by Dr Chen Man Hin
It is commonly known that exercise has beneficial effects on the human body, especially the heart, lungs, kidneys, bones and muscles.
It also help patients to control their hypertension, diabetes, and mood disorders like stress and depression.
There is increasing evidence that exercise is also beneficial for mental health. Many discoveries have been made
Professor Arthur Krammer from the Beckman Institute in Illinois, USA found clear evidence that aerobic exercise boost performance in key areas of the brain and that exercise could improve ‘decision making’. The research team scanned thousands of rains of voluneers using the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Next, a neuroscientist, Professor Comon at University of California Irvine has found that during exercise, the nerve cells release chemicals (neurotrophic factors) which protect nerve cells from injury and prompt nerve cells to multiply and grow. The frontal lobes have shown to increase in size by MRI scanning.
Other neuroscientists also claim that exercises delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer disease, prevent Parkinsonism and help spinal cord injuries.
More good news. Neuroscientists from Brunel university, UK have evidence to show that exercise induced secretion of Human Growth Hormone. This is a hormone secreted in large amounts during youth and is responsible to maintain the body healthy and young.
This is important as there is an aging problem in the world, as people live longer. exercise will generate the exercise induced growth hormone response (EIGR) and keep the older generation healthy.
Thus there is mounting evidence that exercise has become the most effective form of preventive medicine for the people.
There is a need to have a national awareness and campaign to promote the importance of taking exercise as a daily habit like eating and sleeping.
#1 by max2811 on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 3:17 pm
Everybody seems to be too busy nowadays. Even children do not have time to play. They jump from one tuition class to another. Adults too busy making money. Then one day, people realise they are sick and then only they start to go to the parks. Most of the people who exercise are retired or not working. Quality of life has gone down. We work to make a living. Not live to work.
#2 by kanthanboy on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 3:18 pm
Thank you Dr. Chen.
I’ll take your advice to exercise daily. I also want to thank you for all the good works you have done as a former MP. I wish you have a joyful retirement. God bless you.
#3 by mendela on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 3:42 pm
Pls note “making love” is a good form of exercise too. A good and healthy love making session can burn many kilos of calories!
Also, mah jong game is good to fight Alzheimer disease too.
#4 by tsn on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 5:13 pm
Not too bad, he/she still manages to hop to the park upon realisation of the important of health over wealth. The most sickening is instead of hopping over to park, you end up in private hospital, when entering sakit badan, upon leaving sakit hati, being bombarded by the skyhigh bills.
#5 by Jefus on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 7:17 pm
Ronald Reagan once said “‘It’s true hard work never killed anybody, but I figure, why take the chance?”
As in exercise.
#6 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 8:39 pm
Good article and comment Dr Chen. But everything will come to naught if the COUNTRY IS NOT SAFE, if you get badly assaulted as is the norm these days.
Why, our reserve Ankasawan was slashed very badly on the arm requiring 100 STICHES just last night.
Personal safety is extremely important these days.
But our Internal Security people just turn a blind eye to all these incidents. Just who is the Internal Security Minister? I wish he would stay home more often.
BERNAMA
November 22, 2007 17:47 PM
Dr Faiz’s Injuries Will Not Affect His 2nd Astronaut Chances – Najib
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) — Injuries sustained on the left hand by Mej Dr Faiz Khaleed will not affect his chances of becoming Malaysia’s second astronaut, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Thursday.
He said although Dr Faiz’s injuries were quite serious and he had lost a lot of blood, his hand has been saved.
“I’ve been informed his condition will return to normal. Alhamdulillah (All praises to God), the surgery has saved his hand. The doctors who treated Dr Faiz are confident he can continue to perform his duties as a dentist and go on to become the country’s second astronaut,” he told reporters after visiting Dr Faiz at the Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre in Jalan Ampang.
The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) has offered Malaysia to send a second astronaut into space by end of 2010 or early 2011.
Dr Faiz sustained the injuries in a robbery after two parang-wielding men attacked him and a friend outside his house in Taman Mawar, Cheras, here, early Wednesday.
Dr Faiz was slashed on his left hand in the 2am incident when he blocked one of the robbers from swinging the parang on his friend’s neck.
He did not lose anything but the robbers snatched a gold chain from his friend.
Najib, who arrived at 12.45pm with his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis, spent about 30 minutes with Dr Faiz.
Press photographers and television cameramen were not allowed into Dr Faiz’s room to take pictures while reporters were barred from entering the room.
The specialist hospital’s orthopaedic surgery and trauma consultant Datuk Dr Zulkharnain (Zulkharnain) Ismail said Dr Faiz was operated on for four hours from 2pm.
“Dr Faiz did not suffer other injuries except for a deep gash at the tendon up to the bone. He was lucky the bone is not fractured,” he said.
Dr Faiz who had a five centimetre wound lost a lot of blood and had to receive over 100 stitches.
Dr Zulkharnain said Dr Faiz would be warded for one week and has to undergo physiotherapy for three months to fully recover.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s first astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha was shocked over what had happened to Dr Faiz and hoped to visit his colleague.
“I am shocked by the attack and cannot believe it can happen to Dr Faiz. I will try to visit him today,” he told Bernama on arrival from Amsterdam at KL International Airport (KLIA) early today.
Urging Dr Faiz to be patient in facing the predicament, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar hoped he would recover from the injuries.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar also said he could not wait to tour the country to share his experiences at the International Space Station with Malaysians, particularly with rural folks.
— BERNAMA
#7 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 9:30 pm
Tell me about it, Dr. Chen.
#8 by Raitman on Thursday, 22 November 2007 - 11:24 pm
Uncle Lim,
Do you exercise? :)
Nah, just joking, I’m sure you do. ;)
#9 by Marathonrunner on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 12:37 am
Remember the previous Health Minister said ” Health is wealth, if you do not take good care while you young. It is likely, you are going to spend of most all your wealth because of illness of some kind ” provided you have the Wealth, I say.
I fully accept that fact one day I will get sick because of aging process.But, if you exercise regularly and eat moderately. The chances are you will live longer and enjoy life the fullest. I am into 52 soon. For the past 5 year, I managed to complete 7 times full marathon( 42.195km ) and climbed many local mountains and the highest altitude that I reached is 5600 metres ‘kalapattar Peak’ which is near Everest Base Camp.
You tend to enjoy life if you are healthy.If you are not fit, my advice is start walking whenever time permits. Bye.Bye.
#10 by limkamput on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 1:54 pm
I think this is a time when all of us should spare some thought for P. Uthayakumar, legal advisor of Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force). How many of us are willing or able to do like what he is doing. Is there a way we can help financially for the cause.