A better way to check your diabetes: Written by Dr Harold Gunatillake FRCS-Health writer Most Sri Lankans do ignore a simple test to check for diabetes when required after the age of 40, as they do not realise the serious issues of the disease and the ability to control better when detected early. Those who have a family history of diabetes do check to find out whether they have got high blood sugar levels. To check for fasting blood sugar finger prick test would do. If you have your own glucose testing monitor, you could check it at home when required. In a normal non-diabetic person the reading would be about 90mg/dl. (6 mmol/l). When it reaches 126mg/dl (6.9mmol/l) you would be considered a pre-diabetic. The complications with pre-diabetes and full blown diabetes are similar. So, it is important at the pre-diabetes stage to nip in the bud by eating ...

Problem with drinking Bottled water Good advice by Dr Harold Gunatillake We need water to survive. When space scientists want to find out whether there are living organisms in planets the first thing they want to find out is water availability.  We need water for transporting nutrients in the body from cell to cell. It is a wonderful God-given solvent, sometimes we refer to as ‘Adam’s Ale’. We need water for our temperature regulation, muscles activities, joint lubrications maintain electrolyte balance, control of pH, and proper functions of organs like liver, brain and kidneys and getting rid of waste material among others. ...

Plenty of bundled up health material, social events and cookery demos to read September 3rd issue of Health & Views     ...

Let’s talk about your Liver Written by Dr Harold Gunatillake-Health writer There is only one liver hidden under the diaphragm occupying the right upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity. Safeguarding this organ is essential for good health. Food when digested is absorbed into a separate venous blood stream called the ‘Portal Veins’ These veins carry the digested foods into the liver, which includes carbs as glucose and proteins as amino-acids.. Fats and fat soluble vitamins enter the lymphatic system and then enter the veins for metabolic processes on a different pathway. ...