Get ready to be pampered

Starting fromApr 8,m t3, the Curve - one of Malaysia's first pedestrlan~sed lifestyle shopping mall -will be transformed into the ultimate urban oasis dedicated entirely to beauty, health and relaxation.

With a unique Zen theme, the Curve will oe decorated with a backdrop of healing stones, running water and plants to create a harmonious and calm ambience. The Health and Wellness Week will also showcase numerous methods for relaxing and healing that will fit any shopper's busy schedule, as well as information on health issues.

At the Curve's Health and Wellness Week, shoppers will d scover the pleasures of special beauty and health treatments These treatments are being featured with the primary aim of promoting healthy living.

Madam Adele D. Flores, Centre Manager, the Curve, said, "In today's fast-paced society, most of us Jeedvery busy and demanding lifestyles which often lead tO our heaith being neglected. On this note. the Health and Wellness Week was conceptualised to create awareness on how to restore and sustain that health balance,

"Focusing on spiritual, physical and psychological elements, the Health and Wellness week will offer special promotions to enhance the quality of life for all shoppers. As our aim is to provide a unique and memorable shopping experience, the environment we have created here at the Centre Court provides an opportun ty for our. shoppers to soothe their senses" she continues.

To make this possible, an array of outlets from the Curve will be showcasing a variety of products and services such as Ogawa, Fitness First. Jean Yip Hub,Jurlique, The Body Shop, Forest'secret and JoJoBa International.

Forest'secret will have a soothing hand and foot spa demonstration and shoppers will also receive a free Forest'secret product with every purchase of RM5O and above. On top of this, those who wish to start exercising can join Fitness First for free and enjoy a one-month free membership, as well as an opportunity to watch a Body Balance Demonstration and participate in yoga sessions.

Jurlique, a skin care company specialising in biodynamic beauty products will be providing free trials for ten-minute hand massages. Shoppers can also enjoy special “indulge Your Senses Facial and Body" promotions by spending RM88 onwards as well as lucky dips at their booth.

Those who are ooking for an affordable pamper ng exper ence w certa nly enjoy Jean Yip Hub's H -tech treatment at only RM48. Shoppers can choose among the Radiant Diamond Peel, FP Face Firm, PLT Skin rejuvenation, Slim up contouring for the full body or the Dermasonic treatment. Furthermore, shoppers can obtain glamorous hair and make-up tips suitable for day and night as well as a hair styling demonstration for both men and women.

Shoppers who are conscious about the environment will be able to return their empty bottles to The Body Shop for recycling during the who e month of April and receive a 10% discount on the same item. In addition, by spendingat any health, wellness and beauty outlet at the Curve, shoppers wil receive a massage pillow from Ogawa. Redemption period is from Apr 8 to 27.

Shoppers who purchase any of the JoJoBa International Spa package treatments will also receive an additional one for free.

With all these and more at the Health and Wellness week the Curve is the deal avenue to practice active and healthy living.

Time to detox

ABLOATED tummy is not only uncomfortable but also affects your mood, appetite and confidence. It is not to be confused with being fat.

Belly fat is fatty ceils around your midsection and you can't get rid of it without proper diet and exercise. Stomach bloating is when the abdomen feels full and tight, even when you have just eaten a little.

And the most common cause is irregular. digestion or putrefying waste in the colon that produces gas at a higher rate than normal

These accumulated waste and toxins, if not released, will build up and overburden a crucial part of your body's natural detoxi-fication system.

In today's toxic world, our natural detoxi-fication process can easily become over-

whelmed, forcing toxins to flow back and re-circulate in our body system.

The most obvious source of toxins is of course from our food.

No matter how vigilant you may be about your lifestyle, there are unlimited sources

from where toxins can be found.

What's more, did you know that it takes about eight to 10 hours for food, after consumption, to reach our colon?

Our colon is made up of three parts: ascending, traverse and descending. It stores waste, reclaims water and maintains water balance in our body.

It also breaks down remaining proteins from partially digested food entering from our small intestines.

By the time the mass of a digested meal reaches the descending colon, the stool constitutes two parts water, undigested fibre and food products and one part of living and dead bacteria. "

The bacteria breakdown some fibre for hour shment creating waste products, which in turn nourishes the colon's cell lining.

Our colon is the waste disposal system in our body. If this system gets clogged up, all

these waste flows back into our body as toxins.

Without enough fibre, stool cannot pass through the colon easily, Consequently, the stool becomes harder, making it more difficult to be excreted.

The longer faeces stay inside our body, the longer our exposure to putrefactive bacteria.

This long intestinal transit time causes gut flora (good bacteria inside the colon) to function less efficiently and eventually gets overtaken by the harmful putrefactive bacteria.

Putrefying toxins in your colon contribute to the "sludge" in your intestines. This fermenting process also produces a lot of intestinal gas, which gives that discomfort feeling of bloated-hess.

Constipation and stomach bloating are symptoms you cannot ignore, even if it occurs occasionally, since it will lead to slow poisoning of our body system.

Doing a regular total body detoxification can help lighten the toxic overload in our body's natural detoxification system.

That's why there's an ideal detoxifier, gentle enough to be enjoyed everyday, yet powerful enough to have a real impact on the way you feel.

Swiss-Formulated TruDtox is made from 100% organically-cultivated herbs, flora and teas traditionally known to aid dotoxifi-cation -- without any added laxatives.

A natural and safe herbal cleanser, TruDtox gently cleanses pollutants from your body, helps rejuvenate normal functions of your body's detoxification organs and even supports thermo-genesis by burning excess fats,

It helps to flush away waste from your body without creating bowel dependency.

Regular detoxification brings long-lasting improvements to health by helping the body eliminate its toxin build-up and help strengthen the body's natural detoxificalion organs.

Take action today by doing total body detoxification regularly with TruDtox for a healthier and cleaner inside.

TruDtox retails at RM29.50 and RM53.00 for a pack of 5s and los detox sessions and is available at leading pharmacies nationwide.

Understanding your skin

ATTAINING beautiful skin is not a fantasy, even for those born with poorer genes. In fact, beautiful skin has become skincare's trend lately, receiving a lot more attention than just having good skin.

Good skin is essential in the society we live in, whether at work or play. Beautiful skin simply sums up beauty in totality.

"Beautiful skin is the foundation of natural beauty," says Cindy Yeoh, a 20-something writer who takes care of her appearance. "Having dewy and fresh skin actually make you look younger. A plain girl is capable of looking beautiful when she has beautiful skin."

What causes skin ageing?.

Skin consists of three distinct layers -- the Epidermis (outer protective layer). Dermis (inner supporting layer) and the Subcutis layer (fatty tissue layer). The structural elements on the dermis layer are made up of an even pattern of collagen and elastin protein fibres embedded in a gel-like substance rich in moisture-binding polysaccharides. This even pattern ensures a healthy, well-moisture, smooth, supple and elastic skin structure with a radiant and even complexion. However, the pattern deteriorates on a daily basis due to the internal and external factor.

Approximately 90% of skin ageing is caused by external factors environment, lifestyle and UV damage, The signs of ageing are dehydration, fine lines & wrinkles. uneven skin tone, UV spots/pigmentation and.thinner skin.

Over time, the skin's essential supportive structure deteriorates and bundtes up in the lower part of the dermis, making it unable to support the upper epidermis layer. The skin becomes dry, fine lines & wrinkles are formed, dilated capillaries and pigmentation spots become more visible and the lack of elasticity makes skin more lax.

To be more specific, skin ageing begins at 30 or even earlier depending on your lifestyle. So with so much going against our skin, how do we go about getting good and beautiful skin?

The answer lies in understanding your skin and nourishing it with potent nutrients.

Leading the world to beautiful skin Ferrosan, the world leading oral skin supplement has been helping women all over the world attain beautiful skin. With a presence in over 70 countries, this international brand from Denmark is a pioneer in the field of skincare

from within. The brand is committed to ensuring the name is recagnised as a benchmark for excellence, not only by loyal customers, but also by scientists, dermatologists, cosmetologists and aestheticlans worldwide.

Its marvellous effects are attributed to its patented and closely guarded Biomarine Complex, Rich in proteins and polysaccha-rides -- similar to those naturally found in skins' supportive tissues - it has been proven to improve the density, structure, quality andmoisture balance of skin.

Ferrosan's range of internal skincare products work so well because its' unique formulation is able to reach beneath the skin surface, the dermal layer, where skin ageing starts and where external skin creams cannot reach.

Fully aware that women in different age groups require different supplementation care

for their skin, Ferrosan, through its extensive research has produced three different products for three age groups, targeting specific problems that a generic supplement can-

not, making it the most comprehensive of internal skincare supplement.

Women in their mid 30s or those who live on the fast lane will benefit most from the

Ferrosan Plus range. A marked difference from other products on offer, Ferrosan Plus leads the field in bringing the two most potent anti-oxidants to its stable.

Specially bred and selected Lycopene and grape seed extract (LycoPhence GS have been added to the BioMarine Complex, with the final product scientifically tested to be effective. Together, these biological scavengers of free radicals work in synergy to improve and enhance the quality and structure of mature skin. While Bio Marine is clinically shown to improve, LycoPhence GS is scientifically proven to defend.

"It's easy to put out a food supplement in the market. But how sound is the science?"

asks Dr. Lange, who is today the Director of International Sales for Ferrosan.

"Here at Ferrosan, we demand efficacy results on products. We are 100% scientifically tested to be effective."

Beauty is simple and uncomplicated the Ferrosan way. Take two tablets from the Ferrosan Plus range daily and see visible results in two to three months, not only on the face, but all over the body.

• Neutralises the process causing signs of ageing
• Significantly improves skin's moisture balance
• Visibly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Diminishes visibility of dilated capillaries and age spots
• Leaves the skin with brighter more youthful and ever complexion
• Helps shield and defend the vital structure elements of the skin against future degradation.

Beautiful skin is indeed attainable. Just ask the millions of women who have been using Ferrosan.

There are many qua|ities that make a good doctor, but you shouldalso remember to overrate experience.

What makes a good doctor

There are many qua|ities that make a good doctor, but you shouldalso remember to overrate experience.

By Dr ALBERT LIM KOK HOOI

A PROFESSOR of mine back in medical school, not otherwise distinguished for academic excellence or linguistic style, was credited with one wisecrack. That was his only claim to fame and glory. He denigrated a hoary colleague of his by saying, "That doctor has 40 years of experience. He has the same one year's experience repeated 40 times."

I think he has something there. Patients do overrate experience in a doctor. Of course experience counts for something. But it is far from everything. It is not even near the top of
the attributes of a doctor I look for. Certainly not when it is an unthinking experience that
is more of a slog and a plod than anything else.

When is experience important? It takes an experienced doctor to get a patient and his carets to come on board the team. It is pointless to prescribe an effective treatment when the patient is reluctant and resentful about taking it.

In a case where textbooks and journals are not helpful or available, the doctor will bring
his experience to bear. I suppose good bedside manners are honed by years of experience. A
surgeon will need to perform a particular operation several times before he is adept and
skilful at it. He climbs the "learning curve".

Surgery is of course much more than cutting and sewing. Two of my gurus, Bernard Fisher and Umberto Veronesi, are surgeons. They went far beyond operating on patients with breast cancer. They thought long and hard about the natural history of breast cancer.

Bernie is alive and well. He still lends his wisdom and advice to the current crop of breast oncologists. Umberto has passed on. We acknowledge the pioneering work he did on breast conserving surgery. We, who treat breast cancer, owe a debt of gratitude to these two.

Experience should be varied. Experience should leave us thinking. Experience should make us learn. However much experience a doctor may have, it is still limited to the minutes and hours of his practice and what his brain makes of it. That is so little and confining!

More important than an individual's experience is the pooled documented experience. Notes (well kept I hope) written by tens and hundreds of thousands of doctors are collected, collated and analysed. Articles are written about this invaluable collective experience and duly published.

Experience should be combined with wisdom, judgement and knowledge. Wisdom is something we have lost in our overloaded world of information.

I can tell you what wisdom is not. It is not information, it is not knowledge, it is not skills and it is certainly not experience. It is not measurable. I leave it to you in your infinite wisdom (ah-hem) to decide what wisdom is.

Judgement is equally difficult to calibrate.We also know it by its absence. Think of Bush,
Cheney and Rumsfeld. Think of the judgements handed down by the law courts. Think of a drunk driver. Wisdom and judgement are to be quietly reflected upon rather than shrieked about in a sanctimonious manner.

Knowledge is an easier customer. Medical knowledge and scientific knowledge are indispensable to a doctor. The more journals he reads, the less likely he is to shortchange a patient by giving outdated treatment.

The more seminars and conferences he attends, the more he learns of what his "cutting edge" colleagues are thinking about and doing. In many countries, doctors are tested every year on their knowledge and skills before their license to practise is renewed.

I will go one step further when speaking of a doctor's knowledge, skills and expertise. In my opinion every doctor must be well versed with statistics and mathematics. How else can he make sense of the articles in contemporary medical journals strewnwith hazard ratios, pvalues and confidence intervals?

Barack Obama was not elected because of his experience. The American people decided
he had the wisdom and good judgement to lead them andthe world.

Alexander the Great conquered almost all of what was known of the western world in his early 30s.

Two thousand years ago, a wise, holy, politically-savvy man persuaded and preached and
pontificated. His influence on Western art, music and literature reverberates till today.

And he did all that ~in his twenties and early thirties.

Emily Dickenson wrote beautiful and moving poems. She was a recluse in Amherst, Massachusettes, with a fertile imagination.

Shakespeare himself did not travel that much in Europe and Italy. His plays set in Italy
(The Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, etc)
would make us think he lived and experienced the Italian way of life for decades.

The good doctor is well-mafinered, experienced, wise, creative, of good judgement and most of all, knowledgeable, scientific and mathematical.

Met any lately?

Dr Albert Lira Kok Hooi is a consultant oncologist. For further information, e-mail star-health@thestar.com.my. The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.