Author: Tony Zhang

The pair of kidneys is one of the most important organs in our body. It is commonly known for its excretory function – filtering 200 litres of blood daily to produce around 2 litres of urine. It is an important organ with many other functions, such as maintaining the human body’s blood pressure, electrolyte balance and calcium level. When kidneys do not function well, dialysis is the technique we use to artificially remove excess water and waste products from our bodies. It is now an essential and routine medical procedure commonly prescribed for patients with kidney diseases.  Here are 6…

The pair of kidneys is one of the most important organs in our body. They are each about the size of an adult fist, located in the region of our lower backs. The kidneys are commonly known for their excretory function – filtering 200 litres of blood daily to produce around 2 litres of urine. It is an important organ in maintaining the human body’s blood pressure, electrolyte balance and calcium levels. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) manifests with gradual loss of kidney function over months to years. In early stages of CKD, patients might have very few signs or symptoms. In…

The benefits of kombucha are apparent, but what about its health risks? Here we discuss 6 things you should be aware of when choosing your next beverage.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the past two years, all Asian countries have gone into periodic lockdowns to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. In many jurisdictions, the lockdowns have stopped students from going to school or universities, forcing them to adopt the home learning model instead. The constant lockdowns and uncertainties have put immense mental pressure on teenagers across Asia.  Prevalence of mental health issues due to COVID-19 pandemic Very limited data is available on how bad the situation is: In Indonesia, it has been estimated…

In psychology, post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a concept that describes positive psychological changes experienced as a result of struggles with highly challenging and stressful life circumstances. COVID-19 lockdowns or being diagnosed with COVID-19 can be challenging and stressful, but this has also led to some people developing PTG. Read on more below to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in post-traumatic growth in many people despite the challenges and difficulties faced across the globe! The Trauma Itself – COVID-19 & Lockdowns Although some people experience no symptoms when diagnosed with COVID-19, many others have symptoms such as fever,…

This Lunar New Year, apart from the tiles on your mahjong table being shuffled around, there’s another type of shuffling around that is causing more anxiety instead of prosperity. This is what Dr Leong Hoe Nam, infectious disease specialist from Rophi Clinic in Singapore, draws parallel to when he explains how new virus variants are “created”. He shared that new strains arise when 2 different strains of the coronavirus infect one cell. In this single cell, their genetic material undergoes “genetic reassortment”, or mahjong tile shuffling, which then creates a new variant. Since the first Omicron variant was…

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of 21 Jan 2022, more than 343 million people have been infected with 5 million people died from COVID-19 worldwide. Vaccines have been made available to general public since early 2021, which greatly reduced community transmission and risk of developing serious symptoms. Two years into the pandemic, there are still very limited options of treating medium or severe symptoms of COVID-19. Recently, a new oral medication called molnupiravir, has been approved in many countries, including Singapore and UK, to treat COVID-19 patient with…

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of 10th January 2022, more than 307 million people have been infected, with 5.5 million people died from COVID-19 worldwide and 259 million recovered.  Most people infected with this virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some do end up in hospital or even ICU and require ventilation with extra treatment. A recent study has been carried out in the US to further investigate the link between COVID-19 and diabetes. Figure 1: SARS-CoV-2…

Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow in an uncontrolled fashion and spread to other parts of the body. It is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. The most common forms of cancer include breast cancer, lung cancer, colon and rectum cancer, prostate cancer in males, skin cancer, and stomach cancer. Today, this article lists out 5 famous people that died of cancer.  1. John McCain (1936-2018) Figure 1. John McCain John McCain, an American politician, statesman and US Navy captain who served as US Senator for…

The COVID-19 disease is a contagious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in December 2019. Over the past two years, more than 269 million people have been infected with 5.3 million died worldwide. Although COVID-19 is commonly recognized as a respiratory disease, it does have complications surrounding the heart in some patients. Some COVID-19 vaccines have also been found to have cardiac side effects. This article will dive into the cardiac, or somewhat unknown side effect of COVID-19 infection and vaccination.  General Symptoms of COVID-19 Get tested and consult…