THE STAR, TUESDAY 25 AUGUST 2020
For better blood circulation
YOU probably already know that it is
important to keep your cholesterol, blood
glucose and blood pressure at healthy
levels. However, are you aware that
maintaining healthy blood flow is just as
important, especially once you are aged
40 and above?
Blood circulation is a significant body
function as it distributes blood throughout
the body, such as to the heart, brain and
upper and lower limbs, to supply oxygen
and nutrients and remove carbon
dioxide and other waste products from
the bloodstream.
As we age, blood is prone to be thicker (or
more viscous) than usual, which can disrupt
blood flow. When the blood flow through
the blood vessels to a specific part of the
body is reduced or blocked, the supply of
oxygen and nutrients to the organ tissues
will be insufficient and can subsequently
lead to several health complications,
including:
l Numbness and tingling sensations in
hands and feet – When blood flow is
restricted, blood cannot reach the
extremities (hands and feet) sufficiently,
which can result in numbness and tingling
sensation.
l Cold hands and feet – Normal body
temperature depends on a consistent supply
of blood for thermoregulation, as blood
absorbs and distributes heat throughout the
body. When blood flow is restricted, it can
lead to temperature fluctuations of the skin
and nerve endings of the hands and feet.
l Fatigue – Inadequate delivery of
oxygen and nutrients to the organs and
muscle tissues can lead to an overwhelming
feeling of fatigue. Poor blood circulation can
also increase the burden on the heart as it
needs to pump harder, which can lead to
further fatigue.
l Joint and muscle cramps – Inadequate
oxygen to the muscle and joint tissues can
cause severe pain and cramping in that
particular area when walking or exercising.
Poor blood circulation can adversely
affect health, emotional status and overall
quality of life. There are several factors that
can cause poor blood circulation, including
age, overweight or obesity, poor eating
habits, alcohol consumption, smoking,
sedentary lifestyles and certain medical
conditions such as high cholesterol and high
blood pressure. Therefore, keeping our
blood circulating efficiently is essential to
overall physical well-being.
Discovering the goodness of
natural water-soluble tomato
extract
Tomato is a nutrient-dense food that offers
numerous benefits to our health due to its
high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties. Emerging research has also
shown that the natural water-soluble tomato
extract found in the jelly around the seeds of
sun-ripened
tomatoes is
highly
concentrated with bioactive compounds
such as nucleosides, polyphenols and
flavonoids, and is clinically tested to
improve blood circulation, according to a
July 2010 article titled Scientific Opinion on
the modification of the authorisation of a
health claim related to water-soluble tomato
concentrate and helps to maintain a healthy
blood flow and benefits circulation pursuant
to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No
1924/2006 following a request in accordance
with Article 19 of the Regulation (EC) No
1924/2006 published in EFSA Journal.
Biogrow SmoFlo Capsule: The
natural solution for healthy
blood circulation
Biogrow SmoFlo Capsule contains 150mg
of Fruitflow natural
water-soluble
tomato extract
MAL16030042TC
Senior Citizen’s Day 7
Blood circulation is a
significant body function as it
distributes blood throughout
the body, such as to the
heart, brain and upper and
lower limbs, to supply oxygen
and nutrients and remove
carbon dioxide and other
waste products from the
bloodstream.
(imported from France), which is clinically
tested to improve blood circulation,
according to the same EFSA Journal article.
The Fruitflow natural water-soluble tomato
extract is rich in bioactive compounds such
as nucleosides, polyphenols and flavonoids.
It is recommended for middle-aged to
older adults (above 40 years old) and
individuals who want to improve or
maintain blood circulation, have poor blood
circulation, lead a hectic or unhealthy
lifestyle and consume unhealthy diets.
Take one capsule daily after meals for
healthy blood flow. Biogrow SmoFlo Capsule
is available in major pharmacies.
This article is brought to you by Legosan
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
n For more information, visit www.biogrow.
com.my or call 03-7956 2220 (Mondays to
Fridays, 9am to 5pm. Like the Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/BiogrowMY
This is a traditional product advertisement.
KKLIU No.1500/2020
8 Senior Citizen’s Day
Renew strength
and vitality
BIO Bay Complesure Plus is a nutritional
drink that helps to restore our body strength
and vitality. It contains three sources of
dietary fibre: Soluble corn fibre from
Sweden, oat-based beta glucan, as well as
galacto-oligosaccharides to further support
our gut health.
It supplies a good source of daily nutrients
in the form of a wide spectrum of vitamins
and minerals to support optimum health,
including calcium for strong bones and
lutein for healthy vision.
This nutritional drink is helpful for
women, the elderly and anyone who
practises a sedentary lifestyle. It is also a
wholesome supplement for individuals who
are active in sports, as it contains beta-
hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), an
active metabolite of leucine that reduces
muscles’ protein breakdown and improves
physical strength. Research has shown that
supplementing the diet with HMB improved
exercise performance by supporting muscle
cell repair and adaptation.
It has been revealed to be able
to speed up strength and muscle
gain in bodybuilding athletes
and improve endurance
performance in cyclists and
runners. Furthermore, it
contains medium-chain
triglycerides which are readily
absorbed by the body to produce
the extra energy needed for daily
physical activities.
Bio Bay Complesure Plus also
comes with triple protein sources
– whey protein, milk protein and
soy protein – which are essential
for protein synthesis in our body.
Overall it produces the basic
building block for our body to
achieve a better health.
n For more information, visit
www.biobay.com.my
This nutritional drink is
helpful for women, the elderly
and anyone who practises a
sedentary lifestyle.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 25 AUGUST 2020
Keeping your mind sharp
Sleep is not only for the weak
ONCE in a while, anyone can have the
occasional “senior moment”. You could have
walked into a room and forget what it was Get plenty of sleep to improve your
you wanted, or maybe you cannot recall a memory. Sleep issues can lead to trouble
familiar name during a conversation. with memory, concentration and other
While significant memory loss occurs cognitive functions. According to the
among older people, it is usually not solely National Sleep Foundation in the United
due to ageing but to organic disorders, brain States, memories and newly learned skills
injury or neurological illness. Memory and move to more permanent regions of the
cognitive changes can be frustrating, but brain while you sleep – this makes them
the good news is that there are various easier to recall.
things you can do to help maintain Adults above the age of 65 should aim for
cognitive fitness: seven to eight hours of sleep; and if you are
between the ages of 26 and 64, your goal
Reading and writing should be to get seven to nine hours of sleep.
Here are some tips to ensure that you get
In a study published in 2013 titled Life- the best sleep possible:
span cognitive activity, neuropathologic l Stay consistent – Choose a bedtime and
burden, and cognitive aging, it found that stick with it. Having a routine, even over the
regular reading and writing in late life weekends, will help you sleep better overall.
reduced the rate of memory decline by 32%. l Avoid heavy foods – Overindulging in
Here is what you can do: food can irritate your stomach, causing you
l Join a book club
l Read to your grandchildren in person or > TURN TO PAGE 10
via video call
l Subscribe to a magazine or local
newspaper that interests you
l Set aside time daily for reading and
journaling
You can read what you like – it is okay to
stop reading something that has started to
bore you after a while. Instead, choose
something else and keep on reading.
Take up games and art
Paint, draw or colour in an adult
colouring book. It does not matter if it’s
just a doodle or a masterpiece, making
something creative is a workout for the
brain and an intellectual activity.
Besides that, games are a superb way to
sharpen and stimulate your mind. Try
things like sudoku, chess, scrabble or have
a trivia night with friends to help get the
juices in your brain flowing.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 25 AUGUST 2020
QUESTIONS on sores and
crepitations of the knees and
whether knee pain is normal are
often asked by patients and then
ignored. However, if the pain
experienced in the knee joint is
not treated properly, it will
become worse every year and will
affect patients’ quality of life.
Painful knees – especially when
walking or doing strenuous
activities, and accompanied by a
sound called crepitus – are a sign
of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is
a chronic joint disease that occurs
as the result of a degenerative
wear and tear process which
causes damage to the cartilage.
This condition will cause the joint
to become painful and swollen
with a limited range of motions.
Osteoarthritis can occur in any
joint, but it is more common in
the knees, hips and ankles.
Wear on the cartilage –
followed by a narrowing of the
joint space, as well as a reduction
of joint fluid – will cause friction
between the bones that make up
the joint and this will produce
crepitations that can be heard
during joint movement.
If left untreated, this process
will continue and the joints will
become narrower and deformed.
The patient will have difficulty in
walking, squatting, standing for
long periods of time, climbing
or descending stairs and, for
Muslims, not be able to perform
prayers properly.
Risk factors for osteoarthritis
can be categorised into non-
modifiable and modifiable factors.
Non-modifiable factors (that
cannot be changed) are increasing
age, gender – for example, women
are more at risk – as well as
genetic factors.
Modifiable risk factors include
being overweight, having a
The truth about
osteoarthritis
Dr Ruzaimi Md Yusoff.
history of joint injuries and having
anatomical abnormalities,
deformity or malalignment in the
joints. If we can identify the above
risk factors and are able to avoid
the modifiable factors, then
osteoarthritis can be delayed.
Moreover, the signs of
osteoarthritis can be identified via
pain in the joints, joint stiffness,
joint swelling, difficulty in
walking, muscles wasting around
the joints, joint deformity,
frictional sounds during joint
movement and instability of the
joint. If patients have any of these
symptoms, they should seek
treatment immediately before it
Osteoarthritis is
a chronic joint
disease that occurs
as the result of a
degenerative wear
and tear process
which causes damage
to the cartilage. This
condition will cause
the joint to become
painful and swollen
with a limited range
of motions.
worsens. Do not delay treatment
because more effective treatment
can be given if the patient comes at
an earlier stage.
Generally, treatment for
osteoarthritis can be divided into
three categories – conservative,
which are medications and
physiotherapy; intra-articular
injection; and, finally, surgical
treatment. Medications such as
painkillers, anti-inflammatory
drugs and supplements such as
glucosamine and chondroitin, as
well as physiotherapy treatment
If you are experiencing painful knees especially when walking or doing
strenous activities, you could have osteoarthritis.
will help to reduce pain only in
the early stages of osteoarthritis.
If patients do not respond to
conservative management, they
will be given an option to undergo
intra-articular injections either
with corticosteroid, or
viscosupplementation (hyaluronic
acid) injections. These injections
are able to reduce the pain and
increase knee movement in most
osteoarthritis patients, especially in
the early stages. After the injection,
the patient is still advised to
undergo physiotherapy treatment
to strengthen the weak muscles.
According to MSU Medical
Centre consultant orthopaedic
surgeon Dr Ruzaimi Md Yusoff,
surgery will be recommended for
patients if they have symptoms
such as persistent pain that
interferes with sleep, inability to
perform daily activities properly,
psychological disturbances due to
prolonged pain, having symptoms
which impact their socio-economic
Senior Citizen’s Day 9
activities and if the disease
condition worsens rapidly. If
surgery is not performed, these
symptoms will result in a decrease
in the patient’s quality of life, and
they will need the help of others to
move and cannot be independent,
he said.
The type of surgeries that can
be performed according to the
patient’s condition includes
arthroscopic surgery, high tibial
osteotomy, total knee replacement
(TKR), partial knee replacement
(UKR) or knee fusion (arthrodesis).
After surgery, patients will be able
to move the joint comfortably
and able to perform daily
activities without having to rely
on painkillers.
In conclusion, if you have
symptoms of osteoarthritis,
immediately seek an orthopaedic
specialist to discuss the treatment
method that suits you to ensure a
more comfortable and better
quality of life in the future.
10 Senior Citizen’s Day THE STAR, TUESDAY 25 AUGUST 2020

Towards a healthier gut

DO you know that the gut harbours more
than 100 trillion microbial cells that
influence physiology, nutrition, metabolism
and immune function? This is true,
according to a July 2013 article titled Role of
the gut microbiota in health and chronic
gastrointestinal disease: understanding a
hidden metabolic organ published in
Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology.
Disruption to the gut microbiota
(microbial imbalance) may cause
constipation, diarrhoea and bloating.
Ageing is one of the factors of disrupted gut
microbiota. The gut microbiota composition
changes with age and “bad” bacteria will
gradually become more dominant than
“good” bacteria, according to a November
2017 article titled Aged Gut Microbiota
Contributes to Systemical Inflammaging
after Transfer to Germ-Free Mice published
in Frontiers in Immunology.
Constipation is a commonly reported
bowel symptom among the elderly due to
low-fibre diets and poor lifestyles.
Therefore, many frustrated elderly patients
resort to laxatives as a quick fix for
constipation. However, long-term use of
laxatives often results in decreased bowel
function or lazy bowel syndrome, and it
may lead to laxative dependency.
Thus, prolonged laxative use is
discouraged and should be replaced by
natural food remedies that combine Biogrow ProGut is suitable for all who wish to maintain or improve gut health.
dietary fibre and probiotics for the
improvement of bowel movement and B.lactis, BB-12 probiotic strain from juice, or sprinkle onto cereal and yogurt. available in major pharmacies.
restoration of gut function. Denmark – the world’s best-documented One to two sachets a day is recommended
bifidobacterium with more than 300 after meals or anytime convenient. Each This article is brought to you by Legosan
Manage bowel movement scientific publications, including more than
130 clinical studies, according to Chr.
sachet contains 2.4g of soluble and insoluble
fibre and one billion colony-forming units
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

naturally
Biogrow ProGut is made from natural
Swedish oat fibre and formulated with dual
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One sachet daily provides a synergistic
effect for an improved intestinal function
and balanced gut microbiota. Mix one
sachet (≈7g) in a glass of cold water or fruit
of live probiotic cultures.
Biogrow ProGut is suitable for all who
wish to maintain or improve gut health as it
offers a drug-free way to manage bowel
movement with fibre and probiotics. It is
n For more information, visit www.
biogrow.com.my or call 03-7956 2220
(Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 5pm). Like
the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/
BiogrowMY

Boost memory function

> FROM PAGE 8
to lose sleep. Instead, if you are feeling
hungry, opt for small snacks such as nuts
or fruits.
l Limit stimulants and alcohol – Try to
avoid coffee, sugar or smoking for up to four
to six hours before bed. As alcohol disrupts
REM and slow-wave sleep, which is
important for memory, it’s best to avoid it at
least four hours before bed.
Eat healthy to stimulate your
brain
What you put into your body is extremely
important. Quit eating junk food and
processed meat. Instead, opt for foods like
nuts, fish and red wine (in moderation) as
they have been linked to a healthy brain.
For extra brain power, you can try
including these in your diet:
l Salmon – It’s filled with omega-3 fatty
acids which are major building blocks of
the brain
l Green tea – It’s rich in polyphenols and
antioxidants and has been linked with a
reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
and Parkinson’s disease
l Eggs – They have many nutrients tied
to brain health such as vitamin B6, vitamin
B12, folate and choline. Choline helps create
a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine,
which helps regulate mood and memory.
Listen to music or play an
instrument
Many people find listening to music or
playing an instrument enjoyable. However,
it also improves memory function in older
adults, according to a 2019 study in
Frontiers in Psychology. Thanks to versatile
media platforms and technology,
discovering your favourite tunes, learning
to read music notes or simply learning to
play an instrument has been made easier
than ever.
Here are a couple of free platforms you
can utilise:
l Spotify – A popular platform that
includes favourite oldies as well as the most
recent tunes from all around the world for
any genre imaginable
l YouTube – A classic platform that is
easy to use, whether it’s learning to play
an instrument such as the guitar or simply
searching for your favourite songs
Other than that, you can also sign up
to take a music lesson in person with an
instructor. It’s never too late to learn
something new – even if it is just for fun!
THE STAR, TUESDAY 25 AUGUST 2020
WHILE it is widely known that geriatricians
attend to older patients, many people may
not truly understand the need for specialists
within this medical field and how treatment
for the elderly can differ from that for
younger adults. Dr Tay Hui Sian, consultant
physician in geriatric and general internal
medicine at Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh,
explains that geriatricians have expertise in
preventing, diagnosing and treating the
specific medical and health conditions that
affect older people as they age.
As they get older, adults will experience
multiple physical changes to their bodies,
either because of ageing or from conditions
such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
osteoporosis and more. Hence, when treating
an older patient, geriatricians need to take
these aspects into consideration.
“Just as parents bring children to
paediatricians because of their specialised
knowledge, people go to geriatricians to take
advantage of the specialised, advanced care
available for older adults,” she says. Dr Tay
notes that there are certain factors that may
cause difficulties in diagnosing older patients:
l Delay in presentation or understating of
symptoms
l Assumption that a medical condition is a
natural ageing process
l Communication problems between
patients with caretakers and doctors
l Deafness, confusion, dysphasia (problems
with language) and dysarthria (problems with
speech)
l Impaired memory
l Examination hampered by restlessness
or fatigue
l Failure to fully disclose results of
previous physical findings, investigations and
medications
l Change in significance of physical
findings and results of investigations, such as
when an abnormal liver function test might
indicate fatty liver in younger people, but
liver cancer in older people
l Atypical disease presentations, such as
when an infection presents as falling or
confusion instead of typical symptoms like
coughing, pain when urinating or fever
l Patients have multiple medical
Healthcare for the
later stage of life
patient is not always carried out by only one
doctor; it involves a multidisciplinary team
where necessary.
Care for prolonged health and
independence
Dr Tay opines that having an elderly
person at home is akin to having a living gold
treasure, hence, that person deserves the best
care as he ages. Because of this, geriatricians
pay more attention to patients’ goals, wishes
and desired quality of life, and create person-
centred care plans with patients and families.
Palliative and end-of-life care is also part of
a geriatrician’s scope of expertise. Dr Tay
says, “We emphasise the importance of
Dr Tay Hui Sian.
Should I see a geriatrician?
conditions, multiple causes for each
condition and the need for multiple While geriatricians look after the well-
medications being of older patients, not every elderly
person needs to see a geriatrician. Dr Tay
Hence, geriatricians are trained to carry recommends older patients to visit a
out comprehensive geriatric assessments geriatrician if they:
before determining diagnoses for older l Suffer from multiple medical
patients. Dr Tay illustrates the process conditions
geriatricians use to assess and manage l Find that treatment for one medical
illness in older people. condition negatively affects a second
“First, we need to determine what the condition
problems are. In general, older patients l Take multiple medications
tend to have multiple medical problems and l Have a disease associated with ageing,
multiple health domains being affected at such as memory loss, falling, balancing
the same time. After confirming these problems, poor mobility, osteoporosis and
particulars, geriatricians will then more
determine if the medical condition can be l Experience functional decline, frailty
reversed or improved.” or decrease in mobility
She states that the treatment of an older
Senior Citizen’s Day 11
As they get older, adults will experience
multiple physical changes to their bodies.
maintaining independent living, social
support, healthy ageing and preventative
care, and thus strive to provide well-
designed, person-centred care with a
holistic approach.”
n For more information, call 06-231 9999
(ext. 2138).
l Are hospitalised, because older
people have different patterns in disease
presentation, slower response to
treatment and requirements for
rehabilitation or social support
l Are having or have had surgery,
because outcomes can be optimised to
reduce complications and the geriatrician
who can educate the patient’s loved ones
are well informed to make decisions on
the methods of treatment
She adds that other benefits of seeing a
geriatrician include reduction in hospital
readmissions, mortality, length of stay, risk
of functional decline and provision of
long-term care needs.