Category: Health EN

There are a lot of healthy foods that you can work into your diet to improve your heart health. Some of the best foods for heart health are dark leafy greens. A 2021 study in the European Journal of Epidemiology reported that leafy green vegetables may potentially lower the risk of heart disease. The study examined over 53,000 participants over the course of 23 years. Researchers found that...

The Brazilian Supreme Court has confirmed that Brazil’s 2017 ban on asbestos includes mining asbestos for export. Brazil now joins Canada as a large former producer of chrysotile asbestos, which has banned chrysotile from being mined, exported, used, or manufactured into asbestos-containing materials. With this decision, only Russia, Kazakhstan, and China remain major producers of chrysotile...

On 10th October 2026, in collaboration with the State Assemblywoman (ADUN) of Mata Ayer, YB Puan Wan Badariah binti Wan Saad, the Consumer’s Association of Penang (CAP) held an asbestos awareness raising programme at Pusat Khidmat Wakil Rakyat in Kampung Mata Ayer, Perlis. The programme aimed to raise awareness among rural communities and educate them about the risks of asbestos exposure. A...

Laughter is strong medicine. When you laugh, your body responds in ways that promote healing, relaxation, and resilience.  It is a simple form of self-care that supports your body, mind, and relationships – and a natural and powerful tool that can support your physical and mental well-being. Here are 10 health benefits of laughter. 1. BOOSTS immunity. Laughter has been shown to reduce stress...

Chemical Review Committee recommends listing toxic lead chromate pigments under the Rotterdam Convention Toxic lead chromate pigments are still produced, sold and shipped around the world for use in paint, despite this being a significant source of childhood and occupational lead exposures. Currently, the trade of lead chromates is very hard to track and even countries that have banned lead paint...

A US judge in Virginia has ruled that 3 researchers did not defame Johnson & Johnson by publishing research linking cosmetic talcum powder products to mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. J&J sued Theresa Emory, John Maddox and Richard Kradin, alleging that they defamed the company in a 2020 scientific article. The article said it reviewed 75 patients who had mesothelioma and had no link...

There was an older woman who lived a few streets from us. Most mornings, she walked to the shops. Nothing remarkable. A small bag on the way there. A slightly heavier one on the way home. There was a shortcut she could have taken that avoided the steps. She rarely used it. One day someone asked her why. She looked at the stairs and said something simple: “If I stop using them now, one day I...

Your brain wasn't designed to sit still for hours. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do isn't another task, another meeting, or another hour at your desk. It's a walk. A 15-min walk can do more for your brain than another hour at the desk. Research shows walking increases blood flow, oxygen, and BDNF - a ptotein that helps grow new brain cells and strengthen memory. It lowers stress...

Last year, news about the contamination of children’s toys in New Zealand and Australia reverberated around the world. Following the discoveries, campaigners in other countries began to look more closely at their supply chains and question whether children’s toys in their countries were similarly contaminated. CAP also raised the same alert in Malaysia. We wrote to the Malaysian authorities...

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) conducted an asbestos awareness programme in Island Glades, Penang on 19 July 2026. The programme was co-organised with Penang Suya MeiyArivagam, a local NGO. A total of 35 persons, comprising 20 females and 15 males, including nine youths, attended this programme. Four CAP staff and one intern were involved in the programme. The programme started...