The emblematic flower of Vietnam is delicious and nutritious

A combination of lotus seeds and longan can help people with depression, poor memory and insomnia

The lotus grows in muddy water but its fragrance is always fresh and sweet. It has a diamond-in-the-rough quality, always emerging as a symbol of crystal clarity amid murky swamps.

It rises above the surface of the muck to bloom with remarkable color.

In Vietnam, the lotus has become a symbol of purity, fraternity and familiarity. Vietnamese people respect the lotus and use it in much of their fine cuisine as well as in precious traditional health remedies.

The lotus root, flower and stem can all be used to make delicious foods. Lotus dishes bring with them the fragrance and color of the flower, which is not only simple and rural, but also elegant and noble.

Vietnamese cooks love preparing lotus stem salad with shrimp and pork, stewed duck with lotus seeds, stir-fried steamed rice with lotus seeds, stewed pig’s feet with lotus roots and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves.

Lotus stem salad with shrimp and pork is the most popular of all lotus dishes.

The salad combines the crispiness of the white lotus stem, springiness from the pork ear, sweetness from the fresh shrimp, sourness and sweetness of vinegar, and the pungency of various herbs. Those tastes mingle together to make a wonderful and delicious dish.

Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves is another delicious delicacy made from lotus.

For this dish, the cook must be careful to choose the best rice and lotus leaves. The rice must be delicious, soft and glutinous.

The leaves not only make the sticky rice more delicious and fragrant, but also ensure that the dish stimulates digestion, relieves headaches and helps insomniacs sleep well.

Natural remedy

The lotus can also be used to make exceptional medicine without side effects.

Enjoying lotus, eaters absorb rich nutrients mainly through lotus roots and seeds.

The roots can help rid the body of toxins and prevent it from overheating. Lotus seeds have abundant vitamins, including C, B1, B2, protein, calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

The seeds can also calm one’s mind and stop diarrhea. The center of the seeds can also lower blood pressure.

The flower can relieve stress from the summer heat and help blood clotting. It can be used to brew lotus tea, which relieves heat-related illness.

The leaves can cure stomach ailments, help clotting, make the spleen healthier, make a person more energetic and relieve excess body heat. The leaves are often used to make rice wraps.

Lotus is very healthy for white-collar workers who have overstrained brains or those who are emotionally distraught, shy, timid or forgetful.

The best lotus dishes can be found at the following restaurants in HCMC:

Vietnam House
93-95 Dong Khoi Street, District 1

Sen
171 Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1

Ba Mien
122B Tran Quoc Thao Street, District 3

Blood-sucking bugs that transmit a Latin American disease recently found in Vietnam are yet to show any serious harm here, the National Institute of Malariology, Parasitology and Entomology said Thursday.

In a report to the Ministry of Health the same day, the institute said victims of the kissing bugs have been reported in Hanoi since 2005.

However, so far Vietnam is yet to record any patient infected with the Chagas disease carried by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi living on the bugs, according to the report, adding that the disease, sometimes fatal, has only been recorded in Latin America and Africa.

Those bitten by the bugs in 2005 are still in normal health conditions to date, said Dr. Nguyen Van Chau, a representative of the institute.

The national institute suggested the ministry cooperate with the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, which claimed to have found the bugs living in Hanoi’s center and in residential areas in the capital early this week.

Chau blamed climate change for increasing populations of kissing bugs as well as an increase in the number of victims affected by the unlikely killers.

Over the past two days, many people from different localities across the country have reported kissing bug bites to the two institutes.

The bugs were found in Latin American countries in 1979 and have since been studied, but this was the first time communtiies of the insects have been found in specific locations in Vietnam, Truong Xuan Lam, chief of insect department under the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, told the press early this week.

So far, agencies in Vietnam have yet to conduct specific research on the bugs, according to the scientist.

He said Chagas disease first causes sleeping sickness, headache, dizziness and fatigue, which can last for several months.

Many years later infected people will develop chronic symptoms like digestive problems and may even suffer fatal heart failure.

Volunteer doctors from South Korea finished operations on 190 children born with harelip and cleft palate in the south central province of Phu Yen on Wednesday.

The children have been treated since last Friday at Phu Yen General Hospital thanks to donations from Korea’s Smile for Children association and the telecommunications operator SK Telecom.

For more than 15 years, the groups have provided smiles to nearly 3,000 disabled Vietnamese children. Last year, they worked in Vietnam"s northern Thanh Hoa Province.

They have also invested in tecnological improvements for harelip and cleft palate treatment centers throughout the country.

So far this year dengue fever outbreaks in Vietnam"s central region have sickened thousands and claimed several lives, officials said.

The worst to be hit was the Khanh Hoa province, with 2,170 reported cases of the mosquito-borne illness, the provincial authorities reported Friday.

Health officials in Binh Dinh have reported a 50 percent increase in Dengue cases, compared with last season"s numbers.  Binh Dinh officials say they"ve had 676 cases, including two child deaths.

Last week officials in the Phu Yen province announced reports of 929 cases and one death. Every day, new reports are trickling in from Quang Ngai, Kon Tum and Gia Lai.

Experts and officials blamed the recent outbreak on hot weather accompanied by rain: ideal conditions for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to breed. 

Furthermore, locals lack the knowledge needed to implement preventative measures (such as the covering or drainage of standing water around the home), officials said.

An infant (more than three months old) died after receiving an inoculation in the central highlands province of Lam Dong, the local Center of Preventive Health said Friday.

The girl, identified as Ng., received a “five in one” vaccination against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, hepatitis, and mumps at around 9 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Tan Lam Commune’s health clinic.

Ng turned purple and suffered from respiratory failure that day at home, the center said, stressing that following the vaccination the baby was put under observation for 30 minutes without exhibiting any symptoms at the clinic before going home.

Nguyen Huu Phuc, director of Lam Dong Preventive Health Center, said another 40 kids received the same inoculation at the same time without any adverse reactions.

Representatives from the management boards of the national vaccination program and the vaccination program in the southern region will cooperate with Lam Dong’s preventive health center and other related agencies in investigating the death, Phuc said.

Polyneuritis has struck some 30 people in the northern province Hoa Binh.

The syndrome can be caused by a variety of things, but it ultimately leads to the widespread inflammation of nerves causing pain and tingling in the limbs. 

It can be fatal.

The recent outbreak comes after three years without a single case in the province. Previously, Hoa Binh had suffered polyneuritis cases and fatalities on an annual basis

The recent outbreak has affected whole families. One of the first victims in Binh Chan Commune’s Dai 1 Hamlet this year was Bui Van Nhi, who suffered pains in the tips of his fingers and toes, and fatigue two weeks ago.

His mother, wife and three children began to exhibit the same symptoms.

Vu Van Tien, director of the health center of Lac Son District, which manages Binh Chau Commune, said the disease is typically confined to the Canh 1 and Canh 2 hamlets. Lately it has spread to other localities.

Since April, several families in Binh Chan Commune have contracted polyneuritis.

The disease can have a variety of causes, the simplest of which is a lack of B vitamins. Authorities are not sure why this outbreak is occurring in the province - though they continue to treat victims with B1 supplements.

Bui Van Hong, vice director of the health center of Lac Son District, which manages Binh Chan Commune, said the vitamins have only provided such temporary symptom relief to the afflicfed.

He didn"t say if patients develop the symptoms again.

Some have suggested the vitamin deficiencies may be the results of mercury poisoning. Toxic polyneuritis was recorded in Bombay nearly 50 years ago due to ortho-cresyl-phosphate poisoning.

To date, health experts, including those from the Ministry of Health and scientists in Japan, Denmark, and Germany, have yet to pinpoint the root of the recuring disease in Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, according to Tien.

He said the disease was first recorded in 1970 and has continued to break out ever since in the central regions ever since. In 2000, over 4,000 people were affected in Hoa Binh Province.

Although health agencies managed to control the disease then, it still recurs every year in Hoa Binh Province, affecting tens of people and killing several.

No deaths have yet been reported this year, though.

American Orthodontics Association suggests: When children turn 7, parents should bring them to see an orthodontist.

If it is delayed until they reach adulthood, when their bone development is completed, the process of modifying and rearranging uneven teeth is more complicated. However, that does not mean adults cannot utilize orthodontics.

Today with more economic power, people are more driven to make themselves beautiful, it only makes sense to try and have a perfect smile. With the advancement in dentistry, orthodontics can now be an option for all ages, from 7 to 50 and above.

Choosing the right treatment

In case what you need is a pre-orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will devise you a particular appliance, which is custom-made for each patient. Since this appliance is removable, it is called “removable appliance.”

In case you are receiving an orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will most likely place a fixed appliance into your mouth, which is a set of braces connecting by an arch-wire.

• Metal braces

Delta Force Bracket System with such a unique design helps provide orthodontist more control over the movement of teeth and shorten the time of treatment, which normally is about one year.

This system is usually applied to difficult cases.

• Porcelain braces

If you really want a better smile but wearing metal braces for 2 – 3 years scares you, you can ask for porcelain braces. With porcelain braces, aesthetic is not a concern because you will have a set of braces with color closely matching that of your natural teeth.

Now with Clarity Brackets System combined with Ni-Ti Thermal Wire, the time of treatment can even be shortened to only 1-2 years.

Based on your specific needs and goals, your orthodontist will advise which braces will be best for you.

By Lan Anh Dental Clinic (149 Ton Dat Tien St., Kenh Dao, Phu My Hung, Dist. 7, website: www. nhakhoalananh. com)

Blood-sucking bugs carrying a parasite that causes a disease specific to Latin America, sometimes fatal in humans, are growing in numbers in Hanoi, local scientists announced Monday.

Truong Xuan Lam, chief of the insect department under the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, said the kissing bugs have been found in houses and hotels in Hanoi localities including Ha Dong and Tu Liem districts since the end of last year.

“It proves that the bugs are growing in numbers within the city and in residential areas,” Lam said.

Carrying the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease, the bugs were found in Latin American countries in 1979 and have been studied since then.

But, this was the first time they were discovered in a specific location in Vietnam, according to Lam.

So far, agencies in Vietnam are yet to conduct any research on the bugs, he said.

The scientist said Chagas disease starts out with sleeping sickness, headaches, dizziness and fatigue within the first few months.

Many years later infected people will develop chronic symptoms like digestive problems and may even suffer fatal heart failure.

Around ten percent of Vietnamese people suffer from gradual kidney failure which raises the risk of death by five times, an expert said at a Saturday seminar in Ho Chi Minh Ciy.

Pham Van Bui, general secretary of HCMC Nephrology Association, said the number of patients are around eight million at present and this is increasing rapidly along with those suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and anaemia.

Bui said patients with gradual kidney failure have a 34 percent higher risk of having coronary problems and/or strokes.

The condition cannot be treated and symptoms can be seen only when the kidney functions at one tenth of its normal capacity, he said.

Doctor Nguyen Thi Bay from HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacology Hospital said people can use less protein, salt and cigarettes to slow down the process of the disease and save themselves from costly treatments like kidney transplants.

Vietnamese patients holding health insurance will pay VND30,000 (US$1.57) for a checkup (ten times the current charge) if the health ministry’s latest proposal gets approved.

The draft, which is waiting for public feedback, also proposes to increase hospital bed fees from VND12,000 ($0.63) per day to VND100,000 ($5.24).

According to the Ministry of Health, even if the measure passes, the cost of healthcare with insurance will remain far lower than many other services that don"t offer health insurance.

The draft would represent the first hospital fee hike in 15 years

Although the move will make health insurance fees go up as well, it will not effect those who receive state support in buying health insurance (i.e. the poor, young children), the ministry said.

The blood-sucking bugs found in Vietnam aren"t the "kissing bugs" that transmit the potentially fatal disease commonly known as Chagas.

Scientists have recently announced that the bugs found here are Triatoma rubrofassiata also known as "assasin bugs" and are fairly harmless. 

"Kissing bugs" are also known as Triatoma infestans in Latin America and Triatoma dimidiate in Central America, said Nguyen Manh Hung, chief of the National Institute of Mariology, Parasitology and Entomology.

The kissers are the ones that transmit Chagas.

Chagas disease starts with sleeping sickness, headache, dizziness and fatigue. Many years later, infected people develop chronic symptoms like digestive problems and may even suffer fatal heart failure.

Researches have discovered that the bites from the vampiric insects found in Vietnam only cause short-term irritation to human victims. So far they have yet found any diseases transmitted byTriatoma rubrofassiata, Hung said.

The "assasin bugs" were first found in Vietnam many years ago.

Every year, bites are reported in Hanoi and several other localities, according to Hung.

Last week Truong Xuan Lam, chief entomologist at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, caused a buzz when he announced that he had found kissing bugs in Hanoi’s center.

According to Lam, he first found the insects in the northern region’s highlands in 2004, but since 2008 he has found more than 30 bugs, including their larvae, in several central districts in Hanoi.

It may sound counterintuitive, but hot soup is often the best way to resupply the body with fluids and energy on super-hot days. Nutritious hot soup can help cool a sweltering body far faster than ice cold water. Here are some recipe ideas:

Carrot and mía lau (sugarcane) soup

What you need: 100g of sugarcane, 150g of carrot, 150g of lean meat, 20g of củ năn (Chinese water chestnut), 10g of fresh ginger, 10g of onion, 4g of seasoning powder, 1g of white sugar, one spoon of white rice alcohol.

What to do: Cut sugarcane into pieces, peel the carrot, water chestnut and ginger, and slice them into medium pieces. Slice the meat and tie the onion in bundles. You should pour water in a clay pot, add sugarcane, carrot, meat, water chestnut, ginger and onion, and cover the pot under low flame to cook for one hour.

Then remove the onion, add the soup seasoning powder, white sugar and white rice alcohol to cook for 30 minutes more. And then remove the pot from the stove. The soup will help cool your body and make you more comfortable in the heat while detoxifying your body of alcohol, and fighting sunstroke.

Beef, apple and tomato soup

What you need: One apple, one tomato, 150g of beef, 10g of nấm hương (shiitake), 10g of fresh ginger, 10g of onion, 5g of soup seasoning powder, one spoon of white rice alcohol, pepper and water.

What to do: Cut the apple into four pieces, deseed and soak them in a big bowl of salty water. Slice the tomato into round pieces. Slice beef into medium pieces. Wash shiitake. Peel and cut ginger into pieces. Tie the onion up in bundles. Put beef, shiitake, ginger, onion, apple, alcohol in a pot and cover them with water. Cook under low flame for one hour, then remove the onion, add tomato, pepper and soup seasoning powder. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Enjoy the soup to cool your body and feel comfortable in the heat. The soup will also help fight sunstroke and strengthen the digestive system.

Mướp non (young loofah) and meat soup

What you need: 200g of meat, 200g of loofah, 20g of nấm rơm (mushroom), 10g of ginger, 5g of oil, and 6g of soup seasoning powder.

What to do: Peel, deseed and cut loofah into medium pieces. Slice meat and mushrooms. Peel and cut ginger into pieces. Pour oil in a pot and heat it. Then fry the ginger and mushroom before adding two bowls of water to cook under medium flame. Then add the meat, loofah and soup seasoning powder to cook for five minutes more. The soup will cool your body, fight sunstroke, reduce sputum and act as a diuretic.

Cua đồng (freshwater crab), rau đay (corchorus olitorius), mồng tơi (basella alba)

What you need: 500g of freshwater crab, rau day, rau mồng tơi and three mướp non (young loofah).

What to do: Wash crab with water, remove the head-shell and grind the rest of the crab. Put the ground crab in a pot, add one liter of water, and cook under medium fire. Stir and filter to remove the water and residue. Wash the two vegetables and cut them into small pieces. Peel and slice loofahs into medium pieces. Add a little salt to the pot and wait for it to boil until the ground crab begins to stick together, then lower the flame. Add the two herbs and loofah, and wait for the soup to boil once more. Seasoning the soup with salt and sugar and serve it hot to relieve discomfort on scorching days.

Hến (mussel) soup

What you need: One kilogram of mussel, 200g of tomato and me chua (tamarind).

What to do: Soak mussels in a water basin for one hour and then wash them. Put them in a pot, cover them with water and boil with a little salt. After boiling, remove the mussels from the pot and throw away their shells. Filter the boiled water and then re-boil it. Add the mussel meat, chopped tomatoes and tamarind. Continue to cook until the water boils again. Season with salt and sugar. Add a little onion and rau răm (polygonum). Mussel meat, which is sweet and cold, helps cool your body, detoxicates the body, and acts as a laxative. It can cool your liver and is a diuretic that also helps people fight pimples, constipation, urination problems, yellow eyes, diabetes and hepatitis.

Bầu (gourd) and shrimp soup

What you need: 500g gourd, 200g of white shrimp, green onion and coriander.

What to do: Peel, wash and cut gourd into medium pieces. Wash and husk shrimp. Mince shrimp, and mix with salt, sugar and pepper. Wash and cut onions and coriander into very small pieces. Put a pot on the stove, and heat some oil to fry garlic until it becomes yellow. Then add shrimp to fry them steadily. Pour a half of liter of water and cook until it boils. Add the gourd. When the gourd is overdone, season with fish sauce and sugar. Spoon the soup into a bowl, add onion, coriander and pepper. Gourd, which is sweet and cold, works as an antipyretic. Shrimp, which is sweet and warm, tonifies the kidneys, and detoxicates and gives people energy.

The Hanoi-based Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases said Sunday they have admitted 18 patients that tested positive for cholera among 36 with acute diarrhea over the past week.

Most of the cholera patients are from the center of Hanoi, which has recorded no cholera cases over the past four months, according to the hospital.

Tests showed that most of them had eaten food that was not safe nor hygienic, namely dog meat and raw vegetables, before falling sick.

Le Anh Tuan, director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said shrimp paste, a dipping sauce used when eating dog meat, and the meat itself are not foods that normally cause the intestinal disease.

However, the way they are prepared could make someone contract cholera bacteria.

The current hot weather is ideal for the growth of the bacteria that causes the disease infecting hundreds of people in northern Vietnam in 2008 and 2009, he said.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Binh, deputy chief of the health ministry’s Preventive Health Department, said the department has proposed that southern localities adjacent to Cambodia further promote preventive measures to local people, given that the disease has plagued many localities in the neighboring country.

Areas with shared water sources need to be checked and should be cordoned off if they are found to be contaminated with the bacteria, according to Binh.

He said the southern province of Binh Phuoc has recently admitted five people who contracted cholera in Cambodia.