High Cholesterol & You

The Significance of High Cholesterol 

High cholesterol is a condition when your total cholesterol or bad cholesterol ( LDL ) is too high. The national health survey in 2010 showed that 15.2 percent of Singapore residents aged 18-69 had high levels of LDL.

Who Can Get High Cholesterol? 

People who are at higher risk of getting high cholesterol include :

- Those with strong family history of high cholesterol

- People who do not watch their diet ie. taking large amounts of animal fat or who loves commercially produced food products like cookies, chips, biscuits and snacks.

- Those who do not exercise or exercise very little

- Overweight and obese individuals

- Diabetics/hypertensive patients

- Smokers

- Older age group

- Stress

Effects of High Cholesterol

When there are high amounts of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood stream, they tend to form “road blocks” in the blood vessels. 

These can results in very serious consequences like heart attack, stroke in left untreated for years.

Why Health Screening is Important

A large majority of high cholesterol patients do not have any aches or pain. They can actually feel quite well until serious disease sets in.  Health screening is one of few tests that can detect high cholesterol. Early high cholesterol is very treatable and even potentially reversible.

Fighting Cholesterol With You Campaign

Vitacare Family Clinics cares for you.

With our cholesterol based screening & management programs, be assured that your concerns will be addressed by our friendly medical professionals. 

How High Cholesterol is Treated

The first thing to do is to identify why you have high cholesterol. 

After which, health care professionals will be able to advise on how you can change your diet and food intake and selection to treat and lower your bad cholesterol.

Starting an exercise plan or increasing the amount of exercise duration will also be very helpful. 

Lastly , there are medications to take to help improve the situation.

Changes to the Diet

Try to stay off food that contain high amount of saturated fat and trans fat. Examples include: animal fat, lard, animal internal organs, chips, cookies, biscuits, butter.

Take more of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat such as : nuts, vegetables, fish. Choice of oil - choose vegetable and nut oil

In Summary

Fighting Cholesterol With You Campaign

Vitacare Family Clinics cares for you.

With our cholesterol based screening & management programs, be assured that your concerns will be addressed by our friendly medical professionals.

Fighting Fever For Your Child

What to do when your child suffers from fever...

Fever is one of the most prevalent illnesses a child can suffer from. Knowing what to do as a parent is important to help alleviate the situation and ensure a speedy road to recovery. The following infographic will highlight some of the measures parents can adopt. 

1)Keep your child well hydrated.
2)Dress your child in loose clothing to allow heat exchange
3)Keep the room cool and ventilated. It is okay to turn on the air conditioner at about 26 Degrees Celsius
4)Can give medications such as paracetamol and ibuorifen syrup

HOW TO USE PARACETAMOL AND BRUFEN for children > 1 year of age

1)Upon detection of fever > 37.5 deg -> give paracetamol.
2)Check temperature 2 hour after giving paracetamol – if higher than 38.5 deg -> to give ibuprofen , if not higher than 38.5, then can dose paracetamol syrup at 4 hourly interval

( DISCLAIMER: DIFFERENT DOCTORS MAY RECOMMEND YOU DIFFERENT REGIME BASED ON THEIR OWN PREFERENCE – this is just a recommendation. If fever persists 3 or more days, please consult doctor)

Win the War Against Diarrhea

When combating against bouts of diarrhea, it is always important to watch what you consume. Below is an infographic on what to avoid and to choose for your plate.

Things to avoid:
- Oily food
- Spicy food
- Excessive fructose load (like juices)
- Lactose containing milk if more than 2weeks of diarrhea (due to secondary lactose intolerance)

Things to recommend (essentially plain simple foods)
- Porridge
- Oats
- Boiled potato
- Yogurt (for probiotics)
- Banana

Fight The Flu

1) Influenza

Influenza, also known as the flu, is an infection caused by influenza viruses. Despite being commonly confused with the common cold which is caused by other respiratory viruses, influenza is usually more severe.

2) How Influenza Spreads

Influenza is spread from person to person through

● respiratory droplets propelled by coughing and sneezing.

● contact with contaminated surfaces, for example touching an object like a doorknob or telephone receiver that has been recently handled by someone who is infected with influenza and then touching the nose or mouth. Children and persons with weakened immune systems may be infectious for longer periods of time.

3) What to Do If You Have Influenza

If you suspect you have an influenza infection, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to seek medical care. You should also avoid strenuous physical activity such as jogging and running during the illness until complete recovery. Most people with influenza have mild illness and do not require medical care or antiviral drugs.

4) Precautions You Can Take

● Annual influenza vaccination is recommended to protect against influenza, especially for individuals belonging to populations at higher risk of complications of influenza.

● Practising good personal hygiene to prevent the spread of influenza. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, especially before touching your eyes, nose or mouth

● Staying home from work or school when you are sick.

Chicken Pox & Immunisation

1) Introduction
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by Varicella Zoster Virus. It is a common childhood disease, characterised by fever and small, red, itchy blisters on the body and face.

2) Risk Factors
Chickenpox is highly contagious. It spreads from person to person by
1. direct contact
2. droplets from an infected person when he coughs or sneezes
3. articles freshly soiled by droplets or fluid from the blisters of an infected person. The scabs themselves are not considered infectious.

3) Complications
Possible complications of chickenpox infection includes:
● Skin infection such as sores becoming more red, swollen, or tender
● Dehydration due to frequent vomiting or refusal to drink. The person will pass urine less often, feel drowsy, have a dry mouth and lips, and be very thirsty
● Brain damage from encephalitis, which may present with severe headache, stiff neck and back, confusion, irritability, or excessive drowsiness
● Pneumonia characterised by coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulty, and chest pain
● Arthritis characterised by joint pain, stiffness and swelling.

4) Treatment and care
1. There are antiviral medications which can be used to treat chickenpox. These are usually most effective when taken within the first 24 hours of developing the illness
2. Avoid scratching as it can cause scarring

5) Prevention
The chickenpox vaccine( Varilrix) is safe and effective in protecting those who have never had chickenpox. MOH’s Expert Committee on Immunisation has recommended that
1. Children below 13 years of age should receive two doses with a recommended interval of at least 3 months.
2. Those who are 13 years and above continue to receive 2 doses, at 6 weeks interval.

How does Varilrix work?
This vaccine contains a live but weakened form of the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella-zoster. It works by provoking the body's immune response to this virus, without actually causing the disease

Feature photo credit : Charles Chan https://www.flickr.com/photos/charles_chan/8308308463/