14th Malaysian Media Conference boasts buzz worthy speakers set to lead discourse on the industry’s recovery strategy, registration open now.

14th Malaysian Media Conference boasts buzz worthy speakers set to lead discourse on the industry’s recovery strategy, registration open now.

by | Sep 8, 2020 | Branded Content, Business

14th Malaysian Media Conference boasts buzz worthy speakers set to lead discourse on the industry’s recovery strategy, registration open now.

The Malaysian Media Conference (MMC) is back for its 14th year! Registrations officially started rolling in last week as soon as the page went live; unsurprising for an industry that has been deprived of physical gatherings for almost half a year.

The annual MMC is a proven landmark event for all media and marketing professionals to get everyone on the same page one day in the year. There has never been a year as important as 2020 for stakeholders in our industry to come together and assist each other to bounce back from the unparalleled challenges we’ve been smacked in the face with.

“As we enter a unique window of opportunity to shape the recovery of our industries, MMC 2020 will offer insights from experts to help inspire the media and marketing industries to determine the future state of Malaysia’s communication landscape,” said the organising committee of MMC 2020.

The committee added that by hosting a grand industry gathering, MMC 2020 is officially initiating The Great Comeback.

This year, MMC is bringing bright minds together, to give talks that are focused on inspiring the individuals who make up Malaysia’s media landscape, foster learning, inspiration and wonder – inevitably provoking conversations that matter for our industry. The line-up of expert speakers include media owners, advertisers, marketers and agency individuals.

Regional Director of Marketing from McDonald’s Malaysia, Eugene Lee is one of the speakers and will be discussing the idea ‘If you don’t get it, don’t get into it’, to emphasise the importance of understanding what you’re marketing, beforehand. Karen Chan, CEO of Asean’s fastest growing travel platform, AirAsia.com will also be part of the conference as a guest speaker. Visit the official conference website for the full list of speakers and panelists.

“One of the goals for this year’s conference is to trigger an open discourse on the “knots” faced by three symbiotic industries and the potential synergies that could be activated by addressing these challenges,” said the chairman of the organising committee, Harmandar Singh. “While COVID-19 has exposed our flaws and vulnerabilities as an industry, it has created the opportunity for us to have more raw and uncensored discussions on what’s wrong and how to fix it and it’s time for our industry to have that conversation, led by a line-up of speakers and panelists who are experts in their own field.”

When asked why a boomerang was used as the official conference logo, the organising committee explained that when they conceptualised the idea that led them to this year’s conference theme, they realised that the marketing, media and advertising industry needs a unique weapon to achieve a remarkable recovery.

“A boomerang is a rare example of a non-ballistic weapon,” a representative from the organising committee added. “When used correctly, boomerangs fly roughly parallel to the ground and as long as they maintain sufficient speed and rotation, they can resist the force of gravity.”

Similarly, the goal of MMC 2020 is to inspire Malaysia’s media landscape to follow the trends on the ground while remaining one step ahead and to be flexible as they keep moving forward towards The Great Comeback.

Drawing from the vision and vast expertise of each stakeholder, MMC 2020, in its 14th year, is designed to provide an unparalleled platform for creating, shaping and delivering collaborative solutions for the upcoming decade.

Register Now

Call 03 7726 2588 for more information. MMC 2020 is also HRDF claimable.

A Benchmark for a Safe Campus

A Benchmark for a Safe Campus

by | Jul 8, 2020 | Branded Content, Education

A Benchmark for a Safe Campus

“Everyone is precious, hence we had spared no expenses in keeping everyone at APU safe,” said Datuk Parmjit Singh, CEO of APIIT Education Group.

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 July 2020 – In line with the announcement made by the Ministry of Higher Education on allowing various categories of students back to their university campuses, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) prepares itself for the reopening by enhancing its current efforts on Health & Safety throughout its campus. The efforts were described via a #StaySafeTogether campaign launched on the university’s various social media channels.

Prior to the announcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO), an Emergency Response Team (ERT) was formed in January 2020 to manage student welfare, ensure timely communication and to ensure that stringent health & safety measures are implemented for a safe campus.

During MCO, APU took a major leap forward when it welcomed more than 2,000 students for the e-Orientation that was broadcasted live to students from over 90 countries. APU was also among the first universities in Malaysia to go live with online digital and remote learning during the MCO period.

Fast forward to 6 months later, the ERT is now extended to include the Safety Ambassadors, who are made up of friendly, caring and dedicated students and staff from various functional areas of the university. They will be educating, assisting and guiding the APU Community on the practice of social distancing and various hygiene measures. The Safety Ambassadors will be moving around the campus and will be placed in various locations, to ensure that the community stays safe together at all times.

APU has established a team of Safety Ambassadors to educate, guide and ensure the adherence of the SOP among the APU community.

“Safety Ambassadors are our APU Front Liners – we expect all staff & students follow their guidance at all times, and approach them for any clarifications on the Health & Safety SOPs that are in place on campus. Safety Ambassadors are around to keep everyone safe and alert,”  said Datuk Parmjit Singh, CEO of APIIT Education Group.

With aims to make the campus safe by setting new safety standards, APU has implemented various stringent health & safety measures, as described in its #StaySafeTogether campaign video and the Health & Safety Guidelines.

Some of these measures include the installation of high-end thermal scanners, face recognition system, and other advanced technologies. Regular, frequent sanitisation that has been taking place throughout campus since mid February 2020 will be continued, whereas automated hand sanitisers have been installed on every floor and every block of the campus.

Thermal scanners and other advanced technologies have been deployed to ensure a safe campus environment.

“At APU, we are a family of 12,000. Everyone is precious. Malaysia has an excellent track record in managing the COVID-19 situation. Our front liners have done a fantastic job; we have spared no expense in also ensuring everyone at APU remains safe,” said Datuk Parmjit Singh, CEO of APIIT Education Group.

Regular sanitisation procedures have been taking place throughout the campus since mid February.

The first batch of students, who are final year students of their respective programmes, will return to the campus for laboratory, workshop and studio sessions on Monday, 6th July 2020. Other categories of students will be returning to the campus by batches over the month of July.

APU is looking forward for further relaxations for all of its students to return to campus in stages and also international students who are awaiting to return back to their Campus. Click here to read APU’s Health & Safety Guidelines

About Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

 

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programmes in Technology that aim to nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. The multi-cultural student community comprises 12,000 students from over 130 countries.

Prospective students and parents who are interested to discover study pathways at APU may visit the APU Open Day (by appointment), on 11th & 12th July 2020 from 9am to 5pm.

Visit APU Website

About Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

 

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programmes in Technology that aim to nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. The multi-cultural student community comprises 12,000 students from over 130 countries.

Prospective students and parents who are interested to discover study pathways at APU may visit the APU Open Day (by appointment), on 11th & 12th July 2020 from 9am to 5pm.

Visit APU Website

Opportunity seldom knocks twice for house-hunting

Opportunity seldom knocks twice for house-hunting

by | Jun 24, 2020 | Branded Content, Lifestyle, place

This is the real moment to get your dream home

There are several unavoidable big-ticket items that people traditionally aspire to own and one of them is easily the most important in your life – a dream home! To many people, especially those who have been searching high and low for one, this could be a lifelong ambition and commitment. It takes time, money and energy to make that happen – a roof over your head. 

The good news is that things are starting to look up for our economy as businesses are opening up with more and more economic perks in place. The ‘reintroduced’ 2020 Home Ownership Campaign (HOC) is bringing unprecedented incentives to the delight of people from all walks of life, in the next 12 months. 

PENJANA incentives 

Calling all homebuyers both first-timers and those contemplating getting additional properties, this could be your once in a lifetime opportunity to make the best out of  the recently announced short-term economic recovery plan called  “Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara” (PENJANA) – a RM35 billion stimulus package to invigorate our economy 

The 4th and latest emergency relief, which is part of the RM295 billion economic boost to-date, aims to increase home ownership among Malaysians amid rising living costs. This is being implemented via two very practical measures – stamp duty exemptions on the Instrument of Transfer (MOT) and Loan Agreement for new launch properties (valid till 31 May 2021), and Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) exemption for disposal of up to three properties (valid till 31 December 2021), under the 2020 HOC.

Huge potential savings
Let’s say you are planning to buy a RM500,000 residential property, the potential savings you get to enjoy are illustrated below:

Buy properties and enjoy extra benefits 

More encouragingly, you can have a diverse property portfolio and still enjoy full and partial applicable stamp duty exemptions under the HOC campaign.

This is further sweetened by the lifting of the maximum 70% financing margin for the third home loan onwards (applicable to properties priced above RM600,000), meaning you can now borrow more to ease your home loan burden to suit your budgeting. 

Put it simply, be it you are a first-time homebuyer or an investor, you stand to gain from the now even more palatable HOC incentives. It is a win-win situation for both the buyers and developers.  

What properties qualify for the 2020 HOC and who can benefit from it?

NEW Residential properties* priced between RM300,000 and RM2.5 million by participating developers for Malaysian citizens.

*Properties registered with the relevant authorities for each region as follows:

Peninsular Malaysia Real Estate & Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA)
Sabah Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (SHAREDA)
Sarawak Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (SHEDA)

Low borrowing rates

Bank Negara Malaysia, within the first half of the year alone, lowered the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) three times, starting in January, followed by that in March and May (lowest since 2010) – to make the borrowing environment more conducive for consumers. The move is to cushion the Covid-19 inflicted economic impact. 

Knowing that OPR changes will directly influence the Base Rate (BR) and Base Lending Rate (BLR) revisions by the banks, lower OPR simply means lower borrowing rates for the consumers.

This certainly augurs well for house-hunting homebuyers as the current home loan interest rates have dropped to a very favourable range to the delight of home buyers. Please refer to the banks for the latest rates. 

So, is now a good time to buy your dream home? 

YES, obviously!

Goodies up for grabs

Don’t miss out on Mitraland’s Father’s Day promotion this June with plenty of giveaways to take home including 10 units of Ogawa massage chair worth RM5,999 each – on a first come, first served basis, for bookings made by 30 June 2020, subject to certain terms and conditions.

Other goodies include a lucky draw renovation package (voucher) worth up to RM50,000 to style up your unit, zero downpayment, extremely low booking fees from RM1,000, additional subsidy for 12 months (limited units only), zero-cost Sales & Purchase Agreement (SPA), legal fees and stamp duty.

Get smart!

Given the intensifying competition and irresistible offers out there, this could be the most opportune time for you to close the deal.

Gravit8 @ Klang South and Upperville @ Melawati are two specially crafted developments suited for the communities that they serve in.

The 2020 HOC is running until 31 May 2021 to make your dream come true.

Visit the Gravit8 or Upperville Sales Gallery as it’s Open Daily

Visit our page

Have a look at our Virtual Reality tours click here or here

Setting a New Benchmark in e-Learning

Setting a New Benchmark in e-Learning

by | May 22, 2020 | Branded Content, Education

Setting a New Benchmark in e-Learning

APU Team at the e-Orientaiton – May 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, 20 May 2020 – The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) took a major leap forward by welcoming its new intake of Pre-University students to the University via its first-ever e-Orientation Programme which was delivered completely online, beyond the 8000 current students who are undergoing Online Digital Learning (ODL) on the online platforms.

The live broadcast was streamed from the university’s campus in Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), recorded more than 2,000 participants online, including 632 students from over 22 countries, their parents and the university’s global partners. 

As technology is its forte, Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) had embarked on its digital education transformation over the last two years and since Aug 2019 a framework was set with strategic goals in place to roll out e-Learning – Online Digital Learning (ODL) to complement its conventional on campus mode of teaching & learning. Being one of the first universities in Malaysia to go live with online digital and remote learning during the MCO period, the implementation process was smooth for all stakeholders involved.

With aims to stay engaged with the Pre-University students who will be commencing a new milestone online, the e-Orientation Programme served as a connector between the university’s academicians, support staff and the students, who are unable to attend to face-to-face classes in line with the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

With efforts to provide a personalised touch to all students virtually, the university established an e-Counsellors team, comprising staff from the Student Services Team. Prior to the e-Orientation Programme, each and every student was assigned to an e-Counsellor, who are dedicated to providing a (virtual) hand-holding experience. These include answering to their queries, holding virtual meetings, & QnA sessions, as they hop on-board to the university’s Online Digital Learning (ODL) platforms – namely Microsoft Teams, Moodle and the university’s proprietary student experience application, the APSpace.

Topics covered throughout the e-Orientation Programme included an overview of the Online Digital Learning Journey, Social Media Digital Footprint, an introduction to Campus Life & Support Services, Briefing on PTPTN Loan and Ice-Breaking sessions and more.

The university’s academic management team ranging from the Vice Chancellor down to all Heads of School participated actively during these sessions that was held over 3 days, from 18th May  to 20th May 2020.

Datuk Parmjit Singh special appearance at the e-Orientation Programme Live

“Quote from Datuk Parmjit”

“e-Learning in APU was instantly adapted as soon as the lock down took place. I am delighted about the enthusiasm generated by all staff of APU and this e-Orientation is a fantastic initiative for our new students. We look forward to welcome all our students to the campus soon”

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of APIIT Education Group, Datuk Parmjit Singh made a special appearance at the e-Orientation Programme to encourage young SPM leavers to embrace Technology & Digital Learning and adapt to the new normal with positivity.

The e-Orientation Programme garnered positive responses from students & parents; “It feels like I am attending a virtual Ted Talk”, said a student, who participated in the e-Orientation Programme. Another student commented, “The dedication of the people in charge of today’s conference are very commendable. Beginning to enjoy APU already!”.

Mr. Gurpardeep Singh inspiring the new students to adopt & embrace Technology for Digital Transformation

An APU Alumni said – “As one of alumni for APU, I am proud that we can easily adapt into technology especially in this pandamic situation! Kudos to the team and our May intake students”.

“As a parent, I feel proud. I wish my University was like this. Well Done APU/APIIT.” – commented a parent on Microsoft Teams Live.

e-Orientation host Cheng Mun speaks to Ryan (e-Counselor). Sharing of their experience as an Alumni of APU & and their own Orientation 10 years ago.

APU’s next Pre-University intake is on 29th June 2020 for Foundation and Diploma Programmes. The e-Orientation for its Bachelors Degree and Postgraduate Students will commence in the first week of June 2020.

About Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

 

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programmes in Technology that aim to nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. The multi-cultural student community comprises 12,000 students from over 130 countries.

Visit APU Website

If you would like to request for more information or if you have other media enquiries, please contact:

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)
E: [email protected]  |  T: +603-8996 1000

About Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

 

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programmes in Technology that aim to nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. The multi-cultural student community comprises 12,000 students from over 130 countries.

Visit APU Website

If you would like to request for more information or if you have other media enquiries, please contact:

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)
E: [email protected]
T: +603-8996 1000

Two sides of a coin: Maritime and Modern Boutique

Two sides of a coin: Maritime and Modern Boutique

by | Apr 29, 2020 | Branded Content, Lifestyle, Property, society

Finding the sweet spot between the fine lines that define a “dream home” can be rather tricky. There are an abundance of factors to take into consideration and even then we can never truly be absolutely certain. Without going too much into superstitions such as “Feng Shui” or which side of the garden the sun is set to rise from, a few key items can be considered.

For some, it may be an instant dealbreaker to know that the homes in GRAVIT8 will be boasting a fully integrated smart home system. You guessed it! That means totally voice control of your home or via the app made accessible through your mobile device or tablet. The future once beyond reach in fabled Hollywood movies can now be a reality.

For those that are still yet to be convinced, this next point finds itself more grounded in less material circumstances. The one in question here is namely – the living environment.

Gravit8 is one of Mitraland’s latest development that spans a massive 15.6 acres of land. Ashino, the fourth and newest residential tower ranges from 871 to 1237 square feet, bridges a contemporary and unique maritime concept. At its heart lies an accentuation in the form of its placemaking 8-acre Lakepark.

Seamlessness is a characteristic most sought after in society today and GRAVIT8 recognises that need. The 11 Million Investment comes fully packed with an 800-metre jogging park, fitness stations and a playground for recreation. The facilities will also be the first in Klang South to feature Pet Friendly practices for all its patrons.

What of connectivity, you might ask? Fret not, GRAVIT8 has got you covered there again. Taking into the consideration the importance of a holistically wholesome environment, the development is situated strategically within 800m of the LRT3 station!

Understandably, a thematically structured development like GRAVIT8 may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In that vein, Mitraland has more than one ace up their sleeves; Upperville.

For those living life in the fast lane and unable to make away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this might be the one for you. Upperville is a modern natured boutique development of low density condominium units (merely 176 units ranging from 1050 to 1176 square feet!) surrounded by a serene environment.

Residents will be able to take in the splendour of breathtaking views and fresh air while simultaneously relaxing in resort-esque facilities facing either the Quartz Ridge or the KL City Skyline from the highest point in Taman Melawati (126m above sea level).

Coming back to the previously raised importance of the living environment, the atmosphere provided by Upperville is no gimmick as the surrounding properties are comprised by an array of multi-million dollar landed properties.

Strategically located within the affluent neighbourhood of Taman Melawati, many of the established amenities such as Melawati Mall, Setapak Central, WangsaWalk, TARC, Fairview International School, Columbia Asia Hospital are just less than 10km radius away from Upperville. Conveniently connected, the residence is also just adjacent to most major highways such as AKLEH, MRR2, DUKE and KARAK for effortless mobility.

Regardless of which development suits your fancy, there is a home for everyone. GRAVIT8 units begin from as low as RM440,000 and Upperville from RM500,000. Currently limited to the purchasers of the first 10 units, Mitraland is offering a subsidy of interest during construction period up to 12 months, ZERO downpayment and a chance to win a fully furnished package worth RM50,000! *T&C apply.

Make the purchase of your dream home worthwhile.

Hurry, your future home awaits!

Find out more
Lurking inactivity risks during MCO

Lurking inactivity risks during MCO

by | Apr 13, 2020 | Branded Content, Health

Lurking inactivity risks during MCO

The 4-week-stay-at-home order is an important action to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

However we need to be aware of the underlying health conditions that could creep  up if left unchecked, especially those that are affecting people’s mobility such as bone and muscle strength and the immunity.

Mobility health is vital

As we age, our bones, joints and muscles could become weaker and affect our strength and flexibility to perform daily tasks such as carrying heavy things, climbing stairs, squatting and standing up.

Mobility is essential for getting through the day as it promotes bone and muscle health to help us stay physically active in our daily living. Being physically active such as regular exercise is important in maintaining a good body defence system¹.

Bones, muscles and joints form an integrated system to support our mobility, flexibility and stability.

Bones alone, they not only form our shape and support our weight, but also protect our nerves, organs and all the other softer parts of our body. 

“When we were younger, we were much more active – moving around and using our muscles more, and putting our joints to good use at the same time. However, as we age, there will be some form of degeneration that occurs not only to your joints, but also a high potential of a phenomenon known as osteoporosis – a reduction in bone density,” explains Dr Gandhi Nathan Solayar, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon from Ara Damansara Medical Centre (ADMC).

Physical inactivity may affect bone and muscle health besides negative impact on body defence system².

“We do know that, immobility and people living a sedentary or inactive lifestyle are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. So, not being physically active is bad for bone health and many other things,” warns Dr Gandhi.

It has been reported that we may lose up to 20% of the bone density³ as we age and nearly 30% of the muscle strength⁴ if we stay inactive for just two weeks.

Health experts caution that osteoporosis is a silent disease, making it difficult to get detected. So what are the signs or symptoms that we may anticipate? 

“Yes, it is a silent disease. People with osteoporosis don’t really know they have it simply because they don’t feel the pain,” Dr Gandhi points out a brutal fact. “They don’t feel their bones getting weaker until it’s too late. So, when fractures happen, it will lead to other painful problems.” he continues.

Osteoporosis diagnosis

“It starts with history taking of a patient, followed by a complete physical examination. And then we go through all the risk factors from chronic diseases to ongoing medications, lifestyle, and so on,” he explains.

Dr Gandhi also draws our attention to a bone density scan, which is a quick and painless procedure using the X-ray to measure the strength of our bones.

Bone density scan can be done at either a public or private hospital, with the latter incurring a fee. 

“It’s a pretty straightforward procedure that takes about 10 to 20 minutes,” he adds.

What are the risk factors?

US Centre of Disease Control and Prevention⁵ stated that osteoporosis is more common in women, affecting about 25% (1 in 4) of women over 65, and about 5% (1 in 20) of men over 65.

The orthopaedic surgeon recommends regular exercise that works on the bones, muscles and joints to maintain good mobility and flexibility.

Adult milk powder such as Anlene Gold is one of the smart options. The product is scientifically formulated with MFGM ActiveTM (providing components similar to those found in joint fluids), high protein, collagen, 10 vitamins and minerals (including calcium) with no added sugars. It provides protein to help build and repair body tissues for a strong body defence system. Drink two glasses a day and move with flexibility and strength today!

96%* feel that better strength and flexibility after 4 weeks.

*Source: Survey conducted by Home Tester Club between 22/10/2019 and 3/1/2020, 100 members have received and home-tested Anlene Gold.

Watch how Anlene has helped to support them in their daily nutrition intake.

Stay active at home

Despite the 4-week home confinement due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Anlene would like to empower Malaysians to stay active by joining singer and songwriter Stacy Anam and tai chi master David Bao for inspiring #MoveAtHome and #JanganDudukJe home-challenge fitness drills. And at the same time, you can share your workouts with us to inspire others too.

Let's get energised!

Get your Anlene Gold on Lazada for a special discount!

Get it now!

References: ¹ MedlinePlus.gov  |  ² NCBI.gov  | ³ NOF, 2009  |  ⁴ Vigelsø A. et al. 2015  |  ⁵ CDC.gov  |  ⁶ RNI, 2017

 

 

 

The 4-week-stay-at-home order is an important action to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

However we need to be aware of the underlying health conditions that could creep  up if left unchecked, especially those that are affecting people’s mobility such as bone and muscle strength and the immunity.

Mobility health is vital

As we age, our bones, joints and muscles could become weaker and affect our strength and flexibility to perform daily tasks such as carrying heavy things, climbing stairs, squatting and standing up.

Mobility is essential for getting through the day as it promotes bone and muscle health to help us stay physically active in our daily living. Being physically active such as regular exercise is important in maintaining a good body defence system¹.

Bones, muscles and joints form an integrated system to support our mobility, flexibility and stability. Bones alone, they not only form our shape and support our weight, but also protect our nerves, organs and all the other softer parts of our body.

“When we were younger, we were much more active – moving around and using our muscles more, and putting our joints to good use at the same time. However, as we age, there will be some form of degeneration that occurs not only to your joints, but also a high potential of a phenomenon known as osteoporosis – a reduction in bone density,” explains Dr Gandhi Nathan Solayar, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon from Ara Damansara Medical Centre (ADMC).

Physical inactivity may affect bone and muscle health besides negative impact on body defence system².

 

 

Physical inactivity could affect our overall health. In addition, bones deteriorate with age, which could give rise to the development of osteoporosis when the body loses too much or makes too little bone. And when the bones become less dense, they become more fragile and are more likely to fracture.

“We do know that, immobility and people living a sedentary or inactive lifestyle are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. So, not being physically active is bad for bone health and many other things,” warns Dr Gandhi.  

It has been reported that we may lose up to 20% of the bone density³ as we age and nearly 30% of the muscle strength⁴ if we stay inactive for just two weeks.

Health experts caution that osteoporosis is a silent disease, making it difficult to get detected. So what are the signs or symptoms that we may anticipate? 

“Yes, it is a silent disease. People with osteoporosis don’t really know they have it simply because they don’t feel the pain,” Dr Gandhi points out a brutal fact. “They don’t feel their bones getting weaker until it’s too late. So, when fractures happen, it will lead to other painful problems.” he continues.

Osteoporosis diagnosis

“It starts with history taking of a patient, followed by a complete physical examination. And then we go through all the risk factors from chronic diseases to ongoing medications, lifestyle, and so on,” he explains. 

Dr Gandhi also draws our attention to a bone density scan, which is a quick and painless procedure using the X-ray to measure the strength of our bones.

Bone density scan can be done at either a public or private hospital, with the latter incurring a fee. 

“It’s a pretty straightforward procedure that takes about 10 to 20 minutes,” he adds.

What are the risk factors?

“Obviously, age and gender are the non-modifiable risk factors you cannot change. The older you are, the more vulnerable you are. Females have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis especially later in life and post-menopausal. Those with a positive family history are at risk too,” he says, not forgetting the modifiable risk factors such as lifestyle and diet lacking calcium and vitamin D (for effective calcium absorption).

US Centre of Disease Control and Prevention⁵ stated that osteoporosis is more common in women, affecting about 25% (1 in 4) of women over 65, and about 5% (1 in 20) of men over 65.

The orthopaedic surgeon recommends regular exercise that works on the bones, muscles and joints to maintain good mobility and flexibility.

Healthy diet is important

Healthy diet is highly recommended by Dr Gandhi.

A healthy diet that contains calcium (e.g. milk and dairy products, leafy greens, legumes, tofu), protein, and vitamin D is one of the keys to maintaining good bone and muscle health for better mobility and flexibility. Moreover, nutrient such as protein⁵ provides the important building block for our body defence system to help protect us from harmful foreign invaders.

Adult milk powder such as Anlene Gold is one of the smart options.

The product is scientifically formulated with MFGM ActiveTM (providing components similar to those found in joint fluids), high protein, collagen, 10 vitamins and minerals (including calcium) with no added sugars. It provides protein to help build and repair body tissues for a strong body defence system. Drink two glasses a day and move with flexibility and strength today!

96%* feel that better strength and flexibility after 4 weeks.

*Source: Survey conducted by Home Tester Club between 22/10/2019 and 3/1/2020, 100 members have received and home-tested Anlene Gold.

Watch how Anlene has helped to support them in their daily nutrition intake.

Get your Anlene Gold on Lazada
for a special discount.

Get it now!

Stay active at home

Despite the 4-week home confinement due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Anlene would like to empower Malaysians to stay active by joining singer and songwriter Stacy Anam and tai chi master David Bao for inspiring #MoveAtHome and #JanganDudukJe home-challenge fitness drills. And at the same time, you can share your workouts with us to inspire others too.

Let's get energised!

Reference

¹ MedlinePlus.gov  |  ² NCBI.gov   | ³ NOF, 2009 
⁴ Vigelsø A. et al. 2015  |  ⁵ CDC.gov   |  ⁶ RNI, 2017