Bridesmaid's Extreme Diet Backfires, Leading to Health Issues

Compiled by OON JUN-YANG, C.ARUNO AND R.ARAVINTAN HER bid to look good in a bridesmaid’s dress drove a woman in Hangzhou, China, to go on an extreme diet, only to end up with much higher blood sugar levels, China Press reported. The 26-year-old woman with the pseudonym Xiao Yu agreed to be the bridesmaid at her good friend’s wedding, so she went on an extreme diet and exercise regime to look slimmer for the big day. On certain days, she would run more than 10km. Eventually, she lost 15kg within 60 days. Xiao Yu, who is 160cm tall, had earlier weighed 65kg. After she lost the weight, Xiao Yu began to experience physical discomfort such as fatigue, frequent hunger, intense thirst, dizziness and heart palpitation. Blood test results showed that her fasting glucose level was 7.8 mmol/L. A healthy level should be below 5.6. Doctors pointed out that Xiao Yu had eliminated carbohydrates from her diet choosing to only consume small amounts of vegetables and chicken breast daily. Her extreme regime was said to have disrupted normal insulin secretion in her body. With doctors’ advice, Xiao Yu stopped dieting and resumed balanced meals. She also chose to focus on moderate-intensity aerobic workouts and strength training. After three months of lifestyle changes, Xiao Yu’s weight stabilised at 52.5kg and her blood glucose level returned to normal. > A museum in China was criticised for being stingy after it awarded just 200 yuan (RM116.50) to a man who had handed over an ancient bronze sword he discovered, China Press reported. The man with the surname Bi found the sword while working at a construction site on Jan 5. Once news of his discovery spread, Bi was contacted by the local cultural relics bureau informing him that he was not allowed to sell the sword and must hand it over to a museum. Bi said he surrendered the sword to Xishui County Museum on Jan 15. The museum said the sword possibly originated in China’s Warring States period 2,400 years ago. The small reward triggered widespread criticism from netizens, with many saying it would spur people to quietly keep any ancient relic discoveries rather than turning them in. In response, the museum said the 200 yuan was not a valuation of the relic but a token of appreciation to Bi.