GREEN BARLEY AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS..

The Filipino society in general have progressed through the years,  rapid change in development and new acquired knowledge has led to leaps and bounds in technology and awareness in health.

The topic, I think is well known.  The problems that it tries to address is ancient.  Dreaded diseases are still widespread and yet even with the advancement of medical science, a lot still have no definite cures.

People resort on products that are natural with astounding claims of cures, defeating what western medicine has failed to achieve.  Cancer, dementia, infertility, etc, the list just goes on and on.

As a physician, I was trained to practice evidenced based medicine, treatments proven by research and studies to have medical benefits.  Evidenced based means trials, and trials means limitation of bias and reproduction of results proven by statistics.

Green Barley is a natural food, it belongs to a family of grass cultivated for its grain as a major source of carbohydrates translated to bread.

Barley is not well known in this part of the world, but rice is.  It is true that it contains several vitamins and  minerals and also some anti oxidants labeled as phytochemicals.  Well, its contents are not unique, you maybe surprised to know that papaya, unpolished rice, camote tops etc. also have those nutrients mentioned,  but they are not as popular as green barley,  maybe because of the curative claims that made it famous.

We do not have any clear cut evidence from trials that it is really what it claims to be,  the Government recognized it and therefore labeled it as a food supplement just like your favorite powdered milk.

My recommendation,  I have no objections for its consumption especially if so requested by my patients.  I recommend taking only a bottle once a week, mostly due to its price.  I think you can also get the same nutrients and benefits just by consuming talbos ang kamote, malunggay and other vegetables.

The best recommendations for good health are the basics.

1) balanced diet of iskargu-  isda, karne, and gulay
2) regular exercise
3) abstinence from smoking and alcohol

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RESIDENCY TRAINING IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

PCGH ER Logo

To be a physician means hard work and quite a number of years in school.  A very boring career path since most of your friends are doing great in their professions.

College degree is just a start for a future physician, medical proper is still  five long years in the making.  By the time you reach your post graduate internship, your high school buddy probably just got promoted to a junior managerial staff in company somewhere in Makati, and here you are struggling to finish another year of  alternating 24 hour shifting schedules.....

And now, your ready for the medical board examination, and with God's grace, you PASSED.

Then what?  Well, you can start a small clinic as a private general practitioner or be a freelance ER moonlighter.  Just the same, both career paths will give some generous income but nevertheless stagnant....

To be a physician means to maximize your learning potential, skills and of course income..  Your parents toiled day and night for your tuition and not to mention your books, uniform and most importantly... your BAON!!!

Your parents without any doubt are proud of what you have achieved, but they expect more from you.  As a physician, your family will be your first patients and because of that, you want to give them your BEST CARE....

Best Care at this point in time is limited... Limited because you still lack further knowledge and training.  Sure, a simple cough, fever, minor trauma etc... will just be snap for you,  but then again, your ageing parents will certainly have other conditions requiring more attention and treatment than you can provide as a general physician.

Going to residency training will give you that edge, the knowledge and skills to function efficiently as a physician.  You can help your family more, be a consultant to your colleagues in the medical profession and to your future patients...

Emergency Medicine is one of the youngest specialty in the Philippines.  It involves a much deeper understanding of all diseases, common or complicated and is probably the most important critical initial step in the management of life threatening conditions that needs hospitalization.  An Emergency Physician is a specialist in all age groups that requires immediate treatment for severe life threatening diseases, but they can also act as primary care physicians and direct patients to other specialties that requires no immediate intervention.

Pasig City General Hospital's Acute and Emergency Department is just one of a few Training Institutions that offers a residency training program in Emergency Medicine.  It was given a full accreditation status by the Philippine College of Emergency Medicine.

Pasig City General Hospital's Acute and Emergency Department
Consultants and Residents

If you choose to take a career path in Emergency Medicine,  Our Department is always open for new trainees.  You can visit us anytime, just drop by at the ER and look for any resident on duty or the ER consultant on duty....

For more info,  contact our Senior Resident.

Dra. Tina Arroyo,  0917-8419474 or call us direct 02-6427380..

For the History of PCGH Acute and Emergency Department Click Here....

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FLOOD AND DISASTER RELATED DISEASES

The recent heavy monsoon rains has brought widespread floods to the metropolis and nearby suburbs like Bulacan and Rizal.  Flooding I think has been a part of the Filipino lifescape since I learned to walk and talk.

Metro Manila Flooded (Caloocan City Area)

This annual headache seems to have no solution, people seems to forget previous disasters and always get caught flat footed when another one comes.  Government foresight or planning seems to be non-existent.

Again, STATE OF CALAMITY!!!! A sad state of existence.

Quiapo Flooded

Government's response, of course, set up evacuation centers, distribute relief goods, medical missions, etc...  A typical response to a calamity.  I am sure THE ONDOY PHENOMENON was well forgotten by our politicians.....

It is definite that eventually the rains will stop, the flood waters recede, and heavy traffic will resume, hehe.  And it will also be definite that diseases related to flooding, filth, sanitation, crowding will come in the next few days or not weeks.

Disaster Related Diseases are as follows;  Infectious Diarrhea, Typhoid Fever, Dengue Fever, Leptospirosis, Malnutrition and Soft Tissue Infections ( PIGSA, ALIPUNGA )....

I cannot forget the first 8 months post ONDOY,  It was my first time in my Medical Life to see patients
with the previously mentioned diseases on a daily basis.  I had horrendous cases of PIGSA and ALIPUNGA, that is, MEGA-PIGSA and MEGA-ALIPUNGA, matindi talaga....  Don't worry, all of them responded to treatments.

I advise people to steer away from flooded areas, drink bottled water or boil it for 30 minutes, apply insect repellants and observe hygienic practices,  easier said than done of course, but as a Physician, that is what I do, I advise and treat....

The culprit here is the LACK OF POLITICAL WILL BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.... AND OF COURSE, CORRUPTION.... HEHEHE.

How many disasters shall Juan endure until the Government realize the BIG picture,,,,

Visit your internist for more info on disease prevention....

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TAWA TAWA AS A CURE FOR DENGUE FEVER?

Tawa tawa plant courtesy wikipedia

Tawa tawa, a herbal plant has been claimed as a cure for Dengue Fever for quite sometime now.  It is a widely known so called cure that most patients afflicted with Dengue Fever most often take even without an advise from their physicians.  It is mostly consumed as a concoction or a tea, with conflicting dose regimens most often passed on by word of mouth or from anecdotal sources.

The plant which grows wild in southeast Asia, has huge claims but miniscule evidence to back its therapeutic efficacy for Dengue Fever and even its deadly hemorrhagic variant.

The fact still remains,  there is no cure for Dengue Fever.

Accepted treatment regimens are conservative in nature since the disease runs its natural course and it is self limited.

Adequate fluids are essential since patients develop endothelial dysfunction that results to dehydration which manifest as elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.

Spontaneous bleeding may occur, but depending on the severity shall warrant transfusions with blood products like platelet concentrate, cryoprecipitate and or fresh frozen plasma to address the coagulopathy seen in the hemorrhagic type of Dengue Fever.

The question still remains...  Is Tawa Tawa a cure for DENGUE FEVER?

The answer:

There are no clear cut evidence to suggest that it is a cure.
There is also no evidence to suggest that it is dangerous when consumed.
As an internist,  I treat my patients using accepted treatment modalities, drugs and interventions that are proven based on trials and not on heresay evidence.  I cannot recommend TAWA TAWA as a treatment for Dengue Fever, but I don't object for its use if so requested by my patients.

Only time will tell if new evidence or controlled trials will prove the efficacy of this plant.

Consult your internist for more info.

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WHAT CAUSES PALPITATION?

Palpitation is one of several common symptoms that results to clinic visits.  A sudden feeling or awareness of owns heartbeat or a feeling of air hunger accompanied with a bounding heartbeat is what defines this common complaint.

ECG: palpitation treatment

Unlike other symptoms like abdominal pain, back aches and headaches. Palpitations almost always causes the most anxiety among patients, maybe because it represents the heart and the universal awareness that the heart is the most important organ in the body.

In fact, palpitation is almost always benign in nature and self limited..Most often due to anxiety, physical and emotional stress, alcohol intake, caffeine etc...

A good history and physical examination by your internist will likewise rule out diseases that may manifest with this symptom.

Thyroid diseases, coronary artery disease, electrolyte abnormalities are some of the diseases that can cause palpitation.  Your internist is more than qualified to diagnose and treat the diseases mentioned but then again it maybe benign in nature and a tap on the shoulder with words of reassurance by your internist will do the trick..

Visit your internist for more info..

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