Low Carb Products Now Available at our Clinic

 

The most effective way to manage diabetes is not necessarily by increasing medications, but by lowering blood sugar naturally through a diet lower in carbohydrates, which prevents spikes in blood glucose levels. This approach is a crucial aspect of diabetes management and deserves emphasis. For those newly diagnosed or with mild diabetes, proper dietary choices may even allow control without medication.

At our clinic, we now offer three products designed to help reduce carbohydrate intake, supporting better blood glucose control and overall metabolic health.

1.  Allulose 500g $13
Allulose is a rare natural sugar that has about 70% of the sweetness of regular sugar but provides almost no calories. Unlike glucose or fructose, it does not significantly raise blood sugar or insulin levels, making it a promising alternative sweetener for people with diabetes. Studies suggest that allulose may help improve insulin sensitivity, reduce post-meal glucose spikes, and even support fat metabolism. Because it tastes and behaves like sugar in cooking and baking, it offers a way for diabetics to enjoy sweetness without compromising blood glucose control.

Is Allulose The Perfect Sweetener

2. Upgrain Flour 1 kg $15

Upgrain flour is a low-carb, high-fiber flour made from plant-based fibers from grains, fruits, and vegetables. With about half the carbohydrates of regular wheat flour and high dietary fiber, it helps slow carbohydrate absorption and reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. This makes it a suitable option for people with diabetes who want to enjoy baked goods and meals while managing blood glucose levels.

Upgrain Website

3.  Fukumi Rice $26

Fukumi rice, also known as konjac rice or porang rice, is a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate rice alternative made from the konjac plant's root. A 100g serving of Fukumi rice contains approximately 70 calories, 16g of carbohydrates, and 6g of fiber, making it a suitable option for those aiming to control blood sugar levels. The high fiber content, specifically soluble fiber, helps slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, leading to more stable blood glucose levels. 

ICan i3 Continuous Glucose Monitor

Wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) empowers you to take control of your blood sugar by providing 24-hour monitoring. With real-time insights, you can see how different foods affect your glucose levels and make informed choices to avoid spikes, helping you achieve better blood sugar control.

The iCan i3 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System by Sinocare is a wearable device that provides real-time glucose readings every 3 minutes for up to 15 days, eliminating the need for frequent finger pricks. Its waterproof design allows use during daily activities, and the companion app lets users track trends and set alerts for high or low glucose levels. The iCan i3 offers a convenient, less invasive way to monitor blood sugar and improve diabetes management.  You will also be able to share the information with us at the clinic so that we can better manage your diabetes. 

Karri Family Clinic is now a PaedsEngage Clinic

 

Karri Family Clinic is now enrolled as a participating clinic in the KKH PaedsEngage program. That means that you can bring your kids here for consultation and if they need further referral to KKH A&E, you will be able to be referred there with a $50 discount off the A&E rates.  For more information, please see:  https://www.primarycarepages.sg/news-and-publications/paeds-engage-(engagement-and-gp-empowerment)

Change in Opening Hours

Our Opening Hours have been changed to:

Mon-Fri Morning 8.30am to 1pm
Mon-Wed Evenings 6.30pm to 9pm
Sat 8.30am to 12.30pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

Pfizer BioNTech Covid Vaccine now available

The Pfizer BioNTech Vaccine is now available at our clinic for patients 12 years and above.  The vaccine is provided free of charge.  Please call 67850311 to make an appointment for the vaccination.  As the vaccine is given in groups of five, it would be good if you can gather a few friends and family members to vaccinate together.

Baby Vaccinations Free of Charge from 1 Nov 2020

From 1 Nov 2020, newborn and children vaccinations can be done at Karri Family Clinic Free of Charge. This only applies to Singaporean children and does not apply to Permenant Residents and foreigners.  All you need to do is to visit our clinic when your child is due for their vaccinations!  Child development assessment will also be done for the child without any extra charge.  

Adult vaccinations will also be subsidised.  The amount of subsidy will be different for Pioneer Generation, Merdeka and CHAS card holders.  Please check with our clinic staff for details. 

Covid 19 Swab Available at Karri Family Clinic

From July 1 2020, any patients above 12 years of age with symptoms of runny nose, cough, fever and sorethroat will need to be swabbed for Covid 19.  This is a painless procedure which will take only a few seconds to do. 

Our clinic will be able to perform the swab from Mon - Fri 8.30am to 12.30pm and Sat 8.30 to 12pm.

Singaporean  and permenant residents only need to pay $5 (Pioneer and Merdeka Card holders) or $10 for the consultation, swab and necessary medications.

Clinic Address and Opening Times

 

Hello and welcome to our clinic.  

I am Dr Leslie Tay and Karri Family Clinic is established here in Tampines since 2004.  We specialize in Family Medicine which means we look after the healthcare needs for your whole family including vaccinations for babies, childhood illness, health screenings, chronic illness etc.

Our motto, "Treating patients, not diseases" reminds us that we are here to help people and not just treat a disease.  As such we aim to treat each individiual holistically remembering that each person is a special individual.  We look forward to serving your family!

Address

866A, Tampines St 83
Tampines Central Community Complex
#03-05
Singapore 521866
Map Link:  https://goo.gl/maps/kreoENGA8rrtCqD49
Tel: 67850311

Consultation Times
Mon - Fri:  8.30am to 12.30pm, 6.30pm to 9pm
Sat: 8.30am to 12.30pm
Sun and PH: Closed.

Teleconsultation available through MaNaDr App.
Please download the App for IOS here and Android here.
Do give us a call at 67850311 after you have requested Teleconsultation with us so we can add you to the queue.

Accepted Cards
Pioneer Generation and Merdeka
CHAS
PHPC
Medisave
Aviva, IHP, Great Eastern, Fullerton,

Services available

Acute and chronic medicine
Children from birth onwards
Baby vaccination packages

Vaccination for elders (medisave claimable)
Cervical vaccine package (medisave claimable)

Minor surgery

Ear syringing
Health screening packages
Foreign worker permits
Long/Short term visit pass
Telemedicine via MaNaDr App

Essential Services During Covid 19 Circuit Breaker

Please note that the clinic will be opened during the Covid 19 Circuit Breaker period for essential services.  This includes any illness or sickness requiring immediate attention as well as filling of medication for chronic illnessess.  We will not be doing any adult vaccinations, maid checkups, driving licenses or health screening until after the circuit breaker period is lifted.

Please remember to stay at home as much as possible during this period and only go out for necessary things like buying food and seeking medical help.

The Dengue test kit is now available at our clinic.  With this kit, we will be able to test for dengue using only three drops of blood and the results will be known within 20 mins!  The test can be done as early as the first day of fever, but will be more reliable after day 4 of fever.

If you want to live longer, exercise 30 mins a day

The latest report by British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that elderly men who exercise 30 mins a day, six days a week will reduce their chance of death over a 12 year period by 40%! And it doesn't matter if the exercise is light or vigorous! So get your daily dose of exercise and live longer!

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/health/30-minutes-of-exercise-is/1848836.html

Hep A outbreak in Malaysia: Protect yourself with the Hep A vaccine!

There has recently been a report of an outbreak of Hep A in Terengganu, Malaysia.  If you are planning a trip to the region, please get yourself vaccinated with the Hep A vaccine.  You will need two jabs over six months, but even after the first jab, you will get 85% protection by 2 weeks and 100% protection by 3 weeks.

Hep A is easily contracted through exposure to contaminated food and water and is highly recommended for visitors planning to travel to regions like South East Asia and South Asia.

The Hep A vaccine is available at our clinic at $110 nett.

Cervical Awareness Month: Protect your daughter against Cervical Cancer

It's Cervical awareness month again. So here is a timely reminder for all parents that you can protect your daughter against Cervical Cancer by giving her a vaccine when she reaches 9 years of age.

The vaccine is actually already in the National Immunization program for girls from 9 to 26 years of age. So you can withdraw $300 from Medisave to pay for the vaccine if you wish. The price for the Medisave Package is $420

If you are able to pay by cash or nets, we are giving you a further discount and the package is $390 nett. This special price is valid while the current stocks of vaccines last.


Medisave price is $420

Safety of Seafood from Japan

I have written an article on radiation and how it affects the food we eat. 

In essence, because of the stringent controls in place, we can be confident that the food imported from Japan is safe. The article will also explain the different types of radiation and how radiation causes cancer.

Click here to read.

Common Bicycle Accident in Kids: Parents please be careful!

Common Bicycle injury in kids

I just saw another case of this type of bicycle accident where the child is riding in front of the bicycle and inadvertently got his leg trapped in the spokes of the spinning wheel.

May I remind parents to be extra vigilant when you have kids riding in front of the bicycle.  Here are some things you might want to do:

1.  Make sure the child wears proper shoes and socks.  This child was wearing a pair of slippers only.  If he had a proper pair of shoes and thick socks, the injury would not have been so bad.

2.  Please make sure you have one of those bicycle seats where the child can place his legs inside the plastic foot rests.  Make sure that the seat is big enough such that the child can stretch his legs past the seat into the spokes of the wheel.

3.  Seating the child at the back of the bicycle is better than in front as it lessens the chance of the leg getting caught in the spokes of the wheels.

4.  Always remind the child that riding a bicycle is potentially dangerous and he must sit still and not play around while the bicycle is in motion.

5.  Not many people do this in Singapore, but it is always safer if you can wear a helmet.  In Australia, this is compulsory.  I have come across one case where the child fell from a bicycle and hit her head against the drain.  She subsequently had to have an emergency surgery to evacuate a blood clot in the head.

Japan drug panel finds no link between Vaccinations and Deaths of Children

You might have heard the news that there have been some concern In Japan about the pneumoccocal and Act-Hib vaccines.  The latest report published by the Japanese drug safety panel has stated clearly that following investigations, they have found no link between five infants who died this month and the Pfizer vaccine Prevenar 7 as well as the Sanofi vaccine Act Hib.

I have been assured by the Pfizer representative here in Singapore that our batch of vaccines are different from the ones used in Japan.  We are currently administering the latest Prevenar 13 vaccines which are manufactured in England whereas the Japanese Prevenar 7 are from the US.

So far Prevenar has been in the market for the last decade and there has not been any major safety concerns after 360 million doses have been distributed.  In Japan alone, 2 million doses have been distributed and this is the first time there has been any concern about the vaccine. Japan has suspended the use of the vaccines in order to find the root cause.  But as far as their drug safety panel are concerned, there is no link between the vaccinations and the deaths.

All the other countries who are administering Prevenar 13 will continue to administer the vaccine.  In Singapore the HSA has not issued any warnings about using the vaccine.

Parents should be rest assured that the vaccine is safe.

I will continue to keep you posted on any future developments.

Link to news article.