Health matters

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The rantings of the eminent Dr. V. M. Palaniappan have caused me to consider the health issues of Malaysia for the first time:

1. Does anyone know of long-term issues with the haze, such as those that affect dust-breathers/smokers?  Something akin to asbestosis or pneumoconiosis?  Lung cancer?  Asthma?  Allergies?

2. Is the bottled drinking-water fluoride-free, and are water vending machines of the "reverse osmosis+UV" type available?

3. Is fluoride-free toothpaste available?

4. Are the fresh fruit/vegetables in the markets "home-grown" or imported, are pesticides/herbicides in normal use thereon, and can they be avoided in any way?

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As a former healthcare professional I share your concerns about health matters here in Malaysia. Regarding the haze, it is definitely unhealthy, especially for those suffering from asthma, allergies and COPD. Even if you don't suffer from these ailments, you will in time suffer from respiratory problems. Here is a site you might find interesting: http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.44646/k.891/Fact_Sheets.htm

Regarding fluoride, this debate has been going on for a long time with a lot of misinformation being passed off as research proven truth. Fluoride is toxic, but at a level that no human would ingest it ie. eating tablespoons of pure fluoride. Here is another site that deals with fluoride: http://www.fluorideinfo.org/fluoride_claims-vs-facts.html

If you are worried about fluoride in the bottled water here, I highly doubt it is used. As far  toothpaste is concerned, I am sure that you can find all natural toothpastes, such as
Tom's All Natural. My dentist friends back home say that brushing your teeth in baking soda is just as good or better than commercially toothpastes. It's cheaper too.

One concern you did not mention was medication given by the doctors here. When you visit a clinic or doctor they give you medication, many times with no name on the packet. They also do not tell you the side effects or ask what other medications you are taking that might be dangerous in combination. There is also no record of the meds they gave you. You have to be proactive and question the doctor about your medications. If interested I can give you a site that will keep a record of the drugs you are taking and tell you of the sides effects as well as what drugs are dangerous in combination.

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Thanks, steveso, I will get to work on these.  It sounds similar to Thailand in respect of the over-prescribing of medicines.  It's how the hospitals make their money here; the doctor-charges are very low, the pills not too expensive but over-prescribed to maximise the income.

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hi,

Thanks Steveso, I'm interested in the site. Can you please post the link?

Down the road from me is a vegetable farm. There's weekly spraying of something so it must be pesticide. When you buy it soak for 20 minutes, then rinse, and rinse etc.

BTW, the local chicken farms here use lots of antibiotics. I once got hold of a bagfull of these antibiotics from the local "chicken taokay" and mixed it with antifouling just to test on the boat. It worked a treat and extended the effacy of the antifouling by at least 6 months.

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Hi Scott,

Here is the link to the site you asked for. You have to register, but it is free. The site keeps tabs on all of your medications and warns you if there are any possible dangerous interactions. You get a monthly update and are given the latest news of any drug studies and alerts. You can also research any medication.

https://secure.iguard.org/