Yap Chin Kong Gastroenterology & Liver Clinic

27/08/2024

Food may contain toxins generated by bacteria. Some toxins are not destroyed by cooking.

https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/multimedia/multimedia_pub/multimedia_pub_fsf_213_01.html

Bongkrekic acid is a rare toxin produced by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli parthovar cocovenans (B. cocovenenans). While it may be a food safety hazard, there are steps consumers can take to minimise our exposure and risk.

23/08/2024

Healthy lifestyle choices. Avoid or minimise processed foods and chose fresh food, vegetables and fruit.

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/red-and-processed-meat-consumption-associated-with-higher-type-2-diabetes-risk?fbclid=IwY2xjawE0zXdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaVCsb4xgBzvSUTjk6qkIIcerBfYmHzJXcgvJQcN4NXjcfBOmt52-CT_cA_aem_Emymi5EvKF2KHnf4ra7zig #

Meat consumption, particularly consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is associated with a higher type 2 diabetes risk, an analysis of data

07/03/2024

Our environment plays an important role in cancer. It has been estimated up to 70% of some cancers can be attributed to the environment and 30% to bad genes we inherit from parents. Some well known environmental factors are hepatitis B & C viruses, human papilloma virus, Helicobacter pylori, radiation and chemicals like asbestos and petro-chemicals.

For many years petro-chemical by products have been implicated as environmental carcinogen and this latest news serve as yet another reminder. If you look at the list of ingredients in cosmetics and soap you may find some with petro-chemical by products.

Sadly, with time, people will forget. Again

A tiny amount of petrochemical product used daily in cosmetics and soap, diluted many many times seems in significant to lay people.

However if applied and absorbed through the skin over many decades, the cumulative effects maybe significant. That may explain why cancer occurs more commonly as we get older because it takes many years for the carcinogens to do their damage.

How should humans look after "beauty" without resorting to these products? Is it the fault and power of commercial advertisements that created man-made "standards of beauty" that is now nearly impossible to change? When it comes to "beauty" many will take health risks. That's human weakness/nature. The cosmetic giants understand human nature very well.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10048826/

High levels of the chemical benzene, which has been linked to cancer, were detected in numerous consumer acne products, including from major brands such as Proactiv, Clinique, and more.

07/02/2024

A concerning statistic if young people have 25% mental health issues.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/poor-mental-health-young-adults-seek-help-moh-survey-3802531?fbclid=IwAR2y-pI9EU9FTFYKBDYv6xPfICKcs1nFmlZ1lDZtkA9oR2oMKzm4qZypJxI

More Singapore residents are, however, willing to seek help, particularly from informal support networks, according to a survey by MOH.

28/09/2023

Eat more bland foods. Eat out less. Cook more at home to control better the ingredients that go into food.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-poreans-eating-too-much-salt-more-than-one-in-three-now-has-high-blood-pressure?fbclid=IwAR1csTYeBVoXS5NNSWDapf6U8wvuxGlaNOHoYVAR76Pa6xbDXp2PCO8zeuQ

MOH is considering regulations to reduce sodium content in food, including labelling similar to that for sugar. Read more at straitstimes.com.

15/09/2023

The new variant of COVID-19, Omicron XBB.1.5 sublineage which also includes EG.5 or Eris and BA.2.86, maybe more contagious.

Be vigilant, mask up and avoid in-door gatherings, crowds as much as you can.

Do our part as a responsible person.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/updated-covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-comirnaty-omicron-xbb15-eris-ba286-3773301?cid=internal_sharetool_androidphone_15092023_cna

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-health-ministry-recommends-some-wear-masks-indoors-amid-rise-covid-cases-2023-09-12/?fbclid=IwAR3qOagE1HnhAm6LyTpGaJ-MqgrPWu6Oc9-_Pau2-s9PTaroSiYmKDCaOdg

Israel's health ministry on Tuesday advised people with compromised immune systems to wear masks in crowded indoor spaces as it marks an increase in COVID-19 hospitalisations ahead of the Jewish holidays.

20/07/2023

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66221116

The antibody treatment donanemab slows clinical decline by around a third, a large trial confirms.

16/07/2023

New obesity medicine. Tirzepatide.

In Singapore:
30% are overweight
10% are obese
12% are diabetics, and rising.

Potentially useful for fatty liver associated with obesity.

We need to do better to win the war against diabetes/obesity. It's about changing life styles and diets.

https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/764/its-not-a-small-world-after-all
https://www.diabetesatlas.org/data/en/country/179/sg.html

Original Article from The New England Journal of Medicine — Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity

16/07/2023

https://annals.edu.sg/an-unusual-case-of-ear-pain-in-a-child/?fbclid=IwAR2pRClkRKDjFr5sfOxHfWe85xKRM0ssLUNalRd-ReHV2CxVumj6sLw-EJc #

A previously healthy 4-year-old French boy presented to the children’s emergency department complaining of left otalgia for 3 days. He had initially experienced left ear itch, which progressed to increasing sharp pain. There was no associated otorrhoea, blood-stained ear discharge or hearing loss....

14/07/2023

Welcome back! The answer to yesterday's quiz:

1 Tick bite. The legs of the tick are visible in the picture if you look closely. The head and mouth is buried in the skin. We see only the rounded part of the body.

2 Relevant history include: hiking activities, some places/countries are linked to certain diseases from tick bites.

Removal was challenging because of the location in a narrow part of the ear, very tender area, and distressed patient.

This was done by an ENT surgeon under operating microscope after topical anesthetic.

The aim and technique is to remove the tick TOGETHER with its mouth parts ASAP by grasping the neck and applying steady upward pressure. This prevents stomach contents from spilling out of its mouth into the wound. If mouth parts are left behind, there can be local irritation for weeks. Also don't try to dislodge it with irritating chemicals because it may regurgitate its stomach contents, and any bacteria into the wound.

After removal treatment with Augmentin and Doxycycline is recommended.

Managed to record a movie of the disgusting creature. Yucks!

13/07/2023

A gastroenterologist has to have a knowledge of general medicine and an analytical mind.

A middle age lady complained of left ear pain reaching a peak after 4 days. She noted some black specks when she touched the ear, that was tender. She thought it was a burst pimple. Examination with a magnifying camera showed this finding in her left ear pinna, in the cymba co**ha.

1 What is the diagnosis?

2 What relevant history to ask?

Make a guess!

Answer coming up tomorrow. Stay tuned.

13/07/2023

Watch out for artificial sweeteners.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).