What health benefits are in Turmeric? Written by Dr Harold Gunatillake-Health writer I am writing this article after reading the one by Michael Mosley, one of the presenters of Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, broadcast on BBC  He states that he tracked down leading researchers from across the country and with their help recruited nearly 100 volunteers from the North East to do a novel experiment. Then we divided them into three groups, he says. ...

Why do we need Food when we are hungry? by Dr harold Gunatillake – Health writer We all love food whether we are in the hunger mode or not. Have you ever thought what mechanism works in the body to make you feel hungry? Michael Lowe, a professor of psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia says this about hunger. “Feeling hungry can mean at least two things, and they are pretty different” There is the traditional concept of hunger when you haven’t eaten for a couple of hours, and you would feel and complain that you are hungry. Children would cry and get irritable when they get the traditional hunger pains. Your stomach start making noises, you find it difficult to concentrate on what you are doing, and the urge for food becomes a priority. Professor Lowe says,” This feeling of hunger stems from your body’s need for calories; the ...

High Triglycerides in your blood     by Dr. Harold Gunatillake – Health writer       If your doctor detects high levels of triglycerides in your blood you need to take it seriously. You need triglycerides in your blood for good health, but too much can give you problems. It is another form of fat or lipid in your blood like good and bad cholesterol. They are all one big family and they team up to maintain a reasonable healthy level in your blood. The problem with high triglycerides is that it can raise your risk of heart disease. High triglycerides are a sign of metabolic syndrome, too -composed of high blood sugar, high blood pressure and waist-line obesity. Normally, the triglyceride level in blood is less than 150, and considered high over 200 High triglycerides are found when your diabetes is not well controlled, or you suffer from ...

Iron deficiency anaemia by Dr Harold Gunatillake Iron deficiency anaemia is quite common among women especially during child bearing age, among rich and the poor equally. It is difficult to explain why the rich and the affluent classes also should suffer from iron deficiency when they could well afford to buy foods rich in iron. The poorer classes suffer from malnutrition and iron deficiency due to poverty and the unhealthy environments they dwell. Another reason why young women, including the teenagers become anaemic is due to irregular excessive uncontrollable menses. Doctors call this ‘menorrhagia. The simplest way to control this problem is to go on the contraceptive pill which automatically regulates the menses. ...

Bundled up health material, social events, cookery demos, and much more by Dr Harold Gunatillake   ...

Traffic Delays in the cities is a major risk factor for heart disease Dr Harold Gunatillake Known risk factors for heart disease are obesity, stress, consuming fatty and starchy meals, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, genetic factors and so on. We forget to realise that the worst risk factor for heart disease is the frustration of road traffic hold- ups, or as we call it ‘bumper to bumper’ situation on the main city roads in Colombo and outskirts If you drive on Galle Road from Wellawatte to Mount Lavinia during office hours you could take over an hour to get to your destination, which normally should take 15 minutes. You get annoyed, frustrated, angry, fatigued and disappointed when you can’t reach your destination in time, as a daily repetitive occurrence. Most car owners can’t afford to have drivers, and you need to self- drive to work every day. No person in ...

Cookery Demonstrations on tele’ channels, in Sri Lanka – by Dr Harold Gunatillake I was amazed, shocked to watch a most unhealthy cookery demonstration on one of the TV channels in Sri Lanka The whole program was focussing how tasty to cook food with a particular kind of cooking oil, obviously being a product sold by the sponsors of the programme. The chefs demonstrated how peeled cut potatoes, fish fillets and green peas were deep fried in a particular variety of oil to produce a tasteful display. The potato segments were mixed with corn flour, (if needed to add wheat flour), then deep fried in a pan filled with one whole bottle of clear processed oil from a labelled bottle. ...