A lack of proper physical exercise, improper and imbalanced diet, changing lifestyle, stress at work and home, inability to balance work and life are among the factors that create serious health problems among people, says a General Medical Practitioner.
“Sedentary life puts the general wellbeing of people at risk,” Dr Mahlaqa Husain, a medical practitioner at St Luke’s Medical Centre in Auckland said.
Focusing on migrants from South Asian countries and people of Indian origin, she said that they earn significantly higher income compared to earnings in their home countries and as such, are ‘trapped’ by luxury.
“Increased level of income turns their life into a comparatively inactive life; they move from home to car, car to office and reverse the process at the end of their working day. Office work has also become highly technical, with computers, mobile phones and sophisticated electronic gadgets. These, compounded by eating habits, have a telling effect on many people,” Dr Husain said.
Contributing factors
She said that eating habits are also contributing to the ill-health of people of South Asian origin. The (false) belief that rich food, high in fat (ghee, butter, cream and oil), sugar and starch is good for the body has led to high consumption, creating in turn various physical problems including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other complications.
“Unlike their families back home, as majority of migrants are working couples and hence return home too tired to cook food. Often, they depend on takeaways which may not be healthy food on a daily basis. Their children unfortunately follow suit and become early prey to bad diet,” Dr Husain said.
According to her, people of Indo-Fijian origin are prone to cardiovascular diseases ten years earlier (35 years for men and 45 years for women) than others. Their risks are 5% higher compared to New Zealanders of European origin.
Testosterone Effect
Dr Husain said that men in general are more susceptible to ‘masked depression,’ and ‘Testosterone Effect.’
“They tend to be more non-compliant and reluctant to change their habits and lifestyle. At our Clinic, we implement a system for active prevention or minimising events such as heart attacks, sudden death, strokes, sudden blindness caused by clot or haemorrhage in the eye by high blood sugar and glaucoma. Other common occurrences for which we provide treatment include depression, anxiety, insomnia, alcohol and substance abuse. Among the common ailments are low-back and other joint pains, abdominal pain from heartburn, gallbladder and kidney urinary tract diseases,” she said.
Women’s risks
Health risks faced by women include menstrual irregularities, weight issues leading to hormone imbalance, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, thyroid disorder and allergies.
Dr Husain advised all New Zealanders to register with a GP and have regular medical check-up to ensure their good health.
“St Luke’s Medical Centre is a 30-years-old practice situated in a 100-year-old building. We take pride in our legacy of quality care and outstanding service. The waiting time at our Clinic is usually no more than 20 minutes and we have extra doctors for walk-in patients. We provide personalised care at an affordable price and registered patients are entitled to reduced fees at all White Cross and Accident and Medical Service Centres,” she said.
Cancer treatment
Stating that New Zealand and Australia have the highest skin cancer rate in the world, (even among ethnic minorities), Dr Husain said that her Clinic offered the highest quality mole map at affordable prices for skin cancer, pre-cancer, mole removal from face and body and minor surgery with excellent cosmetic outcome.
“We also provide sun protection advice, general medical, family health, new-born and childhood immunisations, cervical smear, mammogram, women’s health, fertility, pregnancy, contraception, weight management clinic, sports and fitness medicine, travel medicine and vaccinations,” Dr Husain said.
A qualified paediatric, she is also specialised in Women’s health and is fluent in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and English.
Dr Bashir Ahmed, leader of the team speaks fluent English, Hindi and Bengali. He purchased the Clinic from Dr Andrew Lawson in 2010, after gaining 15 years of clinical experience in sports, fitness, Accident and Emergency medicine, Men’s health and Mole Map, removal of pre- cancer and cancer lesions and minor surgery.
