Article Category - Health

MOST golfers know that an effective exercise program can prevent injuries and lead to a better golf game. But not all trainers have a solid understanding of golf. For example, a tennis player wouldn’t dream of going to a football coach to get out of a hitting slump. A CHEK golf biomechanic focuses on improving function through corrective training.

THE Roseberry New Age Centre, near Surin Beach on the west coast of Phuket is something quite different, and dare I say it, very special. As you walk in the door, bells chime and you notice the aroma of highly concentrated essential oils. You will be entranced by the variety of nick-nacks, self-help books, crystals, angel cards and new age products including creams, oils and lotions.

TODAY’S modern woman is entering motherhood much later than ever before, and it is not uncommon to hear of women over 40 becoming pregnant. In medical terms ‘advanced maternal age’ refers to women over 35. It is important to remember that a woman’s supply of eggs (ovum) have been there since she was conceived, and that women don’t make ovum on demand in the same way that men make sperm.

MANY people visit a hypnotherapist to stop smoking, to lose weight, or to help them relax. And some go to take a trip back into a previous life for past life regression, or Past Life Therapy (PLT). Past Life Regression can sometimes resolve subconscious, survival-based issues which might be negatively affecting health, behaviours, or a client’s quality of life. Supporters of PLT claim it can allow for a more thorough resolution because it gives the mind permission to locate past life sources which can affect present day challenges or create obstacles.

Twinpalms Phuket is without doubt, one of the coolest places to dine and hang-out on the west coast. It has a great Spa & Wellness Centre, a good gym and a juice bar tucked away inside which are available to all guests and visitors. And it’s in a fantastic location on Surin beach road. Spa manager, Monpanee, has a wealth of experience, including a stint at the Banyan Tree, and she has created an amazing menu of spa treatments and products.

The heart is a hollow, muscular pump which lies in the middle of the chest, slightly to the left side. It is situated between the lungs and sits behind the sternum and in front of the vertebral column. The heart is surrounded by the pericardium, which allows free motion of the pumping heart. The pericardium forms a barrier that protects the heart from infections of the lung and the mediastinum and from external trauma to the chest wall. The heart has three layers. The epicardium, the outermost layer, covering the surface of the heart. The myocardium is the muscular portion of the heart and is responsible for pumping blood. The endocardium is the innermost layer, consisting of a thin, delicate sheet of tissue lining the inside of the cardiac chambers and covering the surface of the cardiac valves. The heart has four chambers, two on the left and two on the right. The right atrium lies laterally on the right side, and the right ventricle lies just beneath the sternum.

Many people might believe that alcohol impaired (AI) drivers are usually alcoholics. In fact, 80 percent of AI incidents are caused by binge drinkers. Binge drinkers are individuals who when they drink just drink to get drunk. A recent study conducted among college students has found that binge drinkers, even when legally intoxicated, nonetheless believed that they had adequate driving abilities. Binge drinkers are often young people drinking irresponsibly, but they’re not necessarily alcohol dependent. Binge drinking has a huge impact on health, economy and society. Thousands of alcohol-related deaths occur every year, mainly resulting from stroke, cancer, liver disease, accidental injury or suicide. Half of all violent crimes are associated with alcohol abuse. The harmful effects of binge drinking are not fully appreciated — and, just as important, so are the recommended daily units of alcohol (3-4 for men and 2-3 for women). Blood alcohol content (BAC) legal limit levels when operating machinery or driving differs in various parts of the world.

The Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa commands a beach front site at Karon, yet its location within the midst of 75 acres of rich tropical gardens provides a sense of seclusion and serenity. Walking over the wooden bridge that leads to the Spa, I was struck by how quiet and peaceful it was. There was hardly a soul around. All I could hear were the sounds of running water from the waterfalls and the river itself. Even the Spa, designed in the style of a traditional Thai village, is set beside a silent emerald lake sheltered by palm trees and rolling hills. Facilities at the spa include the Well Being Salon, herbal steam rooms, Tao Garden Juice Bar and the Spa Source retail outlet. There are a range of treatments on offer, including Thai and international massages, herbal body wraps, French facials and body scrubs. Recommended treatments include the Yin Yang Massage that uses lavender to soothe a tired soul, or the Collagen Velvet Facial by Thalgo for an intensive hydration. Try the Thai Fruit Wrap body treatment with its use of exotic fruit extracts to draw out impurities, or the Glowing Body Plus scrub to rejuvenate dull skin with its blend of sea salt, mineral salts and essential oils.

Down’s syndrome is a genetic disorder named after John Langdon Down, the doctor who first identified it. This genetic abnormality is caused by a defect of chromosome 21. During the 1950s, many people with this syndrome did not live past the age of 15. However, due to better understanding of this condition and medical advancement in treatment and care, today’s life expectancy of someone with Down’s syndrome is now between 60-65 years of age. Down’s Syndrome affects about one in every 1,000 babies, which means (in UK terms) that about 600 babies are born with Down’s syndrome each year in the UK. There is currently no cure for the condition. However, there are treatments which can help someone with the syndrome to lead a more active and independent life. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person, affecting in many different ways. The most obvious symptoms relate to physical appearance.

The workout room looks like an exercise room in any gym: a place for stretching, and aerobics and yoga classes. But white towels lay on the carpet, and it’s warm. After two minutes, you feel your body powering up, and you begin to sweat. The instructor begins the yoga workout, which begins with stretching exercises that require a fine sense of balance. After a while, your body feels like you have run 20 laps on the track at the park — even better, though, since the workout took no time at all, and you didn’t have to run. “Nowadays, many people are looking for a way to look good and feel better,” says Thanakorn Parnpeng. sales and marketing manager for Bikram Yoga. “Some people try to lose weight by running hard at the park, and some try to cut back on their food intake. Both are inefficient. Many people have found hot yoga, which is becoming very popular, provides benefits by stimulating all of the body, both internal and external systems, and allows you to work deep into your muscles, tendons and ligaments. You change your body from the inside out.”

Body piercing has been around for years. The Egyptian, Romans and Greeks did it well before the devoted and entranced maa song pierced their bodies at the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Body piercing has historically been done for a variety of reasons, among them to show how important you are, or as a form of protection from evil, or for magical reasons. Piercing one’s body, irrespective of the area to be holed, will cause trauma, bleeding and swelling, and the body’s natural response to heal itself will commence immediately when the first cut or hole is made. Installing large objects through the skin, such knives or umbrellas, leaves a real risk of damaging nerves or other vital structures, possibly leading to some paralysis or numbness, and is not recommended, particularly if the area to be pierced has vital structures such as nerves, tendons and ligaments, etc.

Estimates from Bangkok Hospital suggest that medical tourism in Asia could account for as much as US$4 billion in economic activity in less than half a decade. Several years ago the government of Thailand, realizing that the nation already had excellent health care services available, began aggressively promoting medical tourism, designating Phuket as a health and wellness destination. And the tourists have come in steadily increasing number ever since. To understand the growing impact that medical tourism is having on Phuket, Phuket Post reporters talked to national and local officials, as well as to health care providers, to get an overview of Phuket’s progress as a health and wellness destination.

With the Olympics just finishing and my efforts to achieve a world record in being a couch potato also ending, my mind has been on fitness and sports in Phuket. But finding what is available for staying fit and healthy in Phuket can be a chore since the availability of facilities is seen as limited. Also, the prevailing heat when exercising outdoors is restrictive. With a little planning and awareness, however, it is possible to get the most out of life here — without damaging your health in the process. If doing exercise solo is your thing, lately there has been a large increase all over the island in the number of health and fitness gyms. Gyms are an excellent way of maintaining fitness, particularly for those who like air conditioned comfort and watching TV. There are too many gyms to mention here, so ask around for what’s available. Most offer daily, monthly or yearly memberships, and many have Thai, resident and tourist pricing policies.

Strictly speaking, Atmanjai Wellness Centre defines itself as a “tissue cleansing” centre, rather than a “detox” or “fasting” programme as such. It offers three distinct plans, and this writer — applying the up-to-your-butt-in-alligators principle of feature writing, wherein there’s nothing to write about if there’s no pain, and wishing to rid himself of any and all accumulated physical, mental and emotional toxins — opted for the “Master Cleanse”. Big claims — physical, mental and spiritual — are made for “detox”, an increasingly popular process also known as “cleansing”: everything from reduction or remission of addictions to alleviation of symptoms, if not actual cures, of ailments ranging from psoriasis to allergies, high blood pressure and flagging sexual energy. But are clients ever disappointed?

Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), more commonly known as acid reflux, affects many millions of people all over the world. In the US alone, 47 million people suffer this syndrome. Although medications and surgical options are available, many medical professionals look to the benefits of consuming a more alkaline diet in order to control acid reflux. For both immediate and long-term survival, the body must maintain a correct pH balance (between acid and alkaline). In fact, the link between dietary pH balance and various health issues has been recognized since the early 20th century. Why? Because the modern diet is vastly different than it was 100 years ago due to the wide availability of protein, soft drinks and fast foods. It produces an acid residue when food is metabolized and broken down. Chemicals and metallic residues are left behind that produce acid or alkaline pH potentials for the body.

The incidence of diabetes is on the rise, and health authorities are very concerned that it will have an increasing impact on healthcare costs and lives. During 2007, authorities estimated that around 247 million people had diabetes. If current trends continue, those affected are likely to number in excess of 380 million by 2025. If unchecked and uncontrolled, diabetes also has the potential to contribute to a range of other illnesses, including blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and even erectile dysfunction. When we eat, our body breaks down the food into different substances, importantly into glucose. Glucose is the simple sugar that our body uses as the main source of energy. However, our bodies cannot use glucose unless there is insulin also in our bodies to help the cells absorb and use the glucose. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Simply put, if our body is going to use the glucose that we eat, it must have insulin to modify it for use.

Of all the factors that make a health club great, a view of the environment outside the building surely wouldn’t rate high among many people’s concerns. During the past year, however, the pleasures of picturesque surroundings during an evening workout have become quite apparent to me. This notion rose to conscious thought one night during a June workout at the new RPM Health Club. As the name suggests, the club is located at the Royal Phuket Marina. It’s built into the top three floors of a building overlooking the town square and the marina beyond, the bamboo-lined entrance road, Phang Nga Bay and the hills along the western shores of the island. After a long day at the office, a workout on the brand-new resistance training machines on the top floor feels meditative: the dusky orange and red of the western horizon at sunset complementing the health club’s royal blue floor in an embrace of colour. It’s the second-best workout view I’ve experienced, only beat by the panorama from the spa atop a cruise ship departing Geirangerfjord, in Norway. (On second thought, let’s call it a draw. The floor of RPM Health Club doesn’t pitch up and down like a cruise ship, playing havoc with the resistance settings on machines.)

We live in a sea of toxins. That’s a sad but simple fact of life in our world today. Worldwide, exposure to chemical pollutants continues to increase, resulting in ever-greater contamination of air, water and food supplies. In the developed world, wise laws have been passed, and often even enforced, that have reduced air and water pollution by several known toxins. Yet, at the same time, thousands of new and untested “bio-active” chemicals are being introduced. Likewise, science continues to discover new health threats from existing chemicals.

Acne is widespread among teenagers, although a smaller percentage of adults are also known to suffer the affliction. Common acne is characterized by the presence of one or all of the following: whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustule or pimples seen on the face, chest, back, shoulders and neck. Acne usually begins as a mild skin rash along with discomfort, itching and the appearance of pustules that develop into whiteheads of pus. Squeezing and touching will precipitate spots that are further worsened by various soaps/creams, often infecting the area.