World of Health

Head injuries of any kind have the potential to be extremely serious, as they can affect consciousness. Amongst the types of injures to the head that it is possible to sustain are ones to the skull, such as fractures; or internal ones involving the brain or blood vessels. Amongst the potential symptoms suffered as a result of head injuries are concussion, loss of consciousness, and even irreparable brain damage in the worst cases. Anyone suffering a head injury – even one which may appear to be relatively mild – should seek medical attention as soon as possible, as sometimes the underlying seriousness of an injury of this kind is not immediately apparent.

Just as there can be a wide variety of different types of head injury, so there are also a number of different ways in which such injuries can be sustained. Amongst the most common causes of head injuries are falls or motor crashes of any kind. Sometimes, however, internal head injuries – such as brain injuries – can occur as a result of problems during the process of receiving medical care. Brain injuries as a result of medical or clinical negligence can range from ones sustained during a surgical procedure, to ones that arise as a result of the misdiagnosis of symptoms.

There are several ways in which incorrect diagnosis can lead to brain injury. Firstly there are those resulting from the failure to diagnosis existing injuries in this area – such as a tumour or haemorrhage, leading to irreversible damage, or death, when a correct diagnosis may have prevented this outcome. Then there are those cases where a head injury unconnected to the brain is not correctly diagnoses, leading to the problem going on to affect the brain. Finally, there are those brain injuries that result from a surgical procedure going wrong.

Any of these scenarios can potentially lead to a medical negligence claim – of the kind handled by legal representatives such as Patient Lawyers – if there is a strong case for negligence on the part of the hospital, or an individual doctor who was responsible for the treatment.

Article courtesy of Patient Lawyers

The festive season is certainly the time to eat, drink and be merry, and it is easy to believe the fact that over two-thirds of us confess to over-indulgence at this time! It’s no surprise either that eating like this leads to stomach complaints. More often than not the results of overindulgence are indigestion, heartburn, bloating, diarrheoa and embarrassing trapped wind; not at all in the festive spirit! For others, ongoing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are exacerbated at this time and many of us face something of a dilemma: how to enjoy the festivities of the Christmas period without symptoms having a negative impact and spoiling the fun. Here are a few tips that may be helpful for looking after your health, finding out why you’re feeling poorly over the Christmas period, and minimising the impact of that seasonal overindulgence.

Drink plenty of water. Be sure to drink at least 2 litres of water daily over the Christmas period. This will keep you well hydrated, encourage you to eat less and will flush out those indulgent toxins from your body!

Take time when you are eating. Be kind to your digestive system. One of the problems in our daily lives is that many of us rush through the day, with no time for anything, and when we do have time to get a bite to eat, we gobble it down. Take smaller bites, chew each bite slower and longer, and you’ll enjoy your Christmas treats longer!

Identify undetected food intolerances. For many, underlying and undetected food intolerances may be the cause of their digestive discomfort. According to the leading charity Allergy UK, 45% of the population suffers from symptoms of food intolerance and a recent survey[i] showed that 31% of sufferers had had to take between one day and one week off work due to their food intolerance symptoms in the last year.

Thankfully, help is at hand with a simple testing service that identifies the trigger foods responsible for food intolerances. This scientific approach, which can be used to identify the different food types involved for each individual, is a blood test that measures food-specific IgG antibodies. Your body is unique and doesn’t lie, either you have antibody reactions to certain food combinations or you don’t, and the best way to find out is by carrying out a test.  You then get an accurate reading of exactly what foods your body is reacting against so that you know what to avoid. According to new findings from York University and YorkTest, identifying and acting on underlying food intolerances has been found to significantly improve the symptoms of several common gastro-intestinal conditions. In a sample of 5,000 food intolerance sufferers the following results were reported after three months, once participants had eliminated the problem foods from their diet.  These foods were identified by the YorkTest FoodScan test commonly used by many health professionals to identify food intolerances.

• 84% showed moderate to high improvement in IBS symptoms
• 92% showed moderate to high improvement in bloating
• 90% showed moderate to high improvement in abdominal pains and cramps
• 90% showed moderate to high improvement in symptoms of constipation

These latest findings are further confirmation of the direct link between certain health complaints and diet. The test that was used for the survey is the only one of its kind endorsed by the charity Allergy UK and YorkTest has 30 years of experience in the food intolerance testing market.

Imagine waking up on January 1^st with a new-found resolve knowing what you can do to really make a positive difference to how you feel, all year round. Enjoy the festive season!

Guest Post

In Britain, obesity has become a growing health problem for many people. With so many people suffering from with obesity problems, many opt for different kinds of weight loss procedures. Many obese people will be advised by medical professionals to consider a gastric band procedure to reduce their body weight.

Nevertheless, a gastric band procedure is just the beginning on a path to a healthy and happy life. The weight loss results will have to be maintained and in order to do this an individual will have to eat a healthy balanced diet and make sure they participate an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise.

As the stomach is reduced dramatically, the individual will no longer be able to eat the same sized portions they did before the operation. Every meal counts and should contain nutrients and vitamins the body needs to fight disease, repair muscle and grow.

Five Healthy Tips You Should Consider After A Gastric Band Operation…

Move those feet

Walking is a perfect exercise for someone recovering from a weight loss operation. It is not too strenuous and you can walk for a long period of time without really noticing the distance you have covered. This is great for burning calories and can be done when going to the local shops or walking the dog.

Food

The types of foods you eat are so important for you to maintain the weight loss results after surgery. Liquids with a high nutritional value are recommended during the primary stages after surgery. Try eating foods that have a low calories count and are packed with a healthy abundant of vitamins and nutrients.

Chew more

This may sound a little odd, but research has found that the longer you chew your food, the brain thinks that you are eating more than you actually are and feel full up quicker. This trick is an old one and will stop those unwanted cravings from returning.

Drink Plenty of Water

Make sure you hydrate your body with liquid. A recommended amount would be around 2.5 pints a day. This is advised throughout the day and alongside meals.

Part of Your 5 a Day

Make sure you eat a balanced diet that includes fruit and vegetables. Did you know that all fruit and vegetables can be included in your five a day portion? During the early stages after surgery you could liquidise your fruit in the form of smoothies to make sure you get your daily recommended amount.

Emotional Eating

Many people eat for many different reasons. Some people eat because they feel sad or find that it provides a comfort to fill out the void in their life.

Recognising why we eat is half the battle and by getting to the emotional side of eating we can then defeat the physical side of eating.

If you know you will overeat during certain periods of time, like in the evenings or after work when you are too tired to prepare a meal, make a note and make sure you have healthier alternatives close at hand. Remember, you should start these healthy recovery steps after 2 weeks.

Closing Words….

A gastric band provides an individual with quick weight loss results. But this is only a small part of your weight loss journey. Diet, exercise and aftercare are just as important as the surgery and many people need to realise this if they are to maintain their new figure. If you feel that you are interested in having cosmetic surgery then you must realise that surgery is only the beginning.

Gradually growing a bit forgetful is a common part of the aging process. Many of us have times when we forget a small detail such as where we left the keys or a phone number that was at the forefront of our mind just a moment ago. While slight forgetfulness is to be expected in older adults, dementia occurs due to problems in the brain that goes on to cause abnormal memory loss.

Basic Statistics

There are several types of dementia or dementia-like diseases and disorders, although the most common form is Alzheimer’s. While the exact figures of dementia diagnosis for any given year might differ slightly, an average one in twenty adults over the age of 65 will develop some form of cognitive disorder.

For those over the age of 85, roughly one in five will develop some form of dementia. Generally, dementia is not common in younger individuals, although in some instances individuals might develop symptoms earlier in life – possibly due to other problems that result in similar symptoms.

Signs of Dementia

The indicators of dementia can vary slightly between specific disorders and their causes, but in a majority of cases the initial signs are the same. Commonly, individuals who develop dementia begin by experiencing a more dramatic loss of memory. In many cases, this memory loss could lead to mood swings, gradual inability to perform normal routine tasks and changes to personality.

As dementia worsens over time, sufferers may no longer be able to provide basic care of their needs. In these situations, a care home may be necessary in order to keep your loved ones healthy.

The Types of Dementia

Several types of dementia can occur in individuals. While numerous types can affect an individual, there are types that are more common than others. The most prevalent form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which forms due to damaged tissues in the brain caused by plaque build-up that slowly kills off brain cells.

Vascular dementia is another common form of this condition. This disorder occurs when the arteries to the brain are blocked and oxygen is cut off, which can result in the death of some brain cells. It is most common in individuals who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

Lewy body dementia occurs when the patient’s symptoms take on aspects of both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Other forms of dementia can occur, but not as common in most individuals.

Treatment

Treatment can vary depending on the patient’s needs. In a lot of cases, when family members are no longer able to care for their afflicted loved ones, they may need to admit them to a care home for the best available care.

Dementia is unfortunately not curable at present and is a progressive disease that slowly gets worse as time progresses, although treatment can slow the progression if the disease is caught early.

Dementia is a scary disease as it affects the mind before it affects the body, but thankfully families can have hope as many care homes can provide the appropriate care for loved ones to ensure that old age is as comfortable as possible.

An Advertorial Feature

To truly heal depression, your whole lifestyle needs to get in on the act. You may’ve been prescribed medication – SSRIs are the most common – but it’s worth acknowledging that while this can significantly improve your mood, it doesn’t automatically cause you to adjust your own habits.

And if you seek lasting freedom from depression, anxiety, or the wrong sort of stress, you will need to examine your habits – honestly & without judgement – & perhaps make some changes.

From unhelpful thought patterns to burning yourself out at the gym, there are dozens of things you can tweak & adjust in order to create a lifestyle that supports your recovery. Here, we will focus on food.

Don’t worry – I’m not about to suggest a sudden, drastic change of diet. This can be so daunting that it doesn’t work at all. Instead, simply commit to making small, permanent changes over the next few months. Keep practising each one until it becomes a habit. It may seem insignificant at the time, but – when you look back in a year – you’ll recognise what substantial progress you’ve made.

Some unambiguously good foods

Researching healthy food can leave you in a headspin – there’s so much conflicting advice. But some foods are definitely better to eat than avoid:

Oily fish. Scientific studies agree that communities whose diet includes lots of oily fish (herring, mackerel, pilchards, salmon, sardines, trout, fresh tuna) tend to experience less depression. As far as we know, this is because these fish contain Omega 3, which is a natural anti-depressant.

Vitamin B foods (meat, turkey, tuna, brewer’s yeast, bananas, whole grains, lentils, tempeh, beans). Tests show a significant reduction in depressive symptoms when patients eat the vitamin B complex, which includes several different B vitamins that often work together.

Treat yourself, nicely

You may not even notice it, but if you regularly mistreat yourself, you may often be angry at yourself – at least on a sub-conscious level – for doing so. If you have internet access, or even just a TV, it’s pretty hard not to notice that sugar doesn’t help people.

Consumed regularly, it causes diabetes, painful teeth & gums, wrecked complexions, obesity, & sends your emotions spiking from high to low, as your body constantly scrabbles to balance your blood sugar level. As a method of subduing psychological pain, sugar does a very short-term patch-up job, & does nothing to permanently improve your life.

Getting “off” sugar is surprisingly easy. As soon as you start eating lots of protein & vegetables, the sugar cravings dwindle away. You’ll feel happier about eating proper meals because your body won’t be saying “enough calories already!”.

It’s also helpful to replace sugar with something helpful. By helpful, I mean that you can afford it, it’s not going to damage you in the long run, & it gives you a genuine sense that you’re treating yourself with respect. These days, I buy myself flowers instead of the 500g of milk chocolate that used to be my habit. The gratitude I feel towards myself each time is twofold: I get some nice flowers; I didn’t hurt myself.

It might seem small & maybe even silly to you now, but it really does feel different.

Suzie Saw* has experienced episodes of depression since her early teens, & now manages it using a carefully honed blend of cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation, excellent friends, plants & flowers, lots of vegetables, & Star Trek.

* A writer, not a psychiatric professional. Please seek medical advice if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression.

A breakthrough in diagnosing Alzheimer’s has come to light after researchers have discovered new ways of detecting the disease.

Researchers claim the debilitating brain disease could possibly be detected through testing fluid taken from the spine. Tests so far have been proving hopeful and accuracy levels have been as high as 100 percent. The spinal test comes along at the same time scanning machine that can be used to detect amyloid plaques developing in the brain.

Alzheimer’s has only been fully diagnosed after death until now. Further studies into the disease have now shown that the disease can be detected earlier and researchers hope this will lead to cures for the disease.

Researchers say that once Alzheimer’s has started to destroy brain cells it becomes difficult to do anything to stop the disease, but now there are hundreds of drugs being tested to help this.

Statistics in Britain with regard to being overweight and the issues with obesity have been quite alarming. Over 46% of the men and 32% of the women are overweight. Generally speaking being overweight is a person who has a body mass index of between 25-30 kg/m2 and those falling into the obese category have their body mass index over 30kg/m2.

Numbers reveal that being overweight and the problem with obesity increases with age. In the UK, for instance, 4% of men 16-24 years of age were considered overweight but that soared to 78% for men between 55 and 64 and an alarming 67% of the women being considered overweight.

These numbers are increasing on a daily basis and it is clear to see that. Since the 1980s the overall number of people considered obese has doubled. That is an excellent indicator something must be done to overcome the quickly escalating problem.

The rates in UK for childhood obesity are also increasing as today about 13% of all the children who are 8 years old in the UK are obese and a shocking 17% of those between 15 and 17 are obese.

This marks a trend and it will only mean the numbers will increase for obesity. The fact this phenomena is even existent is alarming enough but it means there has to be drastic changes in lifestyle and they have to be done immediately to prevent the rest of the population from suffering the same outcome and making obesity a major health issue in the UK.

Obesity at an early ages leads to a high risk of obesity as an adult. Statistics reveal that women and men who are employed in manual occupations have more of tendency of becoming overweight than those working in the professional field.

For those that work in unskilled manual operations obesity is common. Nearly 25% of women working in unskilled labour jobs are obese compared to only about 15% of women that work in professional operations.

It is very important the program you use for weight loss uses the gradual and slow approach to losing weight. It is not healthy to go for the real quick loss that only returns in a matter of weeks. Select a diet that chooses the right foods to eat and develops good healthy eating habits plus includes within the program a form of exercise that can be incorporated into your daily schedule.

In Scotland, the rates of cancer are higher than the average for Britain in middle aged women, with new diagnoses averaging 10 per day says a new study. Cancer Research UK figures revealed that over 3,500 women from Scotland that were between the ages of 40 to 59 were diagnosed positive for cancer in 2008.

That is a rate of 476 for every 100,000 women compared to the combined rate of Wales, Scotland and England of only 459. All types of cancer were studied by the charity with the exception of non-melanoma cancer of the skin, and since the 1970s showed an increase of more than 1,000 new cases annually with over 2,500 diagnosed in 1979 between the ages 40 to 59.

Across Britain the cancer rates, per the study, had increased over the last 30 years close to 20% for middle aged women and men. The average number in 1979 of new cases was 44,000 with that number at 61,000 in 2008 an annual increase for cases for the year of more than 17,000.

The charity also pointed out that the survival rate from cancer victims since the 1970s had doubled. One of the reasons for more cancer diagnoses is in part due to the breast screening program the NHS has and for prostate cancer exams.

A spokesman for the charity, John Fyall noted that treatments for cancer have progressed tremendously since the 1970s and the survival rate has increased exponentially because of that. But he pointed out that a redoubling of efforts needs to be made so cancer survival becomes the norm and not the exception irrespective of the cancer or the age of the patient.

The charity is launching a new campaign of TV advertising using the stories of real people that have survived the disease in order to try a help with donations. A lady from Perth was an example used in the campaign.

In June of last year she was diagnosed with cancer of the ovaries. But because of new research and treatments she is a survivor and participated in her first Race for Life in order to give back.

She had surgery and then chemotherapy for six months and said she did not realize the number of women between 40 and 60 that have been and are being diagnosed with the disease. On the other hand she said by participating on Race for Life you also see how many of those diagnosed are actually surviving.

When we play with Mother Nature there are often unintended consequences. Look no further than our attempts of treating certain health issues and have now led to the infection problem today with MRSA. MRSA is the abbreviation for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is commonly known to us as staph. Thankfully it is treatable with a number of different antibiotics and not deadly.

The methicillin-resistant part of MRSA is the troubling part of the name. This means the strain of staph bacteria has over time built up a resistant to methicillin antibiotics and they are essentially the usual antibiotics that we use to treat staph. Staph for the most part kills no one but MRSA has killed over 19,000 people a year.

What most question is how did this all come about. Every living organism evolves over a period of time and staph bacteria is the same. The bacteria are killed continually by MRSA bacteria until a slight form of variation allows part of it to survive. That then starts replicating and spreading.

Of course what we all fear is what happens when MRSA explodes and starts to spread everywhere and we get overwhelmed with a bacteria that does not die and lives in our hospitals and other medical care facilities. Because of this MRSA is referred to as a superbug and is potentially a huge problem.

In many people’s opinion the problem with the MRSA threat did not need to become a threat or such a big problem. Antibiotics are viewed by so many as magical cures for almost everything. If small amounts worked well then large amounts should do wonders. This thought process lead to an incredible overuse of antibiotics thus increasing the rate of speed the bacteria evolved a resistant strain.

This is how bad it became. Did anyone know the food we eat everyday has antibiotics, here we are talking specifically about meat. Cows get injected with them, chickens and others animals that are mass produced. The rate of these antibiotics is even increasing as genetic manipulation alters size but they are less able to fight off disease.

Guest Article by Gerald Crawford

One out of every three; that’s the number of people who suffer from allergies. There are a lot of remedies out there to treat the symptoms, but none really work long term. It’s not all bad, though. Every day we learn more about allergies. New discoveries are made and studies are being done.

Until a cure is discovered, allergy sufferers can do a number of things to improve their quality of life. We’ll talk about a few of them (tips, medications, even jewelry options!) in this article.

Definition of Allergies

“I have an allergy” is what we say when our immune system reacts abnormally to something that is completely harmless to most everyone else. This hypersensitivity gets our immune system in an uproar in an attempt to protect the body from what it perceives as a threat..

That’s when your eyes itch and water; your nose runs out of control; your throat gets that dry, scratchy feeling; your sinuses start to swell; your skin starts to itch and you either develop a rash or a case of hives. Life becomes uncomfortable to say the least. And it happens again and again, each time you are exposed to the allergen, your body will react.

Common Symptoms

Different people react in different ways to different allergens. Sometimes you can have a mild reaction to an allergen and the more you are exposed, the more severe the reaction becomes. Consult an allergist or general physician when you experience anything more than a mild reaction to an allergen.

Mild reactions include:

• Sneezing
• Itchy eyes
• Runny nose

Moderate reactions include:

• Mild rash
• Mild hives
• Sinus headaches
• Itchy, scratchy throat

Severe reactions include:

• Rash
• Hives
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of lips
• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness

Allergy Sufferers; Who Are We?

Although we’re not sure why some of us develop allergies to some things while other people do not, we do know that the propensity to become allergic to something is genetic. Basically, if your parents are allergic to something, you might be allergic to the same thing; not a guarantee, but more likely to happen.

An interesting allergy fact is that even if you are not allergic to a particular substance right now, you might develop an allergy to it later on. The reverse is true as well. So for instance, I was not allergic to pollen as a child, never had hay fever or itchy eyes from it, yet today, I as much as look at a mote of pollen and I have a sneezing fit. Sound strange? It shouldn’t. It happens to a lot of people.

One fascinating pattern that we’ve noticed include is that boys are more likely to be allergy sufferers than girls, but young ladies are more likely to have asthma than young men. Another is that people living in cities are more likely to suffer from allergies than people who live in more rural areas.

A fact worthy of note is that hay fever and eczema are more common allergic reactions for children in small families. Children in larger families are less likely to suffer from these symptoms because their immune system is constantly exposed to many agents of infection through their siblings (hygiene hypothesis). Their small family counterparts are exposed to fewer, resulting in hypersensitivity.

Common Allergens

Food allergens include:

• Dairy (milk, ice cream, etc)
• Eggs
• Wheat products
• Soy
• Nuts
• Seafood
• Fruits (strawberry, mango, peach)

When you eat something that you are allergic to, you might experience the following symptoms:

• Rash (small, reddish bumps that look like pimples) around mouth
• Hives (raised bumps; bigger than what a bad insect bite would look like) around mouth or anywhere on body)
• Vomit)
• Abdominal pain)
• Bloating)
• Diarrhea)
• Difficulty swallowing (result of swelling in throat)

The best course of action is to consult a physician, identify the food (process of elimination), and not eat it again.

Airborne allergens include:

• Pollen
• Dust mites
• Animal dander

These are harder to identify. A lot of us have seasonal allergies caused by pollen from trees, flowers, and grass. Try to really pay attention to where you are when you experience hay fever so you can narrow down the culprit.

Dust mites are microscopic insects that live and eat dust. You’re not allergic to the bug, you’re allergic to their waste. The best course of action is to keep dust down in the house by dusting and vacuuming (use a HEPA filter), getting rid of carpets and fabric curtains, and by washing sheets and towels in HOT water. Sometimes medication might be necessary to keep the symptoms at bay. Consult your allergist.

Animal dander is tiny flakes of dead skin that fall off your furry pet. If you have animal dander allergies, the best thing to do is just keep away from fuzzy, furry animals. Sorry.

Chemical allergens include:.

• Perfumes
• Dyes
• Latex products
• Laundry detergents
• Gold
• Nickel

Common reactions include itchiness, fine rash, hives, eczema, and dermatitis. Best thing to do is just stop using them.

Usually you find out you’re allergic to a certain type of metal when you wear a piece of jewelry and your skin becomes irritated at the point of contact. Just because you are allergic to certain metals does not necessarily mean that you cannot wear jewelry. Titanium is a hypoallergenic metal, and this metal has become popular in the form of titanium rings. It does not irritate even the most sensitive skin. Plus it’s very durable and very lightweight and biocompatible. You can find titanium jewelry at fine jewelry stores anywhere.

Medication allergens include:

• Penicillin
• Aspirin
• Cephalosporin

Immediate medical treatment is imperative for medication allergies. Symptoms can be very severe and may not show up until a few days after taking the medicine (it stays in your system for 5-10 days after ingestion). Signs include vomiting, hives, joint pain, difficulty breathing or swallowing, diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and dizziness.

Diagnosis

A lot of times, we can self-diagnose. If every time you eat a mango you get a rash around your lips and a huge bellyache, chances are, you are allergic. That said other allergens take a while to figure out. It might take months or years to find what pollen type it is that makes you sneeze all the time. The best and quickest way to find out what it is that is bothering you is to go to an allergist. They can give you skin and blood tests to help identify the specific agent.

Once identified, if you cannot avoid the allergen (airborne ones, for instance), you may need medication or a vaccine.

Allergy Medications

Medicines do not cure the allergy. They simply help mask the symptoms.

Nasal sprays wash out the allergens from the nose, providing relief from cold-like symptoms.

Antihistamines and steroids are other options that help relieve the resulting discomfort suffered by those who are allergic.

Allergy shots where minute amounts of the allergen are injected into the sufferer are another way to help the sufferer build a resistance to the allergen. Over time, the severity of the sufferers symptoms to the allergen will decline.

In cases where allergic reactions are severe and the sufferer is threatened with possible death by anaphylaxis, a shot of epinephrine may be prescribed and carried. A Medic Alert bracelet may be a necessity as well.

Allergy Tip Checklist:

• Avoid contact with animals if you are allergic to dander. If you have a pet, keep them away from the bed and the bedroom.
• Avoid carpets, curtains, and any unnecessary fabric hanging about in the house. Fabric harbors dust.
• Vacuum daily and keep dust to a minimum by dusting frequently; even when something does not look dusty, wipe it anyway; it only takes a minute of time.
• Use hypoallergenic mattress covers, sheets and pillow covers.
• Wash bedding and towels in HOT water. If your washing machine water does not get hot, add a pot of boiling water to wash cycle.
• Stay inside when pollen count is high.
• Keep windows shut and use the air conditioner when travelling by car (filters air).
• Use perfume and dye free cosmetics and detergents.
• Look for hypoallergenic label on products (they are easy to find!).
• Wear hypoallergenic jewelry. Titanium is the best option for those with metal sensitive skin.