Looking and feeling good

Sup kambing (Mutton soup)

Roti canai (Prata bread)

Bak kut teh (Pork ribs soup)

 "SUP kambing (mutton soup), roti canai (prata bread) and bak kut teh (pork ribs soup). Are these your favourite foods?” Everyone nodded. The question that followed was cause for concern. 
 
“Do you know how much fat such food contains?”   

We were all silent. “Where do you think the food goes to?” the speaker continued. We shook our heads. “Here’s a simple test. Pinch your arm or tummy like this,” he demonstrated. Shrieks of laughter filled the room as individuals “discovered” their hidden flab.   

 “That’s accumulated fat!” declared the speaker at a talk on “Looking good, feeling good”.  
 

Dr Teoh: "Pinch your tummy like this"

Organized by the Universiti Malaya Agricultural Graduates’ Alumni (UMAGA), the talk was held at Rumah Universiti, Universiti Malaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. UMAGA, which was recently revived, intends to be an active alumnus that makes significant contributions to the country.   

Umagans listening attentively 

In the audience were 36 “Umagans” (some with spouses) and most were seniors. Umagans have been working in different parts of Malaysia in agriculture-related professions and many are now retired. That Saturday was a good opportunity for them to get together and at the same time listen to a professional’s advice on health and fitness, a subject very dear to a senior’s heart – and stomach!   

Umagans: all ears on what they put in their stomach

The distinguished speaker Associate Professor Dr Teoh Heng Teong, Director of Sports Centre, Universiti Malaya, had a physique that belied his age of 60. His talk, spiced with humour and sound advice, had us all in stitches.   

I particularly enjoyed the phrase Dr Teoh used about our physique being “charming but alarming”, meaning that we may look charming on the outside but what was inside our body could be alarming! The alarm bells may ring because of high cholesterol, high blood pressure or high sugar level – definitely not music to our ears.  

Health is important to all of us. When we are ill, our children and loved ones will also be affected. The onus is on us to keep healthy. “Your body belongs to you. If you don’t look after it, who will?” questioned Dr Teoh. “Furthermore, when you are sick, you are the one who suffers!” Dr Teoh’s words struck a chord in many of us. Yes, prevention is certainly better than cure.  

How then can we keep healthy? Undeniably, it is through lifestyle, food and exercise. “Eat intelligently”, advised Dr Teoh. This means avoiding excessive oil intake – grilled chicken is a healthier alternative to fried chicken.   


Besides health tips, Dr Teoh regaled us with his enthralling egg diet. His personal bodybuilding requires a high protein diet, so he eats 15 eggs a day – not all at the same time though! He takes five each for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He savours all the egg white, eats two egg yolks, feeds three to his goldfish (to maintain their shiny scales), and buries the rest in the garden as organic fertilizers. Can you stomach all this?  

Seniors who exercised regularly asked about diets after a workout. Dr Teoh advised: “If you feel hungry after an exercise, you should have a high-fibre diet but if you do not feel like eating after your exercise, you should go for a high carbohydrate diet.”  

What about food supplements? Dr Teoh pointed out that we should be wary of not only the advantages of taking vitamins but also the disadvantages, as not all vitamins are good for everyone. He gets his vitamins from natural sources like fresh fruits and vegetables.  

Dr Teoh feels that many people do not place enough emphasis on exercising. He jogs every morning and works out at the gym regularly. “People who are working are tired but not retired. Seniors are retired but not tired!” joked Dr Teoh.   

However, if you have just retired, do not rush straight into exercising. First go for a medical check up. Start slow, and gradually build up your stamina. “Know your limits and do not stress yourself by excessive exercising,” he counselled, giving an example of how some retirees passed away (died) from cardiac arrest while they were trying to catch up with veterans exercising regularly.
   

Exercise demonstration

Dr Teoh: "This is how you bend your knees"

When Dr Teoh demonstrated some simple exercises for the knees, tummy, thigh and buttocks (which he likened to “soft tofu”), many got up to get a closer look. The exercises looked easy – will we remember to try them at home?   

His concluding remark was: “Smile often for it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.” And why not? A smile generates warmth, friendliness and good feelings.   

Dr Teoh receiving a souvenir from the President of UMAGA

 After the talk, Umagans mingled and chatted with each other over tea and snacks. Many were selective in their choices of snacks – could be a positive result from the talk!  

The information session has given me food for thought. I am now conscious of eating intelligently and not exercising excessively.  

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on April 10, 2006. Photos are added here.

Know more about Health

Seniors attending a health talk

 Is health important to you?  Do you know your own body?  One way of finding out is to attend talks given by doctors on the latest in medical science.

            Recently, my husband and I attended a series of talks on “Good Health in your Golden Years,” at Sunway Medical Centre in Petaling Jaya.

It was a community health service project held in conjunction with International  Day of Older Persons (Oct 1).

                The talks were informative and interesting. Instead of long lectures, the speakers spoke briefly on their specialised fields.  They then answered questions from the participants, most of whom were seniors who had queries concerning their health.  Those who were shy were given pens and papers to write their questions.

               I found the dialogue sessions beneficial and enlightening.  Participants with health problems received expert advice from the specialists. Others with similar problems learnt from the answers given.  The doctors were accommodating and attentive in that special environment.

            The first talk on Walking Pains  by Dr. Leong Yew Pung, the Consultant Vascular Surgeon, was very relevant to senior citizens.  His tips on the correct way of walking and how to avoid pain were well received..

The second talk on My Aching Bones, by Dr. Kiran Veerapen, Consultant Rheumatologist, was very educational.  I learnt what soft tissue Rheumatism was- it concerns aches or pains arising from structures surrounding the joint due to overuse or misuse. Such pains will go away if you rest or use better equipment.  Her remedies were simple and practical like using a lighter chopper or using luggage with wheels.

           There were many questions on arthritis and rheumatism but time was running short.  However, the leaflets distributed by Dr. Kiran were comprehensive enough. Many participants with arthritis were glad to know of an Arthritis Foundation in Kuala Lumpur that they could join.

Dr. Samuel Ong, Consultant Cardiologist in his Young at Heart talk, was full of   jokes.  His lucid example - of lying in a coffin awaiting death - on the dangers of smoking was awesome.  The message is loud and clear: prevention is better than cure especially for stroke and heart attack.

            Dr. Koay Cheng Boon, Consultant ENT Surgeon, spoke on Dizziness/Hearing Problems.  I was very interested in this topic as I had been feeling dizzy lately.  Understanding its causes put my mind at rest.  Many people with hearing and balancing problems were all ears when the specialist elaborated on the dual functions of the ear.

            Besides the talks, there was free health screening for participants which consisted of ideal weight monitor, blood sugar profile, blood pressure, total cholesterol profile and bone densitometry. 

The bone density test, only for ladies, is quite a novelty. You sit on a chair and rest your left foot on the machine.  A few minutes later, a computer printout gives you a bone density score. Although the queue for this test was long, the wait was worthwhile.

A bone densitometry test can detect osteoporosis or the likelihood of getting it. Osteoporosis, a disease of the bones, makes them fragile. This diagnosis enables you to take remedial action.  The densitometry machine is quite costly and the hospital is commended for giving free testing to the first 100 senior citizens.

Have you heard of Limborobics? It is a light therapeutic exercise session suitable for senior citizens.  Just before lunch, we were ushered to a large room where Vimala, a physiotherapist, demonstrated the exercise to music.  As we followed her, I could hear some bones ‘creak’ and some groans as muscles twitched!

Nevertheless, the participants enjoyed themselves so much that some requested for regular exercises at the centre in the near future.

Other surprises included a bag of goodies upon registration.  This consisted of packets of cornflakes, Enercal, vitamins, a water container and other samples plus pamphlets on health.  These were warmly appreciated- little things mean a lot to senior citizens.

            I think the best part of the medical examination was the meeting with the doctor. All the results were handed to the doctor and we had to wait for the interpretation. I felt like a student waiting in suspense for my grades after an examination!  I passed with flying colours.

These talks, organised by Sunway Medical Centre, are free.  They are open to all senior citizens above 50.  The gathering is informal and the friendly cheerful staff projected a good image for the hospital.  Free horlicks drinks warmed our hearts in the cool environment.

Lunch (costing RM 3.50 per person) at he cafeteria was subsidised and comprised  a balanced meal of rice with meat and vegetables plus a hot drink.

What did I learn from these talks?  Now I know what a bone densitometry is.  My clean bill of health has erased unwarranted worries on my insomnia and dizziness.

 Many other hospitals in the Klang Valley do organise such talks and I have attended some at the other hospitals.  I find them all useful.  Senior citizens would find such talks rewarding and enriching. 

Come, expose yourself to knowledge on health by attending talks and seminars organised around your neighbourhood. Use knowledge to keep fit and guide you to a path of good health. Prevention is always better than cure.

            Investing money on your body is much better than spending thousands of ringgit on house renovation, new cars or expensive clothes.  If you don’t care for your own body, who will?  Your body is your fortune!

You have only one body: understand it, use it well and do not abuse it.  Age gracefully with health taking precedence over wealth. 

Enjoy good health in your golden years.

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on October 23, 2000. A photo is added here.

A Spring in their Steps

Seniors doing line dancing, with a spring in their steps

 

Osteoporosis, Rheumatism, Diabetes

Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, arthritis

Let’s keep these diseases at bay

By exercising every alternate day

     Ladies, are you 55 and just retired? Looking for an exercise to keep fit? Try line dancing. 

    All you need is music and some enthusiasm. Music is said to bring a smile to your lips and a spring to your steps. Line dancing will do more!

     Line dance is dancing with others in long lines to lively music. There is no special equipment. 

You can dance in a small area, indoors or outdoors, in rain or shine.

     It is suitable for people of all ages and of all shapes and sizes.  You do not need a partner like in 

ballroom or social dancing. The physical movements offer great cardiovascular workout and 

thinking through the steps stimulates the grey cells.  Line dancing is a total exercise for the mind and 

body.

Seniors from D' Joy  Studio doing line dancing for good health   Photo: Wynette

     In the 1960s, partners danced to the cha cha, waltz, rock-and-roll, rumba, fox-trot or the twist in private homes or clubs. Line dance however is danced usually with an instructor, not only in private homes, but in pubs, social clubs, senior citizens clubs, exercise fields and even in playgrounds by people, especially ladies, from all walks of life.  

     Here you do the cha cha, rumba, waltz, twist or even tango in specific sequential steps choreographed by creative instructors. Beginners will find it mind boggling at first but with time, you will get hooked and there is no turning back! 

     You learn a new set of vocabulary too. You rock forward and backward, as you step, stomp or shuffle. You do a weave or a vine with a hitch, a scuff or a hip bump. Learning new words can be loads of fun. 

      Some seniors have found line dancing beneficial. Lilian, 56, just retired, said, “I like dancing, but 

my husband has no interest at all. The other alternative is line dancing where I can dance solo. The 

three hours of dancing twice a week is enough exercise for me. I feel young at heart after a session!”
      Susan, 60, who loves dancing, has left ballroom dancing for line dancing. She said, “You need not depend on a partner. There is no fear of stepping on one another’s toes, no arguments on who is at fault for a wrong step, no need to synchronise steps with one another. I’m always cheerful and smiling after my line dance.” 
     Yvonne, 65, a retired teacher, has been inactive at home for many years while her children were abroad. Line dancing has given her a new interest in life.  “It is great fun. I love the country line dance with cowboy tempo and the various hand actions that go with it. I enjoy the music too because most of them are oldies,” she enthused.
     Vasantha, 55, finds it fulfilling. “I get a sense of satisfaction when I can master new steps. My 
stamina has improved and I find that I can sleep better now.  It is great for trimming the hips and 
tummy too. I have lost a few inches here,” she said as she pointed to her slim hips.

     Ai Lian, 62, a recent widow, was feeling depressed and lonely.  After joining line dancing, she is like a new person. “It’s an enjoyable exercise. I have made many new friends. Dancing harmoniously together is very uplifting. My joint pains have disappeared,” she said, her eyes sparkling with delight. 
     Recently, our senior citizens club in Klang started a line dance class. Karin, who teaches line dancing to Chinese-speaking groups in Klang and Shah Alam, remarked, “Line dance is very suitable for seniors. The leg and hand movements exercise the body and memorising the steps is 
good for the brain. It’s a great exercise for the nervous system and students are always in a happy disposition after the class.” 
      Age is no barrier to line dancing. Madam Wu, 80, the oldest member, is a picture of health. Energetic and sporting, she is on her feet for every dance. “I look forward to the class every week. I feel restless and listless on non-dancing days. After a line dancing class, I feel happy for the rest of the day,” she said. 

     Although younger folk can source the internet for new dance steps and participate in Line Dance Championships, seniors can enjoy it in different ways. Recently, Karin organised a social gathering for all her students to perform, to meet other dancers and to have a good time. The participants came in attractive attire: colourful costumes, designer denims or country gear with stylish scarves. 

     Each group participated in one or two dances. Points were given for total presentation. For many of us, participating in a competition was a new experience. Dancing in a new environment of unfamiliar faces was different from weekly lessons in the club. With butterflies in my stomach, I wonder whether I skipped a step or missed a beat. Nonetheless, it was a great way to build self-confidence and team spirit.

     There were happy cheers and encouraging applause after every item. It was a pleasant surprise when we bagged the first prize for one of our dances. “Old ginger is hotter (a Chinese saying),” announced the Master of Ceremony, as she congratulated our team of senior citizens.

 

"Hot old ginger" Seniors with their first prize
7th from left: Mdm Wu 

     Ladies, don your dancing shoes and tap your feet to the tunes.                                                        

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on 22nd July 2002. Photos are added here.