Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Le Don

28yo M’sian Shocked By Diabetes Diagnosis

Le Don — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 21:03:51 +0800

A bitter shock for young man as diabetes strikes at 28

KUALA LUMPUR: He was just 28 when Adam Zeno realised something was wrong.

He was constantly thirsty, frequently running to the toilet and often tired and sleepy.

“I thought it was because of work. I had a lot on my plate, or I wasn’t getting enough sleep,” he recalled.

Then came the night that changed everything.

The Sabahan was working late when the palpitations hit and he struggled to breathe.

He went to hospital, and the dreaded diagnosis came. He had type 2 diabetes, a problem that’s usually associated with much older adults.

The warnings came. Type 2 diabetes can lead to damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and the heart.

He cried alone several times, struggling to accept that this disease had become part of his life.

“Why me?” was the question Adam kept asking himself. “I always thought diabetes was far away from me.”

Adam, now 30 and running a printing business, said he had not realised that his body was already showing signs that something was wrong.

“I began looking back at my lifestyle. My mother and grandfather had diabetes.

“Meanwhile, I had irregular meals, enjoyed sweet food and carbohydrates, exercised little and, after starting my business, was often stressed, stayed up late, slept poorly and drank alcohol.

“I used to think that because I was young, it was all right to push myself a little harder. Only when the diagnosis hit, I realised that I was wrong,” he said.

Adam is not alone.

An estimated 192,464 Malaysians aged 18 to 29 have diabetes, while 339,853 have hypertension, and more than eight in 10 in both groups were unaware of their condition.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad recently revealed in Parliament that among those aged 30 to 39, an estimated 338,508 had diabetes, with more than six in 10 undiagnosed.

Another 938,865 had hypertension, with more than seven in 10 unaware of it.

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Sivanaesan Letchumanan said young adults often underestimated their risk because they associated diabetes and hypertension with older people.

“Many feel young and healthy and assume they are not at risk. But these conditions can develop silently, without obvious symptoms, sometimes for years,” he said.

He said this could leave people unaware of their condition until complications arose, by which time damage might already have occurred.

Another misconception was that type 2 diabetes was caused mainly by sugar, when it could also be influenced by genetics, unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity and smoking.

“Being young is no guarantee of good health,” he said.

Dr Sivanaesan also highlighted poor sleep as a risk factor that young adults often overlooked.

Inadequate sleep can lead to Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular disease, he said.

He urged young adults not to wait until they felt unwell before getting their health checked.

Blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol screening checks should form part of routine healthcare, he said.

“Those with a family history of diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, as well as people who are overweight or physically inactive, should discuss their screening needs with a healthcare professional,” he added.

Adam has since started taking his meals, exercise, sleep and blood glucose more seriously, with help from a nutritionist.

Now, he hopes to help others understand their health better.

“Don’t take health for granted. Sometimes, it is only after we lose something that we realise how precious it is,” he said in an interview.

Source:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026...s-strikes-at-28

8 year old girl chokes to death at school

Le Don — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:22:43 +0800

Summary of the news:

An 8-year-old girl named Adrian Thompson died after choking during lunch at her elementary school in Lindale, East Texas. While the tragic incident originally occurred on April 15, her parents publicly released the school's surveillance camera footage, sparking widespread public outrage and demanding accountability for how the emergency was handled.

The Details of the Incident

• The Fatal Incident: Adrian was eating lunch at Velma Penny Elementary School when she began choking.

• The Misunderstanding: The security video shows Adrian walking up to a cafeteria monitor, coughing into a napkin and holding her hands up to her throat—a universal sign of choking. Believing that Adrian was simply sick and about to vomit, the employee guided her toward a trash can and asked if she needed to go to the restroom.

• The Escalation: Adrian frantically ran back into the cafeteria waving her arms, and then bolted down the hallway alone toward the nurse's office.

• The School Response: By the time she reached the nurse, she was turning blue and collapsed. The school nurse administered the Heimlich maneuver, attempted to use an anti-choking suction device, and began CPR when Adrian lost her pulse. The principal called emergency services approximately five minutes after Adrian first began choking.

• Medical Outcome: Emergency responders arrived about 10 minutes after the initial distress. Adrian was rushed to a local hospital and later airlifted to Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, where she passed away the following morning.

The Investigation and Outrage

A formal investigation by the Texas Rangers ultimately cleared the school staff of criminal wrongdoing, officially ruling her death an accident.

However, pediatric experts and her parents, Anna and Tommy Thompson, have raised serious concerns about the response. Medical experts note that valuable time was lost because the staff mistook choking for vomiting, allowed a choking child to run down a hallway alone, and reportedly used an adult-sized anti-choking device mask on an 8-year-old, which can prevent the necessary suction seal from forming.

The release of the footage has sparked peaceful protests outside the school as parents demand stricter emergency protocol training for cafeteria workers and school staff.

Binance hit by 'largest hack in history'

Le Don — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 13:33:42 +0800

Crypto giant Binance hit by 'largest hack in history'

Cryptocurrency giant Binance said on Thursday that $6.3bn (£4.7bn) of digital assets have been impacted by what has been described as the "largest hack in history".

The world's biggest crypto exchange said about half of those assets have been frozen with the help of other platforms, adding that it will "cover all losses".

Early checks show the incident may have involved an engineer's laptop that had been compromised, which allowed an attacker to make unauthorised withdrawals, Binance said.

Two analytics firms have attributed the incident, which eclipses a record-setting $1.5bn hack on the Bybit exchange in 2025, to a North Korean hacking unit called TraderTraitor.

AI-powered investigations company TRM Labs said in a report that several elements of the Binance attack resemble earlier North Korean-linked incidents, including the Bybit hack.

The lab's global head of policy Ari Redbord told the BBC the Binance hack is a "watershed moment" that is unlike anything the industry has seen.

The attacker still holds an enormous sum of stolen assets, meaning efforts to trace and recover the funds are far from over, Redbord added.

Chainalysis, another crypto analytics firm, also said it has "high confidence" that the North Korean group are linked to the hack.

Eric Jardine, Chainalysis' Head of Research, urged every exchange to remain vigilant as the platforms are attractive targets for hackers due to the sheer value of assets.

Binance did not directly respond to BBC queries about the incident's potential links to North Korea but said: "We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to confirm the identity of these criminals and bring them to justice."

The incident concerns Binance.com - while much smaller crypto platform Binance.US, which provides trading services specifically for American residents - said its platform is not affected by the issue.

In a series of posts, Yi He, Binance's co-chief executive, thanked various cryptocurrency issuers for freezing the assets.

"Safety first: withdrawals are currently disabled until the environment is confirmed to be secure," she said.

Two other major crypto platforms, Tether and Circle, said they have frozen a total of about $2.4bn of assets in response to the potential Binance hack.

Circle chief executive Jeremy Allaire said his firm is "closely tracking reports of a potential exploit involving Binance" and that his company has frozen more than $800m in assets linked to the incident.

Circle is the issuer and co-creator of the USDC, one of the world's largest US dollar-backed cryptocurrencies.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said his firm has frozen around $1.6bn "related to a potential Binance exchange hack."

"Protecting the industry and our partners is our main priority," said Ardoino, whose company issues a cryptocurrency known as USDT.

World Liberty Financial, a crypto company linked to US President Donald Trump and his family, said it has worked with its partners to freeze stolen funds.

Crypto exchange Coinbase said it was unaffected by the incident and was monitoring the situation.

Several crypto industry observers had flagged concerns about a potential hack on Binance hours before the exchange confirmed the security issue.

Binance, which was founded in China in 2017, allows users to trade digital assets and is estimated to have more than 300 million registered users worldwide.

The exchange has been subject of regulatory scrutiny around the world.

The company said in 2024 that it has more than $160bn in assets under custody.

Bitcoin dropped by more than 4% following the alerts. The price of other major cryptocurrencies including Ethereum and Solana also fell sharply.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwg7xp8kx4v5o

Losing Weight After 50: Undoing Decades of Damage

Le Don — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:11:44 +0800

Do u agree with these experts on how to lose weight in your middle age?

How to lose weight in your 50s and reverse decades of damage
From eating more protein to building muscle and improving sleep, five experts reveal the changes that help keep the pounds off

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Middle age often heralds the age of the expanding middle, which is why almost four in 10 adults aged between 50 and 64 actively attempt to lose weight, according to research published in the BMJ in 2024.

And there is good reason to try. New research suggests that losing weight in middle age improves long-term health, potentially offsetting damage caused by decades of excess weight.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) analysed data from more than 6,000 British adults, tracking changes in their weight from early adulthood and examining their cardiovascular and metabolic health at the age of 62. The researchers found that overweight participants who lost at least 5 per cent of their body weight in their early to mid-50s and kept it off had similar levels of cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammatory markers to those who had maintained a healthy weight throughout adulthood.

But by the time most people reach their 50s, they’ve likely already attempted several diets, often with disappointing results. Ageing can bring additional challenges, particularly for women, as falling oestrogen levels during menopause encourage fat to accumulate around the waist.

So how do you lose those extra pounds and keep them off?

Nutrition
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Priya Tew, specialist dietitian at Dietitian UK and author of The Dash Diet, advises eating smarter, not eating less. She says losing weight in your 50s isn’t simply about cutting calories. Common mistakes include skipping meals, cutting out carbohydrates and eating too little protein.

“Some of the biggest nutritional mistakes I see are going without food during the day and saving up for the evening, then feeling really hungry by mid-afternoon,” she says.

She recommends three regular meals, each containing protein, carbohydrates and plant foods. Vegetables, beans, lentils and wholegrains help maintain fullness and lower cholesterol, while protein preserves muscle.

“The evidence consistently points towards a Mediterranean style of eating,” Tew says. “Quality really matters. Key nutrients to prioritise are protein, fibre, calcium and vitamin D, and omega-3s.”

Alcohol is another consideration. It is calorie-dense, stimulates snacking and disrupts sleep, potentially increasing appetite the following day.

“You don’t have to cut it out, but it’s definitely worth thinking about having alcohol-free days in your week and moderating your intake,” Tew says.

A typical day’s food would start with Greek yogurt with oats and berries, followed by lentil soup with a wholegrain roll for lunch, and a chicken or tofu stir-fry with vegetables and brown rice for dinner. Snack on fruit with peanut butter or oatcakes with cottage cheese.

Exercise
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Fraser Smith of Vive Fitness is one of London’s leading personal trainers. “One of the main hurdles people face from middle age onwards is sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength,” he says, adding that injuries and aches can also accumulate.

Day-to-day activity levels also tend to decrease. All this means a decline in the physical factors that help with fat loss, such as cardiovascular capacity and strength.

“The good news is that lifestyle changes have been clinically shown to counteract much of this decline in fitness and subsequent age-related weight gain,” says Smith.

He advises introducing sensible cardiorespiratory (aerobic) exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming, to burn calories and improve the health of your heart, lungs and blood vessels.

“Combine this with strength training, whether using your own body weight at home, lifting weights at a gym or trying other approaches, such as electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) or local fitness classes. This will help increase bone density, muscle mass, strength and physical function. Done well, it will also improve your range of movement and give you the confidence to be more active,” he recommends.

For those new to exercise, he advises a gradual build-up of fitness.

He says: “If you start too aggressively, you risk burning out or injuring yourself. Push beyond your comfort zone but give your body time to adapt. Muscles, bones and ligaments all need time to strengthen. The aim should be to develop sustainable habits that last a lifetime, rather than embarking on a fitness blitz followed by an inevitable return to your old ways. Longevity awaits those who get this right.”

Clinical interventions
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For some people, losing weight is more complicated than eating less and moving more. Dr Charlene Shoneye, obesity medical education lead at Lilly UK, explains that obesity can become a chronic disease in which the body’s fat tissue no longer functions properly, disrupting appetite regulation and energy expenditure. Fat can also accumulate in places it shouldn’t, including the pancreas and liver, increasing the risk of disease.

Our bodies developed powerful mechanisms to prevent weight loss because storing fat was an advantage when food was scarce. Losing weight can then trigger the body to attempt to return to its heavier weight.

“If you’ve had that weight for a long time, your body can affect certain changes that essentially push your weight back up to where it was before,” explains Dr Shoneye.

The distinction between being simply overweight and living with obesity as a medical condition isn’t straightforward. A GP or practice nurse can carry out an assessment. Depending on the findings, patients can be directed towards different levels of weight-management support, including specialist services and medical treatments where appropriate.

Sleep
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Poor sleep can sabotage attempts to lose weight, and getting a good night’s rest can become increasingly difficult in middle age.

“As we age, the amount of deep sleep that we get during the night tends to decrease. We are also more likely to become aware of waking up during the night,” explains Dr Lindsay Browning, sleep specialist and author of Navigating Sleeplessness. “These are both natural parts of ageing and are linked to changes in circadian timing, as well as sleep pressure. They can lead to anxiety.”

Pain, menopausal symptoms and sleep apnoea can also disrupt sleep. Sleep deprivation can affect insulin sensitivity and appetite regulation, encouraging us to eat more and choose foods high in fat and sugar. One study found that people who extended their sleep consumed 270 fewer calories a day than those who didn’t. Tiredness also reduces motivation to exercise.

Dr Browning recommends consistent sleeping and waking times, even when tired, allowing sufficient time for sleep and getting outside daily for natural daylight, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock.

Avoid compensating for poor sleep by spending longer in bed. “It doesn’t guarantee more sleep and often leads to longer spent awake in bed, frustrated and unable to sleep, which worsens the problem,” says Browning.

Afternoon naps and dozing in front of the television can also make falling asleep at bedtime more difficult. Women experiencing sleep-disrupting menopausal symptoms should seek specialist advice.

Psychology
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Decades of unsuccessful dieting can leave people believing they lack willpower or simply cannot control their eating habits, explains Elle Mace, food behaviour practitioner and author of Food Freedom.

“Many people in their 50s believe they lack willpower, that they ‘always fail’, or that they can’t be trusted around food,” she says.

These negative beliefs can turn minor setbacks into perceived failures, creating a cycle of guilt, restrictive dieting and overeating. Mace recommends abandoning the mentality of either being on a diet or not, and learning to recognise the emotional triggers behind eating.

One technique is to pause for 60 seconds before reaching for food outside mealtimes and ask whether you’re physically hungry or responding to stress, boredom, tiredness or loneliness.

“You’re not banning yourself from eating. You’re simply creating a gap between the trigger and the response,” she says.

Another exercise involves challenging negative thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking you’ve ruined your diet, write the thought down and ask whether it’s true and what you would say to a friend in the same situation.

Mace also recommends shifting the psychological focus away from dramatic weight-loss targets towards small, achievable commitments.

“Aim for consistency over perfection, and judge progress by more than the scales,” she advises.

Ultimately, she says, the most important change is to stop interpreting setbacks as personal failures. “A less-than-ideal meal is simply one meal, not a reason to abandon the whole plan,” she says.

Source:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/...wn-50s-experts/

Young, Fit, and Facing Colon Cancer

Le Don — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:26:22 +0800

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Kimmie Ng, M.D., a Boston oncologist, started noticing an alarming trend in her work a few years ago. Men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—runners, CrossFitters, lifelong nonsmokers—were streaming through her door at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They all appeared lively and strong—yet there they were, battling colorectal cancers, a family of diseases that can start in the colon or rectum and are typically associated with older people and those with risk factors like family history and obesity.

Most troubling of all, many of them were coming in with advanced, metastatic disease. One patient, 46-year-old Dan Luers, an Ironman finisher who worked out close to two hours a day, was given a stage IV diagnosis. Every year, Dr. Ng’s concern grew. But the problem didn’t totally hit home until 2017, when a healthy-looking marine showed up in her office. Just 29 years old, “he was the youngest person I’d ever treated for this type of cancer who didn’t have a family history, and the model of perfect health—extremely fit and active and a healthy eater.” But he had stage IV colorectal cancer. For people whose cancers have spread to distant parts of the body, like his had, the five-year survival rate hovers around 14 percent.

Luers and so many of Dr. Ng’s other young patients have asked a haunting question: “How could I have prevented this?” She and other researchers are furiously trying to find the answer. Watching so many young men suddenly get hit, Dr. Ng says, “cemented my resolve to do something about it.”

Why Early Colon Cancer Is So Alarming

Colorectal cancers are the third-most-frequent type of new cancer in men (right behind prostate and lung). And while they’re declining for older guys, the rates among younger Americans are on the rise. What doctors have been picking up on in their day-to-day work is only now being fully captured in medical research and in the news. In 2017, a large American Cancer Society-funded study of invasive colorectal cancers found that people born around 1990 have double the risk of developing colon cancer and quadruple the risk of developing rectal cancer compared with those born around 1950—a finding worrisome enough to prompt the ACS to lower its recommended screening age for people of average risk of colorectal cancers from 50 to 45. If the trend continues, a study in JAMA Surgery predicted, by 2030 the rate of colon cancer will rise by 90 percent and that of rectal cancer by a staggering 124 percent in people ages 20 to 34. Research published in January 2024 found that colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men younger than age 50. That's up from fourth place in the late 1990s.

It gets worse: new research suggests that early-onset colorectal cancers have distinctly different features from what doctors are used to seeing. These cancers tend to start in other places and mutate differently, “which gives us a hint that even at the earliest steps of these cancers’ formation, something may be different about them,” says Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., an oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center. It’s “fair to say,” he adds, that some of these could be a new version of the disease. For those keeping track, that means there may be new reasons that these cancers are forming; new reasons young men are susceptible; and a new need for alternate therapies.

Along with Dr. Kopetz, teams of researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the new Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber are racing to figure out what’s driving these changes. One of the most intriguing leads is the microbiome, the diverse, teeming community of microorganisms living within us. Among the few things we know is that it’s constantly evolving. Some changes could “result in a benefit or insult to surrounding cells,” notes Dana-Farber physician and scientist Marios Giannakis, M.D., Ph.D. That means the microbiome may affect cells it touches and possibly play into the development of disease.

Researchers are looking into anything that could be changing the microbiome and affecting these cancers. Right now they know that what you eat and what meds you take are at least part of it. Killing off bacteria with antibiotics can upset the microbiome’s balance. So may eating too much added sugar. (Aim for 36 grams a day max for general health.) “With anything that modulates the microbiome,” says Dr. Giannakis, “there’s an open question as to whether it’s good or bad. We just don’t know yet.” A new five-year, $25 million study led by Dana-Farber researchers aims to tease out some answers.

Until the research results come in, doctors say that the things that make you generally healthy probably help—maintain a healthy weight; eat a diet full of gut-friendly, high-fibre vegetables and whole grains; avoid tobacco and processed meats; limit sugar; stay active. But here’s the essential thing that guys often don’t do: take notice of symptoms, especially persistent changes in bowel habits, and get them checked out right away.

What Colon Cancer Symptoms You Should Look For

The great majority of early-onset colorectal cancers start in the rectum, the lowest part of the colon, which can be linked with symptoms like rectal bleeding and constipation, says Robin Mendelsohn, M.D., a gastroenterologist and researcher at MSK’s Center for Young Onset Colorectal Cancer. If you’re seeing blood in your stool or on the toilet paper; if you notice stools narrowing or changing consistency; or if you have nausea, stomach pain, or bloating—any new or odd symptom that lasts “more than a couple of weeks,” she says—don’t write it off. If you get pushback from your doc about testing—and you might, as up to 17 percent of early-onset colorectal-cancer patients are initially misdiagnosed, according to a recent Colorectal Cancer Alliance (CCA) survey—push right back. “When we catch these cancers early, we can treat them more effectively,” Dr. Mendelsohn says.

It's true that there are a number of ways to screen for colon cancer that don't involve going to the doctor and getting the the gold standard colonoscopy. But screenings like the fecal immunochemical test, or FIT-DNA test are for routine at-home screenings. If you suspect you have an issue, you want to go right to a doctor on this. And don't be afraid to keep pushing if you feel you're not being heard. For doctors and patients alike, "we all need to have the possibility of colorectal cancer in younger people on our radar screen," says MH advisor Felice Schnoll-Sussman, M.D., director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health in New York City. And men need to speak up: "I always say no one should ever die of fear or embarrassment," she adds.

Getting screened at all ages is important. The American Cancer Society states that colorectal cancer death rates in Black people are 40 percent higher than in non-Hispanic whites. The ACS also cites a nationwide study that "more than one-half of the black-white survival disparity is explained by differences in insurance status and one-quarter is due to differences in tumor characteristics (e.g., grade, location)," and says that Black patients are less likely to receive prompt follow-up after abnormal results are found on screening tests.

The CCA survey found that 71 percent of early-onset colorectal-cancer patients receive a stage III or stage IV diagnosis. But some therapies seem to be working. Surgery, chemo, and radiation knocked out Luers’s disease, and he was given a clean bill of health earlier this year. Greg Mancini, 42, another of Dr. Ng’s patients, learned of his colorectal cancer at 38. The father of two from Scarborough, Maine, was in terrible shape, with cancer spreading toward his spine, when he started an immunotherapy trial of two checkpoint inhibitors in 2015. Within weeks, Mancini says, the cancer retreated. “I had bulging tumors in my neck that melted like ice cubes. It was unbelievable.”

But until that’s the standard response to treatment at that stage, or until these cancers start giving up some of their secrets to Dr. Ng and her colleagues, paying attention to your body and speaking up about it could help change the trend.

Source:
https://www.menshealth.com/uk/health/a70327...ncer-young-men/

EPF: Minimum RM100k Recommended by Age 55

Le Don — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 14:17:25 +0800

EPF Contributors Advised to Have At Least RM100,000 At Age 55 for Retirement

Contributors of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) must have at least RM100,000 in savings by the age of 55 to enable them to afford living expenses of RM780 per month after retirement.

Malaysian Institute of Ageing Research (MyAgeing) senior research officer at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Chai Sen Tyng said the amount should be pooled and invested until the contributor turns 60 before being distributed monthly, with initial payments starting at RM780.

He said the payment rate should be increased by between 2% and 3% each year to take into account inflation and the rising cost of living.

“When (contributors) reach 65 or 70 years of age, the amount received is more than RM1,000 a month. As we get older, the cost of living and inflation also increase, so we cannot use the same amount of payment every year.

“The RM100,000 savings ‘pool’ approach in the EPF has the potential to cover a person’s needs for a period of between 18 and 20 years after retirement, in addition to providing continuous financial continuity protection,” he explained.

According to Chai, the proposal to create a RM100,000 savings as an annuity has similarities to the CPF LIFE concept in Singapore which allows citizens to withdraw savings at the age of 55, but must maintain a certain minimum balance.

“Through CPF LIFE, Singaporeans can withdraw savings at the age of 55 but must maintain a balance of S$60,000.

“When they reach the retirement age of 64, they receive a payment of S$570 per month guaranteed by the government until the end of their lives,” he said.

Earlier, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia aims to increase the level of Retirement Income Adequacy to six out of every 10 EPF members to achieve the Basic Savings benchmark of RM390,000 at age 60 by 2030.

He said that currently, almost four out of 10 EPF members are on track to achieve the benchmark under the EPF Retirement Income Adequacy Framework.

“This is progress but there are still too many Malaysians who are at risk of running out of savings over the course of their retirement which could be as long as 20 to 25 years,” he said.

Anwar said the government has allocated RM1.26 billion for the welfare of the elderly, which will benefit 180,000 elderly Malaysians besides expanding activity centres to ensure that getting older does not necessarily mean isolation.

Source:
https://sme.asia/epf-contributors-advised-t...for-retirement/

Woman shows off an incredible coin trick

Le Don — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:40:40 +0800

How did she make the other coin disappear?

Eating Out: Is It Making Msians Fat & Unhealthy?

Le Don — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 17:50:01 +0800

Besides eating out more, we are moving less than ever.

Malaysians spend more eating out than on food at home, report says
Khazanah Research Institute's The State of Households 2026 notes that eating out has been linked to poor diet quality, increasing the risk of obesity and NCDs.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian households spent more on eating out than on food consumed at home in 2024, averaging RM902.70 a month on meals outside compared with RM875.80 on food at home, Khazanah Research Institute says.

KRI’s The State of Households 2026 said the trend came amid growing concerns over the nation’s health, with more than half of Malaysian adults classified as overweight or obese in 2023.

Household spending on eating out increased across all income groups between 2019 and 2024, it said, but the rise was more pronounced among the bottom 80% of households, whose average expenditure grew nearly 1.5 times over the five-year period.

For the top 20% of households, spending on eating out increased by less than 1.3 times.

“Possible explanations for this continued increase in eating out expenditure may be both higher living costs and evolving lifestyle behaviours,” the report said.

“These may have implications for public health outcomes as eating out has been linked to poor diet quality, which in turn raises the risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).”

The report also said the share of the population considered overweight and obese, which are key risks for NCDs, rose between 2019 and 2023.

In 2023, 32.6% of Malaysian adults were overweight and 21.8% were obese, meaning more than half the adult population (54.4%) was above a healthy weight range.

The report also highlighted other worrying health trends, including declining physical activity between 2019 and 2023, particularly in urban areas, where occupations, transport choices, lifestyles and living environments may influence activity levels.

A large proportion of Malaysians also failed to meet recommended fruit and vegetable intake levels in 2023, it said.

Meanwhile, diabetes emerged as one of the five leading causes of death in most states between 2022 and 2024.

Source:
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...ome-report-says

Shed 5% of Your Weight, Save Your Heart

Le Don — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:07:45 +0800

Weight loss in middle age can restore cardiovascular health, research suggests
UK study of 6,000 patients shows shedding 5% of body weight may help cut the risk of stroke and heart disease

Losing just 5% of your body weight in middle age can reduce inflammation, lower the risk of stroke and make your heart as healthy as if you had never gained weight, research suggests.

Millions of men and women worldwide gain weight as they age, putting extra stress on their body, reducing quality of life and doing significant damage to their cardiovascular and metabolic health.

While most know being overweight or obese can affect health, many believe it is an inevitable part of ageing or assume they would need to shed a large amount of weight to reap any benefits.

The new study adds to growing evidence that small changes in body weight can have a big impact on health risks. While millions of people hope to lose a large amount of weight, it’s much easier to start with a smaller goal and keep it off, experts said.

Researchers at University College London found overweight people who lost just 5% of their weight in their 40s and 50s had similar heart health in older age as adults who had always been a healthy weight.

By the time they reached the age of 62, both groups had comparable cholesterol levels, blood pressure and signs of inflammation – all key measures of cardiovascular and metabolic health.

The study’s lead author, Charis Bridger-Staatz, of UCL’s centre for longitudinal studies, said: “Ageing is often framed in terms of inevitable health decline, but our new research shows that this need not be the case.

“Just a modest reduction in weight in people’s 50s may make a real difference to their health, potentially improving their quality of life and reducing their risk of heart issues.”

Having poor metabolic or cardiovascular health can raise the risk of serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes.

Bridger-Staatz, a senior research fellow in population health, said thousands of lives could be lost needlessly in the next decade because of poor health related to being overweight or obese.

“While obesity prevention strategies rightly place strong emphasis on children and young people, these findings indicate that prevention efforts should also extend to people in their 50s,” she added.

“Although this is often perceived as a stage of life when meaningful health change is no longer possible, our research shows that it’s never too late to start making changes to improve your health.”

In the study, researchers looked at data from more than 6,000 people born in the UK in 1958. They analysed body mass index and noted the highest BMI each person reached by the age of 42.

The team then examined whether people had lost or gained at least 5% of their weight by age 50, and if they had maintained this weight difference at age 55. Measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation markers were also analysed.

The study found that at the age of 62, the metabolic and cardiovascular health of overweight people who had lost weight in middle age closely resembled that of the consistently healthy weight group.

This was an observational study, so conclusions cannot be drawn about cause and effect. The researchers also highlighted other limitations but said the findings had important implications.

The study’s co-author, Laura Gimeno, said: “These results show that the benefits of weight loss may extend beyond short-term weight reduction. Our findings support current interest around expanding access to effective weight-loss support, including weight-loss medications.

“They also highlight the importance of reducing further weight gain in midlife, as this was consistently linked to the fastest deterioration in heart and metabolic health.”

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oc...vascular-health

Bitten By Your Cat? You Can Claim SOCSO

Le Don — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:24:22 +0800

Anyone here plan to use their cat to claim SOCSO?

Article below:

Got Bitten By Your Own Cat? M’sians May Be Eligible For SOCSO Claims Covering Medical Bills & Paid Medical Leave

The post Got Bitten By Your Own Cat? M’sians May Be Eligible For SOCSO Claims Covering Medical Bills & Paid Medical Leave appeared first on WORLD OF BUZZ.

Did you know that everyday domestic injuries, including something as unexpected as being bitten by your own pet cat, can actually be covered by Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) too?

According to Berita Harian, SOCSO confirmed that claims for finger injuries caused by pet cat bites have successfully been approved under their LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme, covering both medical treatment and paid medical leave (MC).

Coverage goes beyond the workplace, including cat bites

Elaborating on the scope of the initiative, SOCSO Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Operations), Azirruan Arifin, explained that LINDUNG 24 Jam protection is never determined by how big or small an accident is.

He explained that whether it is a minor domestic mishap like a pet cat bite, a child accidentally poking a contributor’s eye, or falling off a ladder while doing home repairs on a day off, these incidents qualify as long as they meet the definition of a covered accident.

“As long as the incident meets the coverage conditions, receives medical certification, and affects the contributor’s ability to work, a claim can be submitted for SOCSO’s evaluation,” Azirruan shared.

Other approved non-work-related claims under the 24/7 scheme include weekend sports injuries, recreational activities, and domestic travel accidents.

Over RM9.9 Million paid out under LINDUNG 24 Jam

Enforced since 1 June, the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme protects employees around the clock against non-work-related accidents outside of official working hours. As of 31 August, SOCSO recorded 6,330 claims under this scheme, with total benefit payouts reaching RM9.97 million.

Contributions are voluntary for local workers and mandatory for foreign workers. However, SOCSO noted that injuries resulting from intentional acts, criminal behavior, law violations, or pre-existing medical conditions and illnesses remain excluded.

So, if your furry little feline friend ever gets a bit too playful and leaves you needing medical leave, remember that your SOCSO safety net just might have you covered!

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments!

Source:
https://newswav.com/article/got-bitten-by-y...in-A2610_WMgSyU

Can ED Drugs Like Cialis Help Grow Muscle?

Le Don — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:54:12 +0800

A recent study published in Molecular Biology Reports tested tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis) on muscle precursor cells in the lab. The researchers found that tadalafil:

- Boosts cell survival and proliferation: It significantly increased the number of active muscle precursor cells and reduced cell death.

- Accelerates repair response: In "scratch tests," treated cells closed up and repaired damaged areas much faster.

- Delays premature differentiation: By blocking the PDE5 enzyme, it keeps cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) elevated, maintaining a larger pool of stem cells ready to repair muscle tissue rather than burning them out early.

While it is not a direct replacement for lifting weights, the study suggests tadalafil could eventually serve as a therapy for muscle-wasting conditions—and anti-doping agencies may need to take a closer look at its potential performance-enhancing effects in sports.

Would you add Cialis or Viagra to your gym stack for these muscle-building benefits, along with its other proven effects like stronger muscle pumps, improved vascularity, and better blood pressure control?

Article:

Scientists Discover an Erectile Dysfunction Drug Could Also Regenerate Muscle

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy, but many of us lack the time or motivation to stick to a workout schedule. For some, chronic conditions and disabilities make exercise difficult or impossible.

With that in mind, scientists have long been looking for drugs that could replicate some of the benefits of exercise, without the actual sweat and movement.

Researchers from the University of Rome Foro Italico have now published a study in Molecular Biology Reports reporting that the medication tadalafil, currently prescribed for erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension, could also boost tissue regeneration and repair in muscles.

Using mouse muscle precursor cells in the lab, the researchers found that doses of tadalafil increased the number of cells ready to be transformed into muscle and reduced the number of dead cells.

Essentially, it checks some significant boxes for boosting the regenerative capacity of these cells.

"Prolonged tadalafil treatment significantly increased cell proliferation and survival, reducing cell death at all time points," write the researchers in their published paper.

Muscle regeneration relies on a particular kind of stem cell, ready and waiting to turn into muscle (a process known as differentiation). This process makes the muscle fibers that can be used for growth and repair.

What we knew coming into this study was that the body uses nitric oxide to trigger muscle regeneration – it's the signal that gets sent when we exercise or get a muscle injury, and it works via a molecule called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).

Muscles shouldn't regenerate indefinitely, though: an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) keeps cGMP in check, effectively turning it off when the job is done.

That short biology lesson brings us back to this study. We also know tadalafil blocks PDE5, which in theory means cGMP carries on working for longer, without the normal restrictions. That's what the researchers were testing here.

As well as boosting the number of muscle precursor cells, the tadalafil treatment did something else. When a scratch was put through the cells, it closed up faster with the application of the drug.

"[The increase in cell numbers] was associated with an increased proliferative capacity after injury induced by scratch and with a reduction in cell death at all analyzed time points, suggesting that tadalafil promotes both cell cycle progression and cell survival," write the researchers.

There is an interesting twist to the study results: Cells treated with tadalafil were actually less likely to mature into actual muscle fibers after a week of analysis.

The researchers interpret this as a benefit, because it means a bigger reserve of muscle stem cells are produced and ready for action. However, further studies will be needed to determine exactly how this affects muscle building (myogenesis).

"Future research should focus on in vivo models to determine if this delayed differentiation eventually leads to superior myofiber quality and to establish whether the combination of tadalafil and mechanical loading (exercise) can definitively 'unlock' the myogenic program for enhanced functional recovery," write the researchers.

While there are already decades of research behind this study, there's also still a long way to go before we know how all of this affects muscles in humans. The hope is that eventually, we may have new solutions for those with muscle-wasting diseases, or who have conditions which confine them to a bed.

The researchers say there's also the possibility that the mechanisms triggered by tadalafil mean that it needs to be banned in sports. It's already being used by athletes to improve blood flow and muscle function.

"Tadalafil promoted a highly proliferative state and [prevented] premature differentiation," write the researchers. "These findings suggest its potential use as an adjuvant pharmacological therapy in the treatment of muscle-wasting disorders."

"However, the potent improvement of muscle regenerative machinery raises critical concerns regarding its potential misuse as a performance-enhancing drug in sport, highlighting the need for evaluation by anti-doping agencies."

The research has been published in Molecular Biology Reports.

Source:
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-dis...generate-muscle

Young Malaysians spent RM5.4b via BNPL in 6 months

Le Don — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:40:36 +0800

Do you use BNPL a lot? I like using Shopee SPayLater's 0% 3-month installment plan for big purchases, like car insurance and major car servicing.

Young Malaysians spent RM5.4bil through BNPL in just six months
Those aged 30 and below accounted for more than a third of Malaysia’s buy now, pay later spending in the first half of the year.

PETALING JAYA: Splitting a purchase into several smaller payments can make almost any expenditure feel more manageable. For younger Malaysians in particular, buy now, pay later (BNPL) has clearly become part of everyday spending.

According to a written reply by the finance ministry recently published on the Parliament website, Malaysians aged 30 and below made 65.9 million BNPL transactions worth RM5.4 billion during the first six months of the year. This accounted for 37.9% of all BNPL transactions in the country and 36.7% of their total value.

Across all age groups, Malaysians made 173.9 million BNPL transactions worth RM14.7 billion over that period. The sheer volume illustrates how rapidly an instalment-payment option once associated mainly with online shopping has moved into mainstream consumer spending.

BNPL typically allows shoppers to receive a product or service immediately while spreading payment over a number of instalments. According to the Consumer Credit Commission, such schemes are now commonly used not just online but at physical retailers, particularly for food and beverages, retail shopping, transport and other services.

That convenience is a large part of the appeal, especially for consumers who would rather divide a purchase into smaller amounts than pay the full price upfront. But several separate commitments can also be harder to keep track of when each instalment looks relatively modest on its own.

The latest figures show that, as of June 30, young users had RM2.4 billion in outstanding BNPL financing. Of that, RM96.8 million was classified as non-performing, equivalent to 4% of their outstanding balance.

Those numbers need some perspective, however. The finance ministry said earlier this year that BNPL debt represented only around 0.3% of Malaysia’s overall household debt, while Bank Negara has similarly described the segment as small in relation to total household borrowing, even as its rapid expansion warrants continued monitoring.

More users, more oversight

BNPL use has grown quickly: the finance ministry reported in July that active BNPL account holders had reached eight million in the first quarter of 2026, up from 7.5 million at the end of 2025.

That expansion has prompted tighter regulation. The Consumer Credit Act 2025 came into force on March 1, bringing previously unregulated non-bank credit activities, including BNPL schemes, under the supervision of the Consumer Credit Commission.

Under new conduct standards, providers are required to follow rules on disclosure, fees, affordability, debt collection and assistance for consumers facing financial difficulty. The commission also requires an affordability assessment when a BNPL user is given a credit limit above RM1,000, while allowing providers to set lower thresholds for groups considered more vulnerable.

Additionally, BNPL companies are being brought into a licensing framework, with existing providers given a transition period to comply with the new requirements. The aim, according to the commission, is to encourage more transparent and responsible credit practices.

Convenient credit is still credit

The newest figures do not show that young Malaysians are generally overspending or unable to manage their commitments. They do, however, demonstrate how significant BNPL has become in the spending habits of people aged 30 and below.

That distinction matters because BNPL can feel different from taking out a conventional loan or using a credit card, particularly when there is little to no interest attached to a purchase. Yet it still creates a future payment obligation, and several small instalments across different purchases can add up.

For young consumers, the appeal is easy to understand: BNPL offers flexibility at the checkout and can make larger purchases easier to manage. The RM5.4 billion spent in six months shows, however, that those small instalments now represent a very large slice of Malaysia’s consumer-credit landscape.

Source:
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...just-six-months

1.2M Contributors Advised To Rejoin Lindung 24 JAM

Le Don — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:47:31 +0800

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan has advised the 1.2 million contributors who previously opted out to rejoin the "Lindung 24 Jam" social security scheme to secure comprehensive out-of-work hours protection amid rising medical costs.

For those who opted out, would you opt back in?

1.2 juta pencarum dinasihat sertai semula LINDUNG 24 Jam

MELAKA - “Jangan tunggu sehingga ditimpa musibah baru mencari perlindungan.”

Demikian peringatan Menteri Sumber Manusia, Datuk Seri R Ramanan kepada seramai 1.2 juta pencarum yang sebelum ini memilih untuk tidak menyertai skim LINDUNG 24 Jam.

Beliau berkata, peningkatan kos perubatan yang kini boleh mencecah ratusan ribu ringgit malah sehingga RM1 juta bagi sesetengah rawatan menjadikan perlindungan keselamatan sosial semakin penting, khususnya apabila berlaku kemalangan di luar waktu bekerja.

Menurutnya, kemalangan boleh berlaku secara tiba-tiba tanpa sebarang petanda, justeru orang ramai tidak seharusnya mengambil mudah keperluan mendapatkan perlindungan kewangan bagi menghadapi situasi tidak dijangka.

“Baik saya ingatkan kepada 1.2 juta yang tidak mencarum ini, janganlah bila hujan baru kita nak cari payung.

“Sekarang kos perubatan sangat tinggi. Dahulu kos rawatan mungkin puluhan ribu ringgit, tetapi sekarang boleh mencecah ratusan ribu ringgit, malah ada yang sehingga RM1 juta.

QUOTE

Kita tidak mengharapkan perkara itu berlaku, tetapi kemalangan tidak beri pengumuman sebelum terjadi. Sebab itu kita perlu melindungi diri dan ambil langkah berjaga-jaga, jangan tunggu sehingga terlambat,” katanya

Beliau berkata demikian ketika merasmikan program i LINDUNG u Gegar @ Melaka di Dataran Keris di sini pada Sabtu.

Ramanan yang juga Ahli Parlimen Sungai Buloh berkata, kerajaan turut menyediakan insentif pelepasan cukai tambahan sebanyak RM150 setahun menerusi Belanjawan 2027 bagi menggalakkan pencarum kembali menyertai LINDUNG 24 Jam.

Katanya, insentif itu diharap dapat mendorong golongan berkenaan mendapatkan semula perlindungan menyeluruh di luar waktu bekerja, di samping mengambil kira cabaran kos sara hidup yang dihadapi rakyat.

“Ini peluang terbaik buat 1.2 juta pencarum yang memilih untuk tidak menyertai LINDUNG 24 Jam supaya kembali mencarum bagi mengukuhkan perlindungan di luar waktu kerja.

“Kesedaran ini wajar diberi penekanan kerana dalam tempoh 1 Jun hingga 30 September lalu, LINDUNG 24 Jam merekodkan 10,424 tuntutan atau bersamaan purata 85 kes sehari,” katanya.

Program i LINDUNG u Gegar @ Melaka merupakan penganjuran julung kali di zon selatan, khususnya di Alor Gajah, sebagai kesinambungan Festival Mega i LINDUNG u: KESUMA Bersama Rakyat di Kota Damansara pada bulan lalu.

Mengulas lanjut Ramanan berkata, penganjuran program itu bertujuan mendekatkan perkhidmatan Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO) kepada masyarakat, selain memberi peluang kepada penduduk setempat memahami dengan lebih dekat pelbagai skim perlindungan yang ditawarkan.

Pada program sama, seramai 400 suri rumah di Melaka turut didaftarkan sebagai pencarum LINDUNG Kasih bagi membolehkan mereka menikmati perlindungan PERKESO sekiranya ditimpa musibah.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Ramanan berkata, kerajaan memperuntukkan RM30 juta bagi membantu seramai 368,098 pekerja gig menerusi insentif padanan caruman Lindung Kendiri sebanyak 35 peratus untuk pekerja e-hailing dan p-hailing berpendapatan RM3,000 ke bawah.

Katanya, kadar insentif itu boleh ditingkatkan kepada 50 peratus sekiranya penyedia platform turut berkongsi tanggungjawab membiayai caruman pekerja masing-masing.

Beliau turut mengingatkan penyedia platform supaya mematuhi kewajipan caruman PERKESO yang mula dikuatkuasakan sejak 1 Oktober lalu, termasuk melaksanakan potongan caruman mandatori dan menyediakan sistem integrasi bagi memudahkan pembayaran caruman pekerja gig.

Tambah beliau, program berkenaan turut menawarkan diskaun sehingga 80 peratus bagi Faedah Caruman Lewat Bayar (FCLB) kepada majikan untuk menyelesaikan tunggakan caruman, sekali gus memastikan perlindungan pekerja terus terpelihara.

Katanya, bagi golongan bekerja sendiri pula, PERKESO menyediakan geran padanan caruman LINDUNG Kendiri dengan subsidi 70 peratus untuk pencarum kali pertama dalam 17 sektor bukan mandatori, manakala subsidi 50 peratus ditawarkan bagi pembaharuan caruman dalam sektor sama.

“Kaunter khas LINDUNG 24 Jam turut dibuka sepanjang program bagi memberi peluang kepada pencarum yang sebelum ini tidak menyertai skim berkenaan untuk mendapatkan maklumat dan mendaftar semula,” jelas beliau.

Dalam pada itu katanya, kerajaan dijangka membawa Skim Pengembara ke Parlimen pada sidang kali ini selepas mendapat kelulusan Jemaah Menteri sebelum ia dilaksanakan seperti yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri sempena Hari Pekerja 2026.

Ramanan berkata, skim berkenaan memberi perlindungan kepada rakyat Malaysia yang bekerja di luar negara dan berulang-alik antara Malaysia dengan negara tempat mereka bekerja, khususnya golongan yang berdepan risiko kemalangan ketika dalam perjalanan.

Katanya, PERKESO dijadual mengadakan sesi libat urus dengan lebih 800 NGO serta rakyat Malaysia yang bekerja di Singapura bagi memberi penerangan mengenai skim berkenaan pada esok.

Source:
https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/8008...-lindung-24-jam

Never had sex? Study reveals common traits

Le Don — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 17:36:49 +0800

Key factors for males who never had sex:

QUOTE

Cognitive & Socioeconomic: Higher intelligence, higher education level, and higher income.

Physical & Childhood: Wore glasses from a young age, and lower arm muscle mass/grip strength (in men).

Lifestyle: Lower alcohol and drug use.

Psychological & Health: Higher rates of introversion, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, and loneliness.

Environmental & Genetics: Living in areas with gender imbalances or high income inequality, with genetics explaining about 15% of the variance.

Article:

A study into the common characteristics of people who have never had sex revealed that they tend to wear glasses from a young age, consume little alcohol, have a high level of education, and have a high income.

Sex is an important part of romantic relationships and family life, bringing personal happiness, health, and socioeconomic benefits. A research team led by

Brendan Zitzu, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia, investigated the commonalities of people who have never had sex among men and women living in the UK and Australia, and found various trends.

QUOTE

Life without sex: Large-scale study links sexlessness to physical, cognitive, and personality traits, socioecological factors, and DNA | PNAS
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2418257122

QUOTE

1% of people don't have sex. New research shows it may be partially genetic
https://theconversation.com/1-of-people-don...-genetic-265391

Some people have had many sexual encounters with many partners, while others have never had any, and research has shown that the gap in the number of sexual partners they have had is widening in recent years. If people are unable to find an intimate and supportive partner with whom they can have sex, they risk suffering from mental health problems, loneliness, social stigma , and economic disadvantage. They may also be drawn into the 'incel' movement (a group of people who have given up on marriage due to a long period of abstinence from the opposite sex). This trend is likely to be exacerbated online.

To address these issues, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of those who have never had sex. To address this issue, Zitzu and his team conducted a survey of approximately 400,000 people aged 39 to 73 in the UK and approximately 13,500 people aged 18 to 89 in Australia. They investigated the percentage of people who have never had sex and the commonalities and trends they observed.

The survey revealed that 3,929 people, or about 1% of the total, had never had any sexual experience, including oral or anal sex. Of these 3,929 people, 2,068 were women and 1,861 were men, meaning that both men and women had no sexual experience.

When the research team investigated the association between sexlessness and genetic and social environments, as well as a variety of physical, cognitive, personality, and mental health characteristics, they discovered several common trends among people who have never had sex.

It was found that British men who have never had sex tend to live in areas with relatively few women. Furthermore, sexlessness was more common in areas with large income disparities for both men and women. These findings are consistent with previous research showing that incel posts in the US are more likely to originate from areas with relatively few women and large income disparities.

Those who had no sexual experience were more likely to feel anxious and lonely, less happy, and less likely to receive visits from friends and family. They were also less likely to confide in others or feel that their lives have meaning. These results support the close relationship between sex and happiness.

Furthermore, people who had no sexual experience tended to have lower drug and alcohol use, higher levels of education, and started wearing glasses at a young age. People who had no sexual experience also had higher levels of education and higher intelligence scores, and surprisingly, having a higher income and higher socioeconomic status were also associated with having no sexual experience. Furthermore, men tended to have lower grip strength and arm muscle mass and less sexual experience, but no such correlation was found in women.

'The overall pattern of sexless people (being intelligent and academically successful, but physically weak and socially isolated) is consistent with existing stereotypes about low romantic success, especially during adolescence,' Zi-Tsu said. 'Wearing glasses and other typical ' nerdy ' traits from a young age may hinder adolescent romantic experiences, which may also affect romantic confidence in adulthood.'

The researchers also obtained genetic data from all participants and analyzed it, finding that genes could explain 15% of whether or not a person had sex, but that no single gene had a large influence on whether or not they had sex, and that many genes had small influences.

Other genetic factors that were positively correlated with sexlessness included introversion, autism spectrum disorder, and anorexia, while negative genetic correlations were observed with drug and alcohol addiction, depression, anxiety, and ADHD.

The results of this study are highly complex and uncertain, and the study did not investigate whether the subjects desired sex. This means that some of the subjects assigned to the 'sexually inexperienced' category may have been asexual , meaning they had no interest in sexual activity. However, because the correlation with regional gender ratios and the correlation with men's muscle strength cannot be explained solely by asexuality, the study results likely represent a mix of 'voluntary sexlessness' and 'involuntary sexlessness.'

'This study represents a significant advance in our understanding of sexlessness. However, to better understand how sexlessness relates to the interplay between genes, local environment, sexuality, and culture, it's important to assess desire and sexuality more nuancedly,' Zi Tsz said.

Source:
https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250919-p...-sex/#gsc.tab=0

Financial Stress Tied to 28% Higher Diabetes Risk

Le Don — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:09:20 +0800

Stressed about money? It could be raising your diabetes risk

Financial Stress Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk

Key Summary:

QUOTE

Financial strain was linked to a 28% higher risk of Type 2 diabetes

More than 10,600 participants developed pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.

Specific stressors were more strongly associated with diabetes risk than overall stress levels.

FINANCIAL stress may be associated with an increased risk of developing pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to findings from a large prospective cohort study involving more than 150,000 adults.

Researchers found that specific stress-related experiences, particularly financial difficulties, were associated with increased diabetes risk, while cumulative measures of chronic and acute stress demonstrated weaker relationships. The findings suggest that the contribution of stress to metabolic health may be closely linked to socioeconomic circumstances and lifestyle factors.

Investigating Stress and Diabetes Risk

Chronic and acute stress have been investigated as potential contributors to metabolic disease, but the extent to which different stressors influence the development of pre-diabetes and T2D remains uncertain.

To explore these relationships, researchers analysed data from the population-based Lifelines cohort study in the Netherlands.

The analysis included 152,861 adults without diabetes at baseline, with initial assessments conducted between 2006 and 2013 and follow-up between 2014 and 2018.

Chronic stress was assessed using the Life Difficulties Inventory (LDI), while acute stress was measured using the List of Threatening Experiences (LTE). Stress exposures were assessed at baseline and follow-up, allowing researchers to account for changes over time.

The study examined the development of pre-diabetes and T2D using blood glucose measurements, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and self-reported diabetes diagnoses.

Researchers also adjusted their analyses for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle characteristics to investigate whether associations persisted after accounting for these factors.

Financial Difficulties Show Strongest Associations

During follow-up, 7,499 participants developed pre-diabetes, while 3,127 developed T2D.

Overall, cumulative stress scores demonstrated limited associations with either outcome after adjustment for lifestyle factors.

The total LDI score was modestly associated with T2D risk, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.04), but showed no significant association with pre-diabetes.

However, analyses of individual stress domains revealed stronger relationships.

Moderate financial strain was associated with a 17% higher risk of pre-diabetes (HR 1.17; 95% CI 1.10–1.25) and a 28% higher risk of T2D (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.17–1.41).

Major financial crises, assessed through the LTE, were also associated with increased risks of both conditions.

Other stressors demonstrated more selective relationships. Restricted free time was associated with pre-diabetes, while health-related stress was associated with T2D.

These findings indicate that the type of stress experienced may be more relevant to diabetes risk than overall stress burden.

Socioeconomic Factors May Influence Diabetes Risk

To better understand the relationships between stress and metabolic health, researchers conducted exploratory network analyses examining how different stress domains clustered with socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics.

The analyses identified connections between stress-related experiences and socioeconomic factors, particularly household income and marital status, alongside relationships with behavioural factors.

These findings suggest that stress may contribute to diabetes risk through interconnected social and lifestyle pathways rather than functioning as a strong independent risk factor.

Financial difficulties, for example, may coexist with circumstances that influence health behaviours and metabolic outcomes, although the study did not establish specific causal mechanisms.

The researchers emphasised that the observed associations were generally modest and varied considerably between stress domains.

Furthermore, the observational design means that the findings cannot establish whether stress directly causes pre-diabetes or T2D.

Implications for Diabetes Prevention

The findings highlight the potential importance of considering socioeconomic circumstances and specific sources of stress when evaluating diabetes risk.

Rather than focusing exclusively on overall stress levels, the researchers suggested that identifying particular stress-related difficulties, especially financial strain, may provide additional insight into metabolic health inequalities.

The study also reinforces the complexity of diabetes development, with stress-related exposures interacting with broader social and lifestyle factors.

The researchers concluded that stress showed modest, domain-specific associations with incident pre-diabetes and T2D, supporting further investigation into how social circumstances and behavioural pathways contribute to diabetes risk.

Reference
Liu S, Corpeleijn E, Habibovic M, Soedamah-Muthu SS. Association between stress-related exposures and risk of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes: results from the population-based Lifelines cohort study. BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care. 2026;14:e006219. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2026-006219

Source:
https://www.emjreviews.com/diabetes/news/fi...-diabetes-risk/

Bodybuilder, 20, Dies From Banned Weight-Loss Drug

Le Don — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 16:39:05 +0800

S'pore bodybuilder, 20, died after taking banned weight-loss drug, police found 34 types of medication in his home
His mother said he was “under tremendous pressure to keep to a certain weight and a physique”.

A 20-year-old competitive bodybuilder died in 2024 after taking a banned weight-loss substance.

State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled the youth’s death a substance-related accident on Oct. 16, CNA reported.

The youth, who was a polytechnic student at the time, cannot be named due to a gag order.

Investigations could not establish where he obtained it or whether he knew what he was consuming.

Died from DNP toxicity

The youth died on Dec. 22, 2024 from dinitrophenol (DNP) toxicity.

He had complained of difficulty breathing and was hospitalised the same day.

Despite treatment, he deteriorated and suffered a cardiac arrest.

He could not be resuscitated.

DNP is listed under Singapore’s Poisons Act and is prohibited for use as a weight-loss agent because of toxicity concerns, CNA reported.

The Straits Times reported that it has no legitimate medical use in humans and no effective antidote.

It is falsely marketed by illegal sellers as a fast and safe weight-loss drug.

Toxicology tests conducted after his death detected a fatal amount of DNP in his system.

The substance was found in samples of his stomach contents, and the coroner found it probable that he had consumed it shortly before his death.

Had been stressed over competitions

The youth had been training intensely for bodybuilding competitions and hoped to become a professional bodybuilder.

His mother also planned to open a gym for him to run so he could pursue his passion, the report noted.

He would spend long hours training intensely, and was very disciplined about his diet while preparing for competitions.

During a clinic visit in August 2024, he reported struggling with uncontrollable binge-eating, which he attributed to the stress of preparing for competitions.

He sought and was prescribed weight-loss medication, but that medication was not linked to the DNP that caused his death.

In the early hours of Dec. 22, 2024, he was admitted to hospital after experiencing heart palpitations and difficulty breathing.

While at the hospital, the youth had told hospital staff he had taken “fat burners”.

It could not be determined whether the youth knew he was taking DNP.

A medical report cited by the coroner said bodybuilders may use medicines off-label in pursuit of a muscular, “shredded” physique.

Bodybuilders are also highly vulnerable to muscle dysmorphia, said the report.

Source of DNP unknown

During investigations, police found 34 types of medication and other substances at his home, but none contained DNP.

Many were used to manage the side effects of performance-enhancing steroids, and some were prescription medications for conditions there was no evidence the youth had.

Police seized the youth’s mobile phone during investigations, but were unable to unlock it.

As a result, they could not establish where the substances he had been taking, including the DNP, came from, ST reported.

The coroner said his family knew he had been taking supplements, but did not question him as they trusted him.

Mother questions how he obtained drug

In court, the youth’s mother questioned how her son had been able to obtain DNP.

She raised the possibility that he could have been “encouraged” or coerced to take it while preparing for a bodybuilding competition.

He was “under tremendous pressure to keep to a certain weight and a physique”, she added.

She also said there was a person from the bodybuilding community behaving suspiciously at her son's wake.

Despite the mother's concerns, the coroner said there was no evidence that DNP had been given to the youth against his will.

Police did not suspect foul play.

He advised the mother to make a police statement, adding that the inquiry could be reopened if the new information warranted it. She agreed.

A follow-up court session is scheduled for Oct. 26.

The judge said that the youth's drive and dedication to his sport was apparent, and called his death a "profound tragedy".

Source:
https://mothership.sg/2026/10/bodybuilder-d...ight-loss-drug/

Lost Weight at 47 Without Quitting Hawker Food

Le Don — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 09:16:01 +0800

How a 47-year-old lost weight with a calorie-tracking app without giving up hawker food

SINGAPORE – Would someone trying to lose weight eat nasi lemak with fried chicken, egg prata with curry and economy rice regularly? Tan Chin Hock did. Nor did he give up McDonald's breakfasts, pasta or biscuits.

Yet in two months, the 47-year-old says he lost 3.2kg and trimmed 3.8cm off his waistline. How did he do it without exercising excessively, doing meal prep or giving up his favourite hawker dishes?

By tracking everything he ate and making sure he burned more calories than he consumed, he says.

From June 1 to July 31, the 1.68m-tall founder of health coaching app LeanerTogether used its nutrition-tracking feature to slim down from 64kg to 60.8kg. His waist shrank from 32 inches (81.3cm) to 30.5 inches (77.5cm).

An InBody scan on July 31 measured his body fat at 11.9 per cent, down from 22 per cent when he embarked on his weight-loss plan two months back.

"I feel very good about where I am today. I am at the leanest in my adult life, even leaner than when I was serving as a commando during national service. I feel strong, energetic and in control of my health," says the father of three.

Tan, who works as an assistant manager in a hospital, began building LeanerTogether with agentic coding assistant Claude Code on June 1 as a side hustle.

Claude Code came up with a working web version by the end of the day. For starters, he made sure his app scanner was able to detect well-loved local dishes like chicken rice and laksa, which are in LeanerTogether's database.

These dishes are staples for most working adults here, who do not have the luxury of time or energy to cook their own meals, he says.

He used AI to search for publicly available nutrition information and standard recipes, then structured the data into individual local dishes with estimated portions, protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Tan, who has a bachelor's degree in business administration from RMIT University, which he obtained at Singapore Institute of Management, decided to test the app on himself while refining it.

He got inspired after competing in the Natural Elite Championship 2025, organised by the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation's Singapore chapter. He trained an hour three times a week in the gym in the nine months leading up to it.

He also went on a three-month diet before the contest held in August 2025, but was not successful, as he says he was unaware of the calorie count of some foods. For example, he mistook coleslaw as a healthy choice but later found out it was high in calories due to the use of mayonnaise.

He placed fourth among five contestants in his category of Men's Fit Model (First Timer) below 174cm. The experience spurred him to turn what he had learnt about balancing calorie intake and output into an everyday tool for people just like him, who eat out regularly.

Not rocket science

It taught him that a healthier lifestyle was within reach.

"Losing weight and living more healthily is not rocket science. Most of us can become healthier by getting the basics right," he says. It means moving more, eating better, getting enough sleep and doing all three consistently, he adds.

Over the past two months, he has recorded all his meals and snacks. Tracking revealed how badly he had underestimated the calorie content of some favourite foods.

For example, six ondeh ondeh balls contained more than 300 calories, while a serve of kaya butter toast added up to more than 400.

"Before, I had the mentality that if I stayed active, I could eat whatever I wanted," says Tan, who calls his former build "skinny fat". "I was always thin but carrying a layer of belly fat."

He realised that not knowing how many calories his food contained was the main obstacle in his previous attempts to lose weight.

As he and his wife, an account executive, seldom cook at home and have no domestic helper, he eats out most of the time. So he began by changing his meal portions without disrupting his daily routine.

His usual weekday breakfast at home comprises of a protein shake and Weet-Bix wholegrain cereal. He gets off the bus one stop early, then picks up a steamed red bean bun from a coffee shop on his walk to work.

Once a week, he indulges in a second breakfast of one egg prata and one plain prata.

For his usual economy rice lunch at work, he prioritises protein and vegetables, choosing two pieces of steamed fish, broccoli and either chicken curry with potato or sweet and sour pork, though he asks for less gravy.

Once a fortnight, he treats himself to a hearty lunch of nasi lemak, complete with a sunny-side-up egg, fried nuts, crispy ikan bilis and a deep-fried chicken leg, but with less coconut rice.

Dinner at a food court near his home could be fish soup with half a serving of rice, chicken rice with less rice or wonton noodles. On days that he has nasi lemak for lunch, he opts for a dinner of chicken breast salad from the same food court.

One Saturday a month, he has breakfast with his kids — who are aged 10, 13 and 15 — at McDonald's, and orders a Scrambled Egg Burger With Chicken and an apple pie.

On other Saturdays, the family tucks into buns from BreadTalk for their morning meal. Tan usually opts for a croissant and a soft bun with raisins and a cream cheese filling. Sunday breakfast is either bakery buns, or wholemeal bread with peanut butter.

Once a month, he indulges in a prata breakfast bought by his father.

Lunch on weekends is usually at a foodcourt, where he makes similar food choices as his weekday meals, with the occasional sushi meal. Weekend dinners are usually truffle cream pasta, chicken chop or a grilled saba bento at a nearby mall.

Before using LeanerTogether, he was already lifting weights at the gym for up to an hour, two or three times a week, and trying to clock 10,000 steps daily. He maintains that routine, taking a 20-minute walk after lunch and climbing up to four storeys at work instead of using the lift.

If he is short of his calorie-deficit target, he alights from the bus three stops earlier on his way home.

Staying motivated

He reckons tracking his meals contributed 70 per cent to his weight loss and exercise the remaining 30 per cent.

He says eating less left him feeling hungry during the first two weeks. But diligently tracking his meals via the app revealed that he was not consuming enough protein. Increasing his protein intake helped him feel fuller for longer, as did chewing slower.

"I was not walking around starving. I was just eating a bit less and getting on with my day," he says. "I realised I did not need six pieces of ondeh ondeh when two or three were enough to satisfy me."

As his body adapted, eating less came naturally. "The hard part is shorter than you think. It is a couple of weeks, not forever," he adds.

His main motivation is not to "achieve a particular number on the scale". "As I age, I want to stay strong, mobile and healthy for as long as I can," he says. "I want to remain independent, enjoy a quality life and not be a burden to my children in my senior years.

"From my personal experience, I truly believe that if we can make healthy choices simpler and easier to sustain, more of us can become healthier, one small decision at a time."

Source:
https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/tan-chin-...app-hawker-food

S'pore DJ: 12kg lost in 28-day China 'fat prison'

Le Don — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:47:38 +0800

Would you spend 28 days and RM 10k in a China 'fat prison' just to lose weight?

Singapore DJ attends fat camp in China for a month, guess how much he spent?

How far are you willing to go to lose weight?

Some may sign up for a gym membership, while others may splurge on a personal trainer — but one Singaporean took things a step further.

883 Jia FM DJ Jimmy Koh recently travelled to Guangzhou, China, and spent 28 days at a weight loss camp — a place that he refers to as a "fat prison". There, the 1.75m man lost 12kg, now weighing 78kg.

In a social media video on Sept 30, Jimmy broke down the costs of attending the weight loss camp, which is also commonly known as a "fat camp" in China.

According to Jimmy, the weight loss programme itself cost around $1,500 for 28 days.

The package included accommodation at a five-star hotel, three healthy meals a day as well as training sessions such as strength training, cardio and spin classes.

Prices vary considerably across different camps as his research showed that the prices of 28-day packages can range from $600 to $3,000.

Factoring in travel expenses, Jimmy said his two-way tickets from Singapore to Guangzhou on a budget airline cost around $800, while a 140km train and taxi journey to the camp cost another $25.

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Looking back on his experience, the DJ advised others not to follow the route he took: "Lesson learnt, if you want to choose my 'fat prison' and you're flying from Singapore, fly to Shenzhen instead."

As Singaporeans enjoy visa-free stays in China for up to 30 days, Jimmy did not have to spend anything on this end.

The DJ also highlighted some "hidden costs" in the experience. He spent $50 on basic toiletries and necessities, $20 for bottled water, as well as $86 for two mobile data packages.

Although daily meals were included in his package, food was not provided on Sundays, the designated rest days at his camp.

On rest days, Jimmy did some sightseeing in Guangzhou for his "mental wellness", spending around $50 on food, attractions and transport, and another $30 on online shopping.

He also paid $150 for additional travel insurance, which he bought on top of the insurance already included in his fat prison package.

Jimmy spent a total of $3,109.89 for the whole experience.

"The experience could be much cheaper depending on the fat prison you choose, where you fly from and how much you spend."

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The radio DJ isn't the only Singaporean who has travelled to China for its weight loss camps.

In June, 32-year-old interior designer Alexis Tan shared her two-week experience at a fat camp in Guangdong, where her weight dropped from 78kg to 74kg.

She spent $800 on the programme and an additional $400 on return flights from Singapore to Shenzhen.

Health experts, however, have cautioned that maintaining weight loss could be challenging after leaving a fat camp, where caloric intake and physical activity are controlled, resulting in weight reduction.

Exercise alone also cannot fully offset an unhealthy diet, experts warned.

The 2025 National Nutrition Survey, released on Oct 3, found that more than half of Singapore's population are consuming more calories than their bodies need.

Even though people think they are burning calories through exercise, they should also pay attention to portion sizes of their meals and not overeat.

Source:
https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/weight-lo...na-singapore-dj

Walking vs. Running for Mortality Risk

Le Don — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:09:15 +0800

Figure 6: A 5-minute run generates the same benefits as a 15-minute walk, and a 25-minute run is equivalent to a 105-minute walk.
Reproduced with permission from J Am Coll Cardiol.57

Source:
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/artic...0621-7/fulltext

Optimum amount of running is 50mins/day or if walking is 100mins/day for mortality risk? Seems like too much running (above 50 mins/day) is not good

Reverse Diabetes with 7 Simple Habits?

Le Don — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:26:42 +0800

7 simple habits that could reverse diabetes
It takes a lot of work, but it is possible to push back the condition

by Emma Glassman-Hughes
Published: October 12, 2026 at 11:00 pm

Just 20 years ago, type 2 diabetes was a lifelong diagnosis. When doctors spoke with their patients, the focus was on treating symptoms and managing complications with pharmaceuticals. Thoughts of eradicating the disease itself seemed far-fetched.

Now, though, thousands of people are successfully pushing back the disease.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates how cells absorb blood sugar, or glucose. Instead, many people have to take extra insulin or other medications to keep their blood sugar under control. Around 400 million people worldwide are impacted by the disease.

While there is no way to fully cure the disease yet, many patients have been able to put their type 2 diabetes into remission, meaning they are able to control their blood sugar for three months without the use of medication.

Whether or not a person can achieve remission depends on many factors, but the most likely candidates are those who’ve received a diagnosis within the last six years, according to Massachusetts-based endocrinologist Dr Damola Aje. The longer a person has diabetes, the more stress the condition puts on the pancreas – the organ which produces insulin.

“After five or six years, the pancreas can sometimes be more burnt out, and we’re looking more at preventing complications rather than achieving full remission,” she says.

The good news is that there are interventions that can help the body regulate its own blood sugar and relieve some of this stress on the pancreas and liver – another important organ in the process.

Unlike certain other chronic conditions, diabetes is strongly influenced by lifestyle factors, meaning remission can be achieved through what doctors call ‘intensive lifestyle interventions’.

These lifestyle interventions are called ‘intensive’ for a reason, though. Remission can’t be achieved passively, and most patients require medical supervision from a dedicated lifestyle team.

But diabetes remission is within reach for many patients, Aje assures.

“It’s not a function of willpower, it’s not something that patients should be crucified for if it’s not achieved, but it’s highly possible. With the right support and the right medications, and if the intervention is in a timely manner, a person can get their diabetes into remission.”

Here are eight lifestyle interventions that support diabetes remission

1. Quality sleep

Lack of sleep doesn’t just leave us feeling tired and sluggish – it has a profound impact on our health. According to Aje, people with years of poor sleep – people who work night shifts or just get less than eight hours of sleep each night – are at a greater risk of type 2 diabetes.

Poor sleep leads to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as adrenaline spikes, leading to elevated blood glucose. Over time, these can lead to cells becoming more resistant to insulin.

“We’re hoping for at least eight hours of sleep, even if it’s not all in one stretch,” Aje explains.

That said, while eight hours per night has long been considered the gold standard for sleep duration, new research suggests that the precise amount of nightly sleep to best manage type 2 diabetes is actually seven hours and 19 minutes – and major deviations from that amount result in higher instances of insulin resistance.

2. Timing of eating

It’s no surprise that diet is a major factor in controlling diabetes. Achieving remission requires building a diet around specific whole foods, says registered dietitian Avery Zenker, especially cruciferous and leafy green vegetables, berries and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, and lentils.

Basically, foods that “don’t have a lot of free added sugar, saturated fat, or refined ingredients,” Zenker says.

But it’s not just what we eat that can influence diabetes. It’s also how and when we eat it. The interplay between diet and our circadian rhythm – the 24-hour biological cycle that governs our bodies – is an essential piece of the puzzle.

Studies show that later dinnertimes and snacking closer to bedtime can be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, in part because of how the sleep hormone melatonin interacts with digestion. Generally, the body processes glucose less efficiently at night, which can lead to blood sugar spikes.

“Ideally we are having some kind of fast overnight,” Zenker explains. “Somewhere between 10 to 12 hours is ideal. The body wants time to not have to be working and digesting. It wants to do other things while we’re sleeping.”

Patients working toward remission are also usually advised to prioritise larger meals in the morning and smaller meals as the day goes on. “We see it’s beneficial to have a more front-loaded day,” she says.

3. Diverse gut microbiome

In recent years, it’s become increasingly apparent how much of our whole-body health relies on the bacteria in our gut, known as the gut microbiome.

One area the gut has a particular impact on is a person’s likelihood of being obese – one of, if not the, biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes – and research has found many connections between the two.

For example, early exposure to antibiotics has been found to decrease the diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut, and has been linked to the development of obesity later in life.

Consequently, Zenker says, a healthy gut is an important building block of diabetes remission.

“There’s no one perfect gut, we all have our own unique microbiomes,” she says. But in general, a flourishing gut microbiome “supports healthy metabolism and healthy weight, and can directly and indirectly affect blood sugar balance.”

Tending to it means eating lots of probiotic and fibre-rich foods, as these produce short-chain fatty acids which help to regulate and process blood sugar.

Many of the foods we’ve already mentioned – vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes – are also excellent sources of different kinds of fibre.

“Getting variety is really the key, you don’t need to stress about which specific foods in particular,” says Zenker.

Probiotic foods – or fermented foods that contain living bacterial cultures – support gut health, too. At least one serving each day of yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso paste, tempeh, or nattō can go a long way in priming the gut.

4. Intermittent fasting and the fasting mimicking diet

One way to unlock diabetes remission is fasting, when conducted under the supervision of a medical professional.

A relatively new approach that’s had some success is the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), a strict eating regimen that mimics the effects of starving over the course of five days to help cells rebuild themselves stronger.

Endocrinologist Dr William Hsu – the chief health officer for biotech company L-Nutra, a leader in FMD medicine – describes the specialised diet as a process that kickstarts cell regeneration, driven by deprivation.

“Every life form on Earth has gone through periods of famine, and periods of plenty, and cells have had to adapt to the stress of no food,” he says. “When there’s no food, the cells say ‘I gotta survive, which part of the cell can I burn up to generate molecules so I can make it another day?’”

But the cell won’t digest the useful stuff, like its own nucleus. Instead, it will burn up “the cellular organelles that are broken and less valuable,” says Hsu, generating enough energy to keep going.

“If food never comes, the cell will die. But if the food comes on day four or five, you’ve gotten rid of the less valuable parts of the cell. When nature gives you stress, you turn that around to make the cells younger and better, you replace the old parts with new parts.”

This cellular autophagy, as the process is known, is a sort of cellular therapy that can significantly reduce dependency on diabetes medications, decrease insulin resistance, and in some cases cause total type 2 diabetes remission, per a six-month clinical trial by L-Nutra. Outside of diabetes research, FMD has also been studied as a potential prevention strategy for Alzheimer’s.

Hsu argues that while intermittent fasting – or fasting for a period of less than two consecutive days – and FMD both have metabolic benefits, FMD is considered more effective at achieving diabetes remission.

“[Intermittent fasting] is great metabolically because you’re eating less and not eating close to bedtimes,” he says. “There are many studies to show that intermittent fasting is helpful to reduce insulin resistance and improve glucose control.”

The FMD regimen usually lasts between four to seven days, eating a low-calorie, low-protein diet of plant-based foods and healthy fats. It is meant to mimic much more extreme deprivation, without putting the body through the real stress of surviving on zero nutrients.

“The cellular autophagy, replacing old parts with new parts, that only comes when the body senses a crisis moment,” he says.

FMD isn’t suitable for everyone, however, and requires a very delicate balance of foods to ensure you are still getting the nutrition you need, so it’s best to consult a qualified dietitian before starting.

5. Exercise after meals

When it comes to diabetes remission, all exercise is good exercise. Moving your muscles encourages them to take up glucose, bringing down your blood sugar. There are some surprisingly simple habits that can contribute to major reductions in your long-term blood sugar levels.

“A lot of patients have this all-or-nothing mentality, like if I can’t go to the gym five days a week then it’s no good,” Aje says. “But you don’t need to have a gym membership or do 50 minutes a day. Ten minutes here or there is great.”

Our muscles play a significant role in regulating blood sugar, she says. “One thing I tell my patients with early-onset diabetes is to go for a walk 15 minutes after eating, to allow the muscles to soak up the glucose.”

Additionally, exercises like squats and calf raises can help the muscles absorb the glucose, too, preventing a spike.

“Prioritising strength training is best for blood sugar, the bones, and metabolism overall,” she says. “It’s not about the amount of time you spend in the gym, it’s about the intention.”

She adds that a little bit of movement after your lunch break at the office, or after dinner, can “really impact your blood sugars.”

“Any time of the day is better than nothing, but if you can prioritise some movement in the first 15 or 20 minutes after a meal, it’s much better for blood glucose.”

6. Stress relief

Stress is another factor which can have huge impacts on our health, including diabetes.

“Stress can increase a person’s risk of high cortisol, which can lead to higher blood sugar over time, and earlier onset of developing diabetes,” says Aje.

The body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline when it’s stressed. This triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream, preparing the body for a ‘fight or flight’ response. Normally, insulin would tell your cells to soak up this excess glucose, but cortisol also blocks this signal. Over time, this can lead to cells becoming more and more resistant to insulin.

High levels of stress hormones can even stop insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from working properly and reduce the amount of insulin they make.

But researchers are uncovering new methods for stress and anxiety management as a therapy for type 2 diabetes. One study involving a 46-year-old man looked at the impact of Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) – a “15-step stress-reduction Mind-Body Intervention aimed at improving physical and emotional health” – to treat his type 2 diabetes and chronic pain.

After four weeks of NET treatment designed to reduce his body’s unique stress patterns, “glucose levels stabilised and psychometric tests demonstrated improvements in pain, stress, and emotional wellbeing,” the study’s authors wrote.

7. Social ties, community, and advocating for yourself

Diabetes remission is especially challenging without the right kind of support – both in and outside the doctor’s office.

“The environment, community, and people we’re around affect all areas of our wellbeing, our choices, our exercise, our sleep,” Zenker says. “They also affect our mindset and beliefs. If you are in an environment that’s not so supportive of your wellbeing, like a food desert [where access to fresh and healthy food is limited], it can be really hard to shift to something better, even if you’re committed on your own.”

Having social support from friends, family, and neighbours can go a long way in staying on top of your remission goals.

On the medical side, you have to be your own loudest advocate.

“The moment you get a diabetes diagnosis, pay close attention to it, and seek help,” Aje recommends. “If your primary care provider isn’t able to provide you with all the tools you need, ask for a referral to an endocrinologist to get things under better control. Those first 5–10 years after your diagnosis are very important.”

Source:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body...everse-diabetes