A nation can only be wealthy if it is healthy, as many of our hopes and dreams can only be realised through living long and healthy lives. When people are in the best of health, they can achieve high work productivity, contribute to the well-being of our society and are rarely sick.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or chronic diseases are the leading cause of deaths in the world, representing 63% of all annual deaths. In Malaysia, NCDs are estimated to account for 74% of total deaths.
Top 4 Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Malaysia
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases include heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure. In Malaysia, coronary heart disease is the number one killer while stroke is the third largest cause of death.
Cancers
The five most common cancers among Malaysian men are colorectal, lung, nasopharyngeal, lymphoma and prostate; while breast, colorectal, cervical, ovary and lung cancers affect Malaysian women.
Chronic Respiratory Diseases
Chronic respiratory diseases consist of pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Lung diseases are the fourth killer disease in Malaysia.
Diabetes
Malaysians are reported to consume an average of 26 teaspoons of sugar every day, almost five times more than the ideal amount set by the World Health Organization.
Our Struggle with an Over-Consumption of Sugar
The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 reported that as many as 53.2% of Malaysians regularly consumed added sugar, sweetened condensed milk or creamer in their beverages every day.
On average, how much sugar do Malaysian adults consume from sugary drinks?
*Graphic on sugar consumption in Malaysia from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 by the Institute for Public Health (IKU), a research institute under the National Institutes of Health by the Ministry.
This is especially worrying as an over-consumption of sugar can lead to health complications such as obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) cited a recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO) that “additional sugar should be limited to no more than 10% of one’s daily energy consumption.” This means that the average amount of additional sugar intake for adults inclusive of hidden sugar should not exceed 10 teaspoons or 50gms a day.
Understanding the Importance of a Healthy Lifestyle
Health literacy is important for everyone because, at some point in our lives, we all need to be able to find, understand, and use the health information and services, health risk factors, and medical instructions for our benefit.
The NHMS 2019 defined the term health literacy as the “ability to find, to understand, and to use health information and services that are required for daily health decision making”.
*Graphic on sugar consumption in Malaysia from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019 by the Institute for Public Health (IKU), a research institute under the National Institutes of Health by the Ministry.
The public is constantly advised to practise awareness related to one’s health condition and management and be informed and up-to-date with one’s medical history such as current and prior health conditions, past surgeries, and medications as this is especially useful for when one visits a new clinic or hospital.
Building a Healthier Malaysia
The well-being of a nation hinges on having access to unpolluted air, water, and land, and the preservation of the people’s physical and mental health through prevention and management of illnesses and diseases.
While eating fresh is always best, even the most wholesome, home-cooked meals can still be missing nutrients that are essential to achieving optimal health, vitality, and longevity. What can we do to build a healthy Malaysia?
4 Steps to Raising Healthy Malaysians
BALANCED NUTRITION
Every day, our body needs adequate nutrients including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats for energy production, immune functions and growth and repair of our cells.
What’s missing?
Modern diets often consist of processed foods that are nutritionally deficient and high in salt, sugar, and caffeine, and robbing the body of essential nutrients including magnesium, calcium, potassium, chromium, and B vitamins.
What’s available?
Go for wholesome and natural food instead of chemically processed supplements. Superfoods such as organic spirulina are nutrient-dense food that provide balanced nutrition with numerous health benefits.
Elken Spirulina
Spirulina contains over 60 nutrients and is the world’s richest and most complete source of nutrition, including protein for repair and growth, iron and vitamin B12 for healthy nerves and tissues, beta-carotene for healthy eyes and good vision, and antioxidants to fight free radicals.
Elken Spirulina is made up of organic spirulina that has received various global awards for its quality and efficacy.
HEALTHY HEART
Diets high in fat and cholesterol, lack of exercise, obesity, insufficient sleep, alcohol abuse, smoking, high blood pressure and glucose levels can increase the risk of heart disease.
What’s missing?
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease causes more than 17 million deaths in the world each year. But our modern, stressful lifestyle doesn’t allow for adequate exercise, good dietary habits, getting enough sleep, and relaxation techniques that we need to achieve overall heart health.
What’s available?
An all-natural health supplement that can guard your heart. Elken LX Yang comes with three high-quality ingredients:
- Nobel Prize-winning Nitric Oxide provides superior tri-action blood flow solution to boost your heart health.
- Nutraward-winning ingredient Tomato Aqueous Extract maintains healthy blood flow and normal platelet aggregation to keep your heart fit.
- Patented Curcumin contains powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects to enhance Arginine bioavailability and increase N.O. production.
LX Yang
Elken LX Yang contains three patented and proprietary ingredients (Nitric Oxide, Tomato Aqueous Extract, and Curcumin) that can help with your overall heart health.
This supplement can help to maintain healthy blood circulation, support overall wellbeing and cardio-cerebrovascular health, regulate cholesterol levels, and manage blood pressure levels.
STRONG IMMUNITY
Observing a nutrient-rich diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and cultivating a positive mind-set helps us to respond better to stress and recover faster from sicknesses and illnesses.
What’s missing?
Stress, poor nutrition, insufficient rest, a sedentary lifestyle, and exposure to environmental stressors, as well as preservatives and artificial additives in our diet can weaken our immunity.
What’s available?
Foods that can boost our immunity include citrus fruits, berries, colostrum, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and green tea.
Elfahex
Research has shown that Mycelium Immuno Modulator Extract (MIME) can increase our natural killer cells including the T-cells and B-cells, macrophages, and white blood cells to activate and stimulate our body’s immune response system.
Elken Elfahex contains MIME, extracted from the mycelia of a specially cultivated ‘super mushroom’ called Basidiomycota, to boost our immune system, help reduce infections and assist in faster recovery.
EFFICIENT DETOXIFICATION
Every day, our bodies are exposed to toxins in the air that we breathe, the food we consume, and the environment we live in. The process of removing these toxins is called detoxification.
What’s missing?
Studies have shown that most people are unable to completely remove the waste in their intestines, even people who have regular bowel movements. Waste that is trapped in the intestinal folds may result in coprostasis, which leads to endocrine disorders, skin allergies, bloating, and body odour.
What’s available?
Lemon juice helps the bowels to eliminate waste and detox the body naturally by stimulating the liver to produce bile. Yoghurt also enhances the body’s elimination system by increasing the number of good bacteria that help to break down and digest food.
Laktoze
Elken Laktoze improves our overall intestinal health by clearing stubborn stools, restoring the intestinal flora balance, and regulating bowel movements with soy powder and Galacto-oligosaccharides