Memorial Day, 2010
Updated: 2010-05-31 21:32:30
Cindy Haines, Chief Medical Officer of HealthDay and Managing Editor of Physician’s Briefing recently remarked that “Grief is an inevitable component of life lived fully. It is a rare soul, indeed, who passes through unscathed. But losing a child ranks at the top of the hardest to bear.”
I have thought about this so often: What [...]
Are you eating the right’ fruit and veg Friday 21st May , 2010 You might be getting your five a day’ but researchers are now saying the fruit and veg most people choose may not always be the best . choice A new study from the US has discovered that most people get the right nutrition from only a few types of fruit and vegetables but there are better choices . available As an example , researchers said a papaya is better than an orange and sweet potato is better than carrots . Papaya provides 15 times the amount of beta-cryptoxanthin than oranges and sweet potato has double the amount of beta-carotene compared with . carrots This data highlights the importance of not only the quantity but also the significant impact the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables you eat can have on
Postnatal depression affects dads too Friday 21st May , 2010 A new study has revealed that men are just as likely to suffer the baby blues as . women Figures show that one in ten mums suffer with postnatal depression and this latest research has discovered the ratio is the same for fathers before or after the birth of a . child The American study observed that symptoms displayed by fathers are not hormonal as they are with women but more a response to the pressures of becoming a dad such as paternal responsibility , altered relationship with the partner and stretched . income Mental health experts also added lack of sleep and more domestic chores as probable factors in men becoming depressed The research team from the Eastern Virginia Medical School reviewed 43 previous studies involving
Trendy depression’ claim challenged by mental health experts Friday 21st May , 2010 Mental health charities have challenged Janet Street Porter after she made a claim in her Daily Mail column that depression is the new trendy illness’ The journalist wrote that women should get a grip’ and that some illnesses go in and out of . fashion’ Three of the main mental health charities : Mind , Rethink and Time to Change have written letters of complaint to the Daily . Mail The letters were posted on Facebook and : read It is clear that Porter has an exceptionally limited understanding of depression . Contrary to her views , one in six people in the UK of all ages and backgrounds experience a real mental . illness’ Suggesting that such a debilitating problem is a trendy fad that people indulge in
Diet and exercise ignored in favour of weight loss pills Monday 17th May , 2010 With nearly one in four adults in England classed as obese , specialist advice on dieting and weight loss is losing out to prescription anti-obesity . drugs The number of prescriptions for weight-loss pills has risen to 1.5 million up by 13 per cent since 2008 and 66 per cent since 2005. And the cost of these drugs to the NHS is 47 million per . year The only recommended drug for obesity is Orlistat’ , commonly found under the brand name of Alli’ . However , many patients stop using it because of side-effects such as diarrhoea . And health care experts have also pointed out that the drug is only effective when eating a low-fat diet and regular follow-ups with a . GP Steve Field , chairman of the Royal College
Food allergy patients worst served by medicine Monday 17th May , 2010 People with food allergies are among the worst served by doctors , according to a large-scale review of research into the . condition The review discovered that patients were being misdiagnosed and allergy tests were giving misleading results . Up to 30 per cent of people claim to have an allergy to certain foods but in a blind-test fewer than 10 per cent actually have . one Some of the well known allergy avoidance principles such as breast-fed babies have fewer allergies or avoiding feeding a baby eggs during their first year have been found to have little evidence to support . them The review also found that adults are eliminating foods from their diet without evidence based on a suspicion the food is causing an
Antidepressant drug warning to expectant mothers Monday 17th May , 2010 Pregnant women taking antidepressants have received a warning from health chiefs about the risks to their unborn . child The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MHRA which acts as the Government’s medicine watchdog has advised doctors about the risks of a rare lung condition to babies born to mothers who take drugs such as Prozac and . Seroxat The lung condition , which is a persistent pulmonary hypertension that prevents babies from breathing properly once out of the womb , affects up to two in every 1,000 births but the risks could double when the mother takes . antidepressants This new warning comes after a link was discovered five years ago between antidepressants and birth defects . Then , doctors
Pregnant women not getting enough Vitamin D Friday 14th May , 2010 A new study from the US suggests that pregnant women must increase their levels of Vitamin D to avoid health problems for themselves and their . infant Results found that seven out of ten pregnant women were not getting enough of the vitamin which is not only essential for bone health but also a range of health . benefits Researchers from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine suggest that women trying to conceive should begin taking vitamin D . supplements Prenatal vitamins do help raise vitamin D levels , but many women start taking them after becoming pregnant , 8217 wrote lead author of the study Dr Adit Ginde in the American Journal of Obstetrics and . Gynaecology Although research is ongoing , I think
Behavioural therapy found to ease Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS Friday 14th May , 2010 New research published in the Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatolog journal has found behavioural therapy to be an effective alternative to treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS is a common condition , characterised by lower abdominal pain , cramps , diarrhoea , constipation or a combination and alternation between all of these . symptoms The study showed that behavioural therapy can be an effective and safe alternative to medication when trying to treat the . condition During the study , participants attended one hour sessions for 10 weeks . Behavioural therapy was found to have benefits within the first four weeks and after a three-month follow up session , 95 per cent of
, , Alcohol , not stress disorder , is bigger problem for UK troops Friday 14th May , 2010 Last year we published a story about a counselling project helping soldiers cope with post-traumatic stress disorder Now a new study suggests that alcohol abuse is a bigger problem than stress for British servicemen and women in war . zones Troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are 22 per cent more likely to consume hazardous levels of alcohol than those who are not deployed into . action Research carried out by King’s College London has identified mental health problems and PTSD rates to be roughly the same as in 2003. However , one in ten respondents to a survey claimed they were drinking alcohol at a level that is described by the World Health Organisation as . hazardous’ The study by the
Lack of sleep linked to obesity in children Monday 10th May , 2010 Sleep deprivation could be contributing to obesity among children according to research presented to the Paediatric Academic Society in the . US Results from a study by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute point to a lack of sleep being linked to a higher body mass index BMI which is one of the markers of . obesity The study involved 723 pre-adolescent children sometimes referred to as tweens’ and teenagers . Each child was measured for movements and assessed sleep patterns and their calorie . intake Measurements were taken using an accelerometer to determine activity levels and questions were asked about what the children ate and drank . The children were also asked about levels of sleep during weekdays and at the .
It is easy to get distracted and unfocused, especially when it comes to getting things done. You may find yourself faced with a huge list of things that you need to do. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer size of your list if you have a busy home and work life.