Tips on staying healthy at askST talk

Straits Times senior health correspondent Salma Khalik taking questions from the audience at a free askST talk held at the library@orchard yesterday. Over 200 people registered for the event.
Straits Times senior health correspondent Salma Khalik taking questions from the audience at a free askST talk held at the library@orchard yesterday. Over 200 people registered for the event. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

In Singapore, where some 30 people are diagnosed with cancer every day, the importance of regular health screening to reduce the risk cannot be overstated, Straits Times senior health correspondent Salma Khalik said yesterday.

Even though screenings may not be cheap, with a colonoscopy costing several hundreds after subsidies, they help detect cancer before it develops. The cost can also be offset by Medisave funds.

Ms Khalik, 62, was giving a talk yesterday on the topic: "Could I have a serious health problem if I feel perfectly well?"

Over 200 people registered for the free talk at library@orchard. It is the sixth in a series of 12 talks under the askST initiative, where readers can engage correspondents from the newspaper on topics from finance to healthcare and education.

At the talk, Ms Khalik also discussed balancing proper nutrition and exercise to alleviate the risks of other medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. "Very often, people who have these problems don't feel sick," she said. "Try to load up with healthy food, like vegetables and nuts. Try to exercise a bit more."

Balance and consistency is key. "You don't have to give up unhealthy food. Eat less of it, and maybe share with a friend and eat something healthy to balance it out."

Housewife Ong Min Yee, 61, a regular at health talks, said: "The talk was good and she was clear about the topic from her angle."

The next talk will be on Nov 25. Deputy business editor Dennis Chan will discuss the topic: "Is now the time to refinance my mortgage?"

Registration opens a month before.

E-mail questions to askst@sph.com.sg or submit them at www.straitstimes.com/askst

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 29, 2016, with the headline Tips on staying healthy at askST talk. Subscribe