Alvina Foo

Can’t tell you the countless times where I negotiated with myself if I should train. Each time I choose to go, not based on how motivated I felt, but the decision I made long time ago. The decision is to take care of my physical self and to be strong.
Make the decision and stick with it. It makes the decision making simpler. Try it.

Niggling shoulder pain.
Took it easy at the gym this morning. Still grateful for the fact that I can spend time outside for a short run and a walk.

Studies done have produced good results.
FDA Advisory Committee presented with studies have questions about the study design. They’re challenged by the fact that this is not a standalone M**A treatment. It’s a drug PLUS psychotherapy treatment.

"This whole episode only serves to reinforce the idea that anything that actually is a paradigm shift just doesn't fit into our regulatory system…”

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240620-fda-advisors-voted-against-mdma-therapy-researchers-are-still-fighting-for-it

FDA advisors voted against M**A therapy – researchers are still fighting for it A vote against using M**A as part of therapy for PTSD has provoked a powerful backlash among researchers who study psychedelic drugs.

Every woman especially over 35 needs to hear this. This is about having a better quality of life as we transition through life.
Thank you to my dear friend for delivering such an important message with such clarity.

The title of her TedxTalk is:
“Muscle your way through midlife, menopause and beyond.”

https://youtu.be/Hov-T1D0Pfg?si=45xuyx12m1aSnFEM

As alarming as this may sound, the good news is we have the ability to change our diet! ❤️
WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE. That’s great news!

To all the mothers out there, wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day. Have a wonderful day! And to all whose mums are no longer in this world, know that part of them lives within you ❤️

What Will You Say? A must-watch video for Mother's Day! #whatwillyousay The best gift for mom is to tell her how you feel.We asked dozens of people from all walks of life to share stories about their moms, in time for Mother’s Da...

I haven’t run for decades because of injuries and bought into the idea that running is bad for you. It’s only bad if you’re not watching your form and foot strike because this is where injuries happen.

I’m trying to incorporate it into my post gym session. The ONLY reason that I’m running is to build endurance so that I can be a better climber.

Going from 9mins to 8mins for 1km? I’m delighted! 🥳

Apparently the average speed for a woman to run 5km is about 35 minutes. I don’t really mind if I don’t get there. But that’s certainly something to work towards.

My heart rate is not too bad, on the high side of a Zone 2 i.e. can have a chat but really “prefer not to” zone 😅

I’m enjoying the process, that’s the main thing.

Looks like I’m not the only one? 😂

Po's Meditation Session 😂 | Kung Fu Panda 4

Completing this course has helped me to navigate around cardiovascular disease in a more integrative and wholistic way. Integrative because we don’t have to ditch pharmaceuticals for nutraceuticals or vice versa. BUT lifestyle medicine is so powerful and I wish I can spend more time with patients talking about it.
Unfortunately the present healthcare system financially doesn’t allow such interventions. If they want such service, patients have to pay for private consult time. Anyway, rant over.

About 10 years ago, I remembered sitting in Dr Mark Houston’s (he’s an integrative cardiologist in the US) presentations on heart diseases. He highlighted the condition to be related to the immune function as well. The way our white blood cells respond to the insult that our arterial walls are subjected to, plays a huge role in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Is statin working because it lowers cholesterol or is it due to its ability to lower inflammation?
I shall leave you with that thought.

I know my friend has put in a lot of time, effort and wisdom into this retreat. It is held in Bali, what an excuse to go to Bali! ❤️ Unlike many retreats, you’re going to walk away empowered with many practical tools that you could apply when you return home. Dr Laurena is the type of practitioner who pours her heart and soul into what she does. Not a paid endorsement 🤪😂

Some of my favourites and staple veggies. Nothing fancy, but that’s the point. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Some days I do a stir fry but today I roasted them seasoned with curry, turmeric, garlic powder, pink salt and olive oil. My one serve of vegetables.

❤️

This is a slide from one of my lectures “Women’s Health” with
Courtesy from one of Dr Tierona Low Dog’s presentation slides.
I love it ❤️
Looking at the person as a whole including their emotional wellbeing is what integrative medicine is about ❤️

My fuel, snakes after an hour of climbing and I’m about to do another one. Good choice of “fuel” because it has to survive the hike and heat.

Is sugar bad? Bad question.
The more interesting questions would be:
Why and when are you consuming it?
Context is important.
Sugar is life saving for a diabetic having a hypoglycaemic event.

Less ideal for an inactive overweight individual, who is already consuming above their daily caloric intake.

For an athlete, this could be the ideal fuel source.

You get the picture?

Lesson learnt:
Never warm up on a roof climb? Well at least not for my level of climbing anyway. It was super pumpy. 😅

It’s been awhile since I’ve attended a face to face event. Thank you for organising the event! I’ve enjoyed the sessions today and learnt a ton. Always glad to add more tools to my toolkit.

Speak to yourself with the same kindness and love that you would offer to your best friend.

Levels are still high

Mercury levels in tuna remain nearly unchanged since 1971 Tuna is one of the most popular seafoods worldwide. But this protein-rich fish can build up high levels of methylmercury from feeding on contaminated prey, like smaller fish or crustaceans. Despite efforts to reduce mercury emissions into the environment, researchers report that levels in tuna appea...

❤️❤️❤️

Morning ritual of making matcha still remains one of my favourites. For me it’s a sacred time and a nice way to start the day.
On my recent trip to Japan, going to tea shops is equivalent to a child going into toy shops 🤩

❤

🎉 Another year means new goals and milestones. 🎉

I’m beginning to appreciate the work I’m doing outside of climbing. This includes my gym training, cardio and agility work ; nutrition and my sleep quality.

I’m also moving SO MUCH better compared to TWENTY years ago! No, I’m not exaggerating.

I used to avoid exercises that caused knee pain without working on the problem. Now I’m hiking with a big backpack?! 🥳 It’s crazy!

So far I really enjoy my little quests, little wins and see what I can accomplish ❤️
I’ve only just begun!

I’m stoked about the climbs this weekend:

🧗‍♀️At Mount Kiera
Led “Gum tree wall” as a warm up. Love this climb!
🧗‍♀️”Getts up and goes” - grade 16 lead, rested once
🧗‍♀️”Piece of p**s direct” - 17 second

At Stonehaven Stanwell Top
🧗‍♀️”Floating world” - grade 15 on sight lead 🤩
🧗‍♀️”Naissance”- grade 18 seconded
🧗‍♀️”Soul searching” - grade 18 first lead. Yay!

💊Most human studies have found OCP use adversely affects folate status, but conclusions vary depending on the oestrogen dose levels.

💊In a Canadian study (1998 Green et al), adolescent females (14-30yo) had lower serum B12 level than non-users.

💊The use of OCP is associated with doubling of the risk of cardiovascular outcomes (stroke or heart attack). This could be due to the increased platelet activity with folic deficiency induced by the OCP.

💊Deplete folate stores could also be the cause of megaloblastic anaemia seen in some women taking OCP.

💊Vitamin B6 is another nutrient that could potentially be adversely affected by OCP. OCP can interfere with the serotonin making pathway, hence decreasing brain serotonin levels contributing to depression.

💊Your B2 (riboflavin) demand may also be higher because this nutrient is required for B6 pathway.

Here’s my take:
✅I’m NOT SAYING all women on OCP are going to be low on these nutrients.
✅What I’m saying is OCP may increase your demand for these nutrients.

✅If you’re planning to fall pregnant and are on an OCP, be mindful of your folate status.
✅By the time you find out that you’re pregnant, you’re already in your first trimester. You want to minimise the risk of neural tube defect. Nutrient should be taken BEFORE you plan your pregnancy.

❤️Be proactive about your health, get them check by your doctor.

My first traverse lead! 🥳

It still blows my mind the number of positives from climbing:

🧗 Walking to and back from the crag with gear - cardio, endurance and weight bearing exercise.

🧗‍♀️Been in nature - mental health and mindfulness practice.

🧗‍♀️People you meet - so far I’ve only met genuine and happy humans.

🧗‍♀️The climb itself - strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, core, requires you to be present, a strategist and most of all…a mental game.

What an integrative pharmacist do? Part 2💊
I strive to give the best health outcome/intervention with the patients I encounter. This usually means asking the right questions and listening attentively.

Here’s an example:
A 50+ female has an increased in her dose of diabetic medicine. Her blood sugar level has been less than ideal for the past few months. During the consult, I asked a series of questions and realised that apart from recent illnesses, she was also going through a lot of emotional stress. She admitted that her diet has been compromised too.
She has an upcoming surgery and was quite overwhelmed about it.

What I did…
I gave her some diet tips, worked out her daily protein intake. In her case, we used a protein powder because she was struggling to meet the requirement through food. A supplement was prescribed, all the interventions suggested were to help her get to a more optimal health status before her surgery. Before she left, I also offered some words of encouragement.

The lady walked away feeling heard and empowered because we now have a plan that she could easily implement.

And as for me, I has such a great sense of job satisfaction. This is what real HEALTH-CARE is about. You CARE for the patient’s HEALTH. ❤️

💊What do I do differently as an integrative pharmacist?
I’m hoping to share some of the stories in the coming future to give you a glimpse of what I do. (Please do not construe this as any form of medical advice.)

And to my dear fellow pharmacists colleagues, we’re one of the most accessible healthcare providers and I truly believe that we can make a huge difference within our community. Keep our community healthy! ❤️

Alright, here’s the case history of the day:
A 60+ female enters the pharmacy with a script for an anti diarrhoea medication. I’ve noticed she’s been filling the same medication for a few months. This triggered a conversation as I handed out her medication.
She’d been to her doctor and all the tests had come back as normal. The option now is to take the medication to control her loose motion, and hopefully her symptoms would improve over time.

I did a medication check and went through her other medicines and also discussed about her diet. I modified her food choices and recommended some supplements.

She returned to the pharmacy a fortnight later and was really happy because her bowel is now normal and regular. She no longer needs her anti diarrhoea medicine!

This is why I enjoy what I do as an integrative pharmacist.

❤️ LEAN INTO YOUR CHALLENGES, YOU MIGHT JUST SURPRISE YOURSELF WHAT IS ACHIEVABLE ❤️

I’m sharing this in the hope that it may bring some of you some comfort and encouragement in times of fear 🙏🏻

THIS MORNING… I wasn’t very enthused about climbing outdoor, because the plan was to lead one of the pitches. I’ve done it before but I WAS SCARED. I remembered how tensed up I was previously, worried about taking a fall etc etc. So I tried self talking myself out of climbing. “A nice long walk along the beach and bike ride could be equally enjoyable on this beautiful day.”
But deep down I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do.

My partner sensed something was off and I confessed about my fear. I’m rephrasing what he said to me:

“We (climbers) all experienced fear, it’s normal and it’s healthy. Don’t push those feelings away, embrace it. This is what going on an adventure feels like. There’s excitement but there’s also fear and uncertainty.”

In the end, I decided to climb. Strangely, after arriving at the crag, I felt a certain calmness and I was no longer fighting my inner demons. While it wasn’t expected of me to lead at all, I decided to lead the first pitch. Not only that, I exceeded my own expectations by leading the third pitch! 😅

Another milestone today - swing leading on a multi pitch climb! 🥳

I’m really liking this sport. Apart from getting strong physically - strength, endurance and flexibility; you get to learn about yourself and how you respond to challenges.

“Exercising for at least 30 minutes three times a week can be just as effective as Vi**ra and similar medications at improving erectile function, according to a new analysis of the best research to date on aerobic exercise and erectile function.”

“Now they can tell patients that it's "a proven approach backed by high-quality data from randomized studies," Miller said. "Exercise is low risk and affordable, making it an ideal first-line treatment option for erectile difficulties, especially for patients unwilling or unable to use medications."

❌❌❌❌❌ Wait!

While I wholeheartedly agree that exercise is one of the best lifestyle strategies to maintain your health, I seriously doubt that some men can do without the help of medications such as the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors - sildenafil (Vi**ra), vardenafil (Levitra) or tadalafil (Cialis).

I agree with this paragraph…

"It's important to recognize that erectile dysfunction can often serve as an indicator or barometer of underlying cardiovascular health,"

No matter what you’re reading, context is important and age group wasn’t mentioned in the article. Unfortunately older men tends to have worse ED and exercise alone is not going to cut it.

BUT if you choose to maintain a healthy lifestyle ie exercise, eat and sleep well, you may find yourself needing a lower dose of the drug to work.

Choosing lifestyle interventions doesn’t mean ditching drugs, you don’t have to pick one over the other.