Nurses are to healthcare as blood is to our bodies. They tend to our needs even before and after we have consulted the doctors. They see to our diet, hygiene and medication, and care for our bodies as much as our hearts. Nurses can also improve the efficiency of healthcare and lower its costs. Certainly our nation needs excellent nurses, but what is one and how can we train more? And how do nurses stay sharp and passionate despite the daily toll? In conjunction with International Nurses Day (May 12), we speak to Irene Quah, a nurse of more than 35 years and who now directs nursing training.

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After sex, money stokes the most conflict in marriages. How can couples discuss and plan financial matters? Are the traditional gender roles in marriages still relevant today, especially when wives may be earning more than their husbands?  Here to share his thoughts on how couples can better manage finances together is Dr Johnben Loy, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

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Paraphilia is a condition where a person is so obsessed with a particular object or behaviour that sexual gratification is only possible through those means. Paraphilia covers a wide range: Think of the extreme ends of fetishism, masochism, exhibitionism and pedophilia. Yet, what are the underlying psychological factors that separate the abnormal obsession from normal fantasies? Given the social stigma against paraphilias, how can we help paraphilic individuals lead normal lives? Here to shed light on paraphilias is consultant psychiatrist, Dr. Philip George.

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Press your hand to your heart and feel that beat under your skin and ribs. Your heart, smaller than a fist, keeps the rest of your body going by pumping blood from head to toe. Your heart also secretes hormone that regulate blood pressure. But what happens when your once strong heart turns weak and fail? How can you keep your hearts strong? In conjunction with Heart Failure Awareness Day (May 8-10), we discuss heart health and heart failure with Professor John McMurray, Professor of Cardiology at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow.

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More and more urbanites are putting on trekking shoes and venturing into the forests and hills, pacing the trails for a sports adventure in the outdoors. But is trekking for everyone, and is there a difference between hiking and trekking? We learn more about the health aspects of hiking and trekking as from consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Harjeet Singh and Alex Laevaert, experienced hiker and trekker.

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Dementia--forgetfulness, losing track of time, unable to remember and recognize family and friends--these are signs of old age that many assume to be a dreaded but normal part of aging. But is it? We still do not have a cure for dementia, but what can we do to prevent or delay its onset? To learn more about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of dementia, we speak to Dr Philip Poi Jun Hua, consultant geriatrician.

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For a sampling of the most exciting and interesting news that concerns our health, listen in as we bring you the most direct voices from experts and people on the ground. Today we learn how malaria parasites are resisting our most powerful drugs and that excessive diet supplements may lead to higher cancer risk.

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 A doctor’s ethics dictate that they do good and do no harm. Yet reality is much more complicated when it comes to treating underage patients who disagree with the choices of their guardians--how then should doctors advise and decide? Also, what are the patients’ rights when cost-cutting measures affect medical services? Join in the discussion as we draw on clinical experience and legal cases to discuss rights in medicine.

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How well are you breathing when you are sleeping? People with obstructive sleep apnea have their airways blocked, causing them to take shallow breaths or even stop breathing. Sound sleep is impossible. Here to tell us more about diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea with a polysomnogram and how to treat it are Dr Lee Leong Meng, ENT consultant and Wan Mui Quan, medical lab technologist, from Sunway Medical Center.

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When it comes to fighting cancer, we can count on our immune systems. Immunotherapy is a treatment for cancer that helps the immune system recognize and target  cancer cells. Here to tell us more immunotherapy is Dr Beh Chor Khim.

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