World of Health

Back in stores with an updated look, Winter Nips and Herbal Cough Drops, from Uncle Joe’s Favourites range are the perfect warming remedy this winter.

Although we all know that there is no cure for the common cold, however, Uncle Joe’s has a range of natural remedies that can help to give you a lift this winter.

There are 2 flavours to coose from, the herbal cough drops and Winter Nips.

Herbal Cough Drops

Packed full of flavour, these traditional sweets contain 10 natural herbs and spices that are guaranteed to warm the senses and sooth a tickly cough.

Winter Nips

Despite being small in size, Winter Nips pack a soothing punch!  These traditional black hard boiled sweets contain a unique blend of 10 natural herbs and spices that will clear your nasal passages and help you to breathe more easily.

Uncle Joe’s Favourites are a delicious reminder of how sweets used to taste. William Santus and Co. Ltd has been making sweets since 1898, using traditional manufacturing methods and 100% natural ingredients.

Uncle Joe’s Herbal Cough Drops and Winter Nips can be purchased at the new online sweet shop, which also stocks a complete range of retro sweets, including Dolly Mixture, Bon Bons, Liquorice Cream Rock, Strawberry Fizzers, Nut Brittle and Winter Candy, all of which come hand packed in traditional sweet bags.  They are available to but from many supermarkets.

Website:  www.uncle-joes.com

Overweight individuals often appease their conscience by noting that as long as they are not obese they are “not fat” While obesity greatly increases the risk of several diseases, being overweight also has a price. An increase in body weight is linked to an increased risk of a stroke as well as several cancers. For every 2-pound increase in body weight, your risk of developing arthritis will increase by approximately 9 to 13 percent.

On the plus side however, weight loss, even small to modest amounts, can drastically reduce these increased risk factors. Losing weight will help to boost cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of cancer.  As a person loses more weight, their increased risks keep diminishing until the person reaches their ideal body weight.

The attraction of instant results often leads people to take up fad diets and crash diets. Although you may experience temporary weight loss, these diets will also negatively affect your health. These diets generally advocate extreme dieting and can lead to undernourishment. This will place a great strain on your body and lead to diminished immune capabilities.

A faulty immune system will leave you susceptible to diseases and infections. In addition to this, since these diets are so extreme, it is impossible (and unhealthy) to stay on them for an extended period. Once you fall off the wagon and start bingeing, you will put on all the weight you’ve lost and probably even more.

The only safe way to lose weight permanently is to be consistent in your daily routine. You will need to follow a healthy diet and an exercise routine. This may not produce immediate results in terms of weight loss but it definitely will in terms of energy levels. People who are overweight often feel sluggish and lethargic. Fatigue and low energy levels too are extremely common. A healthy diet will help to provide your body with ample nourishment while regular exercise eliminates sluggishness and fatigue.

Ideally a healthy diet would be rich in a variety of raw fruits and vegetables. When you start your new diet, do not try to cut down on the number of meals you eat or your serving size. Start to substitute the unhealthy foods you eat with healthier options. For example, you can have a fruit bowl as a snack, instead of chips or fries. Fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre and help to reduce hunger pangs. Include one serving of skinned chicken daily or other protein rich foods like soya.

Do not exclude all fats from your diet. Some fatty acids like the omega acids are essential for overall health. Include fish like salmon in your diet to ensure that you get these fats. Alternatively, you can have a handful of assorted nuts daily as they are high in these fats as well as several vitamins.

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer says that the poor in Scotland are facing a declining life expectancy due to the government forcing its will upon people with health issues.  He suggests that forcing people, no matter how sick, to get care, leads to a sort of dependency that puts undue burdens on hospitals and health care providers.

Even though the life expectancy of the Scottish poor has increased by nearly two years, Dr. Burns suggests that this is way off par with Eastern European countries that will surpass the Scottish life expectancy in short order.

This theory is in direct contrast to most modern medical beliefs that doctors should directly intervene in patients’ poor health decisions like obesity, smoking, or drinking.  A recent report from Dr. Burns says that only when people with health problems are obliged to help themselves rather than getting help from the system will they benefit.

The entirety of his annual report seems to be filled with the concern that Eastern European life expectancy statistics shall overtake the life expectancy statistics of Scotland.  He also seems to offer no real solution other than that the poor sick should pull themselves up by their bootstraps and stop depending on the government for medical aid.  Although he makes no suggestion as to where else they might get it.

He suggests that the government forces health care upon people who don’t really want it and that it should only be given to those who seek it out.  He argues that forcing those with health issues to get treated forces their dependency upon health resources and that health organizations compel the public to do things instead of doing things in conjunction with them.  Only when they have to make their own decisions about their health will people be inspired to do something about it, he says.

Milk Thistle extract is derived from a plant belonging to the Compositae family. It is labeled as a flavanolignin, which is a rare type of bioflavonoid.

The benefits of Milk Thistle are numerous and such a food supplement is used to combat a variety of ailments, including strengthening and detoxifying the liver.

Milk thistle is a member of the sunflower family and its black seeds have now been harvested for many years due to their beneficial properties. The active and most beneficial ingredient housed within the seeds is silymarin; such an ingredient provides users with a huge number of health benefits. One of the main benefits however, is its ability to act as an antioxidant, which appears to be more potent than most other vitamins.

The free radicals and toxic chemicals that are harmful to our bodies are combated by such antioxidants; such radicals cause cell damage, which is a main factor of both disease and premature aging.

One of the most renowned qualities of Milk Thistle is its effects on the liver. The liver is of course one of the most important organs in the body as it works to both break down nutrients and cleanse the body from the inside out. Milk thistle not only aids in detoxifying the liver, it also protects it against damage from harmful toxins, alcohol damage and an assortment of other negative effects. As well as this it also works to enhance and encourage the regeneration and repair of liver cells by reversing liver damage. This makes it a must have product for those who suffer from either hepatitis or cirrhosis.

Various clinical trials have proven the food supplement of milk thistle to be beneficial in reducing inflammation, decreasing excessive skin cell growth and helping treat endometriosis.

Milk thistle is available in a variety of forms including a powder, capsule and liquid form.

Visit www.hollandandbarrett.com to find more vitamins, supplements and minerals.

West Sussex NHS have published the following tips for staying healthy this winter.

1. Have an up-to-date medicine and first aid kit at home.

Many minor injuries and illnesses, such as a headache, sore throat or grazed knee, can be treated at home with recommended medicines and plenty of rest.

Ask your local pharmacist for advice on common illnesses like cold symptoms or skin irritations, and get information on medicines you can have at home for you and your family.

2. Choose the right NHS service.

It is important to know where best to access health care or advice before you need it. You can talk to your pharmacist for free about what you can do at home, seek advice and help from your GP or practice nurse if you do become unwell, or contact NHS Direct 24 hours a day from home for free health advice and information on 0845 4647 or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

If you are more seriously ill there are a range of services available in West Sussex including Minor Injury Units, an Urgent Treatment Centre and Accident and Emergency.

3. Have a free seasonal flu vaccine.

Thousands of people in West Sussex are eligible for the free seasonal flu jab this winter. Everyone aged 65 and over is routinely offered the jab, as are younger people with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, serious kidney and liver disease. Carers can also have the free vaccine.

It is important that everyone who can have the vaccine takes the opportunity as flu is not the same as getting a cold. It can seriously affect your health.

4. Know how best to manage your long term condition.

If you have a long-term condition, there are extra things you may need to consider, such as making changes to your diet, different types of exercise or different types of medication you may need to take.

Self care doesn’t mean you get less help from your doctor. When you talk to your GP or nurse about your condition, you may want to discuss some of the things you need to do to stay well. Some of these will be things that you do yourself, including eating healthily, exercising or taking your medicines at the right time.

5. Live a healthy lifestyle.

There are many things we can all do to stay healthy, especially during the winter, including making sure you eat a balanced diet and do regular exercise.

Making lifestyle changes like stopping smoking, losing weight and cutting down on alcohol will also have a positive impact on your health. Free NHS help and support is available across West Sussex.

Find out more about what you can do to look after yourself and your family in NHS West Sussex’s Live Well section.

Cholesterol is naturally found in the body, but there are two different varieties of it and an improper diet can lead to the second, known as LDL, which is bad for you can, in turn, lead to a high risk of heart disease and eventually even a fatal heart attack if you do not take proper care of yourself.

Although high cholesterol is inherited and genetic, a simple test to see if you have it can help you control it before it becomes a problem in your life. Of course, understanding cholesterol can also help you combat it and help you enrich your diet so that it never becomes a major problem to your health as well.

As mentioned, there are two kinds of cholesterol, HDL which is your good cholesterol, and LDL the bad cholesterol. When your body starts to form an excess of LDL this is an indication that you are probably developing blockages in your heart arteries which makes it harder for blood to circulate to and from the heart.

When the blockage becomes too severe, which happens when your LDL levels are extremely high, your artery will spasm and stop working which is what causes a heart attack which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

On the other hand, when you have high levels of HDL, the good cholesterol helps prevents blockages from forming, this is a sign that you are a very low risk for future heart disease.  The best way to find out your current level of cholesterol is by heading to your primary care provider or local health fair and asking for a blood cholesterol test if you have not already had one.

Keep in mind however there are still other risk factors for heart disease that may affect you even with normal cholesterol such as diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure so be sure to mention these to your doctor as well.

If you find out that you have high cholesterol you may or may not have to take medication to control the future continual elevation of your LDL levels.  If you have a high cholesterol level of HDL but also a high LDL level your doctor may suggest that you improve your diet and current amount of daily exercise.  However, if you have a history of heart disease in your family even with an LDL level that is high you may still be advised to take medication.

Outside of medication, you are the sole person who can control the amount of cholesterol in your body.  Eating a low fat healthy diet that is low on saturated fats and cholesterol can help alter your cholesterol levels immensely.  A proper exercise routine is also instrumental in keeping your cholesterol levels down and your heart safe from disease.

Sweating also known as perspiration is a natural process the body undertakes. It can however be the cause of discomfort for many people. Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes excessive sweating, which can often affect the emotional and psychological feelings of the sufferer. Not only does this reduce confidence but it can be an embarrassing condition which surprisingly affects a number of people. This condition can be treated effectively using BOTOX® in the underarm area. A series of injections into both armpits will take less than half an hour and will stop excessive sweating for around 6 months. With repeated treatments, the results last even longer.

There are two types of hyperhidrosis, focal which affects only certain areas of the body such as the armpits, hands or feet and generalised hyperhidrosis affects the entire body. Hyperhidrosis can be primary where there is no apparent cause of the excess sweating or it can be secondary where the sweating is due to an underlying health condition such as an overactive thyroid gland.

Both can be treated and this non-surgical treatment is available from a number of clinics and is suitable for both men and women. This quick treatment will begin to eliminate perspiration over six months. Seek the advice of your GP to see whether this is a suitable surgery for you.

The cold and flu season is now upon us.  Lemsip have introduced a tool so that, wherever you are, when you get that scratchy sore throat or when those cold symptoms strike, don’t suffer alone!

Join Lemsip’s thousands of Facebook followers and have your say about the nation’s number 1 selling cold & flu brand! Worried about catching a cold this winter? Why not monitor cold & flu incidence levels in your area using the Lemsip UK Cold & Flu Tracker? Featuring on the official Lemsip Facebook page, it provides a great way to spread sympathy and comfort around the UK this cold and flu season.

The interactive Cold and Flu Tracker will add real time incidences of illness around the UK, highlighting on the map the region with the highest number of people with the sniffles. You can either scroll over the map and find out the sickest region in the UK or let your friends know that you are ill by clicking on your region and tagging yourself on the map, signalling that you’re suffering. Sort your real Facebook pals from the rest and see how many of them respond to news that you are unwell by sending you comfort and well wishes!

To start receiving some sympathy simply visit the Lemsip UK Cold and Flu Tracker and follow these steps;

- Click on your region on the map to see how many people are suffering from cold and flu in your region

- If you are suffering you can then press the button ‘Add me to the map’ to let everyone you know that you are sick

- Your friends will then receive a message from you and you can start getting some comfort in your time of need

For more information on the Lemsip Cold and Flu Tracker and details on Lemsip products to help you get through cold and flu season, visit www.facebook.com/Lemsip.

Diet pills could offer a solution for people who need an extra help when dieting, for they help reduce the sense of hunger while following a diet low in calories together with an efficient exercising programme.

What is still unsure is whether these diet pills are safe. Diet pills may at times be made of herbal substances and natural ingredients, with added diet supplements such as multivitamins, which can provide psychological support when dieting.

However in conjunction with these pills it is essential you follow a balanced diet reducing the calorie intake, as well as an exercise plan.

These diet pills have still to be tested for their effectiveness and safety; these are not prescription drugs and are not subject to FDA approval. ‘Alli’ is the only brand, which has been tested and been proved to actually work for dieting, while ‘Ephedra’ has been connected with side effects.

Many diet pills contain substances such as caffeine, which help alleviate hunger, but there is no guarantee that these pills do not give side effects, for they have not been tested, some people with allergies have complained of troubles caused by these diet pills.

Those pills that promise weight loss without a lower calorie regimen are deceiving, although you may lose weight initially, you will not over the long term. For weight loss to be long lasting you need to follow a diet and exercise regularly, if you do need diet pills take them under medical control and also consider the costs as opposed to the effectiveness.

Whether you are a man or a woman, losing your hair is one of the more worrying aspects of getting older. At a time when your confidence is already taking a knock due to your ever increasing waistline and the odd grey hair, to find that you are also suffering from hair loss can be unnerving. But it doesn’t have to be. With the hair restoration techniques out there at the moment, losing your hair doesn’t need to mean a life of knitted hats and comb-overs; in fact, you could very easily live life in the same way you always have done.

So, what causes hair loss and why does it affect some people and not others? Thinning hair is a natural part of getting older for both men and women. We all lose around 50 to 100 hairs everyday and normally this won’t be noticed. However, as we age the re-growth rate slows down, making it more likely that thinner spots may emerge.

Baldness, though, is something quite different and can be caused by a number of conditions:

• Pattern baldness: This is usually age related and can be hereditary. It occurs in both men and women and means that the growth time of the hair shortens and it falls out at a more rapid rate. The pattern of the baldness is often confined to the front and top of the head and can eventually mean that almost all the hair will fall out.

• Alopecia: This can be caused by an auto-immune disease which may be triggered by a virus or can even be stress related. Alopecia isn’t necessarily permanent though and hair can grow back. Sometimes alopecia can be caused by scarring to the hair follicle caused by certain skin conditions.

• Telogen effluvium: This type of hair loss is caused by a shock or extreme stress to your system. This can include the death of a loved one or an extreme diet. Hair normally grows back in this case.

• General health: In many cases, hair loss is associated with poor nutrition, hormonal imbalances, scalp infections or certain drugs such as chemotherapy. Normally, the hair will grow back once normal health has returned but this is not always the case.

• Hair pulling: Some people develop an obsessive compulsive disorder which leads them to pull out their own hair strand by strand. The underlying cause of this condition needs to be dealt with to allow the hair to grow back.

For most men and women affected by hair loss, the main reason is simple pattern baldness, which is unfortunately the one condition where the hair is unlikely to grow back of its own accord. In this case, you might be searching for ways to improve the condition of the hair you have left to ensure it stays put and also hoping to find a way to restore the hair you have lost. There are a number of techniques to do just that.

• Your health: One of the easiest ways to ensure you are looking after your hair is to make sure you have an overall good standard of health and nutrition. While pattern baldness may not be helped by this, you will at least make sure that the hair you do have is strong and more likely to last longer.

• Reduce stress: Some types of hair loss are made worse by stress, even of the mild variety. Ensuring that you get enough sleep, don’t work too hard and exercise regularly will all help when it comes to reducing general stress levels.

• Hair pieces: Often made from real hair, these can actually be quite effective and unnoticeable. A good hairdresser will be able to produce a hair piece which fits your natural colour and does not contain too much hair.

• Hair weaving: This is where the hair you already have is used as an anchor point for the weave which is either sewn, knitted or glued to it. This needs to be repeated every six to eight weeks and can be loosened when washing. But it is a good technique, especially for women who want thicker and longer hair.

• Hair transplants: This is where plugs of hair are inserted into the scalp which eventually take root and begin to grow as normal. While expensive, this technique works well but will leave some scarring in the area where the hair has been taken from.

• Drug treatments: There are a few drugs on the market at the moment which can be used both as a preventative measure and to restore hair. They can lead to some side effects however, such as itching and rashes. These topical medications usually only work after several months of use and need to be used consistently. Once they have been stopped the hair will start to fall out again, but some oral medications have shown good results in studies. Once again, they can take up to three months for results to become obvious and will only last as long as the medication is taken.

• Hair laser therapy: When applied in a clinical setting it is possible to use laser therapy to improve hair growth. Results of this hair loss treatment will normally be seen within three months.

It does appear that there is no simple way to restore thinning hair and each method does involve some degree of persistence, but the results speak for themselves. Both men and women experience higher levels of confidence and just generally feel better and younger from their baldness treatment.

While thinning hair may be a natural part of ageing, our society has always fought against any of the signs of getting old whether it is skin creams, plastic surgery or going on a diet. Having your hair restored is one of those methods that will help you to regain your youth, and there is nothing wrong with that!