[Slide Source][alt pict view]Too many Singaporeans are suffering from chronic diseases which make them more suited to be hospital patients rather than active and employable PMETs. The days of the employable PMET are numbered as employers begin to find them untrainable and unadaptable due to senility/ silent strokes due to chronic disease the consequence of unhealthy lifestyles. "As of 2010, more than half of Singapore's adult population between 18 and 69 years old have high cholesterol, four in 10 are overweight or obese, a quarter have prediabetes or diabetes and about one in five has hypertension."
Thus, just from the slide shown alone, it is highly likely that the diabetic Singaporean will have difficulty seeking employment let alone be functional independently because of vision problems (diabetic retinopathy), cannot remember where he is going/ give useful suggestions (stroke/ dementia), has low effort tolerance/ easily out of breath (kidney + heart disease + smoker's lung), constantly on MC and giddy due to infections, weak kidneys and the diabetic ulcers on his feet (pict of foot below) etc etc.
In short, more lifts rather than escalators should be provided for the singapore population for which electric wheelchairs are a more suitable form of personalised short distance transportation.
And neither are our PAP leaders/ parliamentarians today by any measure paragon examples of good health:
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(alt img view)http://danielfooddiary.com/2014/06/14/yan/ 
https://www.facebook.com/notes/theon...y/446633433963
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...-to-attend-ndp
https://edmwimg.wordpress.com/tag/le...-loong/page/5/
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| Start now to prevent and manage chronic diseases PUBLISHED 27SEP, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT Ng Wan Ching; Mind and Body Editor The numbers do not look good. As of 2010, more than half of Singapore's adult population between 18 and 69 years old have high cholesterol, four in 10 are overweight or obese, a quarter have pre-diabetes or diabetes and about one in five has hypertension. Doctors and public health officials suspect that many people are yet to be diagnosed and, among those who have been diagnosed, many are not doing enough (if anything) to bring these conditions under control, said Dr Lim Su Lin, chief dietitian at the National University Hospital. The sad thing is that because of the high rate of chronic diseases in the community, people think that it is normal as their friends also have the same problem, she said. The burden of chronic diseases lies not only in bringing the physiological abnormalities (such as being overweight and having high blood sugar and high blood pressure) back to normal. Left untreated, the associated complications may lead to disability, escalating healthcare costs and premature death, she said. For instance, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and stroke. Untreated and uncontrolled diabetes leads to coronary heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and limb amputation. Chronic diseases are sometimes called lifestyle diseases. A recent study found that unhealthy behaviour and lifestyles such as unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and not exercising can shorten your life by as many as 12 years, she said. If your chronic diseases are not controlled, you will likely suffer poor quality of health for 15 years before dying of complications of the diseases, she added. But do not just sit back and accept the inevitable. There are positive steps you can take to prevent or manage these chronic diseases, one of which is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight. Dr Lim gives some lifestyle tips on how to get there: FOOD Choose food that contains minimal amounts of unhealthy fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats. Foods that are high in trans fats include those made with "partially hydrogenated oils" such as pastries, confectionaries, fried food, pizza and cookies. Foods that are high in saturated fats include lard, fatty meat, cakes, fast food, pizza and full-fat dairy products. However, your diet may include moderate amounts of healthy fats, such as polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats. These should still be taken in moderation to prevent weight gain. Limit your intake of sugar that is found in soft drinks, beverages with added sugar (such as coffee, tea, chocolate drink), processed fruit juices, sweets, cakes, desserts and pastries. Choose wholegrain carbohydrates instead of refined carbohydrates. For example, choose wholegrain bread instead of white bread, and brown rice instead of white rice. Choose fish, chicken without the skin, beans, tofu or lean meat for protein instead of fatty meat. Choose foods that are prepared with healthier cooking methods. These include food that is steamed, grilled, baked, stewed, boiled or airfried instead of deep fried. Include fruit and vegetables in your daily diet. And do not overeat - know when to stop. EXERCISE Include exercise or activities as part of your daily routine. It is recommended that you exercise about three times per week for 30 to 60 minutes each time so that it becomes a habit. You can also incorporate activities into your daily routine by taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking further away from shops and walking there instead, and taking a quick walk during your lunch break or walking to work or home. ALCOHOL Avoid or drink alcohol in moderation. Take no more than one standard drink (one can of beer, half a glass of wine or one shot of hard liquor) for women and two standard drinks for men per day. SMOKING Do not smoke. It is associated with a variety of health risks, including heart or liver disease and many cancers. Ng Wan Ching http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...ronic-diseases |
| Early treatment of hypertension can reduce stroke risk PUBLISHED NOV 21, 2016, 6:24 PM SGT Doctors are increasingly seeing younger patients struck down by stroke in the prime of their lives, even as advancing age is the most common factor in strokes ("1 in 10 stroke patients here aged under 50"; Nov 19). Obesity, smoking, stress, lack of exercise and other ills of an affluent society have contributed to the increasing incidence of this crippling and often life-terminating condition. Fortunately, recognition and early effective treatment of hypertension reduce sufferers' morbidity down almost to that of a normal person's. Side effects of treatment are mostly minimal and are easy to manage. The Community Health Assist Scheme and Pioneer Generation subsidies are immensely helpful for the financially needy and the pioneer generation in their combat against hypertension, while Medisave can also be utilised as copayment in private clinics. No one should spurn modern, proven and efficacious treatment, even as traditional Chinese medicine and home remedies can be used as adjuncts. Yik Keng Yeong (Dr) http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/le...ce-stroke-risk |
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| 1 in 10 stroke patients here aged under 50 PUBLISHED NOV 19, 2016, 5:00 AM SGT Linette Lai While older people are far more likely to suffer a stroke, one in 10 stroke patients in Singapore is under 50 years old. Medical conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol can make a person more likely to get a stroke, say doctors. Smoking, too, puts you at risk. Last Saturday, Singaporean businesswoman Linda Koh was found unconscious in her Hong Kong hotel room. The 36-year-old was rushed to hospital, where she died soon after. Doctors subsequently found that she had suffered a stroke. Her father, Mr Alan Koh, told Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News that his daughter had a history of high blood pressure and was taking medication for it. Strokes occur when part of the blood supply to the brain is cut off. The latest figures from the National Registry of Disease Office show that there were 6,943 cases of strokes in 2014, up from 6,642 the previous year. They are the fourth most common cause of death in Singapore, and tend to occur among men. The incidence rate for men aged between 35 and 44 who were admitted to public hospitals for stroke in 2014 was 58 per 100,000 people, compared with 24 per 100,000 for women in the same age group. Doctors who spoke to The Straits Times said there are rarely any warning signs before a stroke happens. "Some strokes may be preceded by severe headaches or neck pain," said Dr Carol Tham, a consultant from the National Neuroscience Institute's neurology department. "Unfortunately, most patients do not have any warning symptoms before the stroke occurs." During a stroke, people often experience difficulty speaking and walking, weakness on one side of their bodies, and even temporary blindness. Dr Ho King Hee, a neurologist at Gleneagles Hospital Singapore, said strokes that result in sudden death are likely to be due to bleeding in the brain from a ruptured blood vessel, rather than a blockage. "If you are older, it means that there is more time for damage (to the blood vessels) to accumulate," he said. "But a stroke can happen at any age." He advises people who have conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes to keep them in check. Dr Tham added that doctors may also prescribe blood-thinning medication for people whose blood tends to clot. "If a person has any symptoms of stroke... he should seek treatment at the emergency department immediately as early treatment can help to reduce the disability caused by strokes," she said. A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 19, 2016, with the headline '1 in 10 stroke patients here aged under 50'. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...-aged-under-50 |
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