Tag Archive for Health

Health Screening 2014

15 September 2014 Well-being No comments

Every 2 years, I am entitled to do perform a health screening, covered by my work. I didn’t do this in 2013, so as I wanted to be able to claim the new bike purchase which I purchased a couple of weeks ago, I had to ensure that I completed my health screening in 2014!

I booked it a few weeks ago, and luckily for me it was just down the road at Mount Novena Hospital – in the Parkway Novena centre – near to the Novena MRT station. They tell you not to eat for 8 hours beforehand, but allow you to drink water (no alcohol though). They also needed a urine and poop test too – nice…so I decided to perform that duty in the luxury of my own home, rather than going at their centre – peeing in a bottle is easy, but pooping is more challenging – so I had to collect it in a tissue first and scoop it in…nice, hey?

Annyway, the test took about 2 hours – with a general check-up, blood test, prodding and probing and lastly breakfast. Phew!

UPDATE > I received the report a couple of weeks later, and it seems that am in the green zone for every category – except two areas. The only two related to my Hep B antibodies – which are not present, so I need to get myself immunized to avoid me getting this disease. Also, my blood haematology (red & white cells and platelets) is normal, except a marginally low haemoglobin level – on this one, I just need to monitor in during my blood test next year.

Also, it was good to finally recap my blood group – it is AB Rh positive. This basically mean it’s a mean blood group, cos I can accept any blood, but can only give bloody to someone who is also AB positive. So very valuable blood. Whoops! Haha!

Biometric Health Screening

1 December 2013 Exercise, Marina Bay, New Chapter No comments

On Monday, 25th November, we had a biometric health screening session scheduled for MBFC, so I was keen to do a check-up to see how I was doing – health-wise. I previously had one done in early 2012, so was keen to check whether I was still alive and kicking!

The Biometric screening was basically focused on a few quick checks – your height, your weight, your waist, a quick prick on the finger to check your blood sugars, your blood pressure and then a quick profile check. The great news is that I passed with flying colours.

Having been ill over the weekend prior (I had a stomach bug) I was a bit worried that this could impact my results, but in a way, it could have helped in the sense that my body was clear of any toxins 🙂

My weight was 53.8kg (8stone 6lbs), my height 176.8cm (5feet 10 inches) and 72cm waist. My BMI was 17.21 – which basically means I am slightly underweight, so I need to eat more, do more exercise, have a balance diet and eat protein etc – to puff up a bit.

My blood pressure was okay 126/75mmHg, my total cholesterol was 100mg/dl – so VERY good (and low), my glucose is 5.1 – which is in the health range, although my heart rate was in the low rate of 72bpm, so I definitely need to do more exercise.

Anyway, it’s not all bad – so I am pretty happy with the results!

The second intermediary and advance screening – was also done, and they took some blood for these more detailed tests. The funny thing is the clinic staff advised us that the costs were covered by the employer, but we then received an email later in the morning stating that there was a cost incurred for the intermediary and advance tests – I complained to them stating that we had volunteered our blood, and I felt that there was some miscommunication. Finally, they accepted this error, and they advised us that the checks would be free for those that gave the blood, and they corrected the communication for the other new tests from the afternoon onwards. Yay – more free tests 🙂

I am hoping to do a more thorough health screening to do additional checks and discuss in more details what plans I can deploy to improve my overall health and wellbeing.

Singapore Smog and Haze – Dreadful

23 June 2013 Apartment, Exercise No comments

I had previously wondered why there was this burning smell and hazy feel about the place – for the past few weeks, but I didn’t think that much of it.  I knew that the summer heat and the Indonesian fires annually create a risk of haze floating across the Singaporean island, but this year it seemed to have been really bad.

At the beginning of June, the 24 hour PSI rating reached a range of 18-46 – which was healthy and relatively low – this was the normal rating that we would expect to see.  Since 13th June, the haziness and smog clouds started to come across and it got progressively worse each day until earlier last week when it went from “very unhealthy” (200+ PSI), to “hazardous” (300+), it even went past the magic 400 PSI market – which is “very hazardous” during a couple of occassions.  The previous worst smog reading was 226 PSI in 1997.

The worse thing is that we are helpless – we have to breathe, we have to go to work, we have to live – and unfortunately, we have succumbed to someone elses selfiness acts and performance.

Me and My N95 Mask

Me and My N95 Mask

In fact, it appears that all of the fires were manmade, including clearing forests and peat-land to create Palm Oil agricultural farmland.  The irony is that a number of the big customers and ‘land owners’ are from companies who have HQs in Singapore.  I guess, these are the ones to blame, but lets see what happens.

With all this talk about global warming, and environmental damage, I am amazed that our Indonesian friends are still have to get away with clearing land with this very poor and old agricultural technique!  It should be banned, they should be fined and they should be monitored to avoid it happening – it’s happening every year – so really makes me question, whether it is worth being in Singapore when my health is at risk!  Well I am stuck at the moment, so I just have to live and bear it…and hope it doesn’t cause long-lasting damage to my health!

Latest haze forecast are pictured here (live forecast – so will regularly update on this page).

Next 24 Hour Forecast
Source: NEA

 

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