M’sian in the running for global prize

Malaysian among top 10 finalists for Global Teacher Prize 2020

• 29 Oct 2020
• The Star Malaysia
• By SANDHYA MENON sandhyamenon@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Samuel Isaiah’s dedication to nurturing Orang Asli children has put him among 10 finalists for the prestigious Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2020.

The teacher from SK Runchang, Pahang, made the top 10 list from a selection of over 12,000 nominations and applications from more than 140 countries, the London-based Varkey Foundation said yesterday.

Isaiah, 33, who teaches English, said the honour represents Malaysian teachers’ capabilities and struggles, and highlights the Orang Asli community.

“It’s high time we spoke about indigenous people’s potential.

“With the right policies, resources, intervention, pedagogy and environment, they can achieve amazing things.

“Putting my children in the international spotlight is one of the best things this award can do for me,” he said in an interview with The Star.

If he wins the US$ 1mil (RM4.3mil) prize given by the foundation in partnership with Unesco, Isaiah wants to build an educational hub that caters to Orang Asli education, social welfare and well-being.

The challenges the community faces in accessing education, he said, are interconnected.

“Matters such as malnutrition and poverty affect their performance in school as well.

“The hub will work with one Orang Asli community at a time and they will be central in the decision-making process. We need to listen to their voices.

“It will also require collaboration with non-governmental organisations, the Education Ministry and people from various expertise.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has made things worse for indigenous communities, said Isaiah, adding that digital literacy and online education does not work well for Orang Asli schoolchildren due to poverty and the lack of infrastructure.

“Efforts by schools have been commendable but there is a limit to what they can do.

“The hub will address all these problems,” he added.

Every year, the Global Teacher Prize recognises an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession and underlines the important role teachers play in society.

In a video message announcing Isaiah’s nomination, British actor and comedian Stephen Fry said the teacher provided laptops and tablets for his students through a national crowdfunding campaign.

“You dedicate yourself to inspiring your pupils to dream big and to connect to the outside world.

“This has resulted in your school’s average pass rate in English increasing from 30% to between 80% and 85%.

“Congratulations, Samuel, and thank you for everything you do,” Fry said.

Unesco (education) assistant director- general Stefania Giannini hopes Isaiah’s story will inspire aspiring teachers and highlight the work of Malaysian teachers and educators throughout the world.

“The Global Teacher Prize helps put the teacher’s voice at the heart of our mission to champion inclusive learning opportunities for children and young people all over the world, especially the most marginalised and disadvantaged, during this sudden and unprecedented disruption to global education,” Giannini said.

Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize founder Sunny Varkey said this year has seen teachers go above and beyond to keep young people learning, adding that teachers should be applauded for their creativity, compassion and resolve to fulfil every child’s right to a good education.

The award ceremony will be held virtually on Dec 3 and hosted by Fry from the Natural History Museum in London.

Samuel is a Fulbright scholar pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership in State University of New York.

Last year, he was recognised as one of the 10 winners of the Star Golden Hearts Award 2019 – an annual award that celebrates everyday Malaysian unsung heroes – for his work with the Orang Asli children.

Another Malaysian teacher, Norhailmi Abdul Mutalib, was also among the 50 educators shortlisted for the 2020 prize.

http://mystar.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/10/28/malaysian-among-top-10-finalists-for-global-teacher-prize-2020

Malaysian teacher humbled, surprised to be among
Top 10 finalists for Global Teacher Prize 2020

Wednesday, 28 Oct 2020 12:30 PM MYT

BY R. LOHESWAR

Samuel shot to fame when tweets on how 100 Orang Asli students travelled 200km to attend his wedding in 2017 made the news. — Picture via the Varkey Foundation

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Teacher Samuel Isaiah was surprised to be the eighth educator to join Top 10 finalists of the Global Teacher Prize 2020 as he was initially reluctant to join the competition.

It was only after two of his mentors persuaded and encouraged him to do so that he decided to take on the challenging task of convincing the panel that not only was he worthy, but also to provide exposure for the work he was doing.

“Dr Mariah Ibrahim, my former lecturer from University Utara Malaysia and Datin Rosliza Rosli, who worked in the Ministry of Education inspired and encouraged me to apply for this award,” Samuel said when contacted by Malay Mail.

“Initially I didn’t want to apply as I did not want to be glorified as a teacher and I want the focus to be on the kids but after some convincing I decided to do so and to be honest I am very surprised and humbled by it.

“Both of them said don’t do it for myself, do it for the kids. Bring some exposure and let the world know about these kids and the Orang Asli’s plight,” he recalled.

Thus began the arduous task of writing 10 essays — 700 words each — in two days, knowing full well the other applicants would be sending in videos.

“It was not an easy process as I applied at the last minute and had to write those essays but at that point I was determined to do it.”

Samuel shot to fame when tweets on how 100 Orang Asli students travelled 200km to attend his wedding in 2017 made the news.

Samuel has regularly gone to great lengths to educate the Orang Asli children, many of whom live in remote areas.

Samuel, who taught at Sekolah Kebangsaan Runchang school, Muadzam Shah, Pahang, incorporated the use of technology, started a successful national crowdfunding campaign to renovate the physical condition of his school classroom and implemented an e-mail exchange project called ‘Asli E-Pal’, where they communicate in English with adult volunteers all over Malaysia and overseas.

He also used music as an education piece.

Samuel is back in Pahang now with the school and his beloved kids. He returned to Malaysia in July from New York where he was pursuing his Master of Science in Educational Policy & Leadership at the State University of New York at Albany, New York due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said his students were thrilled to see him and they have been enjoying each other's company while he is back here, which could be till January 2021.

“There was some separation anxiety in the beginning. I’d get calls from the students all the time and we would send videos to each other just to see how we we’re doing,” said Samuel who at the time of calling said the kids have not found out about his nomination.

The winner of the Global Teacher Prize will get US$1 million (RM4.16 million) over a span of 10 years.

Samuel said he plans to use the money to form a foundation to help the Orang Asli as well as highlight their plight so they can be given the help they need.

He wants to convince the public that they are not incapable like most people think and want to dissociate the narrative that Orang Asli are just poor, illiterate and not capable of being productive members of society.

“I’d like to start with my community first and eradicate poverty, build better infrastructure, help with social and health problems and overall, give them a better quality of life.

“To do that I need the help of the education ministry and the local NGOs,” he added.

Teachers from Malaysia have excelled at the Global Teacher Prize since it was first awarded in 2015.

Dr Muhamad Khairul Anuar bin Hussin, a special needs teacher at Taman Universiti 2 Secondary School, Johor Bahru, reached the top 50 shortlist for this year’s prize.

KA Razhiyah, a special needs education teacher at Smk Panji School, Kota Bharu, was shortlisted for the 2018 prize, having been selected from over 30,000 nominations and applications from 173 countries around the world.

Mohd Sirhajwan Idek, a teacher at Keningau Vocational College, reached the top 50 shortlist for the 2017 prize.

The Global Teacher Prize virtual ceremony is expected to take place on December 3 where the overall winner will be announced.

It will be hosted by English comedian, actor, writer and presenter Stephen Fry from the Natural History Museum in London.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/10/28/malaysian-teacher-humbled-surprised-to-be-among-top-10-finalists-for-global/1917077

Penang Hokkien will be ‘dead’ in 40 years if people stop using it, says language expert

The Penang Hokkien language is destined for extinction if Penangites keep replacing it with Mandarin or English, says language expert Catherine Churchman.

By Opalyn Mok
2 August 2016

Churchman pointed out Penang Hokkien’s singsong words are a reflection of the multicultural melting pot that makes up Penang. — Picture by KE Ooi

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 2 — The Penang Hokkien language is destined for extinction if Penangites keep replacing it with Mandarin or English, says language expert Catherine Churchman.

A lecturer in the Asian Studies programme in the School of Languages and Cultures at Victoria University of Wellington, Churchman believes that the communities in Penang are becoming more fractured because of the language barrier.

This is simply because most of the younger Penangites are not conversant in Penang Hokkien anymore.

She said Penang Hokkien is unique as it evolved over time and was the main lingua franca spoken on the streets by everyone here including even Malays and Indians.

"Nowadays, I don't know, maybe Malaysia was always like that, but it seems to be getting more fractured when you have people who only speak Mandarin and perhaps Malay… maybe their Malay wasn't so good because they don't speak it very much or people who only speak Malay and maybe some English, and they can't speak to each other which is the cause of problems and all sorts of misunderstandings," she said in an interview with Malay Mail Online recently.

She pointed out Penang Hokkien’s singsong words are a mix of borrowed words and grammar from Malay, English, Cantonese and Teochew, adding that they are a reflection of the multicultural melting pot that makes up Penang.

"What I think happened here is that the Baba Nyonya were the first people to form Penang Hokkien," she said, explaining how during that period, the Baba Nyonyas would speak more in Malay but with incoming sinkeh (new migrants from China), they had to speak Hokkien and this resulted in the formation of a base dialect that is a mix of local cultures, local words and Hokkien from mainland China.

She said from that period of the 1900s leading up to the 1990s, Hokkien was the street language where everyone spoke it on the street regardless of what their mother tongue was at home.

"They may speak Cantonese, English, Malay or Hakka at home but when outside, they all speak Hokkien to interact in the street and this was the case up till the 1990s," she said.

Churchman attributes the change to pressure in schools where students were not allowed to speak their mother tongue in school except for Mandarin or English or Malay.

She believes that in most homes now, they don't speak Hokkien anymore due to a misguided belief that Hokkien is somehow inferior to Mandarin as it is being used as a medium of teaching in Chinese schools.

"It's now very rare to find children who can speak Hokkien or for Hokkien to be used within a family so all that history of the different migration groups that formed this language, I guess it soon won't be a living tradition anymore," she said.

Churchman herself speaks fluent Penang Hokkien due to years of learning it from the Penang Hokkien podcast by John Ong and practising it with local Penangites who still speak Hokkien.

She said the only way to keep the language alive is for Penangites to realise the significance of the language and be rid of the misconception that it was merely a "deviation of the true Chinese" or that Mandarin is the "unifying language for Chinese."

"In Penang, Mandarin wasn't the unifying language. Hokkien was the unifying language for all Chinese up to the 1990s and after that, it was the Singaporean idea of schools... people started saying things like Hokkien is just a dialect and Mandarin is the real language and all of these other ones are just a deviation of the true Chinese which isn't true.

"That's not linguistically or historically true... Hokkien didn't develop from Mandarin. They developed from a common ancestor which no longer exists," she said.

She added that many people tend to think Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka or Teochew were deviations from Mandarin and that these were inferior and not worth learning which is untrue as these languages are actually the original mother tongue languages that were spoken by their ancestors.

The polyglot is also currently compiling a Hokkien-English dictionary that she has been working on for the past eight years. It has over 7,000 words in it now.

"I am still gathering Hokkien sentences and expressions even as I go along and I hope to be able to work on it and complete it by next year," she said.

Churchman was recently in Penang to deliver a lecture on Penang Hokkien as a diaspora language.

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/penang-hokkien-will-be-dead-in-40-years-if-people-stop-using-it-says-langua

Millions of smokers may have undiagnosed lung disease

More than half of current and former smokers who can pass basic lung function tests may suffer from lung diseases that have gone undiagnosed, researchers said yesterday.

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Forty-two per cent had emphysema or airway thickening, while 23 per cent had significant shortness of breath. — AFP pic

ATLANTA, June 23 — More than half of current and former smokers who can pass basic lung function tests may suffer from lung diseases that have gone undiagnosed, researchers said yesterday.

The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine included nearly 9,000 people, aged 45-80, who had smoked at least a pack of cigarettes a day for 10 years.

About half of those in the study “were considered disease-free based on their lung-function tests,” said the JAMA article.

But when researchers looked at other criteria, including respiratory symptoms, CT scans, medications use and quality of life issues, they found that “55 per cent of the ‘disease-free’ study participants had some form of respiratory related impairment.”

Many were in the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, which is the third-leading killer in the United States.

Forty-two per cent had emphysema or airway thickening, while 23 per cent had significant shortness of breath.

“Smokers who have ‘normal’ lung-function tests often have significant respiratory disease. Many of those smokers likely have the early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” said Elizabeth Regan, lead author and assistant professor of medicine at National Jewish Health.

“We hope these findings will help debunk the myth of the healthy smoker and highlight the importance of smoking prevention and cessation to prevent lung disease and other long-term effects of smoking.”

About 42 million people smoke in the United States, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which lists smoking as the number one cause of preventable diseases and deaths in the nation. — AFP

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/millions-of-smokers-may-suffer-from-undiagnosed-lung-disease

This post is on Healthwise

Go to Healthwise for more articles

Second opinion mandatory — Lee Yew Meng

Wednesday April 15, 2015

This post is on Healthwise

APRIL 15 — While Parliament was in session last week debating the differing opinions over the introduction of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) and the Sedition Act amendments, my REDs (yes, the Bruce Willis title) lunch topic was on another kind of opinion.

Gentleman Tan Sri Chan Sau Lai, a developer of high-end properties, hosted the meal last Friday and here are the instructive tales.

Robert Cheong’s great escape

Turning 59 in 2006, corporate lawyer Robert Cheong Eng Tick decided to do a cancer marker check as he felt a distinct discomfort during bowel movements.

The cancer marker read 380. The rest of ours are supposed to read five or below.

Just a month earlier, he had a wonderful holiday with his family in Las Vegas. It was the Christmas season. And he played great golf with son Jin Cheong.

He managed to secure an early appointment with a most reputable colon-rectal surgeon based in a large private hospital. Upon examination, Robert was told he had advanced stage rectal cancer. It must be operated on within days. The whole rectum had to be removed pronto.

That was a Monday and the surgeon fixed Friday for the operation.

It was the dumps to have this terminal ailment but luckily, there’s still a chance to beat it.

Relatives and friends rallied and someone suggested seeking a second opinion from his university alumnus who was then CEO of a top private hospital in Singapore. He got the appointment for Tuesday. Robert had studied law there and was familiar with the environment.

Two colon-rectal surgeons cum oncologist attended to him. They asked to study the scan which was not done by the first specialist. Both concurred no surgery must be conducted on examining the imaging done.

Instead, a chemo course was to be the treatment — once every three weeks. After four months, the cancer marker read five and the tumour shrank to just a scar. He was in remission.

By the way, they also detected an advanced stage liver cancer during the same scan done in Singapore. Robert looked like he was booked on a one-way ticket to meet his maker! The specialists recommended a New York-based surgeon. The cancerous part was removed successfully. The NY surgeon told him he would have died within three months if the operation to remove the whole rectum had proceeded.

His one-way ticket couldn’t be used as yet. He had to endure earthly existence a little longer.

In 2010, a small dot came back to the same area. The cancer marker read 20 plus. He went through the same chemo treatment in the same hospital in Singapore. Three months later, it read five.

In January 2015, he had a reading of 9.6. Again, he underwent the same course and his reading last week was three.

Robert Cheong and Angie Kwong during their tour to India last year. — File picRobert’s advice — it is not a death sentence. It will already be extremely difficult for the caregiver, so please stay 100 per cent positive. His wife, Angie Kwong, was his angel on earth.

His doctors said he could do what healthy 68-year-olds do. Just avoid red meat.

RT and his 'paralysis'

It was sometime in 2010. Then, 60-year-old RT was trying to retrieve a difficult tennis shot and felt a sharp pain between his shoulder and the neck. Later whenever he moved his arm, the sharp pain acted up.

Upon his return from Sydney, he instantly sought treatment with a private hospital recommended by a sports enthusiast friend.

It was a Friday morning. The attending doctor explained the scan and advised an immediate operation or “the bone can poke some nerves” and he risked being paralysed. A metal plate would have to be implanted. RT felt lucky that he could be scheduled in for the next day. The doctor gave him a short tour of the suites and facilities. He duly signed an agreement proffered.

Concerned that he may be out of commission for some weeks, he hurriedly fixed lunch with all he could muster to relate his predicament.

Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek was one of those who could make it. Upon hearing from RT, he insisted a second opinion must be sought and recommended a good friend. RT skipped the usual coffee after lunch and practically lunged to the appointment.

This orthopaedic surgeon examined without a scan and told him he will be fine after some medication and prescribed physiotherapy. Three weeks later, he was without any pain.

He wonders constantly what could have happened if he had gone under the knife? Would the airport security metal sensor detect? Does it mean he will have to explain each time the sensor buzzes? Even in extreme anxiety, RT could be funny.

Now RT’s motto is to always get a second opinion. Then I asked what if the first opinion didn’t tell of a serious condition? He said then we have time but we must still seek the second opinion if the trouble persists.

Postscript

Another lunch member, Datuk SL Low who is 75, was urged to undergo an angioplasty without delay after a heart scan reading recently. In a second opinion sought, he was told prescribed medication would suffice. The doctor explained why the single blockage reading level was not to be considered critical.

In Cheong’s case, his entire treatment amounted to about RM1 million. It was fully borne by his employer, Tan Sri Danny Tan. I asked if he’s ever considered why he was singled out to stay.

RT, the chairman of a successful business-consulting group would have to pay RM20,000, excluding the post-operation suite stay.

We can question our lawyers and accountants and even architects, but where and how do we begin to do the same with medical specialists?

Through the second (or third) opinion!

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/second-opinion-mandatory-lee-yew-meng

Go to Healthwise for more articles

Eating berries may slow brain's decline

Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 15:32

by AFP

WASHINGTON: Women who eat plenty of blueberries and strawberries experience slower mental decline with age than women who consume fewer of the flavonoid-rich fruits, a US study said Thursday.

Based on a survey of more than 16,000 women who filled out regular questionnaires on their health habits from 1976 through 2001, the findings showed that those who ate the most berries delayed cognitive decline by up to 2.5 years.

Every two years from 1995 to 2001, researchers measured mental function in subjects over age 70, according to the study published in the Annals of Neurology.

"We provide the first epidemiologic evidence that berries may slow progression of cognitive decline in elderly women," said Elizabeth Devore, a doctor with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.

"Our findings have significant public health implications as increasing berry intake is a fairly simple dietary modification to test cognition protection in older adults."

Devore added that the findings are of particular importance to the aging population, which is on the rise.

The number of Americans aged 65 and older grew 15 per cent from 2000 to 2010, according to the US Census.

Robert Graham, an internist at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital who was not involved with the study, said eating more berries is good idea for people of any age.

"Large epidemiological studies, such as this one, add to the basic science research that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of berries have a beneficial role in age-related cognitive decline," said Graham.

"I would advise all my patients, at any age, to eat more berries. Berries are an easy, nutritious and delicious way to preserve brain function."

Flavonoids are antioxidants that are found in berries, apples, citrus fruits, tea, red wine and onions, and previous research has shown they may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

"The current study demonstrates that women who consumed the most flavonoids, especially berries, had a slower cognitive decline over time than women with lower intakes," said Nancy Copperman, director of public health initiatives at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New York.

"Increasing our intakes of fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to live a healthy life."

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/eating-berries-may-slow-brains-decline

Rush to donate sperm in India

Monday, May 07, 2012 - 16:49

by Bernama

 

 

NEW DELHI: There is a sudden rush among youths in India to donate sperm, thanks to the movie 'Vicky Donor' that took only 125 minutes to do something which years of consulting could not accomplish — convincing educated youths to donate sperm.

A Bollywood romantic comedy film directed by Shoojit Sircar, 'Vicky Donor' is based on the concept of sperm donation and infertility. The movie was released on April 20 in about 750 screens in India and has been declared a “super hit”.

The movie poster. IMDB

Before the film's release, sperm banks that put up stalls during talent evenings in medical, engineering and management institutes urging students to turn sperm donors and help a childless couple got little response.

Post the release of 'Vicky Donor', youths are queuing up to do their bit at invitrofertilisation (IVF) centres and sperm banks, The Times of India reported.

"The subject of sperm donation is no longer discussed in whispers. It is openly debated - an accepted option to help in a noble cause and earn some extra money," fertility expert Dr Himanshu Bavishi said.

Sperm donors are offered anywhere between Rs500 (RM27.51) and Rs3,500 (RM193) per sample depending upon their eligibility criteria and specific demands of couples.

Guidelines permit a man to donate sperm 85 times in his lifetime.

Experts, however, say sperm donation is more technical than is essayed in the movie.

"The sample is taken and incubated for six-odd months. Tests for all infections are carried out to rule out infections like HIV. It is only after these formalities that the sample is used. Moreover, remuneration is also not all that handsome as the young may believe," said Bavishi.

Pan Indian actor Siddharth has bought the dubbing rights of the film 'Vicky Donor,' and Tamil movie-goers may expect a remake of it.

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/rush-donate-sperm-india

Nepal's kung fu nuns practise karma with a kick

Tuesday, May 08, 2012 - 13:08

by AFP

 

A Buddhist nun practises Kung-fu at the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery on the outskirts of Kathmandu on April 26, 2012. The sisters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery -- aged from nine to 52 -- come from across Nepal, India, Tibet and Bhutan to learn the ancient Chinese discipline of kung fu, which they believe will help them be better Buddhists. AFPpic

KATHMANDU: It is a hot, cloudless morning on a hillside on the outskirts of Kathmandu and dozens of nuns arrange themselves into lines around a golden Buddhist shrine.

In unison, each slams a clenched fist into their opposite palm, breathes deeply and waits, motionless in the rising heat.

But these devotees are not here to pray or to meditate, for they have gathered to undergo a rigorous and aggressive martial arts routine as the world's first order of kung fu nuns.

The sisters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery – aged from nine to 52 – come from across Nepal, India, Tibet and Bhutan to learn the ancient Chinese discipline of kung fu, which they believe will help them be better Buddhists.

Every day, they exchange their maroon robes and philosophical studies for a intense 90-minute session of hand chops, punches, shrieks and soaring high kicks.

"The main reason for practising kung fu is for fitness and for health, but it also helps with meditation and self-defence," 14-year-old Jigme Wangchuk Lhamo, who was sent to the nunnery from Bhutan four years ago, told AFP.

"When we practise kung fu we are doing something which gives us not only strong bodies but also strong minds."

Buddhist nuns in the Himalayas have traditionally been seen as inferior to monks, with the women kept away from physically demanding exercise and relegated to menial tasks like cooking and cleaning.

But the 800-year-old Drukpa – or dragon – sect is changing all that by mixing meditation with martial arts as a means of empowering its women.

The nuns, in contrast to most Buddhist groups, are also taught to lead prayers and given basic business skills, as well as running a guest house and coffee shop at the abbey and driving jeeps to Kathmandu to get supplies.

Kung fu came to the nunnery only four years ago when its spiritual leader, His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, visited Vietnam, where he saw nuns receiving combat training that was previously used by Viet Cong guerrillas.

He was so impressed that he brought four of the Vietnamese, all women in their 20s, to Nepal to add kung fu lessons to the nuns' yoga classes and lessons in the nuances of good and bad karma.

"Our nuns... are very new to modernisation and are timid and lack self-confidence," the Gyalwang Drukpa wrote in a recent blog post.

"I am not saying that I am a great teacher or a great leader but the path that I have decided to take in order to promote gender equality, so as to bring about the nuns' improvement, gives me great encouragement to work harder and live longer."

Jigme Konchok Lhamo, 18, who came to the order from India, says kung fu has quickly made the nuns more assured and has begun to address the power balance between men and women in Buddhism.

"His Holiness wants the nuns to be like the men, with the same rights in the world," she said. "That is why we get the chance to do everything, not just kung fu.

"We also have the chance here to learn many things, like tennis and skating. And we have the chance also to learn English and Tibetan, and musical instruments.

"In the past only men could do some of the dances. Now we have the chance to take part. Before nuns could not do anything and now we have the chance to do anything the monks can do."

The nunnery is enjoying a surge in popularity since introducing the kung fu lessons and now has some 300 nuns practising martial arts techniques.

Buddhist nuns watch other nuns practising Kung-fu at the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The sisters of the Amitabha Drukpa Nunnery -- aged from nine to 52 -- come from across Nepal, India, Tibet and Bhutan to learn the ancient Chinese discipline of kung fu. AFPpic

They have given demonstrations of their skills to thousands of pilgrims in Nepal and have toured India and Britain.

The nuns say the repetitive nature of Shaolin kung fu, which comes from the Buddhist temple of Shaolin in China's Henan province, helps them to learn control and focus.

The benefits are obvious for young women who are expected to meditate in the same position for up to six hours at a time and sometimes undertake retreats during which they must remain silent for months.

Jigme Migyur Palmo, a soft-spoken 21-year-old nun, who came to Kathmandu three years ago from her home in Ladakh, in northern India, said kung fu works in harmony with her spiritual life.

She watched Jackie Chan kung fu movies when she was younger and now wants to be as good as the Hong Kong film star.

"I came to Kathmandu to learn Buddhist philosophy and now I don't want to go home, I want to stay here my whole life," she said.

 

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/nepals-kung-fu-nuns-practise-karma-kick

Heart Disease Treatments

5 minutes with...

Prof Dr. Sim Kui Han Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Sarawak General Hospital

Tuesday, May 08, 2012 - 15:49

HEART disease has been the number one killer in the past three decades in Malaysia. Risk factors of coronary artery disease are diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, obesity and others factors resulting from sedentary lifestyle such as less exercises.

One in five Malaysians above age 18 have high cholesterol levels. Above the age 30, 42.6% Malaysians have high blood pressure.

According to the latest statistics from the National Cardiovascular Database, we have some of the world’s youngest heart attack patients.

One in five Malaysians under 50 year-old are at risk, while 20% of heart attack victims are also under 50.

Our rate of cardiovascular diseases is also almost similar to those developed countries. While stents can help, a lifestyle change is compulsory to help curb this problem. Malaysians need to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Q. What are the various treatment options available?

The current therapeutic methods for coronary heart disease include Medications, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG). Doctors generally will choose the proper therapeutic solution according to the state of the disease and patient’s health condition after making an accurate diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

LATEST: Unlike conventional stent, the Genous bioengineered R stent promotes fast healing within hours, unlike conventional stents which takes a longer time to heal

Medication Treatment

Most people with heart disease take medicine to manage their condition and help prevent a heart attack. Physicians may prescribe medicine to helplower blood pressure and cholesterol. Some coronary heart disease patients may take a low-dose aspirin or other anti-clotting medicine to reduce the chance of a heart attack such as Plavix.

In addition to medicines like these, physicians usually recommend regular controlled exercises and a low-fat diet and encourage patients to quit smoking. After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), patients may still require medication and it is important to follow physicians’ instructions and inform physicians other medicines being taken.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft/ Bypass Surgery -Open heart surgery is sometimes called a “bypass” operation, or a coronary artery bypass graft. A section of vein or artery is put in as a coronary artery bypass. This bypass creates new pathways around narrowed or blocked arteries to allow for enough blood flow to deliver oxygen to the heart.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

PCI, previously known as Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA), is a procedure involving the:-i) insertion into and anchorage of a guiding catheter (via femoral, radial or brachial approach) at the ostium of the coronary artery; ii) positioning of a guide wire through lesion site inside the coronary artery; iii) opening of a coronary artery using a balloon and/or a stent mounted on a balloon catheter.

When a balloon catheter to squash the atheroma to widen the narrowed artery, blood flow is temporarily stopped and anginalike pain may be felt but only for a short time. The same pain could develop during deployment of a stent which remains inside the artery for permanent support.

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/5-minutes

Eat yourself beautiful

How changing your diet could improve your looks

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 16:47

From flaky skin to spots and bags, what you eat makes a big difference to your skin and hair.

Thinning hair?

Probably not eating enough...

Iron: “Research shows that women with thinning hair often have significantly lower stores of this vital mineral,” says nutritionist Linda Foster.

Which means you should tuck in to more lean red meat, lentils, dried apricots and leafy green veg – all great sources of iron.

Protein : Not getting enough protein can be another reason for thinning locks.

“Hair is made up of protein, so it’s important to increase your intake of meat, fish and eggs,” says hair and scalp expert Philip Kingsley.

*Cut down on Crash dieting. "A sudden drop in calories can make the growing phase of the hair cycle stop too soon, which can lead to hair loss," warns Linda.

*Fix it food Spaghetti bolognese, made with half lean mince and a can of lentils.

Flaky skin?

*Probably not eating enough...

Essential fats "To be in tiptop condition, skin requires fat, in particular the essential omega 3 and omega 6 fats," says Linda. "Dry, itchy skin can be a sign you're not getting enough."

These nutrients are called ‘essential’ because the body can’t make them – you have to get them in your diet – and the very best way to boost your intake is to eat more nuts, seeds and oily fish.

Zinc “One of the clinical signs of zinc deficiency is dry, flaky skin,” says Linda.

So eat more wholemeal bread, lean red meat, seafood, fortified cereals, baked beans, spinach and pumpkin seeds.

*Cut down on Fast foods. "Processed food with lots of additives, such as colourings, can sometimes cause skin allergies and dryness in susceptible people," says Linda. "Try keeping a food diary of what you eat and any worsening of symptoms to identify the causes."

*Fix it food Salmon cooked with almonds and served with a helping of steamed spinach.

Mid-afternoon energy crash?

*Probably not eating enough...

Protein This provides your body with long-lasting energy, avoiding blood sugar crashes, which can have a negative effect on your alertness. To get more protein, tuck in to lean meat, low - fat dairy products and nuts at lunchtime.

Food Skipping meals or having long gaps between them also causes blood sugar levels to drop, so try to ensure you eat something every two to three hours – even if it’s just a yoghurt.

*Cut down on Late nights and coffee. The more tired you are, the more your body becomes desperate for calorie-laden snacks to give you a boost come 3pm.

Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night and avoid using coffee as a pick-me-up if you've had a late evening, as caffeine can make sugar cravings worse.

*Fix it food Peanut butter on a slice of granary toast.

Dark circles under eyes?

*Probably not eating enough...

Antioxidants These super nutrients help block some of the damage done to our skin by rogue molecules known as free radicals. A diet that lacks the antioxidants vitamin C, E and betacarotene can worsen d a r k circles and eye puffiness. Tuck into leafy green vegetables, fruit and nuts to tackle it.

Iron When your iron levels are low, red blood cells cannot attach to oxygen, which makes them appear bluish and triggers dark circles. Get more iron from leafy greens, lean red meat and whole grains.

*Cut down on Salt. "A diet that contains too much sodium can cause water retention, resulting in puffiness around the eyes,"says Linda.

*Eat fewer ready meals and check labels for 'hidden' salt.

*Fix it food Beef and red pepper stir-fry with brown rice.

Spots?

*Probably not eating enough...

B vitamins Studies have found that upping your intake of these skin-friendly nutrients can improve acne.

The richest source of B vitamins are whole grains, which means eating more oats, cereals and wholemeal bread, plus broccoli and spinach.

Water - while the amount you should drink each day varies, no one disputes the role good hydration plays in keeping skin looking clear and healthy by flushing out impurities.

*Cut down on Booze. Food doctor Ian Marber believes spots are a sign your liver is overloaded with toxins. "Cut back on alcohol. Have two to three glasses of wine a week for at least three months."

*Fix it food Porridge with a handful of blueberries.

Sugar can make you dumb, US scientists warn

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 08:38

by AFP

The study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body.

WASHINGTON: Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists who published a study Tuesday showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats' memories.

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup – a common ingredient in processed foods – as drinking water for six weeks.

One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the other group was not.

Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared.

"The DHA-deprived animals were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity," said Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

"Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats' ability to think clearly and recall the route they'd learned six weeks earlier."

A closer look at the rat brains revealed that those who were not fed DHA supplements had also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates brain function.

"Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss," Gomez-Pinilla said.

In other words, eating too much fructose could interfere with insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar, which is necessary for processing thoughts and emotions.

"Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain, where insulin appears to disturb memory and learning," Gomez-Pinilla said.

"Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new."

High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in soda, condiments, applesauce, baby food and other processed snacks.

The average American consumes more than 18kg of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

While the study did not say what the equivalent might be for a human to consume as much high-fructose corn syrup as the rats did, researchers said it provides some evidence that metabolic syndrome can affect the mind as well as the body.

"Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think," said Gomez-Pinilla.

"Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage."

The study appeared in the Journal of Physiology.

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/sugar-can-make-you-dumb-us-scientists-warn

'Good' cholesterol doctrine may be flawed

Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 09:06

by AFP

 

 

 

 

PARIS: Researchers on Thursday challenged a tenet of modern medicine that higher levels of "good" cholesterol automatically boost cardiovascular health.

 

In a study published in The Lancet, investigators said they found no evidence to back the belief that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol routinely reduce the risk of a heart attack.

 

High concentrations of HDL are one of the big markers for blood tests.

 

They are monitored as much as low levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) as a yardstick of dangerously clogged arteries.

 

The paper used a method called mendelian randomisation to compare heart-attack risk among people who inherited known genetic variants that gave them higher HDL levels.

 

According to conventional wisdom, these individuals would have a lower risk of a coronary.

 

But the study, which looked at nearly 12,500 people with a history of a heart attack and over 41,000 otherwise healthy counterparts, found this was not always the case.

 

The results are important because of the use of drugs, sometimes inflicting side effects, which are administered to boost HDL cholesterol levels.

 

"These results show that some ways of raising HDL cholesterol might not reduce risk of myocardial infarction [heart attack] in human beings," said Sekar Kathiresan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

 

"Therefore, if an intervention such as a drug raises HDL cholesterol, we cannot automatically assume that risk of myocardial infarction will be reduced."

 

In contrast, the study said "bad" cholesterol remained an accurate marker of cardiac risk.

 

Separately, a study, also carried in Thursday's Lancet, confirmed the benefits of LDL-lowering statins for protecting people with no previous history of cardiovascular disease.

 

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/good-cholesterol-doctrine-may-be-flawed