Awareness and understanding of Erectile Dysfunction is high among Malaysians but more than half of respondents would not seek healthcare practitioners

Thanks to a kind invitation , yours truly git to learn some new things about erectile dysfunction, a problem some men face in life… it was definitely an interesting and fascinating topic and which could be treated …


So, A. Menarini Singapore Pte Ltd (Malaysia Branch) conducted an online survey on the general understanding and awareness of erectile dysfunction (ED) among Malaysians recently…

For those of you who are wondering what it is, ED is defined as the persistent inability to attain and maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual performance. In the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey, it was found that among sexually active Malaysian men aged 18 and above, 47.1% had probable mild ED and 31.6% had probable moderate to severe ED.

 

According to the survey conducted by A. Menarini, 87.9% of respondents understood the meaning of erectile dysfunction and identifed the common symptoms and causes of ED. However, the survey also revealed that 41.5% responded that it was somewhat unlikely for them to see a health practitioner despite struggling with ED. Thus, despite the general awareness and understanding about ED is there, many Malaysians are hesitant about seeking out professional help probably from embarrassment and helplessness..

 

“At A. Menarini, male health is a priority and understanding the sensitivities and taboo surrounding the topic of ED can be a difficult conversation to have not only with your partner, loved ones and your doctor. Findings from the online survey revealed that while Malaysians are aware of ED and how it manifests, there are still more conversations to have about understanding that ED is a treatable condition,” said Amelia Mok, General Manager, A. Menarini Singapore Pte Ltd (Malaysia Branch).

 

The Impact of ED on Patients and Loved Ones

Naturalness and spontaneity are parts of the drivers of sexual intercourse, and for ED patients, time-to-effect plays a big role in achieving successful intercourse. 3 For ED patients, spontaneity in sex can add to psychological concerns further reducing the ability to have successful intercourse. In this survey, 24.5% and 32.1% of respondents stated that ED takes a toll on their mental health and sometimes cause frustration respectively, thus affecting their quality of life. Similarly, for women with partners that struggle with ED, 55.7% of respondents revealed that their confidence and personal satisfaction are affected when intercourse is interrupted due to ED.

 

The male survey respondents cited the top three causes for their struggles with maintaining an erection as stress and anxiety (34%), exhaustion (32.1%), and other personal reasons (15.1%). From the point of view of the female respondents, the top three causes for their partner’s struggles with ED are stress and anxiety (71.4%), exhaustion (65.7%), and embarrassment or low self-esteem (31.4%).
In general, the survey findings have revealed that ED is a medical condition that takes a toll on not only the patient but also the loved ones.

Starting the conversation on erectile dysfunction can be challenging and Malaysian respondents of the A. Menarini surveys are however able to have conversations about sexual health with their partners, though most of these respondents are unlikely to see a health practitioner when struggling with ED. 

41.5% of male respondents and 44.3% of female respondents are able to have conversations with their partners regarding sexual health and intimacy.

Taking the next step to meet with a health practitioner, is the way forward to help patients struggling with ED and their loved ones to improve their quality of life. Malaysians are aware of ED but there are still great strides to be taken to help Malaysians understand that ED is a common issue and the importance of seeking out professional help to manage their struggles with ED. 

When the survey respondents were asked to identify the top three common erectile dysfunction treatments, Malaysians named oral drugs or pills (70.1%), testosterone therapy (52.3%), and traditional and herbal remedies (43%).

A. Menarini aims to raise awareness of men’s health, and with erectile dysfunction, it is not enough to just know about ED but to continue to drive the message that ED is almost always a treatable condition. It’s important to educate the public about the benefits of reaching out to health practitioners as ED is a common medical condition….

ShopeeFood Rewards Female Driver Partners in Special Women’s Day Celebration

In conjunction with International Women's Day celebrations in the month of March, ShopeeFood hosted a special event as a show of appreciation for women driver partners in Klang Valley. The event was supported by several leading brands such as NIVEA, Marrybrown, Chatime and L'Oréal Malaysia. Almost 60 female riders, accompanied by their friends, participated in the event to celebrate the day.

In addition to the collaboration with leading brand partners, ShopeeFood also provided a personal development program led by an expert in the field of humanities and social studies: Associate Professor Dr Hadija Mohd, who has developed the Personal Initiative Intelligence (PI-Q) framework.

The PI-Q framework aims to build essential soft-skills to help driver partners improve their job performance. The unique approach focuses on developing the inner qualities of an individual, such as resilience, self-awareness, and empathy.

At the end of the program, three selected driver partners were recognised for their participation and given an opportunity to continue their education with a scholarship in a recognised higher education program. ShopeeFood selected the City Continued Education Centre to partner for the scholarship that’s valued at more than RM60,000.

 According to Kwa Yin Leng, Head of Operations for ShopeeFood Malaysia, the celebration is an important milestone in recognising women’s contribution to the food delivery industry. “ShopeeFood aims to provide our female driver partners a supportive environment so they feel valued, safe and recognised. We are happy to be partnering with various brands and showcase our efforts in a meaningful way. The learning programs will go a long way in upskilling our riders and hopefully impact their lives for the better,” she said.

In addition to the personal development class, the driver partners were also treated to a self-care workshop hosted by NIVEA. The experts from NIVEA helped the riders learn healthy skincare and good hygiene habits as riders are often exposed to changing weather conditions while doing their work. At the end of the session, the female driver partners were also given NIVEA products to kickstart their regime.

The highlight of the event was a panel session that was also live-streamed on the Shopee app and social platforms. The lively discussion featured three popular figures from different backgrounds sharing their personal stories of immense challenges and how it led them to success. The panellists were:

● Datuk Shalin Zulkifli, a professional bowler and athlete who has represented Malaysia for 28 years in numerous international competitions. She currently holds five world championship titles and is a fierce advocate for gender equality.

● Nandini Balakrishnan is a known influencer and video producer with a popular media company. She has written extensively on issues related to the discrimination and her work has been featured in major publications around the world. In 2021, Nandini was also awarded the Women of the Future Awards Southeast Asia in the ‘Arts & Culture’ category. This award recognises achievements of female trailblazers across industries.

● Natasha Helwa Binti Ramlee, is a young female entrepreneur and a ShopeeFood merchant. She is the eldest of three siblings that founded the popular restaurant franchise of ‘Tiga Budak Gemok’. While the restaurant may have had humble beginnings of starting off under a tree, the business today has rapidly grown and expanded to cover more than six states in Malaysia.

To end the day, driver partners were treated to a sumptuous lunch sponsored by Marrybrown and Chatime Malaysia. The riders feasted on Nasi Lemak MB by Marrybrown and a variety of bestselling bubble tea drinks like Grass Jelly Roasted Milk Tea, Mango QQ, Lychee QQ, Passionfruit QQ from Chatime Malaysia. 

The riders also went home with skincare giveaway from L'Oréal Malaysia consisting of L'Oréal Paris products valued at approximately RM12,000. .

ShopeeFood Mid Month Sale

Enjoy for one-day only a variety of food and drinks on sale with Mid-month sale from ShopeeFood. Enjoy:

● Super Deals to RM21 OFF

● Save up to RM30

● Free Delivery (RM0 Min. Spend)

MAGGI BOOSTING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

MAGGI® is continuing to empower women and small business owners through its Program Mentor Wanita Cukup Berani MAGGI® (‘PMWCBM’)..

For International Women's Day 2023, MAGGI® has announced its third edition of PMWCBM in collaboration with tech companies – Google, Meta, and TikTok. This collaboration offers a comprehensive upskilling workshop and masterclass focused on content creation for social media, personal growth and one of the best ways on how to grow a food business. 

Since the programme’s inception in 2020, it has impacted over 3,500 women nationwide.

At the launch event, YB Dato’ Sri Nancy Shukri, Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM), said, "This year's International Women's Day theme, #EmbraceEquity, aligns with our ministry's goal of promoting women's active participation in the workforce. Upskilling women and marginalised communities with digital skills will provide new income opportunities, narrowing the gender equality gap. Gender equality requires the involvement, cooperation and support of various stakeholders. We're pleased to be part of this encouraging collaboration between the private and public sector. MAGGI® will work with the Ministry on grassroot community outreach with a key focus on the B40 community, offering upskilling workshops and engagement sessions to help them tap into the digital economy.”

 

Nestlé has commemorated the International Women’s Day over many years now, as an important milestone to celebrate women’s achievements around the world. 

Juan Aranols, Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad said “We recognise the progress made in the journey so far, while we renew our commitment to continue making positive changes towards building diversity, equity and inclusivity in Malaysia, for women and for all. With the advent of digitalisation, Nestlé and MAGGI® are embracing gender equity by upskilling and empowering women in the digital age, whilst building their confidence and helping them elevate their food businesses.”

 

With the rise of social media and the growth of the digital landscape, there is a vast opportunity for women in Malaysia to generate sustainable income from food content and level up their food businesses with digital skills and capabilities. 

MAGGI® is taking a step further to elevate the Program Mentor Wanita Cukup Berani MAGGI® to the next level by collaborating with renowned digital leaders such as Google, Meta, and TikTok.

 

And for this, the new edition of Bengkel Online Wanita Cukup Berani MAGGI® introduces a brand-new online module for participants who want to start their journey as food-based content creators, either as individuals or business owners. 

Participants are also presented with the opportunity to attend a Masterclass: Food Influencer and Content Creator with MAGGI®. Experts from Google, Meta and TikTok share guidance, advice and best practices on content creation, while successful influencers share their stories to inspire participants. 

After a rigorous selection process, 21 winners will be selected to receive a contract with MAGGI® and be part of an exclusive mentorship program to become food content creators.

 

Geetha Balakrishna, Business Executive Officer of MAGGI® of Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad said “As we progress along to support women in their upskilling journey, it is important to remind all that we must always strive for progress and make a difference, no matter how small. So we should constantly ask ourselves, ‘Apa perubahan anda hari ini?’ (‘What changes did you make today?’). We are confident that through the Program Mentor Wanita Cukup Berani MAGGI®, we can continue to encourage women to make a positive change as aligned with MAGGI® CukupRasa’s‘Tak Kenal, Tak Cinta’ ('Never Try, Never Know') spirit.”

 

For more information about the Program Mentor Wanita Cukup Berani MAGGI® 2023, please log on to https://www.maggi.my/en/maggi-happenings/maggi-cukup-rasa/

AmLife Advocates “Regenerative Sleep – The Secrets of Agelessness” during World Sleep Day 2023

AmLife International Sdn. Bhd.’s World Sleep Day (WSD) initiative this year addressed increasing sleep issues via its regional sleep health showcase recently

 

Post-covid period brought a lot of new meaning and challenges to lives, affecting one’s sleep quality. 

The National Library of Medicine & Biotech Information indicated that COVID-19 have caused both short and long term side effects with 40% of people reported having difficulties sleeping during the pandemic and 31% of people suffering from post-COVID disrupted sleep.

 

According to report from Asian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, statistics showed 9 out of 10 Malaysians experienced some level of insomnia and suffer from one or more types of sleeping issues. 35% of Malaysians have some sort of sleeping disorders with more than 53% of Malaysia’s workforce getting less than the minimal 7 hours sleep in a 24-hour period with at least 51% suffering from work-related stress.

 

A combined cross sectional online health & work survey done by Centre for Community Health Services, Faculty of Health Science and some of our key local universities such as UKM & UM reported that in 2021, 54% out of 11,356 working adults had insufficient sleep. 

Factors associated with sleep duration of less than 7 hours per night included having children, lifestyle factors, poor sleeping conditions and mental health issues.

 

Staying true to its tagline, “ Life, Redefined,” AmLife began their WSD movement to help  Malaysians achieve better sleep, hence improving health and enabling them to live life to their fullest. 

This year marks the 8th year AmLife is organising the World Sleep Day sleep health showcase with long-time collaborator World Sleep Society and partner of three years, Taiwan Sleep Care Association (TSCA) under the theme “Sleep is Essential for Health”.  
This is a regional sleep education initiative covering Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

 

Celebrity & TV host Hui Mei was chosen as the World Sleep Day ambassador for AmLife this year.

 

According to Mr. Lew Mun Yee, Founder & President of AmLife, sleep education is becoming increasingly important as sleep disorders trigger various chronic conditions which include Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, depression and immunity-related illnesses.  

 

“Over time, lack of good sleep can lead to degenerative diseases. Scientific studies pointed out that sleep is the best way to boost your immune system and reduce your risk from virus infection! Sleep and aging are inter-connected as sleep disorders impact the body and immunity and overall functions and immunity, and accelerates aging,” said Lew.

 

Hence, AmLife also expounded on “The Secrets of Agelessness” today through regenerative sleep.   

According to the news reports, Malaysia will become a nation of the elderly by 2030, which means that in just eight years’ time, the population of 60-year-olds will reach 15.3%, which means that one out of every six people will be over 60 years of age.

The aging of the Malaysian population poses a significant threat to the nation's health care industry and is a major challenge to our society. Alzheimer's disease is a severe health problem in the elderly. About 50 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and there are 7 million people in Japan alone who have Alzheimers….

 

It sure was an eye -opening event as we learnt a lot from the sleep experts who shared their insights at the event. 

Dr. Ariel B. Neikrug, PhD, Health Clinical Psychologist and Sleep Medicine Specialist and a Registered Assistant Clinical Professor, Psychiatry & Human Behavior, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine shared facts relating to age related regeneration & anti-aging. 

He also spoke about mental health issues affecting people post covid. “Sleep plays an important and vital role in the process of aging, our mental health and general well-being. Primarily sleep is involved in the regeneration and repair processes of our bodies and brains,” Dr. Ariel said.

 

Dr. Lim Geng Yan, Aged Care Entrepreneur, Innovator and Doctor of Medicine, shared on cell degeneration and how immunity level is boosted through quality sleep and stem cell therapy.

“While current covid treatment strategies cannot help damaged organ cells to regenerate, many medical studies shows that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) has the ability to regenerate damaged organ due to covid and that MSC can potentially help to reverse long covid side effects,” Dr. Lim shared.

 

Food and exercise are crucial in promoting better sleep. Mr. KS Chan, certified Nutritionist and Dr. Choo Hao Jian, a doctor specialises in geriatrics and regenerative medicine shared their insights on achieving quality sleep through proper dietary nutrition and home care activities to help ease the body and mind into restful sleep, respectively.

 

“Quality sleep can be achieved by practicing circadian cycle, where we train our body to get used to a routine that regulates the sleep-wake cycle,” Dr. Choo said.

 

“A way to practice this is to turn off the lights when we get home after work, and to put down every electronic device so our body will automatically know that it is time to wind down,” Dr. Choo added.

 

“One way to improve our diet is to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, and at the same time consume more lean meat. People should also avoid processed food at all costs,” KS Chan said.

 

During the event, AmLife launched the “Sleep Better with AmLife” CSR campaign which aims to capture Malaysians’ most common sleeping issues. Several lifestyle influencers will invite “sleep stories” from their readers and winning entries will be entitled to epigenetic test and professional medical consultation accordingly.  

 

At the event, AmLife also rolled out its new and revolutionary AmLife DeepZleep – AmSonic - a unique regenerative sleep technology from Japan. This device provides three types of revolutionary therapy concepts comprising Electric Potential Therapy, AmSonic Frequency Therapy and Thermal Therapy.  This combination of therapies provide the world’s first regenerative sleep for all-rounded physical and spiritual wellbeing which let you recharge your health while you are sleeping.

 

AmLife has been educating and helping people achieve better sleep and health through its electric potential therapy technology from Japan for the past 20 years. Having established a foothold in the sleep industry, the company is currently making headways into regenerative medicine through stem cell therapy.

 

“This breakthrough treatment helps more people to delay aging and reduces diseases to enable all to enjoy a quality life. With stem cell therapy, one can grow older but still remain strong as the human body is  fundamentally made up of cells; hence the consistent regeneration of new cells help with the anti-aging process,” said Mr Lew.

 

AmLife’s latest endeavour – its newly-opened AlphaCelle – touted as the first clinic to integrate stem cells, high electric potential, and exosomes for a comprehensive regenerative treatment to help more people delay aging, reduce diseases, and live a good quality life in old age.  

 

“Our mission is to popularize stem cell therapy for all and allowing more and more people to have stem cell therapy and move towards a new and happy life,“ enthused Mr Lew.

 

For more information, please visit www.amlife.com.my

Taste of Sambal Fiesta (TOFSE) supports SME Sambal Entrepreneurs

The Taste of Sambal Fiesta (TOFSE), which is a collaborative effort between Persatuan Seni Warisan Artistik Digital (PSWAD) and KL Gateway Mall is currently being held from 10 to 12 March 2023 at KL Gateway Mall, Bangsar South.

TOFSE was officially launched by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, YB Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan

TOFSE is offering sambal lovers about a hundred different types of sambal and sambal related products by Small Medium Enterprise (SME) sambal entreprenuers. 

Some of the sambal has also been  recognized by Department of National Heritage as a national heritage dish - beginning with the sambal tumis, sambal tempoyak daun kayu, sambal rong, sambal goreng, sambal biji getah, sambal hitam ikan bilis and sambal tahun!!!

Besides Malaysian sambal as the main exhibitor, sambal lovers can also try and purchase sambal from 50 sambal entrepreneurs including Asian Pavilion which includes Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Pakistan and Thailand.

Malaysia is famous for their assortment of food including the main Malaysian favourite, the ‘sambal’. Sambal belacan is often called the “hero menu” when it is served at home or Malaysian restaurants. There is no turning away from sambal as a Malaysian, be it as a cooking ingredient, an accompaniment to the meal or a dip…

The strategic partners which collaborated to make TOFSE a success includes KL Gateway Mall, Sambal Mak Jenny, Product Ayu Damit , Seniman, PGDM, Chicken Royale, My Pentas, Benang Emas Bridal House, Sambal Mak Esah- Sharifah Shahirah and Wan Det as a streaming sponsor

Leading for Equality & Equity: How far have we already come towards gender equity in our nation?

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, Roche Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore hosted a virtual webinar entitled “Leading for Equality & Equity: How far have we already come towards gender equity in our nation?” 

While celebrating women leaders, the session emphasised the need for equity to reach gender equality and to transform patient health through insights from inspirational women who have made positive impacts in their respective industries.

The panel of women leaders from the Asia–Pacific region comprised of Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Writer & Activist; Cindy Sirinya Bishop,UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Asia-Pacific, Thailand; Deepti Saraf, General Manager of Roche (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd and Yeoh Ying Ying, General Manager of Roche Singapore Pte Ltd.

These dynamic women shared their individual experiences, insights, and perspective in championing gender parity in their respective industries to inspire wisdom, courage and change within our communities.

Commenting on the need for structural changes within our communities, Datin Paduka Marinasaid, “I believe that women’s equity and equality are essential for Malaysia to be a fairer and more prosperous society that will contribute to economic growth and offer equal opportunities for women. Promoting gender equality will empower Malaysia to unleash the potential of its untapped talent of women. Equality and equity for women will also result in greater social justice and better representation of women’s needs and interests in the decision-making process.”

Deepti, is a strong advocate for equity in women’s healthcare as the equity gap is even wider in healthcare for women. She said, “Women form 70% of the global healthcare workforce but only 5% of global healthcare assets are focused on women and it is found that women are underrepresented in clinical trials, contributing to health inequities and social injustice.”

She also added, “We need more women leaders to raise the voice for these inequities. It is good to note that currently women make up 40% of positions in senior management teams in Malaysia in 2022. While there has been progress over the last decades, the world is still not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030.”

Deepti also highlighted that Roche is committed to more inclusive research & partnering in building a more empowering healthcare infrastructure for women. “At our workplace, we support women by building a thriving community for women employees, supported by mentoring and coaching, and addressing the unconscious biases and limiting beliefs that women often face,” she added.

Ying Ying, who believes that mentoring and partnerships increase the opportunities for equity, said, “When we collaborate and support each other, we can accomplish so much more. Whether with our own teams or with groups outside our organisation, purposeful partnerships help breakdown siloed approaches and embrace the diversity of thought that lead to long-term sustainability of resources and collective impact. Roche is committed to ensuring inclusive working environments for our people and will be extended to our partners as we collectively develop new and better healthcare solutions for all.”

“As an ambassador, I will continue to show my support for women and push the envelope on institutionalised gender equality”, said Cindy. 

“Advocating for gender equality and female empowerment helps to challenge traditional gender roles and norms that limit women’s potential and perpetuate gender-based violence. Advocacy also enables people to recognise their rights and take action to address the inequalities women face in the society.”

As a healthcare leader, Roche reaffirmed its commitment to uphold diversity by actively encouraging and expanding the number of women in senior positions and managing roles, while continuously seeking ways to increase the involvement of women in the research and development projects. Roche firmly believes in instilling a sense of pride in the achievements in society and encouraging everyone to press towards gender equity, women’s rights and support diversity and inclusion.