Inthisissue

page 1MICA (P) 264/01/2007

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2

Ouch...! My Throat Hurts 3

Keeping Your Child Safe 4

Menjaga Keselamatan Anak Anda 5

6

Protect Your Eyes From Cataract 7

More HFL Centres To Serve The Community 7

Woodlands Polyclinic Reopens 7

Be A Volunteer 8

Healthy Recipe: Fish Curry 8

It’sF R E E !Take one.

How to deal with post-holiday ailmentsA newsletter for patients • Feb - Mar 2008

The Chinese New Year holiday has been a time of visiting and feasting. Over the 4 days festive period, manypeople went around visiting friends and relatives and indulged in their favourite Chinese New Year goodies.

Now that the holidays are over, people returned to their usual routine and many found themselves caughtwith some common post-festive ailments such as indigestion, diarrhea and sore throat. These could be theresult of overeating of festive food and goodies. Harmful bacteria could also have been passed from oneto another when people partake in gatherings during the holidays, causing infection.

Besides visiting the doctor, there are ways which you can make these ailments go away.

1. INDIGESTION

Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia (dis-pep-see-ah), happens when youeat too fast, especially by consuming high-fat foods quickly. Indigestion canresult in abdominal pain, nausea, abdominal bloating, belching, and sometimesvomiting.

To treat indigestion, drink lots of fluid and have enough rest. Antacids mayalso help in relieving the discomfort. There are different antacid preparationsavailable over the counter. As Antacids can interact with certain medicationssuch as antibiotics, iron, digoxin and warfarin, speak to your pharmacist toselect the most suitable antacid for you.

2. DIARRHOEA

Diarrhoea can be caused by bacterial infection and food intolerances such asconsuming too much food that consist of artificial sweeteners and lactose.When signs of diarrhoea appear, you should drink lots of water as diarrhoeacauses dehydration. Cut down on caffeine as it will worsen your diarrhoea.As for food intake, stick to bland fare until the diarrhoea subsides.

What you can take to ease the diarrhoea:- Charcoal pills (it helps to absorb toxins and reduce stomach “wind”). However,

it may interact with your current medicines so make sure you take it at least 2 hours apart from yourother medicines.

- Rehydration drinks (to prevent dehydration)- Loperamide (to reduce stool frequency)

Talk to your pharmacist or doctor for more advice.

3. SORE THROAT

During the Chinese New Year period, many people spent their time visiting relatives and friends and mayhave neglected their fluid intake. This may result in a sore throat. To ease a sore throat, take lots offluid and gargle with warm salt water. (More information on sore throat remedies can be found on page3).

If the conditions get worse, you are advised to seek medical treatment with your doctor.

Health Tips

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By Ms Ong Soo Im, Senior Pharmacist, NHG Pharmacy

Most sore throats go away without treatment, oftenwithin a week or so. Increasing your fluid intake andgetting extra sleep can help speed up your recovery.

Here are some things which you can do to ease thepain and discomfort:

Increase your fluid intake. Fluids help keep mucusthin and easy to clear. Have more soups. Drink morewater – not soda or drinks which contain caffeinebecause they can dehydrate you further.

Gargle with warm salt water. Mix 1/2 teaspoonof table salt in a full glass of warm water, gargle,and then spit the water out. This will soothe yourthroat and clear it of mucus.

Take honey and lemon. Stir honey and lemon totaste into a glass of very hot water, allowing it tocool to room temperature before you drink it.

Suck on a throat lozenge or hard candy. Thisisn’t necessarily soothing in itself, but it does stimulatesaliva production, which bathes and cleanses yourthroat. If you have diabetes, take sugar-free candies.

Humidify the air. Adding moisture to the air preventsyour mucous membranes from drying. This canreduce irritation and help you sleep better. Changethe water in a room humidifier daily and clean theunit at least once every three days to prevent thegrowth of harmful molds and bacteria.

Avoid smoke and other air pollutants. If you area smoker, stop smoking for the time being - betterstill, stop smoking completely!

Rest your voice. If your sore throat has affectedyour voice box, talking may lead to more irritationand a loss of voice.

You may want to see a doctor if your throat gets toopainful or if you are also having a fever. If yourdoctor prescribes antibiotics for you, be sure to takethe entire course even when you are feeling better.This helps prevent a partially treated infection fromreturning and complications from bacterial infections.Taking the entire course also helps to prevent bacteriafrom becoming resistant to the antibiotics.

Prevention is better than cure

The single best way to prevent illness is also oneof the simplest: hand washing. Do it often, especiallywhen there are sick people around you. If soap andwater are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitiseris an alternative to hand washing.

• Avoid sharing eating utensils, glasses, napkins,food or towels with others.

• Clean telephones, remote controllers and computerkeyboards with sanitising cleanser regularly.When you travel, clean phones and remotecontrollers in your hotel room.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.• Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it

away.• Do not smoke and avoid exposure to second-

hand smoke.

Ouch…!My throat hurts

page 3

Health Tips

Health Tips

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If adults can exercise some caution, many of these accidents can actually be prevented.

Common Accidents

Falls can be fatal. Children are insatiable explorers and love to pry and reach for high places. This is oftenseen in active toddlers that are about 15 to 17 months old. Children below 4 years old also do not havetotal control of their bodies and may misjudge their movements, causing them to fall from furniture, staircasesor playground equipment.

To avoid this, you may want to arrange home furniture in a way it is difficult for them to climb up andconstantly supervise them closely.

Toys are meant for children to have fun with and learn. Before buying any toy, check for sharp edges orremovable parts which can be accidentally swallowed by young children. Choose toys that are age-appropriateand read the safety labels on them. Avoid toys that have strings, cords or spinning devices that may hurtyour child.

Scalds and burns are common and easily preventable injuries. Keep children out of the kitchen whencooking. Put the iron away and out of reach of children after using it. Avoid using table cloths as childrenmay tug at them and cause hot food to fall on them. When running a bath for your child, fill it with coldwater before adding in the hot water to prevent him from being scalded should he jump in playfully. Usethermos flasks with safety locks.

Drowning can take place in your own home, and it can happen very quickly. Young children should notbe left alone in the bathroom, especially in the bath-tub, not even for a few seconds because accidents canhappen in a split second.

Choking deaths usually occur in children under the age of five, and the majority of them are toddlers undertwo years old. These toddlers love putting things into their mouths. To prevent this, keep small objects outof reach. Do not feed babies when they are crying or lying down. Remind children not to play, talk or laughwhile eating.

Potentially harmful products like washing detergents, pesticides and medications should be kept outof reach of children to prevent them from getting their hands on these products and accidentally poisoningthemselves.

Poisoning can also happen from over-dosing from medication, which can happen if parents doctor-hopand end up giving their children the same medication prescribed by different doctors. Always read the labelscarefully and medicate your child by following the instructions closely.

Equip yourself in times of emergencyAlways keep a first-aid box in your home for emergency use. Learning basic life saving techniques for chokingand other emergencies will also be helpful. Have a list of emergency numbers (nearest clinic and hospital)next to your phone for easy access is also important so that you do not fumble around looking for thenumbers when the need arises. Nevertheless, prevention is still better than cure.

Keeping YourC h i l d S a f eWith care and vigilance, you can helpprevent childhood accidents from happening,whether at home or on the street.

In Singapore, accidental injuries are the secondleading cause of death among children, withmore than half happening at home. In 2001, itaccounted for 18 per cent of all deaths in childrenbelow 16 years old.

Dr Karen Ng, Head, Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic

Menjagakeselamatananak anda

Health Tips

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Dengan keprihatinan dan kewaspadaan, andadapat mengelakkan kemalangan di kalangankanak-kanak, meskipun di rumah ataupun dijalanraya.

Di Singapura, kecederaan akibat kemalangan adalah punca kedua yang terbesar yang menyebabkan kematian dikalangan kanak-kanak, dan separuh daripadanya berlaku di rumah. Pada tahun 2001, ia telah membabitkan 18 peratusdaripada jumlah kematian kanak-kanak di bawah umur 16 tahun.

Jika orang dewasa bersikap lebih berwaspada, kebanyakan kemalangan ini boleh dielakkan.

Kemalangan Biasa

Akibat terjatuh boleh membawa maut. Kanak-kanak mempunyai sifat ingin tahu dan sangat suka untuk memeriksadan memanjat tempat-tempat yang tinggi. Ini biasa berlaku di kalangan kanak-kanak bertatih yang aktif dalam lingkunganumur 15 hingga 17 bulan. Kanak-kanak yang berumur kurang daripada 4 tahun tidak boleh mengawal badan merekadengan sepenuhnya dan mungkin tersalah imbang dalam gerak-geri mereka, yang menyebabkan mereka terjatuh dariperabot, tangga atau alat permainan di taman.

Untuk mengelakkannya, anda mungkin ingin menyusun semula perabot di rumah anda agar sukar bagi merekamemanjatnya dan pastikan agar anda sentiasa mengawasi mereka dengan dekat.

Permainan bertujuan untuk menggembirakan dan memberi pembelajaran kepada kanak-kanak. Sebelum anda membelisebarang permainan, periksa dahulu supaya tiada bahagian-bahagian yang tajam atau bahagian yang mudah dialihkanyang mungkin akan ditelan oleh kanak-kanak dengan tidak sengaja. Pilih permainan yang sesuai dengan umur dan bacamaklumat keselamatan pada label. Elakkan permainan yang mempunyai tali dan tali pintal, atau alat yang berputarkerana ia mungkin akan mencederakan anak anda.

Kulit melecur dan terbakar adalah kecederaan yang biasa berlaku dan boleh dicegah. Jangan biarkan kanak-kanakmasuk ke dapur semasa anda sedang memasak. Simpan seterika setelah menggunakannya dan letakkan di tempatyang tidak mudah dicapai oleh kanak-kanak. Eloksekiranya anda tidak menggunakan alas meja kerana si-kecil sukamenyentapnya dan membuat makanan panas tertumpah ke atas mereka. Bila menyediakan tempat mandi si-manja,isi dengan air sejuk dahulu sebelum mengisi air panas untuk mengelakkan kelecuran berlaku kepada anak anda sekiranyadia melompat masuk sambil bermain-main. Gunakan botol termus yang berkunci.

Kejadian mati lemas boleh juga berlaku di rumah sendiri dan dengan begitu cepat sekali. Anak kecil tidak bolehditinggalkan bersendirian dalam bilik mandi, terutamanya dalam tab mandi, walaupun untuk beberapa saat keranakemalangan terjadi dalam sekelip mata sahaja.

Kematian akibat tercekik lazimnya berlaku kepada kanak-kanak berumur di bawah lima tahun, dan kebanyakannyaialah kanak-kanak bertatih di bawah umur dua tahun. Anak kecil ini suka meletakkan benda-benda dalam mulut mereka.Untuk mengelakkannya, jauhkan semua benda-benda kecil. Jangan beri makanan atau minuman apabila bayi sedangmenangis atau baring. Beri peringatan kepada kanak-kanak supaya jangan bermain, bercakap atau ketawa semasamakan.

Produk yang berpotensi berbahaya seperti sabun pencuci, racun perosak dan ubat-ubatan mesti disimpan jauh darikanak-kanak bagi mengelakkan mereka dari mencapainya dan terjadi keracunan dengan tidak sengaja.

Keracunan juga boleh berlaku jika terlebih makan sukatan ubat. Ini lazimnya terjadi apabila ibu-bapa berjumpa ramaidoktor, dan akhirnya memberi ubat yang sama yang telah disyorkan oleh doktor-doktor tersebut. Selalu baca maklumatpada label dengan teliti dan berilah ubat kepada anak anda mengikut arahan dengan teliti.

Bekalkan diri anda untuk waktu cemasSentiasa simpan kotak kecemasan di rumah anda untuk waktu kecemasan. Mempunyai pengetahuan mengenai teknik-teknik menyelamatkan nyawa akibat tercekik dan untuk kecemasan lain adalah sangat berguna. Menyediakan senarainombor-nombor telefon untuk kecemasan (klinik dan hospital terdekat) di tepi telefon anda supaya mudah dirujuk,adalah sangat penting agar anda tidak terkial-kial mencarinya apabila memerlukannya. Namun demikan, pencegahanadalah lebih baik sebelum terlewat.

Health Tips

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Health Tips

By Dr Colin Tan, Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic

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More Health for Life Centres to serve the community

After 10 weeks of renovation and upgrading, Woodlands Polyclinic finally re-opened its doors to the publicon 1 February 2008.

The modernised clinic now houses more patient-friendly features and services. We have implemented animproved signage system, barrier-free access for the elderly, a new regional Dental Centre, a new healthscreening centre, and a new therapeutic garden within the facility. Through these improvements, we hopeto provide higher standards of primary care to residents in Woodlands and the neighbouring estates.

Has your eyesight gone fuzzy and what you see is a blur?It may be due to cataract, a condition in which the clearlens of the eye becomes cloudy. This reduces the amountof light entering the eye and impairs vision.

Cataract is neither a tumour nor an abnormal growth oftissue in the eye. It is due to degeneration in the contentsof the lens, resulting in its clouding.

CausesCataract develops from a variety of reasons. The mostcommon cause is ageing or senile cataract, which affectsthe elderly. Those with diabetes mellitus are also prone tocataracts. Genetic factors are also a cause of congenitalcataracts which are present at birth or caused by aninfection. An eye injury or physical trauma may also damagethe lens and cause traumatic cataracts.

Symptoms• Cloudy or blurry vision.• Problems with light. These can include headlights that

seem too bright at night; glare from lamps or very brightsunlight; or a halo around lights.

• Colours that seem faded.• Poor night vision.• Double or multiple vision (this symptom often goes away

as the cataract grows).• Frequent changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.

When a cataract is small, you may not notice any changesin your vision. Cataracts tend to grow slowly, so visiongets worse gradually.

TreatmentTreatment is necessary when it interferes with your dailyactivities like reading and watching TV, and a surgery isthe only effective way to remove cataract. It is performedas a day-surgery.

The procedure is known as phacoemulsification. It involvesmaking a small incision on the cornea to access the lens.Special instruments are then used to soften the cataractlens, which is in turn drawn out through the use of a suctiondevice. No stitches are required in the surgery. An intraocularlens implant is subsequently inserted into the originalcapsule of the natural lens of the eye. These are permanentimplants, which require no maintenance.

Cataracts cannot be cured with medication.

Can cataract be prevented?Although cataracts are not completely preventable, youcan delay getting them. Quitting smoking, avoidingoverexposure to sunlight, drinking alcohol in moderation,and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can retardthe formation of cataracts. There is no scientific proof thatusing eye drops and doing eye exercises can prevent youfrom getting cataracts.

If you are at risk of certain eye diseases like glaucoma ordiabetic retinopathy, go for regular screening tests asadvised by your doctor. If you have diabetes mellitus, youshould go for regular retinal photography and see yourdoctor regularly to achieve optimal diabetic control.

Protect Your Eyes From Cataract

Woodlands Polyclinic Reopens

Health for Life Centres are located at:

Ang Mo Kio Branch(situated within Ang Mo KioPolyclinic, Level 2)Blk 723 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8Singapore 560723

Bukit Batok Branch(situated within Bukit BatokPolyclinic, Level 2)50 Bukit Batok West Ave 3Singapore 659164

Jurong Branch(situated within JurongPolyclinic, Level 3)190 Jurong East Ave 1Singapore 609788

Toa Payoh Branch(situated within Toa PayohPolyclinic, Level 2)2003 Toa Payoh Lor 8Singapore 319260

Woodlands Branch(situated within WoodlandsPolyclinic, Level 3)10 Woodlands Street 31Singapore 738579

We have expanded our Health for Life (HFL) Centre toreach out to more people in the community. Three newcentres are now opened in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong andWoodlands Polyclinics.

HFL Centre has also redesigned its health screening packagesto better suit your needs. Going beyond the traditionalmedical checkup, HFL’s screening programmes are tailored

to assess your overall state of health and to offer earlydetection, intervention and treatment that will help minimisethe likelihood of complications resulting from life-threateningdiseases.

Find out more about HFL’s packages atwww.healthforlife@sg. For enquiries and appointments,call 6355 3000 or email to enquiries@hfl.com.sg

Our Services

ChairpersonDr Tung Yew Cheong, Woodlands Polyclinic

EditorMs Eleanor Toh, Corporate Communications, HQ

MembersMs Jancy Mathews, Health Promotion & Preventive Care, HQMs Pauline Ang, Singapore Footcare CentreMs See Yen Theng, NHG Pharmacy

The information produced is for reference and educational purposesonly. As each person’s medical condition is unique, you should notrely on the information contained in this newsletter as substitutefor personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. Ifyou are concerned about your health, please consult a healthcareprofessional.

Reproduction of the articles in whole or part without permission isprohibited.

For advertising rates and enquiries, please call Ms Audrey Lee at64966696 or email Audrey_LS_Lee@nhgp.com.sg

Fish CurryHealthy Recipe

page 8

Be a VolunteerIf you’ve visited our polyclinics recently, you mighthave noticed several warm and friendly faces guidingelderly patients around or helping out at workshops.

No, they’re not our new clinic staff. In fact, they’reour patients… and they’re also our newly recruitedvolunteers!

NHG Polyclinics has introduced an exciting volunteerprogramme, and we’re looking for people from allwalks of life to join our growing team. You’ll meetnew friends, learn new skills and, best of all, makea huge difference to our staff and patients.

So, why not join us as a volunteer today? All it takesis a big smile, warm heart and passion for helpingothers - and you’ll be on your way to brighteningsomeone’s day!

How can you help?Whatever your skills and interests, we’ve a widerange of volunteer opportunities for you to choosefrom, including:• Guiding and ushering patients• Helping patients take their height and weight• Providing administrative support• Organising workshops and forums• Taking part in community outreach programmes

If you’re 15 and above, are in good general healthand enjoy interacting with people, we’d love to hearfrom you!

Please fill up this form and hand it to any of ourpolyclinic staff. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Name: (Dr/Mr/Ms/Mrs/Mdm)

__________________________________________

Address:__________________________________

__________________________________________

Contact number:____________________________

E-mail address:_____________________________

Areas of interest

Guiding and ushering

Helping patients take their height and weight

Administration

Workshops and forums

Community outreach programmes

Others _________________________________

We also welcome schools and organisations that areinterested to take on a volunteer project. Please contactus at enquiries@nhgp.com.sg or 6355 3000.

INGREDIENTS4 palm-sized Mackerel (90gms each)1 tsp of curry powder2 green chillies, halved lengthwise4 medium tomatoes, quartered6 ladies fingers, halved1/2 cup of tamarind juice2 tsps of oil1 tsp of lemon juice2 stalks of curry leaves1/4 tsp of mustard seeds2 cloves garlic, grind to paste4 shallots, grind to paste

METHOD1. Heat oil and sauté ladies fingers. Remove and

set aside.2. In the same pan, add mustard seeds, curry

leaves, ground paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.Add curry powder and stir well.

3. Add tamarind and lemon juices, and green chillies.4. Bring to boil and add Mackerel. Simmer until

Mackerel is cooked.5. Stir in tomatoes and ladies fingers.

CHO Exchange:0.5 (per serving)

TIP: Cut vegetablesjust before cookingto prevent nutrientloss. Brinjal andcarrots may be addedto increase fibrecontent, colour andvariety.

Specially For You