateral arm raises moved from 120 degrees of movement to 165 degrees of movement while her front arm raises improved from 110 degrees to 150 degrees.

If you are interested in improving your strength and mobility, we recommend that you visit our centres and discuss your health condition with our healthcare consultants.

Learn more about our Muscle & Joint Program here: https://hi-bliss.com/muscle-joint-programs/

Children experience massive, early use of and exposure to all types of screens such as smart phones, computers, tablets, consoles and television. The exposure and interaction with screens has been growing and becoming a real addiction, as per health professionals and early childhood experts in their warning to parents. Tablets and smartphones, are constantly being used to distract kids and keep them quiet, and they are also perceived as educational. This makes screen time hard for kids to avoid.

According to one study, the average child (between the ages of 4 and 14 years of age) spends three hours a day watching TV, and up to seven hours total staring at a screen. Teens recently told Wall Street Journal reporters that they watch YouTube / Tik Tok videos every chance they get. Add video games, TV, phone time with friends, schoolwork, and tablet media consumption and you can rack up a lot of HEV rays or blue light exposure.

A Nielsen study found that 70% of tablet-owning parents of kids under 12 let their children play with the tablets. Common Sense Media found that 30% of toddlers have a TV or tablet in their bedrooms. Kids under one year of age spend twice as much time with electronic devices as they do with books. According to the Ordre des Optométristes du Québec, 20-25% of children between the ages of 5 and 14 have various visual problems requiring treatment by an optometrist. Without realizing this, parents allow their children to be exposed to many risks that can contribute to a number of eye problems or eye troubles.

Your child’s eyes don’t filter blue light as well as yours do. Because children’s eyes have larger pupils and more transparent lenses than adults, light streams into them more freely. (One recent study showed that the transmission of blue light through a 9-year-old’s eye is 1.2-times higher than that of an adult.)

The key for all parents is to fully understand the impact that blue light has on a child's well being, so that proper action can be taken to minimize exposure when it is not entirely necessary.

We all need to ensure we get a good night's sleep, but this is especially true for our growing children who are still developing and rely on a good night's rest to be able to manage their moods and environment during the day. Poor sleep quality/ disrupted sleep patterns may mean that your child’s concentration levels are lower during the day. Blue light is proven to disturb sleep patterns, which results in the accelerated production of cortisol and releases melatonin even more slowly than it does yours.

Poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation have pretty shocking consequences in many areas. It's linked to reduced learning capacity and poor academic performance.

Blue light stimulates your brain, slowing or stopping release of the sleep hormone melatonin. That makes it harder to get a good night’s sleep," and this generally messes with a child's hormonal patterns. A 2016 study on children of preschool age found that higher artificial light exposure from their environment contributed to an increased BMI and increases the long-term risk for developing obesity. There is also evidence that disruption of the circadian rhythm may be connected with diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Moods can be altered, and this may effect behavior as a whole. Exposure to blue light at night can lead to the over-production of "adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin and cortisol," and these can be strongly connected to a series of mental disorders and attention focusing issues. Best Health Mag states that Insomnia / sleep loss is among the leading causes of a series of mental disorders:-

Digital eye strain happens when a lot of time is spent using near vision, for example, reading on screen or playing online games. Digital eye strain does not cause permanent damage to your eyes but can be uncomfortable. Evidence suggests that carrying out near tasks, involving looking at something close-up, such as using mobile devices, screen time and reading a book, can increase eye strain for those who do this for long periods of time. It increases the chances that a child will become astigmatic, myopic or hyperopic in adulthood.

One of the main symptoms is temporary blurred vision but other signs such as sore and tired eyes, dry eye and headaches are also associated with digital eye strain.

Children especially, are at particular risk of macular damage from blue light because their eyes are not as efficient at filtering out the rays.

Short-sightedness, or myopia, is increasing throughout the world. Family history, ethnic background, environment (living indoors, in cities) and carrying out near tasks, such as screen use, have all been linked to the development of myopia.

In a study, preschoolers ages 3 to 5 whose screen usage was greater than what is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) completed cognitive testing and brain imaging. Their parents also completed a survey about screen usage. The results revealed that kids with higher screen usage had lower measures of brain structure that support skills such as language and literacy.

Tips for keeping your child’s eyes healthy

Recommendations from optometrists and opticians, based on the age of the child:-

According to some studies, before the age of 2, non-interactive screens such as those used for television and DVDs have only negative effects. They can cause visual disturbances, weight gain, delayed language, a lack of concentration and attention, and should therefore be avoided for infants.

At this age, children need to build their temporal and spatial guidelines hence, good vision is extremely necessary. Between 2 and 3 years of age, exposing children to television in a passive and prolonged way and without an interactive, educational human presence is strongly discouraged.

From the age of 3, screens help children to distinguish between the real and the virtual. They will be able to copy and imitate what they see. However, they should not spend more than 1 hour per day in front of a screen (all devices combined).

Between the ages of 3 and 6, a child needs to develop all of his manual and sensory possibilities hence the programs and applications chosen must be of high quality. It is also recommended that parents are present in order to explain what their child is seeing and how it applies to the world around them. Again, it is recommended that children not exceed 1 hour of screen use per day.

Between 6 and 10 years of age, it is important for the social development of the child to be established hence it is best to set a certain amount of screen time per day so that the child can discover social gaming and involve themselves with others.

From 9 to 12 years of age, children need to explore the world and its complexity.

From the age of 12, parents must monitor possible nighttime screen use because it can be harmful. Good use of these screens allows an adolescent to improve control over emotions and thoughts, actions and decisions.

However, excessive use of screens and especially the Internet can reduce memory as well as the ability to synthesize the personal and consciousness. It also causes drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and eye problems. Vision is essential to a child’s learning experience and this can be reflected in academic performance, when one observes a decline.

Hydrogen’s protective effects includes its potent antioxidant properties selectively scavenges free radicals thus reducing oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory properties effectively reduces inflammation. Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help to take care of your eyes here: https://hi-bliss.com/skin-eyecare-programs/

References:-

Although it is environmentally friendly, blue light can affect your sleep and potentially cause disease. Over the last few years (prior to COVID-19), the amount of time we spend glued to our electronic devices has steadily increased, and the pandemic (plus the ensuing lockdowns) have exacerbated the situation since most interactions have gone virtual.

This means the amount of blue light to which we are exposed has also seen a substantial increase. And if you are wondering whether the blue light from your smartphone (and other devices) is harmful, the answer is a resounding yes. Extraordinary pressure on the retina, dry eyes, fatigue, and disturbed sleep cycles (or disturbances to the circadian rhythm) are only some of the harmful effects caused by addiction to our tablets and smartphones. Researchers have learned that blue light can also lead to vision loss. Worse, research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and obesity.

What Is Blue Light?

Not all colors of light have the same effect. Blue light, also known as high-energy visible (HEV) light is a high-energy visible light and has shorter wavelengths. It has the highest energy level and the shortest wavelength (detectable by the human eye) of all the visible colours. Its main source is sunlight; thus, we all get our fair share of it when we’re out in the sun. It is known as blue light because it is on the violet-blue band of the spectrum.

Blue wavelengths ~ which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost alertness, helps memory and cognitive function, elevates mood, plus regulates circadian rhythm seem to be the most disruptive at night. Blue light is emitted by digital devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, notebooks, and computers. The proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown.

Though, the blue light exposure you receive from screens is small compared to the amount of exposure from the sun, there is concern over the long-term effects of screen exposure because of the close proximity of the screens and the length of time spent looking at them.

How Does Blue Light Affect the Eyes?

Almost all visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens and reaches the retina. This light may affect vision and could prematurely age the eyes.

Early research shows that exposure to intense amounts of blue light may be harmful to the eyesand could lead to:

Blue light from computer screens and digital devices can decrease contrast leading to digital eyestrain. Bad lighting, or how you sit in front of the computer can cause eyestrain. Symptoms of eyestrain include sore or irritated eyes, dry or watery eyes, blurred vision, headaches, facial muscles fatigued by squinting, and difficulty focusing.

Studies suggest that continued overexposure to blue light over time could lead to blurry vision, cataracts, anddamaged retinal cells as occurred in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that can blur your central vision. This concern comes from the fact that blue light and ultraviolet light place oxidative stress on the retinal pigments.  

Human eyes have receptors that contain a photopigment called melanopsin that is sensitive to blue light. Exposure to blue light is detected by the eyes and signals the pineal gland (a tiny organ deep within the brain that produces the body’s melatonin) to suppress the secretion of the hormone melatonin (a sleep hormone that helps to regulate your circadian rhythm). By suppressing the secretion of melatonin, this results in a disruption of the sleep-wake cycle.

In short, screen time, especially at night, is linked to poor sleep. The blue light from electronic devices messes with your circadian rhythm, or sleep cycle. It signals your brain to wake up when it should be winding down.

Blue light exposure might raise your risk for certain cancers. One study found that people who work the night shifts are at greater risk for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.

Another potentially serious condition that can be caused by high night time exposure to blue light was linked to increased risk of depression or depressive symptoms in animal studies. However, exposure to blue light during the day may have the opposite effect and it has been used to treat seasonal affective disorder, or SAD (a form of depression related to the changing of the seasons).

Not many know about blue light’s negative effects on the skin ~ which can stimulate photo-ageing and over time lead to skin discoloration, inflammation and a weakened skin surface.

The findings from a preliminary study observed from a group of lighter-skinned people by exposing them to visible blue light, showed a lot of swelling, redness as well as pigment changes in the skin. This suggests that visible blue light can penetrate through the skin and cause reactive oxygen species (ROS). These reactive species can damage skin DNA and cause the breakdown of elastin fibers and collagen.

A study was published in February 2015 in Oxidative Medicine and Longevity regarding blue light exposure and skin. The study highlights a connection between blue light rays and the production of free radicals in the skin. Free radicals in the skin can speed up the process of skin aging or premature aging of the skin. Another way that blue light from computer screens may be speeding up the aging process is through pigmentation, as it can cause pigment changes. Furthermore, blue can also cause other changes to the skin, such as the shrinking of cells and even death, which leads to speedy aging.

Ways to Minimise Exposure to Blue Light

If you're one of the millions of people across the world who spend a lot of time on your phone, then it's crucial that you find ways to reduce your blue light exposure along the way. A research from the University of Toledo reveals that blue light from smartphone screen can cause blindness. The study found that blue light causes toxic reactions in retinal molecules in the eye that sense light and signals the brain. As a result, the poisonous chemical reactions kill the photoreceptors in the eyes and cannot be recovered once they die.

It's not just phones or computer screens that emit blue light. You also need to think about display screens on products like refrigerators, and lightbulbs too. To avoid serious problems, here are some ways you can work towards reducing your exposure to blue light on a daily basis:

According to Harvard Health, blue light exposure in the hours leading up to bedtime can directly interrupt your body's circadian rhythm. In turn, this affects your sleep quality, and might even contribute to other more serious afflictions. As a result, you should try to avoid screen time at least 2 hours leading up to bedtime.

One great option for minimizing blue light exposure is wearing protective glasses whenever you're looking at a computer screen, like during your work hours. Usually blue light glasses which are customizable, have virtually clear lenses, and have a special coating that helps prevent blue light and UV rays from passing through to your eyes.

Having screen brightness that is too high or too low can cause eyestrain and can make the eyes get tired faster. Look for a light-reduction application that automatically adjusts your computer's or smartphone’s color temperature display so that the display does not feel as bright and to make it less jarring to your vision at night. If possible, equip your smartphone with anti-glare glass or you can download to reduce the blue light.

The best thing you can do for your eyes (and your overall mental and physical health) at the end of the day is to cap your screen time to a daily limit and hold yourself to that limit.

Stop staring at the smartphone screen every 20 minutes for 20 seconds. Then look at something 20 feet away. It aims to temporarily relax the eye muscles and give your eyes a little rest.

When you concentrate on your smartphone, your blink rate also decreases. It can cause the tears on the surface to dry and leads to irritation, redness, pain and blurry vision. Try to also blink more often as this will make the eyes moist and reduce irritation. Blink at least 10 times every 20 minutes.

Holding your smartphone only about 20 cm from the face is very bad for the eyes. Give a distance of at least 40 – 46 cm from the eyes. Maybe it will feel strange for the first time, but you will get used to it.

In contrast, you should avoid lightbulbs whose brightness is described with phrases like "daylight" or "cool white."

There is no time better than the present, to start taking action.

Hydrogen’s potent antioxidant properties selectively scavenges free radicals thus reducing oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory properties effectively reduces inflammation. Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help to take care of your eyes here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-eye-therapy/   

References:-

  1. Protective effect of saturated hydrogen saline against light-induced retinal damage in rats ~ Mei Feng, Xing-Hua Wang, Xiao-Bo Yang, et al. | Int J Ophthalmology | doi: 10.3980/j.issn.2222-3959.2012.02.07 | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3359028  
  2. An Immunohistochemical Study of the Increase in Antioxidant Capacity of Corneal Epithelial Cells by Molecular Hydrogen, Leading to the Suppression of Alkali-Induced Oxidative Stress ~ C. Cejka, J. Kossl, B. Hermankova, V. Holan, and J. Cejkova, et al. Oxidative Medicine And Cellular Longevity | Volume 2022 | Article ID 9846572 | DOI:10.1155/2020/7435260  
  3. Rapid Diffusion of Hydrogen Protects the Retina: Administration to the Eye of Hydrogen-Containing Saline in Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury ~ Yaxing Zhanga Sihua Tana et.al. Cell Physiol Biochem 2018;47:1-10. DOI: 10.1159/00048973
  4. Sirtuin Type 1 Mediates the Retinal Protective Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Saline Against Light-Induced Damage in Rats ~ Lin-Song Qi; Lu Yao; Wei Liu; Wei-Xun Duan et. al. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science December 2015, Vol.56, 8268-8279. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.15-17034  

Ever wondered why the first thing that your doctor does every time you visit a doctor’s office or hospital, (regardless of the complaint that brought you there) is to take your blood pressure? There’s a reason why your blood pressure is taken. every single time.

Hypertension (HPT), or also known as High Blood Pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated and is a common condition in most countries, including Malaysia. High blood pressure is rightly known as “the silent killer” because it doesn't always have outward symptoms, meaning that you could have it for years and not know. It often carries no symptoms or warning signs but over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure can drastically become a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and aneurysm. According to a Harvard study, having hypertension can increase your risk of stroke by 220%. The older you are, the more likely you are to get it. Keeping blood pressure under control is vital for preserving health and reducing the risk of these dangerous conditions.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pressing against the walls of your arteries. In simplistic terms, blood pressure is a measurement of the force with which your blood is pumped round your body. It is the pressure that your pumping blood places on the walls of your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart. When it's too high, your heart has to work harder. This can cause serious damage to your arteries. The higher the number, the harder your heart is having to work to pump blood around your body and the more likely it is that damage is being done to the heart muscle. Since all parts of your body rely on circulation, though, it’s not just your heart that high blood pressure can impact. If blood doesn’t flow easily, it can harm your arteries as well as vital organs such as the kidneys, eyes, and brain.

High blood pressure (or “hypertension”) has been shown to damage the tiny blood vessels in the parts of your brain responsible for cognition and memory, greatly increasing your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. Being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease can also take an emotional toll, affecting your outlook and making you more susceptible to anxiety and depression. And just as blood pressure may have an impact your mood, the reverse can also be true:

Source: American Heart Association

Your exact blood pressure is measured by reference to two different factors. The first of these factors is the strength of each heartbeat, whilst the second is the resistance put up by the ‘tubes’ through which you blood passes, primarily your capillaries and arteries.

It is the arterioles, the tiny blood vessels that feed into the capillary network that regulate blood pressure more than any other part of your body. These arterioles expand and contract in rhythm with the beating of your heart as result of the muscular tissue in their walls. Hence, measuring blood pressure is in effect checking the strength or weakness of your heart.

Your blood pressure is measured by reference to two different numbers which represent the systolic and diastolic pressures.

  1. The higher number, or systolic blood pressure is a measurement of the highest pressure point which is recorded when the heart beats or contracts (is measured as your heart pumps blood into your arteries).
  2. The lower figure, the diastolic is a measurement of what is happening when your heart is at rest (relaxes between beats), effectively representing the low point of your blood pressure.

Generally, it is the diastolic pressure measurement which medical professionals pay most attention to, because if your diastolic pressure is too high, it suggests that your arteries and capillaries are under too much pressure even when your heart is at rest.

You have stage 1 high blood pressure if your systolic reading is between 130 and 139 or your diastolic is between 80 and 89. A reading of 140 or higher systolic or 90 or greater diastolic is stage 2 hypertension. You may not have symptoms. If your systolic is over 180 or your diastolic is above over 120, you may be having a hypertensive crisis, which can lead to a stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage. Rest for a few minutes and take your blood pressure again. If it's still that high, call 999. Symptoms include a severe headache, anxiety, and nosebleeds. You might feel short of breath or passing out.

Low blood pressure (known as “hypotension”) is a much less common problem than hypertension, but it can still significantly impact blood flow to the brain and increase your risk of shock, stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure.

What are the symptoms?

One of the biggest problems for people who suffer high blood pressure is that a very significant percentage of them have no symptoms that might otherwise give them a clue that everything is not well. Some people do of course suffer symptoms that might give them an idea that they have a blood pressure problem. Given that high blood pressure naturally means that the pressure of blood being pumped around the body is too high, there are some conditions that might suggest a high blood pressure problem.

What causes hypertension or high blood pressure?

There’s no single cause of high blood pressure, but rather many contributing factors. Some are out of your control, such as age, race, gender, and family history - blood pressure tends to increase over the age of 70, affects more women than men over the age of 55, and is more common in African Americans than Caucasians, perhaps due to a genetic sensitivity to salt.

However, numerous other risk factors for hypertension are within your control, and it is a combination of these factors that most commonly causes high blood pressure. These factors include:

There are also specific substances that can raise your blood pressure, such as:

We shall learn more on the damages Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) cause plus more about how to lower your High Blood Pressure naturally in the next blog.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy and Hydrogen Water can help lower the Blood Pressure here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-detox-wellness/

References:-

Risk factors

It is usually not possible to know exactly why one person develops cancer and another does not. But research has shown that certain risk factors may increase a person's chances of developing cancer. In many cases, cancer is something that develops because of certain lifestyle choices. Of course, smoking or excessively sunning yourself can lead to cancer. So can exposure to certain toxins and just in general an unhealthy lifestyle. However, there are steps you can take to help prevent cancer. This doesn't mean you won't ever get some form of cancer as sometimes you are just predisposed to cancer, but, it means that you are doing all you can to stay healthy.

The common risk factors for cancer that can be prevented can be referred to as Modifiable Risk Factors such as tobacco, sun exposure, radiation exposure, chemicals, and other substances. Whereas there are other causes of cancer that is not preventable (referred to as Non-Modifiable Risk Factors) such as family history or aging.

Modifiable Risk Factors

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

Common Signs of Cancer: Symptoms You Can't Ignore

Women are usually more diligent than men when it comes to their own health care. But many women ignore symptoms that may be indicative of cancer. If a new health problem arises, do get it checked out soonest possible as the sooner a problem is explained the sooner treatment can be begun. Many forms of cancer can be cured if they are found early.

How You Can Prevent Cancer from Happening to You

If you do have a family history of cancer, then you probably don't want to do things which raise your chances even higher of getting cancer. Here's what you can do to hopefully prevent it.

  1. Reduce your sugar intake. It has been proven that cancer develops in an environment that is rich in glucose. Less oxygen and more sugar increases your risk of getting cancer.
  1. Maintain a proper pH (potential Hydrogen) in your body. A balanced pH level is more oxygen rich and an environment which cancers do not do well in. To do this, drink a lot of water, eliminate soda, reduce the amount of meat you eat, minimize your consumption of sweets, and eat a lot of raw vegetables.
  1. Avoid risky behavior which can lead to infections. This means practice safe sex and don't share needles. HIV or AIDS increases a person's chance of getting cancer of the anus, liver, or lungs. HPV like mentioned above is associated with cervical cancer. This is a sexually transmitted disease. Sharing needles increases your chances of Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.

These ten things are just some ways you can take cancer into your own hands and reduce your risk of getting it.  Of course, be pro-active and stay on top of your medical care. Seeing your doctor regularly and screening for cancers will help you diagnose a problem early, possibly preventing it from turning into cancer.

Cancer is a disease that touches on a lot of individuals. Many cancer-causing agents have been discovered by researchers. Most forms of cancer can be prevented by making a few primary life-style alterations, such as exercising and eating healthy, averting sun exposure and refraining from tobacco use.

Preventing cancer, the leading killer worldwide, isn't as easy as popping a pill or getting a vaccination. All the same, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than thirty percent of all cancer deaths can be prevented. Tobacco use is the single biggest factor when determining cancer risk. You are able to incorporate all these strategies in your fight against cancer or to prevent it and help prolong your life. Nothing is guaranteed in life, but you will feel much better if you follow these tips.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy and Hydrogen Water can help improve the Quality of Life of Cancer patients here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-detox-wellness/

Source: National Cancer Society Malaysia

References:-

National Cancer Burden

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2012, globally there were 14.1 million new cases and more than 8.2 million deaths in the same year. According to estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), by 2030, the global cancer burden is expected to grow to 21.7 million new cancer cases and 13 million cancer deaths. The expected rise is mainly due to the increase in elderly population and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles.

Between 2007-2011, 103,570 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Malaysia and a total of 64,275 medically certified and non-medically certified cancer deaths were reported by the National Cancer Registry during the same period. One in four Malaysians face a lifetime risk of getting cancer. Every 12 minutes, a person is diagnosed with cancer in Peninsular Malaysia (extract from InfoMed Oct 2013).

Like most developed and advanced developing countries, Malaysia is experiencing an epidemiological transition, where diseases related to lifestyle particularly cardiovascular diseases and cancers have progressively become more prevalent.

Cancer represents a tremendous burden on patients, families and societies. Besides the financial cost of disease, cancer has important psychosocial repercussions for patients and their families and remains, in many parts of the world, a stigmatizing disease. Cancer is a complex group of diseases representing more than 100 distinct diseases with different causes and requiring different treatments or interventions. There is no single cause or cure for cancer and everyone is at risk.

The trend of malignant neoplasm in terms of absolute numbers has escalated and remains as one of the five principal causes of national mortality for the past 20 years. In 2015, cancer contributed 13.6 % of all deaths in Ministry of Health hospitals compared with 8.9% in 1996.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is the umbrella name given to hundreds of diseases and disorders. Though talked about as lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancers are many more, the disease does not really affect the organ but affects the cell of the organ. The name of the cancer comes from the organ affected. Each organ produces a specific kind of cell. For example, with the colon (a major organ in your intestine), is made up of cells and when those cells become cancerous, colon cancer is diagnosed.

The cells will become cancerous if they begin to divide without controller function. This will cause damage to other cells as the dividing cells vie for space and dominancy. The normal function of the cells is to divide to replace old cells. When the cancerous cells divide without control, the other cells have little chance competing with them. The uncontrolled dividing cells take up more and more space until they become a mass of cells and become tumor or growth. Once large enough, the tumor can cause discomfort or even pain. The tumor, if not removed, will grow big enough so that you can actually see or feel the affected area. In short, cancer development is caused by the continuous and unregulated proliferation of cells. Instead of responding appropriately to the signals that regulate normal cell behaviour, these cancer cells grow and divide out of control and invades normal tissues and organs, eventually spreading throughout the body.

There are two different kinds of tumors. The first type of tumor is the benign and is not life threatening. It usually does not spread. They are akin to a wart or growth you might see on your skin. A doctor may choose to remove the benign tumor are just to leave it because to disturb the tumor might cause the cancer to become malignant. When the tumor cells do become malignant, the tumor now is cancerous.

These cancerous cells can spread throughout the body and invade each cell, tissue, or organ. If the cancer is spread too much, it can even enter the blood stream and cause blood cancer. This is the most

serious type of cancer because the cancer cells now are incorporated to all parts of your body. As the cancer spreads throughout your body, the new cancer cells will invade healthy cells and cause them to become cancerous. A simple tumor can spread cancerous cells into all the organ systems of the body and eventually one will succumb and die.

There are more than 200 types of cancer, and each warrants more research to find a cure. Hence, we shall focus on cancers common in our part of the world, on Asian genetics. Here are the top 5 cancers in Year 2020, afflicting Male and Female Malaysians as per the latest report by Global Cancer Observatory (published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO) published in March 2021.

Source: The Global Cancer Observatory – International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO). March 2021

Most Common Types of Cancer Found in Men

Cancer affects men and women, but there are some cancers which affect men more than women. Also, many times these cancers are more deadly in men than they are in women. Here are the Top 5 Cancers that are most prevalent in Men in Malaysia:

  1. Lung Cancer – Lung cancers typically start in the cells lining the bronchi and parts of the lung such as the bronchioles or alveoli and can affect any part of the respiratory system. Lung cancer often spreads (metastasizes) to other parts of the body, such as the brain and the bones. Once lung cancer has spread beyond the lungs, it is generally not curable. The number of new cases in 2020 are 17.0% (3,925).

Most Common Types of Cancer Found in Women

The cancers that only women get are gynecological cancers of the reproductive organs. Here are the Top 5 Cancers that are most prevalent in Women in Malaysia:

  1. Breast Cancer - the most common cancer in women in almost every country, In 2018, 2 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The number of Asian women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next 30 years will nearly double that of everyone else. The incidence was highest among Chinese followed by Indian and Malay. Most of the cases were presented at the age of 45-69 years and reduced after the age of 70 years. The number of new cases in 2020 are 32.9% (8,418).

What is Cancer Staging and the Importance of Cancer Staging?

Cancer staging: It is a way to describe the size of a cancer and how far it has grown and spread throughout the body. It is important as it is to determine the best treatment to treat the patient.

Stage 1: the cancer is relatively small and contained within the organ it started in.

Stage 2: usually means that the tumour is larger than in stage 1, but the cancer has not started to spread into the surrounding tissues. Sometimes stage 2 means that cancer cells have spread into lymph nodes close to the tumour. This depends on the particular type of cancer.

Stage 3: usually means the cancer is larger. It may have started to spread into surrounding tissues and there are cancer cells in the lymph nodes in the area.

Stage 4: means the cancer has spread from where it started to another body organ. This also called secondary or metastatic cancer.

We shall learn more on the Risk factors, common signs and symptoms, of cancer in the next blog.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy and Hydrogen Water can help improve the Quality of Life of Cancer patients here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-detox-wellness/

References:-

Prediabetes

Diabetes can be a very deceptive disease. It can be present with almost no warning signs. However, there are a few symptoms that may indicate that it is present. Because of its tendency to operate in silence, its damage is being performed and you never even know it is there.

Some people are referred to as having prediabetes or borderline diabetes when blood sugar is usually in the range of 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normal blood sugar levels sit between 70 and 99 mg/dL, whereas a person with diabetes will have a fasting blood sugar higher than 126 mg/dL.

The prediabetes level means that blood glucose is higher than usual but not so high as to constitute diabetes. People with prediabetes are, however, at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, although they do not usually experience the symptoms of full diabetes.

Risk factors

The risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are similar. They include:

Source: Healthline.com

Signs and Symptoms you may be having Diabetes

Do take into consideration that some people who have diabetes never show any signs of these symptoms, so looking for them may not be the only reason to suspect you might have it. Some basic symptoms that may occur include: -

Source: Wikipedia.org

Prevention

Diabetes may not be prevented in all cases. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented. You may be able to reduce your chances for developing type 2 diabetes by managing your diet and staying active. However, genetics and other risk factors may increase your risk despite your best effort. Even if you have a diagnosis of diabetes, you can live a full life. Diabetes requires careful planning and management, but it shouldn’t prevent you from engaging in and enjoying everyday activities.

Be sure to keep track of everything, including any snacks, deserts, regular meals, as well as all drinks. By the time all that gets added in, it really adds up. Dietary changes known to be effective in helping to prevent diabetes include maintaining a diet rich in whole grains and fiber (fruits, vegetables), lean proteins and choosing good fats, such as the polyunsaturated fats found in nuts, vegetable oils, and fish. Limiting sugary beverages, fast foods, processed/prepackaged foods, eating less red meat and other sources of saturated fat (all which contains a large amount of calories and excess sugar), can also help prevent diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease that can often be prevented. The most important thing that you can do is to lose the extra weight and start eating a healthy diet. Some lifestyle changes will be needed rather quickly. These changes involve what you eat and how, getting regular exercise, and developing and maintaining a more active lifestyle.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help with Metabolic Syndrome diseases such as Diabetes here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-detox-wellness/

References:-

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level over a prolonged period of time. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, remains one of the major non-communicable diseases in Malaysia, affecting up to 3.9 million of the Malaysian population with a prevalence of 18.3% (as of November 2020).  “According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 (NHMS 2019), one in five adults or about 3.9 million residents aged above 18 years were suffering from diabetes. Nearly all the patients enrolled in the National Diabetes Registry were diagnosed with T2DM.

Source: National Diabetes Registry Report 2013-2019. MOH

Without ongoing, careful management, diabetes can lead to a buildup of sugars in the blood, which can increase the risk of dangerous complications, including stroke and heart disease.

Different kinds of diabetes can occur, and managing the condition depends on the type. Not all forms of diabetes stem from a person being overweight or leading an inactive lifestyle. In fact, some are present from childhood.

One reason that diabetes is affecting more people and becoming more widespread is because it is a disease that it partly caused by consuming high levels of sugar. When you consider the fact that sugar is now in much of what we eat, this shouldn't be hard to understand.

Diabetes is a quiet disease. There is no pain associated with it, and the symptoms may not be all that serious at the start. This leads people to often conclude that it is not so bad. The end result from this assumption is that more often than not, nothing is done to prevent it even when people have been warned in advance by their doctor. Diabetes is very serious because it creates long term problems that are very detrimental if left unmanaged and the same bad habits are continued.

Basically, diabetes is the result of insulin problems and is caused by the body's inability to either develop enough insulin, or to be able to use the insulin that it does produce. Insulin is a natural hormone produced by your body and it is given the task of taking the sugars you consume and turning it into energy that the body can use.

Normally, insulin enables the sugars to go from your bloodstream into the various tissues surrounding your blood vessels. This gives those tissues energy to be able to adequately carry out their normal functions when needed. When insulin is not properly handling the sugar in the blood, two things occur:

- The sugar remains in the bloodstream.

- The energy does not get to the needed cells.

A lack of energy being transferred to those tissues results in general tiredness.

Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves blood vessels, eyes and kidneys.

The different types of diabetes

There are three distinct forms of diabetes. Each one has its own share of symptoms, problems, and treatment. Each of these 3 forms of diabetes presents a different problem associated with how the body uses or produces insulin.

Diabetes is primarily a problem with the insulin in the body that normally helps to change the sugar that you consume into useable energy for your body's cells.

Type I Diabetes

Type I diabetes is a problem that is believed to be caused by the body attacking itself.  When this occurs the autoimmune system somehow comes to interpret that the insulin producing glands in your body are actually some kind of disease, so they attack those cells and destroy many of them.

This attack often leaves the body without enough insulin producing cells to be able to handle the amount of sugar regularly consumed. It is even possible that no insulin may be produced at all. Type I diabetes is often diagnosed in children and requires daily injections of insulin just to survive. It is usually diagnosed early because it creates emergency situations where immediate medical attention is needed.

Type II Diabetes

Type II diabetes is attained slowly, by creating a situation where the sugar is not properly processed by the body's insulin. Not enough insulin is produced to be able to handle the sugar and so it leaves a lot of sugar in the bloodstream.

This form of diabetes is usually developed much later in life, unless the person is overweight. This extra fat seems to help create the condition where diabetes can develop much faster which is why younger people are now developing the disease. Even though enough insulin is often being produced, it seems

to become ineffective because of what is referred to as an insulin resistance developed by the cells to the insulin.

Oftentimes, someone with diabetes 2 may not even know that he or she has it. There may not be any noticeable symptoms for a long time.

Gestational Diabetes

The third form of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. This occurs in some pregnant women who are further along in their term. Symptoms may suddenly appear, or they may not be there at all. This type of diabetes can remain during the rest of the pregnancy, and then disappear afterwards.  

A doctor will be needed to help the mother maintain her sugar levels, as well as to make sure that the baby is not having problems with sugar as well. It is also possible that the mother may develop diabetes within 5 to 10 years later. Only about 5 to 8% of pregnant women develop this form of diabetes during their pregnancy.

There are several other symptoms that your body will experience when you have diabetes, including excessive urination, poor wound healing, infections, ulcers and other damaging in effects that can even lead to loss of limbs.

Health Compilations

Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

Acute complications can include diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death.

Serious long-term complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, foot ulcers, damage to the nerves, damage to the eyes and cognitive impairment.

We shall learn more on the signs and symptoms, risks and prevention of diabetes in the next blog.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help with Metabolic Syndrome diseases such as Diabetes here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-detox-wellness/

References:-

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