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BRAIN HEALTH
Turmeric compound
TURMERIC has been used for thousands of
years in India for both culinary and healing
purposes in Ayurvedic medicine. Besides
being used as the main ingredient in curry
The throbbing
in your head
HEADACHES may be a common
ailment, but it is not widely
Separating normal from
known that there are different abnormal
kinds of headaches. Dr Loh Pei
Kee, consultant neurologist at Ara Because everyone has
Damansara Medical Centre, experienced a headache in his
breaks down headaches into two lifetime, it is easy to brush it off as
categories – primary and something trivial. However, Dr Loh
secondary. says that it is dangerous to believe
Primary headaches are the that all headaches can be ignored. than sit cannot rely solely on lifestyle
most common form of headache. She says, “Most people don’t take l Onset during pregnancy adjustments to resolve our
Some common subtypes include headaches as seriously as other headaches and occasionally may
tension-type headaches, conditions such as chest pain. This If these symptoms occur, Dr need to resort to medication.
migraines and trigeminal is because people relate chest pain Loh’s advice is to see a doctor Headaches often go undertreated
autonomic cephalalgias (TACs). to heart attacks, whereas immediately to ensure it is not because people do not see it as
Tension-type headaches are headaches may be caused by stress something more serious. “Even if life-threatening, but the lack of
usually “band-like”, fairly diffused or lack of sleep. Thus, they do not you do not experience any of these treatment can lead to other
and often mildly to moderately usually recognise whether a symptoms, if your headaches are problems such as deteriorating
painful. headache is normal or not.” prolonged and so frequent that quality of life.
Migraine is more severe, with Dr Loh lists some red flags and they start to interfere with your On the other end of the
the headache commonly Dr Loh Pei Kee. associated symptoms that people work and social life, you should spectrum, unusual and prolonged
throbbing over one side of the should look out for when still see a doctor to try and reduce headaches may be a sign of more
head and associated with nausea malformation, inflammation of experiencing a headache, as some the frequency of your headaches serious conditions such as
or vomiting and sensitivity to the blood vessels or arteritis, symptoms may point to something for better quality of life.” tumours or abnormalities in the
light and noise. TACs are artery dissection and more dangerous. blood vessels, which can lead to
characterised by attacks of
moderate to severe unilateral
haemorrhagic strokes.
l Non-vascular-related
l Sudden onset of the worst
headache the patient has
Get a second opinion something life-threatening. The
dysfunction of the brain can also
pain in the head and face, headaches, which comprise a experienced According to Dr Loh, not all potentially affect movement,
commonly associated with broader scope and can be caused l Progressive or recurring daily headaches need to be medically vision, speech, sensation and
symptoms such as nasal by tumours, increased or low headaches treated. There are some ways you balance.
congestion, eyelid swelling, cerebrospinal fluid pressure or l Age of onset is above 50 or can reduce the occurrence of some “If you notice that your
lacrimation and ptosis. inflammatory processes. below five years old primary headaches. More headaches are unusual or
Secondary headaches occur l Headaches attributed to l Fever importantly, you need to make sure prolonged, see a doctor for early
when external sources cause the infection, which include l Drowsiness it is not a secondary headache. treatment as it could mean
headache. Dr Loh classifies them intracranial or systemic l Presence of focal neurologic She says, “Sometimes, something more dangerous.
as: infections. symptoms such as visual headaches, especially primary As for parents, if your child
l Trauma-related headaches, l Headaches caused by a disturbance, limb weakness or ones, are caused by external frequently needs painkillers, it
which are caused by trauma to substance or its withdrawal, or numbness, slurring of speech and triggers. Therefore, try to identify is best to send him to a doctor
the head and neck. analgesia overuse. incoordination and avoid these triggers, which for further examination,” says
l Vascular-related headaches, l Headaches caused by other l Vomiting and nausea may include lifestyle changes such Dr Loh.
which stem from issues involving disorders, which include l Pain worsens on exertion such as avoiding certain food, reducing
the blood vessels, including disorders of the eyes, ear, nose, as coughing and sneezing, or when stress and getting enough sleep.” n For more information, call
aneurysms, arteriovenous neck and oral cavity. it is more painful to lie down However, she notes that we 03-5639 1212.
mental
AS a parent, have you ever wished behaviour. The study found that the Recommended daily intake of
you could do more for your child’s group that received supplementation omega-3 for different age groups
future? You can start by helping improved in all measures, with
them in their education and stay the highest improvement observed Age Recommended omega-3 EPA
ahead in their studies. in reading capabilities. group + DHA intake (mg)
A 2012 study in the UK titled These capabilities are important 2 to 4 100 to 150
health
Docosahexaenoic acid for reading, for children’s future
cognition and behavior in children educational and 4 to 6 150 to 200
aged 7-9 years: a occupational prowess. The 6 to 10 200 to 250
randomized, controlled fact is, omega-3 DHA for Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of
trial (the DOLAB growth is important the United Nations
Study) published not only for babies
in Plos One and toddlers, but
showed that schoolchildren as
LAST year, 29% of Malaysians supplementation well. However,
were found to be suffering with omega-3 DHA schoolchildren can
from depression and anxiety helped improve the be really picky with
disorders compared with 12% These reading and foods, as are babies
in 2011 (according to the
National Health and Morbidity
neurotransmitters behaviour of
underperforming
and toddlers.
There are easy solutions
Survey). Depression and anxiety determine the children in mainstream primary available to this problem.
are expected to be the largest
health problems by 2020. There
psychological schools.
The study involved a group of
Suitable omega-3 supplements for
children should be:
are various contributing factors well-being of an schoolchildren between seven and 10 l Attractive
for this epidemic, one of which
can be unregulated
individual and any years old. These children were
physically healthy but
l Delicious
l Do not look like capsules or
neurotransmitters. imbalance in the underperforming in school. They tablets
Neurotransmitters are
important. They play a major
proportion of these were split into two groups, where
one was given daily supplementation
l Without fishy odours
role in our everyday lives and neurotransmitters in of omega-3 DHA and the other a This article is brought to you by
functions. They determine how relation to each other placebo for 16 weeks. Nature’s Way.
we feel, motivate us to be After 16 weeks, the children
productive and help us grieve. may affect his mood, underwent practical measures of n For more information, call
Neurotransmitters are chemical hormone balances, reading, working memory and 03-7932 2128.
messengers that relay
information between neurons sleep, blood glucose/
via electrical signals. insulin levels, pain
Each neurotransmitter has a
different function. Dopamine perception, appetite
regulates the feeling of pleasure and cognitive
and is usually released when
one is feeling rewarded.
function.
Serotonin helps regulate stress,
mood, sleep and memory. These
neurotransmitters determine prove effective for some
the psychological well-being of patients, the potential for harm
an individual and any during those interim treatment
imbalance in the proportion of failures is a real concern for
these neurotransmitters in clinicians and patients alike.
relation to each other may affect Thus, the need for a proper
his mood, hormone balances, neurotransmitter test is crucial.
sleep, blood glucose/insulin Targeted neurotransmitter
levels, pain perception, appetite testing such as the one
and cognitive function. mentioned above can help
According to Harvard Health healthcare practitioners achieve
Publishing, it is indicated that a diagnostic edge beyond the
people with depression have traditional psychological
reduced serotonin transmission. inventory by identifying
Additionally, it was found that specific imbalances in
individuals with a higher risk of neurotransmitter levels. Based
suicide had lower levels of on neurotransmitter test results,
serotonin. practitioners can identify
The importance of effectively specific biochemical
assessing and treating mood heterogeneities for each
disorders cannot be overstated. particular patient, and
Objectivity is a key element to objectively monitor therapeutic
the therapeutic approach. responses during and after
Currently, the standard of care intervention.
dictates that a trial-and-error Mental healthcare
pharmaceutical approach be practitioners will work with you
taken with each patient based to find the best tests for your
on both self and clinician unique condition, interpret the
assessments. results of the tests and how to
However, without formulate effective solutions
information yielded from using evidence based nutritional
objective clinical testing such as medicine.
the Advanced Neurotransmitter
Profile (malaysialaboratory.com/ This article is brought to you by
advanced-neurotransmitters), WellLab.
choosing the most effective
treatment for each patient with n For more information, call
a mood disorder continues to be 03-2727 7434 or email
a challenge. While this may laboratory@psychology.com.my
12 Brain Health SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
Is brain health
affected by
social media?
SOCIAL media has become part of our lives. said that they “almost always” wake up
Social media provides a platform for the during the night to check their social media.
world to come together to connect, celebrate Teens spend hours on these sites,
and even educate. Teenagers are constantly jeopardising their sleep, which can lead to
on their phone, computer or iPad because of moodiness, overeating, anxiety and
social media. depression. Teens need more sleep than
In a study published in Psychological adults, so logging into social media in the
Science in 2016, researchers found that middle of the night not only affects their
certain regions of the adolescent brain mental well-being, but also their physical
become activated by “likes” on social media, health.
sometimes causing them to want to use
Teens are often emotionally invested in their social media profile and feel pressured to have
social media more.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey
Anxiety perfect pictures and well-written posts. This can lead to anxiety and even depression, in
2017, found that the state of mental health Teens are often emotionally invested in some cases.
among students aged between 13 and 17 is their social media profiles and feel pressured
concerning, with 6.9% of those surveyed to have perfect pictures and well-written online. According to the study, people who have on their children’s mental health. For
having attempted suicide one or more times, posts. There is also a lot of time and effort used more than seven social media this reason, it is vital to establish guidelines
and 10% having seriously considered suicide that goes into deciphering the unspoken rules platforms were three more times at risk of and help your teen navigate social media
during the past 12 months from when the and cultures of each media platform, which, depression than people who used two or responsibly and safely.
survey was conducted. This begs the as a result, can add pressure on teens that fewer sites. Communicate with your teens and ask
question – how many of these cases can be develops into feelings of anxiety. Social media sites such as Facebook, questions that can give you insight into their
attributed to social media use? To top that off, cyberbullying and other Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are filled social medial lives. Give them enough space
negative online behaviours only add to the with harsh judgements and comparisons so they feel comfortable with you as
Insomnia and sleep deprivation hostility of social media. that teens have to navigate or set
expectations of a lifestyle that teens may not
micromanaging can backfire. Model healthy
social media behaviour.
A study titled Association Between
Insomnia and Social Network Site Use in
Depression be able to meet. Couple that with low self-
esteem and insecurity, social media can lead
When parents set boundaries and stick to
their own rules, teens learn an important
Indonesian Adolescents indicated that In a study published in Computers in teenagers down a dark rabbit hole of lesson about self-care and setting limits.
insomnia was associated with social media Human Behaviour, it was discovered that the depression. Connection is key when it comes to
use, particularly the duration and reason of use of multiple social media sites is more A teenager’s brain develops a lot during parenting teens in this modern world,
use. In another British study published in the strongly associated with depression adolescence and it is important that parents especially when dealing with their mental
Journal of Youth Studies, one-fifth of teens compared with the amount of time spent understand the impact social media sites well-being.
Early childhood
development crucial
CHILD development typically refers to the
growth of the child’s cognitive, emotional,
physical, motor and social skills.
Heguru education believes in the “Start
Early” principle. Effectively stimulating your
child’s brain is crucial during her early years
as it will prove to have long-term benefits for
development.
Most early education programmes are
traditionally focused on the development of
the left hemisphere of the brain, known as
the “logic and language brain”. However, not
everyone is aware that during the golden
period before three years of age, the right
hemisphere of the brain, also known as the
“image brain”, sees rapid development.
Heguru strives to enhance the potential of
your child’s right hemisphere of the brain
from as early as six months up to primary Children are placed in a fun-filled learning
level, as it believes it will create environment with the aim of unlocking their
immeasurable value to the child’s dynamic innate potential and dynamic learning
learning abilities, which can be further abilities, such as photographic memory, high-
explored during this precious phase of their speed processing ability, analytical thinking
lives. and good morals. Ultimately, they are
Research reveals that children begin to nurtured to be positive and confident
learn at birth and confirms that the first five individuals with accelerated learning pace
years are significant to brain development, that can allow them to excel.
as its architecture is beginning to be built. It is Heguru’s vision to assist parents in
This is when the brain is most open to developing and nurturing their child’s innate
experiences that form the foundation for potential. Since 2009, Heguru has gained
organisational development and function widespread recognition from Malaysian
and impacts how children develop their parents for its uniqueness and quality and
learning skills, social and emotional abilities. has received awards from local parenting
Hence, effectively stimulating your child’s magazines for its development programme.
brain during their early years is crucial. Give your child a chance to realise her
Originally from Japan and developed for hidden talent. Start early and get the right
more than 30 years, Heguru is an brain education as every child is a genius in
evolutionary learning programme for Heguru.
children from the age of six months up to the
primary level. Heguru’s certified instructors n For more information, call 03-2287 2168
employ over 60 fun and fast-paced activities, (Kuala Lumpur), 03-5879 9769 (Puchong),
including flash cards, memory activities and 07-557 7188 (Johor Baru) or 04-638 3617
challenging puzzles, to best stimulate a (Bayan Lepas), email info@heguru.com.my
child’s brain and promote development. or visit www.heguru.com.my