Visiting Cleveland Clinic G H C N e w s / 1. Adventist Health Visit 2. Cleveland Clinic Visit 3. World Heart Day Promotion Cardiac risk check-up in PWC Free check-up in Kerry Centre 4. 2005 Japanese Children Football Championship 5. Save the Children donation 6. Family Day 02 G L O B A L A D V A N T A G E (Cleveland Visiting) Mr. Mark D. Ullman of Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, USA, visited GHC on 26th September, for meeting with our Chairman, Dr. Peter King to discuss the possibility of future cooperation. The meeting was quite successful. Adventist Health Q u o t e s f r o m C l i e n t s / 1. Mrs. Jennifer J. Dawson President Sources Consulting (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. 2. Mr. Jeremy Ozorio SVP International Sourcing American Pacific Enterprises LLC 3. Mr. Steven Sheng Human Resources Manager PriceWaterHouse Coopers O u r P h y s i c i a n s / 1. Dr. Claudia Goulston 2. Dr. William Howell 3. Welcome to our new doctor Dr. Sarah Last H e a l t h T i p s / 1. Swine Flu 2. Winter Blues I n s u r a n c e P a r t n e r s L i s t / (Adventist Visiting) Mr. Womack Rucker (Middle), Vice President of Adventist Health, Florida, USA, Mr. Arthur Wong (2nd Right), VP Administration of Hong Kong Adventist Hospital and Mr. Patrick Leung(2nd Left), Head of Pharmacy Dept. of Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, visited Global HealthCare for future collaboration between Adventist Health and GHC.
H e a l t h T i p s 健康新提示 Winter Blues Winter health tips for the whole family by Dr. Claudia Goulston M.D. As the days get cooler and shorter in Shanghai, many people will get the blues. About one third of outpatient visits to doctors at this time of year involve people who suffer from various forms of depression. The recurring pattern of depression which begins and leaves when the seasons change is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The commonest type has a fall onset, sometimes called winter depression. SAD occurs in less than 10% of the population. While women are more likely to have it, men get a more severe form. The average age when it begins is 23 and it does seem to decrease with age. It is seen less often in children. No one knows what causes SAD, but many experts think that low levels of the chemical messenger serotonin and the amino acid tryptophan in the brain may be the cause. These substances have a role in how we respond to light changes. In typical depression, a person can t sleep, they lose their appetite and also lose weight. On the other hand, when a person suffers from SAD, they sleep more, have a bigger appetite and crave carbohydrates. Their weight increases, they become more irritable, and they are very sensitive to rejection. They may also have a heavy feeling in their arms and legs. People who have SAD may feel better using early morning light therapy, whereas people with typical depression find light therapy makes no difference. The amount of light needed is about 2500 lux for 2 hours a day or 10,000 lux for 30 minutes per day. For comparison, direct sunlight is 100,000 lux, a brightly lit office is 400 lux, and moonlight is 1 lux. Contrary to popular belief, it is the intensity not the spectrum of light that is needed so full spectrum bulbs are not necessary. The visible spectrum 360 830 nm light is all that is required. People need to keep their eyes open during the therapy but not stare into the light source (or retinal damage can occur). Fluorescent bulbs may be better than incandescent. While some people can get a benefit within 5 days, others may need 4 weeks before they notice much difference. Tanning booths do not help in SAD and can in fact cause more retinal and skin damage because of the ultraviolet exposure. Various antidepressant medications can also be used in more severe cases. These can include serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRI) or buproprion - which may decrease appetite. A few simple things may be enough to avoid a trip to the doctor. Daily walks outside and exercise will help. Boosting early morning indoor lighting, setting lights to go on automatically in your bedroom in the morning or using lights that simulate the dawn can all improve SAD. Don t forget to make time in your day to have fun! (Reprinted from City-Weekend Family & Education Guide 2005 Autumn Issue)