Constipation is a condition that a person has hard and dry feces and the defecation is less than three times per week.

A person who has constipation have difficulties to expel, sometimes with abdominal pain or bloating.

Why do constipation happen? You see, we absorb nutrients from food with our stomachs and small intestines; the rest are sent to the large intestines.

With the bowel movements, stools are push to the end. When stolls reach the rectum, it stimulates the desire to defecate.

During the digestive tract, the large intestine would recycle the water. The more water the large intestine absorbs, the dryer the stools are.

As a result, when the stools contain less water, the stools eventually become difficult to expel, and this is when constipation happens.

Therefore, two main reasons of causing constipation are: first, too less water and second, the large intestine moves too slowly.

From these, we can deduce that the dangerous factors of constipation are:

1. Insufficient intake of water.

2. Insufficient intake of dietary fiber. Fiber increases the amount of stools and helps the move through the gastro-intestinal tract.

3. Insufficient exercise. Doing exercise helps the move throuh the gastro-intestinal tract.

4. Elderly. Reasons are the elderly exercise less, the gastrointestinal functions get weaker, less intake of vegetables (usually the elderly believe that vegetables intake caused joint pain) and enlarged prostates make them drink less water.

5. Children. Kids usually don’t like to drink water and eat vegetables. Many times, they hold their desire to defecate for playing.

6. Pregnant women. In the final stage of pregnancy, the pressure from baby may cause the slow gastrointestinal movement.

In conclusion, for common constipation, the situation can be improved by drinking more water (at least 2L per day), eating more portions of vegetables and fruits, plus low-fiber processed food.

However, do keep in mind that some disease or medicines would increase chances of having constipation. So, if your situation doesn’t get any better, you should go and consult a doctor.

Source: MJ Life People

The significance of health screening is being progressively more recognized and many health screening centers are being set up fr this purpose.

But faced with the many choices available, how does one choose an appropriate center with confidence?

Japan is by far the most well developed country in health screening. The Japan Multi-phasic Health Testing Services has set certain standards for the recognition of good health screening centers, and coupled with MJ’s 10 years experience in running the Taiwan centers, the following criteria are provided as guidelines:

1. Excellent Equipment Facilities
The accuracy of tests depends greatly on the quality of equipment facilities. An automated screening process would greatly diminish inaccuracies caused by human errors.

2. Qualified Professional Staff
A good center should only employ qualified staff such as nurses, biochemists, radiographers and dietitians. Qualified, experienced doctors are especially important to detect abnormalities in otherwise healthy individuals.

3. Good Quality Control
Modern screening relies heavily on sensitive technology, therefore good equipment control and maintenance are of paramount importance to ensure the accuracy of screening results.

Good internal and external quality control measures are fundamental for the biochemistry laboratory, and it wold be even better to obtain certification from world recognized quality assessment organizations such as the CAP (College of American Pathologists).

Regular equipment servicing and well-kept maintenance records are mandatory for good laboratory management.

4. Comprehensive Follow Up Service
Health promotion starts with health screening. A comprehensive health screening programme should include follow up services such as health counseling, dietetic counseling and medical referrals, etc. Appropriate health consultations would assist the individual to plan specific health strategies and put the screening results into effective use.

5. Comprehensive Information Management System
All clients’ health information should be properly compiled and stored in sequence. This would provide doctors with information on changes in the health condition and plan appropriate health strategies accordingly.

Modern medicine is very detailed in it’s knowledge of human physiology and pathology. Nevertheless, the state of good health has yet to be defined.

I found an interesting articles by Dr. Hai-Sha Ni where he mentioned the 6 criterias which defines the state of healthy individual.

These criterias seem deceptively simple , but they are based on profound theory.

Just as Einstein’s most famous equation e=mc2 appears very simple, it also began as a complex theory which was greatly simplified to the immortalized equation.

The same holds true for these 6 criteria which are as follows:

1. A Normal Appetite
The feeling of hunger is normal at meal times. The ability to taste is normal. The proper amount of food is consumed.

2. Bowel Movement Once A Day
Ideally, once a day in the morning. The texture of the stools should be firm and long. The color should be brown. The feeling of having adequately emptied the bowels is necessary.

3. Proper Urination
5 to 7 times daily. (Less if one is working strenusosly). The color should be pale yellow. An adequate amount of urine and force to expel the urine is necessary.

4. Proper Sleep Pattern
This means the ability to sleep through the night without waking up. Also, one should feel adequatrely rested upon rising.

5. The Face Feels Cold, The Four Limbs Feel Warm
The face should feel comfortable and cold, not hot. The backs of the hands and feet should feel cold, while the palms and soles should feel warm.

6. Male / Female Erection
This is generally not discussed among people, but it is important and included in the 6 criterias. Upon rising in the morning, males should have a penile erection. Females should have firm nipples.

“MJ’s Asia Health Management Fair” which preaches the importance of health management and has the goal of promoting the trend of personal health management was held in the 3 bigest cities in Malaysia, namely Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kuching in September 2008.

MJ’s chairman CK Tsao gave special talks in the expositions about the advantages of MJ Automated Multiphase Health Test System. It not only attracted lots of people to join but also became a focus of all major paper in report.

In Kuching, Chairman Tsao was interviewed by 4 major chinese newspapers: United Daily News, See Hua Daily News, Sin Chiew Jit Poh and International Times.

In large spaces, all newspapers have reported the disguishing feature that people can finish the health screening in 4 hours and get the report immediately, and the content of the follow-up health management services.

They also reported the detailed description of MJ’s health management methods for members: ’screening, evaluation and promoting’.

There have been more than 4,000 members joined since the grand opening of Kuala Lumpur MJ Life Branch Office in March 2008.

MJ’s distiniguish automatic health screening system and service brings a new health management trend to Malaysia.

Since the exposition was valued so much by media, we can predict that MJ trend will keep growing and a better healthy life will be brought to people in the Southeast Asia!

Source: MJ Life People

A typical cancer patient will be someone who is skinny and emaciated. But that is when the disease is in its advanced stage.

But in the early stages, more patients are actually obese or overweight. Recent studies have shown a definite link between obesity and cancer. Below we shall look at the issue in more detail.

1. Kidney cancer in both men and women (two fold increased relative risk)
2. Endometrial cancer (one and half-fold relative risk)
3. Post menopausal breast cancer (two fold relative risk)
4. Colorectal cancer (may be related to low physical activity)
5. Gall bladder cancer
6. Thyroid cancer in women
7. Oesophageal cancer (probably related to gastric reflux)

Interestingly, obesity can be protective for the following cancers:
1. Breast cancer in pre-menopausal women
2. Lung cancer

Another interesting aspect of obesity is the death rates from cancer. It seems that most studies of obesity and breast cancer survival suggest that obese women have poorer survival than leaner women.

Being overweight or obese substantially increases the risk of dying from cancer, according to researches from the American Cancer Society.

According to a report, obese individuals have a 20% (more…)