Mens Health Uk

2009-04-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

Health tops the list of issues, which has become a matter of real concern for people all over the world. Nearly one third of the size of population in the UK dies prematurely due to smoking related diseases. The list of harmful side effects of smoking is endless. It is high time for smokers to understand the usefulness of quit smoking drugs, buy Champix in the UK, and make it a healthy nation.

Smoking and cancer

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Smoking can cause serious problems that eventually result in the formation of different cancers in the body. Apart from lung cancer, smoking can cause mouth cancer, throat cancer, voice box cancer, bladder cancer, cervix cancer, stomach cancer, pancreas cancer, esophagus cancer, and leukemia cancer. If people buy Champix in the UK, many lives can be saved.

Lung cancer and smoking

People who smoke invite serious lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These types of diseases are called COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The serious thing about COPD diseases is that they become chronic and even worsen after some time. Long-term smokers can easily invite COPD. The best remedy for them is to take quit smoking aids and stop smoking. They can also buy Champix in the UK, which is easily available.

Smoking and heart troubles

A sizable number of people who die due to heart problems have long-formed habit of smoking. People develop peripheral vascular disease, narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles, due to smoking. Smokers also have high risk for strokes as smoking affects the walls of the vessels that carry blood to the brain (carotid arteries). These risks become less if smokers try effective quit smoking drugs and make their life a bit longer. They can buy Champix in the UK and make this nation healthier.

Smoking and impotence

Blood vessel disease, which is caused due to smoking, can cause impotence in men. Men who smoke are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction or impotence. This problem causes trouble to almost every man. Men should buy quit smoking drugs rather than anti-impotence drugs if the trouble starts due to smoking. To buy Champix in the UK is a good option to make men of this nation strong and free from impotence.

Other problems and smoking

People who smoke over a period suffer from premature wrinkling of the skin. Other common problems include bad breath; bad smell in clothes; yellow fingers, and nails. Smokers also carry risk of macular degeneration, which is one of the causes of blindness in old age. Smokers should buy Champix in the UK or any other drug to get rid of these problems in one stroke.

Smoking and women

Smokers usually invite trouble due to the habit of smoking and if the smokers are women, some unique risks are sure to follow. Women smokers may have problems in conceiving and women who are above 35 years and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. Women smokers can take anti-smoking drugs like Champix; however, they should not buy Champix in the UK if they are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Apart from health benefits, there are monetary gains also of quitting smoking. Smoking is an expensive affair. It may surprise many smokers if they bother to calculate the total money spent on smoking in a year. In addition, if they calculate the money for number of years they have been smoking, surely, jaws will drop.

Therefore, it is ideal to invest money in buying anti-smoking drugs to get rid of this serious habit. Smokers should spend money to buy Champix in the UK or any other effective drug and then compare the costs. The total money spent to buy Champix in the UK, may be far less than investment in buying cigarettes. So, make a wise decision and you will be happier.

2009-04-22T23:12:00.001-07:00

Some like it hot. According to environmentalist James Lovelock, we’ll get plenty of hot between now and the end of the century. “We are so far down the path toward the hottest we have been, since we were 55 million years ago,” Dr. Lovelock, who is also a leading atmospheric scientist, told StockInterview in a tape-recorded interview last week, “that as many of us look at it, it’s not going to make very much difference what anybody does.” In stronger commentary, which he wrote for England’s Independent newspaper, this past January, Lovelock warned, “The Earth is about to catch a morbid fever that may last as long as 100,000 years.” And we were worrying about another Ice Age?

Skeptics might wonder if his 1200-word essay was just book publicity hype. Lovelock’s scathing our-world-is-doomed article was published about two weeks before Penguin Books (UK) began selling his latest work, The Revenge of Gaia, in bookstores across the British Isles. He did admit within his newspaper commentary, “This article is the most difficult I have written.” While interviewing Dr. Lovelock, during our transatlantic phone conversation, the octogenarian sounded sad with his prediction, but still optimistic, despite his ruthless appraisal of what may lay ahead for the rest of this century. “I see the crunch coming as an opportunity to improve ourselves in a way. Who knows? Man may have a better chance when he starts again.”

ONLY ABOUT ONE BILLION HUMANS WILL SURVIVE

What does he mean by starting again? “By the end of this century, there is a high probability that the bulk of our species on the planet will be eliminated,” the soft-spoken Lovelock gravely remarked. “There may be something, plus or minus, on the order of a billion left.” Is there much hope, we asked. “I don’t see our current civilization hacking it,” he lamented in his response. But, but, what if? “Enormous changes must be made,” he stressed. “Society is much too slow in cutting back.” He insisted these changes should have started at least 50 years ago. Later he added, as an afterthought, “If Europe and USA were trying to be good and cut back by 30 percent, it’s really not going to help much. I don’t think the public wants to do it.”

In Lovelock’s forecast, he envisions, at the end of this century, the last few humans would be forced to rebuild the remnants of our civilization in the Arctic. It won’t be as cold up there by then, as you might think. He told us, “Within 25 years, most of the global ice in the Arctic will be gone. You will be able to take a sailboat to the North Pole.” How long before we begin to feel these changes? “In my own modeling, I rather think it is an unknown number of years,” Lovelock explained. “It may be five years or it may be 30 years.” He offered a visual, “Think of it as a rope or a string. Global warming may run up in a straight line or a curve lying a bit loose as the IPCC seems to project.”

Lovelock summarized why his forecast is dire and probably irreversible, “Everybody forgets the greatest damage we’ve done to the earth is not so much the emissions from greenhouse gases, but taking away the natural resistance from the farmland ecosystem. By doing that, we have disabled the planet’s ability to regulate itself.” Lovelock does not enjoy painting a picture of what earth might look like several decades from now. He wrote in the Independent, in January, “Much of the tropical land mass will become scrub and desert, and will no longer serve for regulation; this adds to the 40 per cent of the Earth's surface we have depleted to feed ourselves.” Through his book and in various articles, Lovelock has repeatedly blasted environmentalists who gamble away earth’s future by campaigning for renewable energy sources.

That’s when we began talking about environmentalists, especially the idealists who claim to be helping preserve the earth. So, we asked this leading environmental scientist what was really wrong with today’s environmental movement. Bitterness entered his voice when Lovelock answered, “It’s mostly made up of urban people, who know almost nothing about the countryside and still less about the ecosystem.” He scoffed, “Their solutions are basically urban-political solutions. They continue to insist on wanting to run their cars on bio fuels. This is one of the maddest ideas of the lot.” Lovelock cuts no slack for those championing the cause of bio fuels. He writes in The Revenge of Gaia, “It would require us to burn every year about two to three gigatons of carbon as bio fuel (a gigatons is one thousand million tons). Compare this quantity with our yearly food consumption of half a gigaton tons… We would need the land area of several Earths just to grow fuel.”

Does he believe environmentalists are wrecking the environment? “I’m afraid I do,” he glumly responded. Because we know there remain several environmental groups who refuse to embrace nuclear energy as a much-needed solution to the planet’s energy mix, we asked what he would like to say about them. “They are being very foolish,” he quickly shot back. After a pause, he added, “They are living in a dream world.” Like the father figure he is, Lovelock is disappointed but tries to remain buoyant. He wrote in his recent book, “My feelings about modern environmentalism are more parallel with those that might pass through the mind of a head-mistress of an inner-city school or the colonel of a newly formed regiment of licentious, and naturally disobedient young men: how the hell can these unruly charges be disciplined and made effective?”

LOVELOCK WANTS THE WORLD TO GO NUCLEAR NOW

The headline of a recent editorial in a Boston newspaper asked, “Are Pro Nuclear People the New Greens?” We discussed that. “It’s a bit of an old term, really,” he grinned. “Nuclear has been around for more than 40 years at least. I suppose in some countries, like the United Kingdom, you will find some groups are looking more toward nuclear.”

Make no mistake in thinking James Lovelock is anything but Pro Nuclear. His quote adorns the top of the front page of the World Nuclear Association’s website, “There is no sensible alternative to nuclear power if we are to sustain civilization.” Rightly so, the trade association refers to their proponent as the “preeminent world leader in the development of environmental consciousness.” In his book, Lovelock writes, “There is no alternative but nuclear fission until fusion energy and sensible forms of renewable energy arrive as a truly long-term provider. Nuclear energy is free of emissions and independent of imports from what will be a disturbed world.”

Lovelock briefly analyzes the value and harm of each energy source in The Revenge of Gaia. He has a burning disgust for coal mining, and finds carbon-based fuels inefficient and dangerous, not only to humans but also to earth as a self-regulating system. He has frequently warned that renewables are insufficient to meet our planetary energy needs. In contrast to renewable advocates Amory Lovins or Senator Hillary Clinton, Lovelock sees little value in the immediate future for either solar or wind energy programs, and has harsh words for them, writing, “It will fail and bring discredit both to the greens and to the politicians foolish enough to adopt renewables as a major source of energy before they have been properly developed.” He believes their renewable energy solutions might only hasten our civilization’s demise.

Because Lovelock strongly opposes widespread mining, and because nuclear power depends upon the mining of uranium, how does he feel about uranium mining? “I don’t think it matters because it will never be a very big operation,” he replied. “When you consider the ratio of the energy produced from uranium compared to coal, on a ratio of millions to one, the quantity of uranium being mined is trivial compared to coal mining.” We explained to Dr. Lovelock how U.S. uranium companies replaced conventional mining with In Situ uranium recovery. Lovelock thought the In Situ is “a good idea because it mobilizes the uranium with the oxygen in the water and doesn’t make a god-awful mess of the environment.”

CALLS NAVAJO NATION URANIUM BAN ABSURD

Because of our coverage regarding environmental developments in New Mexico for companies such as Uranium Resources (OTC BB: URRE) and Strathmore Minerals (TSX: STM; Other OTC: STHJF), we talked about uranium mining in that state. Given that it was such an odd event, we discussed the Navajo Nation ban on uranium mining in the four-state tribal reservation area, called ‘Four Corners.’ Puzzled ourselves by this, based upon the latest scientific developments of the in situ uranium recovery method, we discussed an earlier conversation we had with Dr. Fred Begay.

This past November, while visiting Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL), we had asked Dr. Fred Begay about the new face of uranium mining. Dr. Begay, who is both a nuclear physicist and a Navajo, was continuing his affiliation with LANL by conducting community out-reach programs on the Navajo reservation. He told StockInterview, “The Navajo don’t get it. They have illiteracy on mining and uranium.”

We asked James Lovelock what he thought of the Navajo uranium ban in the context that the tribe also receives about $100 million annually from coal mining royalties. “Had there been no mining at all in the Navajo Nation, and they wanted to keep the deposits pristine as part of a natural ecosystem, I could understand their rejection to any mining,” he explained. “But if they allow coal mining, then it’s absurd to reject uranium mining.”

What would James Lovelock say to Navajo Nation president Joe Shirley, Jr. or to any of the aborigine tribes in Australia and elsewhere, which dislike uranium mining? “Very little,” he abruptly replied. Then, he clarified his response. “It’s almost like trying to persuade any religious person that their belief is unfounded. I wouldn’t dream to explain to a devout Catholic that I’m doubtful about the virginity of the Virgin Mary.” He compared it to an article of faith, adding, “They don’t think about it. They don’t know that it is wrong. It is very difficult to deal with people like that.” Does that apply to the average anti-nuclear environmentalist? He explained how he does deal with the uninformed, “The only thing I found effective in this country, the United Kingdom, is to say, ‘Yes, it may be slightly dangerous, but nothing quite so dangerous as global warming. So, we may have to use it to overcome this.’”

CHINA AND FINAL WORDS

One can not talk about 21st century nuclear energy without bringing up China’s dilemma. The world’s largest coal miner and one of the worst air polluters, China is planning the most aggressive nuclear energy expansion program of the past thirty years. “The Chinese government is the strongest government in the world,” Lovelock began. “I have a friend that goes over there regularly to advise the Prime Minister on their environmental problems.” Thus began a classic Lovelock anecdote:

“They say to him, ‘We’re all doing our best to have more renewable energy than anybody else. We are building nuclear power stations, as fast as we possibly can, so as to not add more carbon to the atmosphere. However if we can’t develop the resources for our people, strong as our government is, there will be a revolution tomorrow. We are in no position to stop using the coal resource until we build enough nuclear or other renewable sources to meet our needs.’”

He concluded, “If the Chinese can’t do it, how the heck can the Western democracies do it?” Therein lies what some consider his fatalism about Earth’s health. Is he truly the pessimist some make him out to be?

“Quite to the contrary,” he responded. “I’ve been accused of being a pessimist, but no, I don’t think that way.” Lovelock compared the current threat of global warming to his experiences as a student and young worker, during World War II. “In 1940, we were threatened by invasion by a very powerful enemy,” he reminisced. “Some people threw up their arms in horror and said, ‘There’s nothing we can do.’ But it was a very enjoyable time for those who worked hard and faced the threat.” Britain and Lovelock survived the threat, passing to the next generation what he learned from this experience, “It is terrible to think of Global Warming, but it is nevertheless challenging. It can be quite a wonderful time for a lot of younger people.”

Some have reported The Revenge of Gaia is Lovelock’s last will and testament. We instead read Lovelock’s masterpiece in a different light. Our conversation with Dr. Lovelock led us to believe his book is his sternest warning to the world’s politicians and scientists to speed up their embrace of nuclear energy in order to avert a very possible series of catastrophic events, which may come to us in the decades ahead. He did say there was “a high probability,” but Lovelock never said “definitely.” In this broad difference, Lovelock yet looks into his cup and finds it half full, not half empty.

2009-04-22T23:08:00.001-07:00

Sleep disorders have become another major epidemic. According to recent research, over 70 million Americans suffer from such disorders, 60% of which are chronic. An estimated 20% - 40% of adults suffer from insomnia each year. In one study, 54% of adults reported that they had experienced at least one symptom of insomnia in the past year. Last year alone, 50 million prescriptions were filled for sleeping pills. Sleeping problems are estimated to add $15.9 billion in health care costs each year.

Research in the UK indicates that sleepiness accounts for an estimated 20% of of all motor vehicle accidents there and has been proven to be as dangerous as drunk driving. A whopping 34% of drivers who drove more than 20,000 miles a year admitted they had fallen asleep at the wheel during the previous 12 months.

This problem includes over 2 million children in the U.S. It's estimated that between 30 and 40% of children get less than the 9 to 10 hours of sleep they require each night.

Interestingly, sleep problems are about twice as common with women as with men. Pregnancy, as well as menopause and hormone changes, are major contributing factors here.

These problems are also more prominent with people over 65, over half of whom suffer from disturbed sleep. Although Americans in this age group account for about 13% of the population, they consume over 40% of prescribed sleeping medications.

Sleep deprivation is also highly correlated with obesity and is clearly a major contributing factor in many diseases. Some weight loss experts believe, for example, that getting an adequate amount of sleep is an absolutely necessary condition to successful long-term weight loss.

There are two main types of insomnia: 1) Difficulty falling asleep; and 2) waking up and not being able to get back to sleep. In research studies, about 40% of the people report that their main problem is with falling asleep, while the rest say that waking up and not being able to get back to sleep is most problematic.

Since chronic use of most sleeping medications leads to habituation, as well as other problematic side effects (e.g., daytime grogginess), there is a huge need for alternative, healthy ways to improve sleep. Fortunately, there are a number of natural sleep remedies, many of which have been well-tested for hundreds of years and are known to be generally safe and effective for many people. They include Lemon Balm, Melatonin, Lavender, Chamomile, Hops, Valerian, and L-Theanine.

Recently developed formulations, that include a combination of these ingredients have been found to be effective as solutions to both of the two most common sleep problems outlined above, without any of the negative side effects associated with prescription drugs. One of the newest of these entails a "staged formula," one part of which promotes falling asleep, while the other, time-released ingredients help in getting back to sleep later in the night.

Some simple lifestyle changes can also help contribute to better sleep. They include the following: Sleeping in a room that is totally dark; reserving your bedroom only for sleeping and sex; refraining from active exercise before bedtime; not ingesting caffeine in any form in the late afternoon or evening; engaging in some form of relaxing activity that induces sleepiness before going to bed.

Anyone suffering from sleep problems, therefore, is well-advised to consider such lifestyle changes, along with natural sleep remedies before resorting to taking prescription drugs.

2009-04-22T23:06:00.001-07:00

Did you know that you are risking yourself to erectile dysfunction by smoking cigarette? Before you shrug off the statement, let me tell you that Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and the British Medical Association (BMA) estimate that up to 120,000 UK men in their 30s and 40s are impotent as a direct consequence of smoking. Now, still I can see the signs of doubt on your face. You need concrete reasons to quit smoking, am I right? I understand that you are pretty addicted to the four-inch-fire-stick and need to breathe in till the end of it. But if you lose your sexual pleasure for good in lieu to the pleasure of smoking, will you not be a loser in this bargain?

Sexual functioning requires balanced coordination among hormones, nervous system to carry stimulation and healthy vascular system to pump blood to the penile tissues to cause a proper erection. Absence of any component among them will inevitably lead to erectile dysfunction. Now, what is the contribution of smoking in causing erectile dysfunction? Smoking affects the vascular system by narrowing down the blood vessels that contributes to the blockage of arteries; therefore the penis gets insufficient blood pumped into it, which results in a failed erection. Strokes and heart attacks are other life threatening diseases which can be caused by smoking. Now, let me tell you that smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by 50% for men in their 30s and 40s. Let us see what nicotine actually does to the male private part to negate an erection.

 Atherosclerosis, a fatty deposit in the arteries, built up by long term smoking, blocks the inflow route of blood into the penis.

 Acute Vasospasm, a result of nicotine stimulation sent to the brain, causes rapid contraction in the penile tissues. This situation restricts blood flow into the penis.

 The presence of nicotine in the blood stream damages the valve mechanism that traps blood in the penis. This problem is known as venous dilation.

 Nicotine also reduces the volume of ejaculation.

 It lowers sperm count and the sperm develops an abnormal shape.

 The sperm motility is also impaired by nicotine.

Cigarette smoke contains about 4000 chemicals, most of which are supposed to damage the vascular system. The most dangerous chemicals are carbon monoxide, nicotine, and butadiene, causing thousands of deaths and millions of heart attacks, arthritis and impotence. A sheer fact can be deduced from the following findings; cigarette smoking results systemic arterial damage. We can infer another fact that impotence or erectile dysfunction is a signal to other life threatening diseases like heart attack, stroke and other heart and artery related problems.

The awareness related to the adversities of cigarette smoking is very low when it comes to erectile dysfunction. The smokers who are reading this article, I request them to analyze and weigh up their situation. If you have experienced the above mentioned symptoms related to your sexual life, you are in a deep soup. But at the same time, let me tell you, the situation is not irreversible. You can go back to your healthy sexual self just by quitting cigarette smoke. If the level of addiction is too high, there are therapies and medicinal help available for quitting cigarette, seek help from your doctor. Quit smoking right now so that you do not have to spend money on Viagra in future. Rather leave this smoking habit altogether, you will save your health, your sexuality and your money for a better life ahead.

2009-04-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

There should be a real concern in the UK over the standard of medical care in the Cosmetic Surgery industry. Unlike the rest of Europe, the UK doesn't regulate Cosmetic Surgery.

When you go for your Botox injections, do you realise that the person administering the injection may not be medically trained? Botox is a cosmetic treatment, although non invasive it still has dangers if not administered correctly.

The option of going abroad for Botox, may seem unrealistic to some people. Botox can be injected quickly, making it one of the lunchtime favourite treatments for men and women looking for youthful skin. However convenient this may be, is it really worth risking your health? Or having a clumsy beautician inject too much, maybe in the wrong place. Doesn't it make more sense to go abroad, maybe for a weekend break and book into a cosmetic surgery clinic to have your Botox administered by a dermatologist medical consultant.

Prague is a very beautiful, historic part of the world. Ideal for a short break, and as with other parts of Europe, cosmetic surgery is highly regulated. This makes it a perfect place to go for cosmetic treatments and surgery. The risk is far less than in the UK.

At Beautiful Beings we offer invasive and non-invasive cosmetic treatments. Botox is competitively priced at £280.00. We also offer teeth whitening treatments from £150.00. This can be an ideal combination for a girls weekend away, a hen party weekend, an anniversary or birthday treat for someone special.

Everything is taken care of for you, you can be booked into our clinic in Prague, transferred to and from the airport to accommodation. The only thing you need to do is book your flights.

Looking youthful is becoming increasingly desirable. Staying healthy, not putting yourself at risk for the sake of Beauty should be just as

2009-04-22T00:43:00.001-07:00

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death among Americans and Britons alike. Heart disease also kills more women than men, accounting for one in five female deaths. Even more startling, however, is that it claims responsibility for more deaths in women than all forms of cancer combined.

And yet there is surprisingly good news. Heart disease is one of the most preventable health conditions. In fact, people have the power to reduce many of their risks by simply avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, exercising often and taking certain supplements regularly.

Patients suffering from congestive heart failure exhibit impaired myocardial energy production and increased oxidative stress. One of the most important nutritional factors for myocardial energy production and the reduction of oxidative stress is CoQ10. It is found in virtually all cells of the human body, including the heart, liver, and skeletal muscles.

CoQ10 functions as a carrier to transfer electrons across the membrane of mitochondria (the energy generator in the body's cells) to create the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the fuel that energizes cells in our body. Heart muscle cells have the greatest concentration of mitochondria at 5000 per cell.

"Molecular Aspects of Medicine" (18:S137) reported that patients with elevated cholesterol levels, who were taking either Pravastatin or Lovastatin over a period of 18 weeks, lost close to 30% of their total serum levels of CoQ10. Therefore, anyone taking prescription statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels will also experience dramatic decreases in their CoQ10 counts as well and will need to supplement to attain adequate amounts. Additionally, research in patients with hypertension indicates that treatment with CoQ10 decreases blood pressure by diminishing the oxidative stress associated with congestive heart failure.

A recent review on the effects of omega 3 fatty acids concerning cardiovascular disease revealed that increased consumption of omega 3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements, reduced the rate of mortality, cardiac and sudden death -- even strokes.

Although the success levels were not quite the same as reported with the omega 3 fatty acids obtained from fish and fish oil, similar studies on flaxseed and walnuts have also been conducted with positive results for the same indications.

Other substances such as policosanol, phytosterols, L-carnitine, D-ribose, beta-glucans and tocotrienols can affect the positive outcome of cardiovascular disease when used in conjunction with a sensible diet and regular exercise. There are ample reports in the medical literature to justify their use in heart disease and stroke.

Personal heart health can be dramatically improved if an informed consumer is made aware of what is available in the market place. When paired together CoQ10 (http://www.nutriplusonline.co.uk/listman/listings/l0013.shtml) and essential fatty acids, i.e. omega 3 types (http://www.nutriplusonline.co.uk/listman/listings/l0016.shtml). go a long way toward achieving this.

2009-04-22T00:42:00.001-07:00

For thousands of years, aromatherapy has been used to promote physical, mental and spiritual health. It involves using a plant's essential oil, taken from its flowers, leaves, bark or roots, and massaging it (mixed with another substance like oil or lotion) into the skin, inhaling it or using it to fragrance a room. Even as far back as Egyptian times, essential oils were made by soaking plants and filtering the oil through a linen bag. The actual term "aromatherapy," however, wasn't coined until 1928, by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist. He first used the oils to treat wounds during World War I, and later continued experimenting with them. He found that certain oils had different healing properties, and he classified each oil as antiseptic, stimulating, calming, antitoxic, etc., depending on its uses. How Does Aromatherapy Work? It's thought that essential oils activate nerve cells in the nose, which send impulses to the limbic system of the brain -- the part that deals with emotions and memory. Aromatherapy is used both emotionally to invigorate, calm, relieve stress and more, and physically to help relieve certain conditions by stimulating the immune system, circulatory system and nervous system. Essential oils can be applied by an aromatherapist, who can mix a custom blend of oils for a specific complaint, or can be bought individually in health food stores. Unless you are very knowledgeable about essential oils and their effects, it's best to consult with a trained aromatherapist before using them. Tiny amounts of essential oils can produce marked changes, and some can be harmful, particularly to pregnant women. Traditionally, essential oils are used by:

* Mixing them with a carrier oil or lotion, and massaging them into the skin.
* Inhaling during an aromatherapy session.
* Adding them to bathwater. (Check out the new, highly recommended Vermont Soap Organics aromatherapy bath salts.)

Health Benefits of Aromatherapy Essential oils have been used to treat a seemingly endless number of conditions, including:

* Anxiety
* Depression
* Urinary tract infections
* Vertigo
* Headaches and earaches
* Panic attacks
* Dermatitis
* Fatigue
* Irritability

* Chickenpox
* Allergies
* Herpes
* Arthritis
* Stress
* Cancer
* Flatulence
* Laryngitis

Although much of aromatherapy's benefits are based on anecdotal evidence, aromatherapy is receiving more attention from researchers as an effective and safe treatment option. Promotes Deep Sleep A 2005 study published in the journal Chronobiology International found that lavender essential oil acts as a mild sedative and promotes deep sleep. In the study, 31 healthy sleepers spent three nights in a sleep lab: one to adapt to the study, the next with lavender oil administered into the air and the third with a control (distilled water) stimulus. The lavender:

* Increased the percentage of deep or slow-wave sleep in men and women.
* Increased stage 2 (light) sleep.
* Decreased rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep.

Further, all the participants reported higher vigor the morning after the lavender exposure. Fight Staph Infection Three essential oils studied by researchers at the University of Manchester were able to kill, within two minutes of contact:

* MRSA (staph infection)
* E. coli
* Many other bacteria and fungi

They say the oils can be blended into soaps and shampoos that, if used by hospital staff, doctors and patients, could eliminate the spread of these "super bugs." Patients could even simply inhale the oils to prevent being at risk. The particular oils used in the study will not be released until the researchers can find funding for a clinical trial. Said researcher Peter Warn from the University's Faculty of Medicine: "We believe that our discovery could revolutionize the fight to combat MRSA and other `super bugs,' but we need to carry out a trial and to do that we need a small amount of funding ... We are having problems finding this funding because essential oils cannot be patented as they are naturally occurring, so few drug companies are interested in our work as they do not see it as commercially viable. Obviously, we find this very frustrating as we believe our findings could help to stamp out MRSA and save lives." Benefits for Childbirth According to a paper published in the August 2005 issue of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, an aromatherapy service produced beneficial results for patients at a UK maternity unit. The aromatherapy was found to normalize childbirth and increase the satisfaction of mothers in regard to their labor experiences. Improvement in Shingles Outbreaks A case study of six hospice patients with shingles outbreaks found that a combination of three essential oils improved symptoms significantly. The patients sprayed a solution of 95 percent distilled water, 5 percent essential oil blend of Ravensara, Bergamot and Niaouli onto the rash at least three times a day. According to Noel Gilligan, the registered aromatherapist who ran the study, after 48 hours, all patients reported:

* A significant reduction in shingles pain.
* A scabbing and healing of the shingles pustules.
* Either a disappearance (one case) or reduction (five cases) or a "drying up" (three cases) of the pustules.

As we mentioned earlier, it is important to use caution when experimenting with pure essential oils. Certain varieties, in certain people, can exacerbate allergies and asthma, irritate the skin and cause uterine contractions in pregnant women. A trained aromatherapist can help you to determine which oils will be beneficial and safe for you.

2009-04-22T00:21:00.001-07:00

Whoever said ‘health is wealth’ was perhaps only half right. For, if we think wealth is the key to health, then you know you’ve found good wealth to afford the comforts of life, and your worries would take a backseat. Much the opposite would happen if your finances are out of control. So in money matters, it’s essential to analyze, plan and execute.

The first step towards a secure financial position starts with budgeting. You must have a budget to gauge your future positioning. A budget is nothing but an overview on how much you earn, spend, and save. This can be short-term as in case of daily or weekly budgets. It helps you to have an idea about where your money is or will be. Budgeting also helps in achieving long-term goals. For instance, if you fancy owning a Lexus after five years, you should plan to save some bucks from your pay every month and budget accordingly. If you stick to this practice, your desires won’t fail you.

Another must-do en route to financial health is to save. They say if you look after your pennies, the pounds will follow soon. So be penny-wise and start saving early in your career. Save in the form of funds or superannuation, but save to save future troubles/emergencies. However, this is not to say that you bid adieu to fun-factors in life. Indulge in luxuries or occasional extravagances, but save consciously.

Don’t remain tied in debt. The sooner you become debt-free, the healthier it is for you. And remember to start paying off the highest-interest loans first. Loan interests are known to break lives, so be aware of the dangers.

Yet another obstacle to a financially healthy future is your credit card. These are such items in your wallet that can drive you to bite off more than you can chew. If you cannot pay your card bills in full, say ‘no’ to credit cards and save yourself a perennial debt-trap.

Spend sensibly. Being a shopaholic isn’t actually a good idea if you’re trying to secure your finances. Of course, we all like to pamper ourselves with a new dress, an expensive watch or a handsome car; but be sure to think before you spend. Do you really need it? If the answer is ‘no’, forget it.

Having said all that, it’s true at the same time, that no matter how much you organize or plan your finances, life throws up unexpected surprises and you’re caught unaware. Maybe you’ve forgotten to consider your emergency house paint or missed an important bill. It’s then that you’d need payday loan online to get the clog out of the wheel.

Wise men would say: keep this as your last option. To sustain your financial health, choose not to go for these high-interest loans. But if everything fails, applying for a fast cash with an online payday loan in UK to make it smooth till your next salary. When used responsibly, they not only help you make your payments, they can also protect your credit rating or help you to avoid NSF fees from the bank.

2009-04-22T00:20:00.001-07:00

Opening Comments

Due to client confidentiality issues, the names and identities of the client hospitals who have benefited from this process have been obscured as no self-respecting management team would like the press to know about their problems with finance and efficiency.

Are We Healthy?

Many people within the UK's National Health Service (NHS) would recognise that there have been a number of significant improvements to the service over the last few years, but these same people would also recognise that there are many further improvements that could (and need to) be made, especially with so many hospitals facing deficits.

This short article has arisen from a number of projects carried out within the NHS to rapidly improve patient pathways in both elective care and emergency admissions, as well as in administrative functions. The aims of this work have been three fold:

• Significantly improve financial performance

• Maintain or improve standards of care

• Increase the overall patient experience

Healthy & Sustainable

Before we start, it is worth stating that many organisations have been able to 'ram-raid' hospitals, making short term, low gain and unsustainable improvements that have irritated administrative staff and lost the support of the clinical teams.

Therefore, there is a balance to be walked, on the one hand, the need to focus on significant improvements, and on the other hand the need to bring the teams with you as they pass through the process.

Over a period of time, we have been trialling a sustainable model for improvement in Health, Local Authorities/Council, Emergency Services and other public sector organisations, based around the PRISM model which is described below:

• P - Prepare the Organisation

• R - Roadmap

• I - Implement

• S - Sustain the Improvement

• M - Maintain the Momentum

The PRISM model uses concepts from Lean, coupled with key tools from Risk Management, Management Development and Cultural Change to provide a framework for sustainable change in complex process environments.

P - Preparing the Organisation

The first, and most important, activity in delivering the PRISM model is to scope the improvement so that the organisation is clearly focused on the right targets. We achieved this with the NHS through a management team level 'Scoping Meeting' to discuss such things as: Objectives, Focus of Improvements, 'Fixed Points' - or things that could not be changed, 'Impact Points' - or things that could influence the success or otherwise of the improvement work, and also identified who would lead the improvements. This was followed by training for the identified 'Process Leaders' who were to lead each stream of improvement.

R - Roadmap

Having got the organisational 'aligned' (in itself not an easy task), the next stage is to gain alignment from those involved in improving the process, which we have achieved through Value Stream Analysis Events (VSE) which are undertaken over a 2.5 day period of concentrated effort and use a variety of tools from Lean, Programme Management & Creative Thinking.

The concept of the VSE is to help the participants to see the 'waste' or inefficiency in the current process, using this information to help develop a vision of how good the organisation could be in a 'Blue Sky' state and then coming back to reality by creating a realistic 'Future State' which tries to get them as close to their 'Blue Sky' as possible, taking into account the realism of budgets, resources etc.

Because we then have reference points, as in where the team are starting from (Current State) and where they want to go (Future State), it is then possible to create an implementation plan to execute.

I - Implementing the Improvement

Taking the next element of the PRISM model, we then assisted the team to Implement Improvements through a series of Rapid Improvement Events (RIE) - each lasting 3-4 days and covering up to 4 improvement events. For example, in a recent RIE the teams led three improvement programmes:

1. Using Breast Reconstruction and Total Knee Replacement as examples of common outpatient activity, the first team focused on improving flow through outpatients to enable them to cope with the 18 weeks rule coming in from 2007 onwards for fully booked appointments. The work achieved a saving of over £300k and reduced the lead-time from some 7.5 months to 2 weeks to get a fully booked appointment.

2. Using primarily elective care examples, complicated by issues arising from trauma, or emergency admissions, the second team focused on increasing the ability of theatre to start on time, which resulted in lists starting 'on-time' increasing from 37% to greater than 70%. A secondary benefit of this is that the hospital will be able to operate on 10% more patients without increasing staff workload.

3. The third team focused on Emergency Admission procedures, particularly looking at 'Fractured Neck of Femur' - a problem suffered mostly by older women who have fallen over - and 'Max Fax' (Maxillofacial) - often suffered by young, drunk men in fights, where the focus was on reducing the time from DTA (Decision to Admit) to the patient being operated on, as well as increasing efficiency. The result was that processing times have dropped from an average of 9 hours to around 3 and there is a potential to save more lives every week through a significantly improved patient pathway.

One of the greatest side effects of the work undertaken has been some of the comments we have received on our journey, including such things as:

"The process is stressful, but delivers more than any other change programme we have done previously."
Assistant Director (Elective Care)

"It is certainly a radically different and exciting way to improve patient pathways quickly, efficiently and safely."
Operations Director

"The work really complements the improvement work we already have to do, but brings a refreshing, high impact approach to our traditional methods."
Service Improvement Manager

S - Sustaining the Gain

Making improvements in Health is one thing, sustaining them is another and the fourth element of the PRISM model is concerned with Sustaining Improvements through a 'Change Agent Development' (CAD) programme which focuses on developing the technical and leadership skills of the 'Process Leaders' who lead the areas being improved, by combining profiling with leadership and 'Lean', enabling them to sustain and improve the process which have been transformed.

M - Maintaining the Momentum

It is important to recognise that sustainable transformational change takes time, and we have found that it can require up to 1 year to become embedded and for organisations to realise all the benefits that are possible, including the teams becoming familiar with the process. This doesn't mean that hospitals have to spend a year before there are any improvements as these accrue every month, actually it means that to realise the full benefits, which are measured in millions and sometimes tens of millions, whilst also improving the patient experience and staff morale, requires continual focus over an extended period.

The last element of the PRISM model is to 'Maintain Momentum' which is concerned with ensuring the organisation continues to achieve benefits over the extended journey it needs to go through. This includes re-scoping the improvement, planning further activities and getting the Change Agents 'up to speed' and capable of running events in their own right.

Without this on-going focus, there will be a tendency to 'drift' and for people to revert to previous ways of working and more importantly, previous ways of making improvements, which without the focus on Rapid Improvement will often prove to have less impact and take much longer to achieve.

Closing Comments

The NHS have made significant improvements over the last few years and the professionals who work within it are performing brilliantly, often with broken processes which cause financial as well as 'people' problems, for example some 65% of complaints received by one hospital worked with were related to delays in the way they handled bookings in outpatients.

Combining the professional expertise, with existing improvement tools within the NHS, combined with external expertise and Rapid Improvement tools, is a winning combination for the 21st Century Health Service.

In the words of one Chief Executive, "I would never have believed that so much could be achieved in such a short time and in such a professional and exciting fashion."

Mark Eaton holds the Viscount Nuffield Medal for his contribution to UK Industry and has held numerous senior positions within industry, as well as holding the post as Director of a number of major public sector programmes. Mark is Chair of the IET's Manufacturing Network and the IOM's Operations Development Panel which aims to promote best practice in Operations Thinking in Manufacturing & Healthcare.

2009-04-22T00:17:00.002-07:00

Alcoholism Effects - How Much Alcohol is Too Much?

To an alcoholic, the more the better. In the United Kingdom, people are drinking more and more illustrated by the fact that 26% of the adults in England have an alcohol abuse disorder. That is a whopping 8.2 million people.

Interestingly enough this is based upon the recommended levels of alcohol consumption as advised by the Department of Health in the UK.

Maximum Recommended Drinking Levels in the UK

* Women: 2 - 3 units per day of which a small glass (175 ml) of wine or 1 pint of ordinary strength beer = 2 units However no more than 14 units per week
* Men: 3 - 4 units per day and no more than 21 units per week

Like it or not, anything above this is problematic and that is why it accounts for almost 10% of the disease burden in the NHS healthcare system.

Binge Drinking

For a Man binge drinking is having more than 8 units of alcohol or roughly 4 pints of beer. For a Woman that is 6 units: 2 large glasses of wine.

The average party goers in the city streets of London, Blackpool, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin or Edinburgh will do this more than twice a week. Not talking of all the binging that goes on in the smaller towns. If you ever watch the TV show "Booze Britain" you will see just how rampant the problem of binge drinking is in the UK.

What Are Some Other Signs of Alcohol Abuse?

1. Becoming more and more detached from family and friends
2. Increasing tolerance to alcohol, needing more and more to feel something
3. Health problems, generally unwell, alcohol body odour
4. Reduced creativity, foggy mental function
5. Withdrawal symptoms (after all, what do you think a hangover is?)
6. Failing at work, missing work
7. Financial problems, no basic necessities in the home but always money for booze
8. Reduced sexual drive and performance
9. Accidents
10. Abuse of family and friends
11. Depression and further use of drugs to "feel better"

Getting Out of the Trap

If you see some of these signs in yourself or the person you care about it is time to take charge of the situation. Not everyone will require a professional rehabilitation treatment program. For those maybe just a serious look at their lives will be enough to stop the self destruction and move off that path before it ends in the bottomless pit.

For others, professional help is definitely needed. Many have tried to stop and perhaps do for a short while, only to fall back into the same patterns or binge drinking and alcohol abuse. This is when it becomes necessary to look at the options available to the alcoholic who wants to change their life.

In the UK there do exist treatment options that do not substitute one drug for another and give people the tools that they perhaps lacked in the first place which drove them to the excessive drinking. Tools for learning, tools for having better relationships and getting along with others, confronting life's problems, communicating and deciding ones own future. Tools to prevent further relapses.

There are also professional Rehab Consultants who can help you figure out what to do next. There is light at the end of the tunnel and there is hope.

Would you like to help a loved one end addiction?

Subscribe to our free newsletter and get our Latest Discoveries about intervention, what prolongs addiction, how to end addiction and get the help you need, go to: Give Them Help

Paula Dewar is a mother and Professional Rehab Consultant who has saved a dozen drug abusers and their families. She lives in the UK with her family. Paula speaks English and Portuguese.

2009-04-22T00:17:00.001-07:00

The exclusion of women from clinical trials and other associated medical research is putting the health of millions of women potentially at risk, it has been claimed.

According to University College of London academic Anita Holdcroft, sexual discrimination legislation introduced in the 1970s has done little to rectify the "fundamentally-flawed" imbalances in medical research.

Acknowledging that traditionally women have not been included in clinical trials due to health concerns, Professor Holdcroft contends that "this prohibition has seen an enormous waste of research money and a neglect of gender research".

"Women may have a different drug efficacy or side effect profile to men. Only recently it was reported that eight out of ten prescription drugs were withdrawn from the US market because of women's health issues," she claims in the editorial of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Professor Holdcroft goes on to say that there are "significant barriers" preventing women of child-bearing age from participating in health studies.

"With the advent to gender medicine as a specialty, a woman's reproductive status, menstrual cycle and contraceptive history [have] become significant in studying health and disease. In the UK we should seize the opportunity to establish gender specific evidence based guidance," she concludes.

Commenting on the editorial, Kamran Abbasi, editor of the journal, described gender imbalances in medical research as "abysmal".

"Professor Holdcroft raises fundamental issues not only for researchers and clinicians but also female patients whose care depends on translating relevant research into practice."

This sexual discrimination might make the lives of researchers and sponsors of research much easier but it doesn't help patients," the editor explained.

2009-04-22T00:16:00.003-07:00

1. Lift weights twice a week to increase your muscle mass. This muscle will burn more calories even when you are not exercising. Go to the gym, buy some weights for home, go for a walk with a bottle of water in your ruck sack or go to a weighted workout.

2. Take care of your heart and lungs by staying active for at least 30 minutes each day. This can be split into more than one session, so could mean 2 x 15 minute walks.

3. Eat small amounts of GOOD fats: avocado, oily fish, olive/flax oil, nuts and seeds, these will take care of your cardiovascular system (heart, arteries and veins). Eat less BAD fats: Fried food, meat, cakes, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, butter, these will harm your cardiovascular system, and make you fat. Remove ALL hydrogenated fats from your diet, they are very bad for you and hide in many ready made biscuits, cakes, crisps, puddings, sweets, chocolates. These fats are extremely harmful to your health. Avoiding them will help you avoid foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt and low in nutrients. Check labels.

4. Protein will make you feel full, and will help repair muscle after exercise. Try sourcing protein from skinless chicken, tofu, pulses (beans and peas) and oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna and mackerel; these also contain other beneficial ingredients and are low in bad saturated fats.

5. Make sure you eat your carbohydrates, they help you to exercise and burn fat, but eat SLOW BURN carbohydrates such as oats (porridge), brown bread instead of white, brown rice, honey instead of sugar, brown pasta, lentils, vegetables, pulses. If you want to loose body fat, then replace half your carbohydrates with steamed vegetables, at your evening meal.

6. Drink more water, often the body sends the same signal for thirst as for hunger. Drink water first thing in the morning and all through the day, especially during and after exercising. Cut down on tea and coffee, avoid fizzy drinks.

7. Eat a piece of fruit and drink water instead of drinking fruit juice which is high in calories, and difficult to digest.

8. Watch out for sports drinks. Unless you are training very hard, a bottle of sports drink may replace all of the calories you have just burned in your activity. Bring a bottle of water instead.

9. Keep an eye on your drinking! Alcohol and mixers are high in calories.

10. Do not get hungry; this will lead to you eating the wrong things. Carry healthy snacks wherever you go; bananas, apples, rice cakes, dried fruit and nuts (go easy on them though). Hunger can be triggered by boredom or lack of stimulation. Go for a walk or wander round the garden, or do the vacuuming. Eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3 big ones.

11. Look at your portion sizes; in general they are larger than they need to be. If a smaller portion will leave you feeling hungry, add a huge spoon of steamed broccoli, cauliflower or other vegetables.

12. Eat your breakfast. In tests people who eat breakfast loose more weight than those who do not. You cannot exercise efficiently and achieve your potential without eating properly.

13. Do not go shopping when you are hungry. When you go, write a list and stick to it, don’t be tempted by special offers on foods that you know are bad for you.

14. Look at the ingredients on everything that you buy. Look at the total amount of fat and what kind of fat- avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated fats as they are linked with developing heart disease. Look at the amount of calories and the amount of salt that you will be eating.

In general the more ingredients on a label, the less goodness is in the food. If you have time to prepare some meals with fresh ingredients you will improve your health, and probably cut down on fat, as most prepared food is high in fats and salt.

15. Beware of reduced fat labels- it only means that there is less fat than in the original thing. (For example reduced fat mayonnaise is still 50g fat per 100g- very high in fat). These foods are still often high in sugars, fat and calories and you may eat more of them because they appear to be healthy. Don’t buy reduced fat biscuits and cakes, just eat something healthier and get used to the fact that life is ok without those things.

16. Don’t fill the house with crisps, biscuits and sweets for the kids, it is no good for them and will encourage you to snack on them too. Try and move the whole family into healthier eating, this will help prevent obesity, heart disease and diabetes in your kids when they are your age, gift them with a long, quality life.

17. Stock up on healthy foods. Write a list of delicious healthy things that you may have forgotten you love, and make sure your cupboards are full of them; cherry tomatoes, baked beans on wholemeal bread, kiwis, mangoes, ryvita and marmite……

18. Make your lunch and take it to work. Buy whole grain rolls and tins of salmon and tuna- it only takes a few minutes to make a sandwich and pick up some fruit. Even a shop sandwich will be full of fat, and low in nutrients. Hold the mayo on the tuna!

19. Watch less TV: it will give you less chance to nibble, more time to exercise or organise yourself for the next day. Organization may be the key to making your lifestyle healthier.

20. Motivate yourself to change your lifestyle and that of your family. Set an example to the kids, that mum and dad are fit and active and healthy. Take them on walks, cycling, walk to the shops, and go swimming. Take them to a local fitness centre for football, dance or basketball. Our children need our help if they are to avoid the growing epidemic of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as other lifestyle-related illness. Change their eating habits; you will only do them good. LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

21. Buy yourself an exercise video to do at home instead of watching TV. Choose yoga or Pilates, aerobics or stability ball. There is a huge range on offer, talk to me for help. Buy yourself a healthy lifestyle magazine for motivation, recipes and exercises to do at home. Four good ones are Zest, Men’s Health, Ultra Fit, and Health and Fitness. Buy yourself a healthy eating or low fat cookbook for ideas.

22. Remember to have some treats and some fun, life is for living, being healthy should be enjoyable too, not a chore.

23. Slow down, stop rushing around, become more organised and make time to enjoy cooking, exercising and life in general.

24. Take some time to relax and unwind. You need to lower stress levels to stay healthy, exercise, Yoga and Pilates can help you do this, and so can a warm bath by candlelight.

25. Make exercise and healthy eating a normal and enjoyable part of every day of your life. You will live longer, protect your children’s health and be a happier, healthier person.

I hope that this gives you some motivation to change your life in small ways and reap large benefits. Until next time,
Vikki.

Do you have any friends and family who could benefit from getting fitter and feeling better? If you do, then treat them to free copy of this newsletter, forward it to them, and get them to e-mail me with a request. E-mail getfitter@yahoo.co.uk subject: newsletter request.

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser and runs successful Community Exercise classes. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independent sector and publishes School and General Healthy Living newsletters.

2009-04-22T00:16:00.001-07:00

What is it to have good mental health? At a basic level, mental health could be described as the absence of mental illness; however, the whole issue surrounding mental health and mental illness is highly complex and therefore what constitutes mental health is not easy to define. On saying that, we can describe mental health by referring to what might happen when we are not in good mental health, when we are suffering from some form of mental illness.

Here in the UK it is estimated that a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental illness at some point in their lives. Mental illness can affect any one of us; it is indiscriminate of age, gender, and status. It can strike at any time, sometimes with warning and sometimes without. So how can you recognise if you are suffering from a mental illness?

How to recognise mental illness

Mental illness can manifest itself in many different ways and no two people will be affected in the same way to the same degree. Someone suffering from a mental illness may be mildly inconvenienced by their symptoms in their daily lives and yet others can be severely debilitated to the extent that they are unable to care for themselves or integrate into society at any level.

Recognising when someone is suffering from mental illness is important in order to get the right help but it can be difficult when the symptoms are mild or vague or when the individual themselves deny that anything is wrong. Basically, someone can be said to be suffering from a mental illness when they are experiencing alterations in their moods, in their behaviour and in how they think and feel about themselves and the world around them, or a combination of all of these, to such an extent that they become distressed or have an impaired ability to function normally on a day to day basis.

Some of the more commonly known ways that mental illness can affect our lives is in the form of depression, anxiety, compulsive disorders, phobias, panic disorders, bipolar or manic depression, schizophrenia and dementia. Even within these terms there are variations and subgroups and different degrees of severity. Mental illness on the whole is anything but straightforward; it is often misunderstood by family and friends and can be misdiagnosed if a full medical assessment is not made. It can be isolating for the individual, particularly as they may not understand what is happening to them and why they are behaving in a particular way.

What causes mental illness?

There is no single known cause of mental illness but instead combinations of factors appear to have an influence including psychological, biological and environmental conditions.

Mental illness appears to be more common in certain groups of people indicating that some circumstances can act as a trigger, for example, those living in poverty and poorer living conditions, those who are suffering from long term physical illnesses or disabilities, those from ethnic minorities and those in prison or other institutions. People who are addicted to substances or are dependent on alcohol are more likely to suffer from mental illness than those who are not and different types of mental illness seem to be more common to men or women.

Life changing events can also trigger a period of mental illness such as redundancy, bereavement and divorce and there is also a genetic aspect to it as those with a history of mental illness in their families have an increased risk of developing a mental illness themselves. Recent research has also highlighted that a lack of Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet can increase the risk of developing certain types of mental illness.

Clearly, there are many influences involved so it isn't possible to identify who is going to develop a mental illness and who is not and each and every one of us could find ourselves suffering from some form of mental illness at any point throughout the course of our lives.

Getting help

The good news is that regardless of the type of mental illness, there is help available but the biggest step to recovery is first of all recognising that there is a problem in the first place. Many people feel that to admit to not coping or that they might be suffering from some form of mental illness is a sign of weakness or failure, and fear of stigmatisation, lack of understanding and knowledge, and of course denial, can effectively prevent many people from seeking help. However, it is essential that help is sought because mental illness doesn't just go away and without help, the symptoms can persist for months or years causing a great deal of unnecessary suffering and distress for the individual.

The first point of contact is your doctor who will be able to make an initial assessment and advise you on the options available for treatment and guide you towards any other support groups or therapies that might be available. With the right help from the medical profession and with support from family and friends, most forms of mental illness can be beaten completely and normal life can resume once again. Even in the most severe cases, with a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment, it is possible to dramatically reduce the severity of symptoms and make a real improvement to quality of life.

2009-04-22T00:13:00.001-07:00

Approximately 50% of men over 55, and 75% of men over the age of 70 suffer from an enlarged prostate, giving an urgency to urinate, a need to urinate more regularly, and there could be blood in the sperm. In addition in the UK there are 10,000 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed every year.

The prostate is a walnut sized gland that sits below a mans bladder. Its job is to secrete seminal fluids and contract strongly during organism to cause ejaculation. Gradually as men get older, it is quite common for the prostate gland to slowly enlarge up to 4 times its normal size, about the size of a tennis ball. This is due to the decrease in levels of testosterone, and the increasing levels of other hormones such as oestrogen around the age of 50.

Many men have to get up 3 to 4 times a night to pass urine. Other problems include difficulty in beginning urination, poor stream, and dribbling at the end of urination, as well as pain. The enlarged prostate can also cause bladder infections, bladder stones and kidney problems. Usually the prostate enlargement is benign, but occasionally the prostate can be affected by cancer. Any symptoms of pain or blood in the urine must be immediately assessed by a doctor.

* Early detection of an enlarged prostate greatly increases the chances of a complete cure. An enlarged prostate is usually detected by rectal examination by a doctor.
* Enlarged prostate can be treated surgically by a very common procedure called TURP (Trans Urethal Resection of the Prostate) which is more effective than drug therapy, although it can have side effects of incontinence and impotence.
* Avoid using over the counter cold or allergy remedies. Many of these products contain products that may aggravate this condition and cause urinary retention.
* Regular exercise is vital as it helps reduce stress hormones and boots the natural immune functions, however avoid excessive cycling as this puts pressure on the prostrate. Swimming and walking are good exercise.
* To help improve circulation. (Only if you are fit and have good hip and good joint flexibility). Lie on your back, bend your knees, bring the soles of your feet together and bring your feet towards your buttocks. Relax your legs, allowing your knees to fall gently towards the ground. Maintain this position for 5 minutes.

Further sources of help http://www.pha.u-net.com The Prostate Help Association, or http://www.prostrate-cancer.org.uk - The Prostate Cancer Charity (0845 300 8383). Read Prostate Health in 90 days Larry Clapp (Hay House); or Prostate Cancer by Phillip Dunn (Ostrich Publishing)

Prostate Diet : Healthy Foods

* Processed and Cooked tomatoes. Studies have shown that men who eat 10 or more cooked tomatoes are 45% less likely to develop prostate cancer due to the carotene lycopene that is released when the tomatoes are cooked. Another source is also guava and pink grapefruit.
* Pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds are rich in zinc, essential fats (helping to reduce conversion of testosterone to DHT), magnesium (a muscle relaxant)
* Eat more oily fish, rich in omega 3, and use unrefined organic nut oils such as walnut, sesame, sunflower or olive oil.
* Include plenty of iron rich fiber in your diet, such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts which help balance your hormones levels naturally
* Eat fiber such as brown rice, quinoa, spelt, millet, oat, cereals, and rice bran as this fiber helps remove the excess hormones from your body
* Lentils, alfalfa, yellow peppers, organic carrots, kidney beans, soya beans, corn, rice
* Take 2 grams of vitamin C daily because seminal fluid which the prostrate produces requires vitamin C in large amounts.
* One of the oldest remedies is nettle tea with a little honey, or take 200-300mg of standardized extract 2-3 times a day.
* Saw Palmetto (herb) has been proven to be dramatically improve the symptoms of BPH. If taken as capsules take 150 - 350mg of standardized extract twice a day.
* Zinc is more abundant in the prostrate than in any other organ in the body. Zinc deficincy is common in those with prostrate problems. Take 20mg 2-3 times a day. As zinc depletes copper, take a proportionate amount of copper, approx 1mg, for every 15mg of zinc

Prostate Diet: Foods to Avoid

* Reduce your intake of animal fats, full fat milk and cheeses, hard margarines. Dairy foods, and too much non organic red meat or poultry (including processed meat pies) can contain high levels of chemical and hormone residues and therefore increase the risk of prostrate cancer.
* Filter your tap water. This is because hormone resides from the contraceptive pill and the HRT are found in most water supplies and they have an oestrrogen effect in the body. One of the best ways to overcome is, is by reverse osmosis deionised water, which can be plumbed in under your sink. See The PureH2O Company or it can be purchased at most health stores.
* Eat organic food as much as possible as pesticides and herbicides are now linked to prostate cancer.

2009-04-22T00:03:00.001-07:00

All About Fibre

We all know that having the correct amount of dietary fibre in our diets is extremely important. There are countless articles in the media, and reports from the Department of Health urging us to increase our fibre intake. From the moment we are born, we constantly flush our digestive tract with food. At three meals per day a 20 years old will have eaten 15,000 meals. It is important that the flow of foods be regular and that debris not plug up our intestinal walls and interfere with the nutrient transfer into our body.

But what is diatary fibre, what does it do and how do I get the right amount in my diet? This resource aims to answer these questions.

What Exactly is Dietary Fibre?

Dietary ibre is the roughage found in cereals, fruit and vegetables. It is basically the plant cell walls that give shape and rigidity to trees, shrubs, grasses and herbs. When plants are eaten, we gain a number of health benefits from the nutrients they provide, along with the positive effects of fibre within the digestive tract.

The fibre composition of plants varies based on plant species but, generally, all plants contain all kinds of fiber. The 2 main categories are:

* Water-insoluble, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin; and
* Water-soluble, including pectin, gums, and mucilage. Water-soluble fiber is considered the most health-benefiting type of fiber, especially mucilage fiber.

Insoluble Fibre

Wheat bran and whole grains, as well as the skins of many fruits and vegetables, and seeds, are rich sources of insoluble fibre. The outer fibre layer is often removed in food processing by milling, peeling, boiling or extracting and so people are often not eating enough insoluble fibre.

Insoluble fibre makes stools heavier and speeds their passage through the gut. Like a sponge, it absorbs many times its weight in water, swelling up and helping to eliminate feces and relieve constipation.

Soluble Fibre

Soluble fibre is found in oats, legumes (peas, kidney beans, lentils), some seeds, brown rice, barley, oats, fruits (such as apples), some green vegetables (such as broccoli) and potatoes.

Soluble fibre breaks down as it passes though the digestive tract, resulting in a gel that traps some substances related to high cholesterol. Evidence exists that soluble fibre may reduce heart disease risks by reducing the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream.

Recent studies have found that people consuming high-fibre diets have lower total cholesterol levels and may be less likely to form harmful blood clots than those who consume less soluble fibre. A recent USA report found that, in sufficient amounts, fibre apparently reduced heart disease risks among men who ate more than 25 grams per day, compared to those consuming less than 15 grams daily.

Why we need dietary fibre

Let’s take a good look at how fibre can help us:

Insoluble fibre:

* Delays gastric emptying time and the absorption of nutrients from the small intestine;
* Sweeps debris out of the gut, thereby improving nutrient absorption;
* Bulks stools;
* Accelerates colonic transit time;
* Regulates bowels better than other laxatives;
* Promotes colon health;
* Supports weight loss;

Soluble fibre has the following benefits in addition to the benefits above!

* Escorts cholesterol and triglycerides out of the body and inhibits their production in the liver;
* Assists with the elimination of toxins, and heavy metals in the body;
* Stimulates pancreatic enzyme release and activity;
* Stabilizes blood glucose by slowing down glucose absorption;
* Aids in weight loss by providing a feeling of fullness and reducing calorie absorption;
* Improves bowel regularity by absorbing water;
* Speeds the passage/elimination of waste from your system, by significantly increasing colonic transit time;
* Eases irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some cases;
* Soothes our intestines;
* Helps to stabalise blood sugar levels: We have all experienced blood sugar fluctuations, which cause us, for example, to be fine one minute and exhausted the next. Soluble fibre from legumes, barley and oats can help to regulate blood sugar swings by delaying the intestinal absorption of sugar and so helps to maintain energy balance in the body;
* Protects against heart disease: Several large studies in America, Finland and Norway have found that people who eat relatively large amounts of wholegrain cereals have significantly lower rates of heart disease and stroke. It’s thought that a particular type of fibre called soluble fibre may be partly responsible as it helps to lower blood cholesterol levels;
* Reduces excess blood fats;
* Combats constipation;
* In the bowel, bacteria convert fibre into short chain fatty acids, which provide energy for the body and may help protect against cancer;
* Mucilage sooths irritated intestinal linings;
* Feeds friendly bowel bacteria;
* Escorts bile acids, toxins and cholesterol out of the body;
* Lowers the GI of carbohydrates by stabalising insulin function.

On the reverse side, not having enough fibre in the diet is at least partly responsible for a number of problems, including:

* Elevated cholesterol;
* Low and high blood sugar levels;
* Bowel stagnation;
* Colon cancer and other cancers;
* Diabetes;
* High blood pressure;
* Certain types of heart disease.

How Much Dietary Fibre?

The Department of Health recommends that you consume a minimum of 18 grams of dietary fibre per day, from a variety of foods whose constituents contain fibre. Although it does not differentiate between types of fibre.

Research suggests that 35-50 grams (1-2 ounces) per day brings optimum bowel health for adults, but the average person only gets about 12 grams per day.

Where do I get fibre? What are high fibre foods?

Foods from plant sources are the only ones that supply us with enough fibre necessary for health. Animal products lack fibre. High fibre foods include:

* Unprocessed seeds like flax, psyllium, sesame, sunflower and chia, and nuts (but not the oils from them);
* Wheat, oat, barley, and rice bran and other whole grains such as brown rice (but not the white rice or white flour made from them);
* Certain vegetables such as beets, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes, carrots, brussels sprouts, parsnips, spinach, and yams (excluding one-celled greens);
* Mucilaginous herbs like slippery elm;
* Several kinds of seaweed such as kelp or dulse;
* Legumes such as kidney, lima, pinto, navy and soy beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas;
* Pectin of some fruits such as apples, pears, prunes and raspberries;
* Supplements of concentrated fiber.

Diets deprived of fibre can be corrected by incorporating more of the fiber-rich foods (such as the ones listed above) into your diet, or by adding fibre supplements to fiber-poor foods.

Can fibre help with weight loss?

Fibre can be a useful ally on a weight loss plan:

* Most dietary fibre does not contain any calories, which means that fibre rich foods are often lower in calories than foods containing no/small amount of fibre.
* Fibre also takes longer to chew, which automatically slows down your eating speed. By doing this it gives your brain longer to register feelings of fullness, so you are less likely to overeat.
* Fibre rich foods also act like a sponge and absorb and hold onto water as it is chewed in the mouth and passes to the stomach. Fibre rich foods will swell up in the stomach and help you feel full.
* Fibre stays in the stomach longer, keeping you full and less likely to want to snack between meals.

How can I supplement my diet with fibre?

Udo's Choice Beyond Greens

Some fantastic products exist to boost the amount of soluble and insoluble food in your diet. Beyond Greens provides both kinds of fibre; especially rich in water-soluble mucilage. As well as fibre, Beyond Greens also contains:

* 50 super foods, food concentrates, and plant extracts; A rich blend of greens from 9 different sources: organic alfalfa, barley, rye, and oat grass powders; spirulina; chlorella; broccoli; parsley; and kale;
* Omega 3 and 6 essential fats from organic flax, sunflower, and sesame seeds, as well as pumpkin seed, and rice and oat germ;
* Protein from seeds and greens;
* Both kinds of fiber; especially rich in water-soluble mucilage;
* Phytonutrients and antioxidants from many herbs to support the functions of inner organs: immune system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, liver, kidneys, and pancreas;
* Concentrates of the best vegetables: carrot, tomato, beet, kale, and others;
* Low carbohydrates and therefore good for weight loss and glucose stability;
* A completely vegetarian meal;
* A food free of dairy, wheat, yeast, and other common allergens; and
* Taste enhanced greens with natural flavors.

HUSK Natural Fibre

Brand new to the UK, HUSK is made from the husk of the Psyllium seed. It has been clinically proven to help IBS sufferers and carries a herbal medicinal license to prove it! HUSK is ideal for those wishing to ensure their daily intake of fibre. 100% natural and backed by a medicinal herb license, HUSK takes the pressure off dietary fibre intake.

If you have any questions regarding fibre, supplements, or any other nutrition guides, please do not hesitate to contact us at Energise for Life

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2009-04-22T00:02:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about type 2 Diabetes. This disease has become increasingly common over the last 20 years, with the numbers of sufferers growing steadily. It is the seventh biggest cause of death in the US. Type 2 Diabetes used to be called Late or Mature Onset Diabetes as it usually occurred in older individuals. Unfortunately due to changes in our diet and activity levels, increasing amounts of people are affected by this disease at younger ages. Now even children and teenagers are affected; a previously almost unknown phenomena.

So who is at risk of developing this disease? It is thought that we develop this disease when a number of risk factors are brought together. Type 2 Diabetes risk factors range from things which you cannot control;

• Age; this condition becomes increasingly common after age 40.

• Gender; women have almost twice the risk of men.

• Heredity; people with a family history are at higher risk.

• Heritage; people of non-Caucasian descent are at higher risk.

To things which you can control;

• Weight; being overweight increases your risk: if you are obese you have an 80% chance of developing this disease.
• Diet; eating large amounts of saturated fat, or a high sugar diet increases your risk.
• Exercise; inactivity is one of the main risk factors.

Type 2 Diabetes affects the way that our body controls blood sugar levels. The body needs blood sugar levels to stay within a narrow range; too little or too much will cause problems. When we eat food, carbohydrates are broken down into their simplest form (glucose) and absorbed into the blood stream. As blood sugar levels rise after eating, the body needs to keep them level, and secretes a hormone called insulin which removes the sugar (glucose) from the blood, and stores it in the muscles and liver. If these stores are already full, then the sugar will be stored as fat.

Overeating, frequent snacking, drinking sugary drinks and eating simple carbohydrates (sugar, honey, white bread etc) keeps blood sugar levels permanently elevated, causing insulin to be endlessly secreted. The human body is designed for a low-sugar diet, and this overuse insulin may cause the body to stop producing it, or for the insulin to stop working. When this happens, blood sugar levels remain high, but the sugar cannot find its way to where it can be stored, or to where it is needed. This causes symptoms of hunger, cravings, dehydration, thirst, and frequent urination (as the body tries to excrete the sugars). Other symptoms include recurrent thrush and skin infections. Often people are unaware that they have developed this condition until they have a health check, or develop a related health problem. It is thought that up to a million people remain undiagnosed in the UK.

Untreated, this condition has serious health implications; high blood pressure, stroke, circulatory problems, a huge risk of heart disease, amputation, nerve damage, loss of feeling in the limbs, problems with feet, kidney disease, eye problems, blindness, and hypoglycaemia; low blood sugar levels leading to headaches, loss of concentration, drowsiness, and (rarely with type 2) unconsciousness.

If you are concerned that you may be at risk, you can easily arrange to have your blood sugar levels checked by your GP. Type 2 diabetes, once diagnosed, can be successfully treated and controlled through lifestyle changes, and often without recourse to drugs. (If controlled Type 2 is rarely treated with insulin injections; this is the treatment for Insulin Dependant Diabetes, a severe condition which usually occurs in youth and must be treated with insulin).

Everyone can take 3 positive steps to reduce risk. If you have already been diagnosed, the same 3 steps will help manage the disease, and reduce the risk of developing further complications;

1. Maintain a healthy weight, or lose weight if you are currently overweight; using a combination of steps 2 and 3. Much is said about the link between obesity and Type 2 (80% of type 2 Diabetics are obese), and many of us think of obesity as being extremely overweight. However, obesity (from the Latin Obesus meaning fat, plump or stout) only means having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30, which may not be as big as you think. It is better to think that if you are overweight, your risk is larger than if you are a healthy weight. To find your own BMI click www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/interactiveTools/bmi.aspx

2. Eat small regular meals which are rich in unrefined whole grains (brown rice, wholemeal bread and pasta, oats, barley etc), fresh fruit and vegetables, and low in sugar, salt, refined processed foods, and saturated fats. This will keep your blood sugar levels balanced, prevent cravings for sweet foods, and keep blood pressure and circulation healthy.

3. Stay active every day, walking, gardening, or exercising for at least 60 minutes each day (this can be broken up into smaller sections). This activity need not be formal exercise, or extremely strenuous; just keep moving. Exercise will reduce high blood sugar levels, but this lasts only for several hours, so the exercise must be regular to maintain the beneficial effects.

Once diagnosed, a healthy diet and regular activity become essential to maintain health and avoid further complications. Type 2 diabetics have a greatly increased risk of developing coronary Heart disease (CHD), with half of male sufferers and a third of female sufferers dying of CHD. However, sufferers who improve their fitness and stay active are at a lesser risk of succumbing to CHD than a non-sufferer who is unfit. Type 2 Diabetics are also at risk of developing other circulatory problems, hypertension (high blood pressure) and high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, stroke, and vision problems. The same three steps mentioned above will also help to reduce risk of developing these health problems.

The message is clear; you can lower your risk, or improve your health post-diagnosis through maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and staying active every day.

Type 2 diabetics should always consult their GP before starting a new exercise and diet regime, and exercise should be avoided;

• In excessive heat.

• If blood pressure is raised.

• With very high or very low blood glucose levels (self-testing is recommended).

• If there are any related eye, foot, kidney or kidney problems, or loss of feeling in the hands and feet.

Make sure that you act today to reduce your risk of developing this disease. If you have already developed it, take action to improve your health, and avoid further problems.

2009-04-22T00:00:00.002-07:00

Low carbohydrate diets increase risk of bowel cancer

I know we are always being told to eat a balanced diet of good food and sometimes get fed up hearing about it, but there really is proof that this information really is beneficial for our good health, whatever our age.

Did you know that diets that are low in carbohydrates, such as the popular Atkins diet could increase your risk of bowel cancer? I find this quite alarming as several of my friends have used this diet.

Bowel cancer is a subject very close to my heart as my father was diagnosed with bowel cancer twice, the second unfortunately being fatal. Even so as a family we consider ourselves very lucky, as there was a gap of seventeen years between the bouts.

Nowadays there is not such a great taboo over bowel cancer, thanks to famous people in the media speaking out about their symptoms, the general public are more aware and prepared to talk about it and seek medical attention much sooner.

When my father had bowel cancer the first time in 1980 the word cancer was never mentioned at home, it was always glossed over and ‘stomach problems’ was the only mention of his illness, but on its reoccurrence in the nineties there was a much more openness to the disease and even more so today, thank goodness.

It is now known that one of the factors of bowel cancer is a poor diet, and in today’s society of us all wanting to be ever slimmer, several different diet fads have taken off all over the world.

Researchers have found a link between eating a low carbohydrate diet and lower levels of the cancer fighting acid that is in the gut called butyrate.

The chemical butyrate is produced by bacteria and helps to kill off cancerous cells. Scientists found that by eating a low carbohydrate diet can cause a fourfold reduction in the cancer fighting butyrate bacteria, and have said “in the long run it is possible that these diets could contribute to bowel cancer”.

The Atkins diet has been immensely popular worldwide with celebrities swearing by it to stay slim. However critics believe there are several potential risks with a diet regime that calls for such drastic cuts in carbohydrates, and has also been linked to heart disease and osteoporosis.

On this study, obese men were put on one of three different diets, eating either a low, medium or high level of carbohydrate.
The men on the high-carb regime consumed 400g of carbohydrate a day, which is the same as an average diet. Those on the low-carb diet only consumed 24g a day, this being equivalent to starting the Atkins diet.

It was this group, the low-carbohydrate diet that had a fourfold drop in the level of cancer fighting bacteria in their stomachs. Professor Flint said ‘The changes in butyrate production that we observed in this study are the largest ever reported in a human dietary trial.’ He also said that it was likely the results would be exactly the same in women.

I believe we should all eat a varied diet to maintain good health, and even when trying to lose weight should still continue eating a good balanced diet. Good Food really is beneficial for continuous good health and should be a priority for all of us.

Eating a healthy diet has become the golden rule in our house – ‘good food good health’, and even our children recognise the benefits now they are older, although it was difficult to maintain at times.

Annie Anderson, nutritional adviser to the Bowel Cancer UK charity, said ‘there is little merit in low carbohydrate diets, apart from the fact that they can help people to lose weight.’

‘Cutting down long term on fruits and fibre- for example in bread, as this report shows doing so is likely to have a negative impact on your bowel health and may increase the risk of bowel cancer’.

Previous studies have blamed the Atkins diet for causing constipation through the lack of fibre eaten during the diet, which can raise the risk of bowel cancer. This is caused through the lack of fibre, meaning that the food moves much more slowly through the gut.

The Atkins diet is based on the theory that cutting carbohydrates changes the body’s chemistry, turning it from a carbohydrate burning machine in to one that burns fat instead.

This low-carb diet craze became popular in the 1990’s when Dr Robert Atkins wrote and published his book Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, and still is one of the top ten diets used today.

Scientists and medical professionals say that bowel cancer is on the rise and fear that this diet could have an input on this, but with greater awareness of the disease and early detection, more people are surviving.

So remember, all foods can be eaten in a small amount or as a treat, and some should be treated only as that, and that continuously eating one type of ‘foods’ can only do us harm.

So why not make our ‘good food good health’ slogan yours as well, and put it into practice next time you are in the supermarket. Now is a great time of year for local fresh produce, you will be surprised
how much fresher fruit and vegetables are at you local farm shop, and better for the environment with less carbon trail and packaging.

I am a great believer that we should all eat a balanced diet, to keep our bodies in tiptop condition. We all know that bowel cancer is on the increase in the UK, but let’s get our diets right and give ourselves a greater fighting chance to keep bowel cancer at bay

Do not forget good food is good health

Sandra & Ted

This article was composed by Sandra & Ted Wosko. We have always been interested in health issues especially having children, and as with most people, we all suffer with some type of ailment. We are always researching on more and more topics in the endless task of gaining more knowledge to increase our expertise, benefiting ourselves and other people alike.

2009-04-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

"The help seeking process serves as an important filter such that only a portion of those who need professional mental health treatment actually seek such assistance"

Ponterotto et al. (1995), p.416

Reasons to suspect that barriers exist

It is known that ethnic minority groups are reticent about seeking mental health assistance, and those who do suffer from premature termination. In a study of 135 African-American outpatients only 25% of those seeing a white therapist returned after the first session, as compared to 43% who were seeing a same race therapist suggesting client-therapist ethnic match to be an important factor. Interestingly, the figures suggest that 57% of the population who were seeing a same race therapist didn't return and this would indicate that the ethnic match is far from the complete solution. Another study in a similar vein was conducted across 17 community mental health centres across the Seattle area of the USA - over 50% of Asian patients prematurely terminated therapy after just one session, as compared to a 29% rate for Caucasian patients. These observations were explained in terms of a difference in attitudes and beliefs regarding mental illness and psychotherapy, and also that the failure of therapists to consider these attitudes resulted in a failure to develop trust, rapport and a working therapeutic relationship. In a study where 83 black and 66 white university students were recruited by telephone, the white group were 6 times more likely than the black group to have sought help from a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Semi structured interviews were conducted with 48 psychiatric patients recruited from mental health care facilities. The Asian group (consisting of Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Chinese people) had the longest delay between diagnosis of mental health problems and participation in a treatment programme, indicating a degree of reluctance to engage in the help seeking process. In the interim, it was found that this group had more extended, persistent and intensive family involvement than either the Black or Caucasian groups. The authors commented that psychiatric problems in Asian families may be taken as a threat to the homeostasis of the family as a whole. The family participate actively in denying such problems.

Using a random sample of migrants from India to the UK, other researchers have found that they showed less evidence of emotional disturbance when compared to a matched English sample, using a scale which had been validated for both groups in question. This begs the question - do Asians utilise services less because they have less cause to do so, as opposed to there being barriers to obtain such help? Given equal numbers of stressful life events, as social support systems increase, one would expect the likelihood of experiencing psychological distress (and subsequently seeking counselling) to decrease. It is known that Asian communities in Britain tend to have strong links with the extended family, with family homes sometimes consisting of three generations. It may be that this support acts as a buffer during emotionally difficult periods. Other findings refute this suggestion - depression is thought to be diagnosed less commonly among West Indian and Asian patients in Psychiatric hospitals than among the British born, although this does not reflect the actual occurrence of depression in the community.

What are the known barriers?

There may be barriers at an institutional level - the geographic inaccessibility of mental health services to the ethnic community; lack of child care; focus on an intra-psychic model and strict adherence to time schedules. In one study, environmental constraints were ranked second as reasons for leaving therapy prematurely. Equally, there may be financial barriers (such as medical insurance within some countries, or time off work in order to attend); cultural barriers (such as language and attitudes to mental health problems). It is thought language barriers and cultural differences are less of an issue for second or third generation Chinese, who have integrated into the host country. Indeed, the English language has a rich source of adjectives to describe internal experience - such as despondent, despairing, disillusioned, gloomy, unhappy, miserable and so on - there may not be so many direct equivalents in the Asian languages. More probably, Asian clients may struggle to find English equivalents for words that they know perfectly well in their own mother tongue.

Over 2000 adults were interviewed about their perceptions of barriers to help seeking for two specific problems - alcoholism, and severe emotional problems. The Caucasian group perceived less barriers than any of the other Asian groups, and this remained so after controlling for various sociodemographic variables. A sense of shame was rated quite highly across each non-Caucasian ethnic group, and this is discussed in more detail later in the section. The second most popular response across groups was that services were inappropriate, or that they just weren't aware of them. Interestingly the least most important factor was accessibility of services and ethnic match of the therapist. In one of few studies carried out with Indian participants, a content analysis of the responses given by Tamil women suffering with depression in India has been made. Consistent with earlier findings, treatment seeking behaviour was influenced by the stigma associated with their condition, and another deterring factor was lack of knowledge that treatment was available. The issue of shame seems further emphasised in that the women expressed feelings of wanting to 'wither away' rather than seek treatment.

The shame of needing to seek help

Shame has been equated with mental health problems within Asians, for sufferer and family alike - perhaps because it reflects a failing in upbringing, or some inherited component which would affect the families standing in the community. Mental illness seems to be taken by Asians as a weakness of character and the need to seek professional help is seen as a disgrace. In eastern thought there is a strong belief that all events are influenced to some degree by unseen forces, and any personal difficulty is a reflection of the misfortune of the sufferer. Isolation can set in, where people in the community tend to avoid associating with such a person, or the family. It is suggested that ancient codes of India mean psychiatrically ill individuals did not qualify for certain social privileges, and this stigma around mental illness is clearly present in contemporary India. An escape from such stigma may be to conceal the difficulties - perhaps on a conscious level in the avoidance of professional sources of help, and also in the sub-conscious denial of all problems that are not physical. For the Chinese, mental illness seems to be seen as a disgrace and sufferers become family secrets, to the extent that the illness is denied proper care.

It is known that stressful situations that are evaluated as a threat to self esteem provoke a 'self controlling' coping response (i.e. an inhibition or restraint of ongoing thoughts, feelings and actions). The shame associated with mental health problems is likely to be associated with such a threat to self esteem - and perhaps the reluctance to seek professional help is an extension of this self-controlling response. The avoidance of shame, with the avoidance of help seeking as one mechanism, is one of many withdrawing behaviours. The concept is simply that of withdrawing from situations in which shame could arise. It may be that a failure to live up to spiritual or cultural ideals fits a similar pattern to the other failures discussed in the literature.

The shame of failing to live upto ideals

Within a religious or spiritual framework for Asians, it is often the case that followers aspire towards a surrender to divine will - to accept their lot in life, be thankful for what they have and not to feel downhearted about difficulties or gaps in life. For Indians, religion is often a central part of family life. For Indians residing outside of their country of origin, worship has taken on an additional role - that of maintaining identity and sustaining a social network within their community. It may be suggested that a persons standing within this socio-religious sphere is questioned where mental health problems arise. After all, depression in lay terms is about unhappiness, and this opposes the religious ideal. What trust have you left in God, if you have lost hope ? How can you be a believer, if you do not believe God knows and does best ? Such internal dialogues are likely to influence not only internal judgements about the self (internal shame), but also judgements about the view that others in the community hold (external shame). Internal shame is derived from how the self judges the self, seeing oneself as bad, flawed, worthless and unattractive. Furthermore, shame must include some notion of a place or position that one does not wish to be in, or an image that one does not wish to create - perhaps because this image or position is associated with negative aversive attributes from which one struggles to escape. These ideas provide a helpful context for assertions made about Asian families being more preoccupied with what the neighbours must be thinking when a member of the household has been hospitalised for an overdose.

Shame induced within the professional consultation

A factor not given much attention is the shame that may be induced by professionals. Depressed patients who attend the GP surgery may be struggling with their symptoms, only to feel more distressed at not being able to express their concerns adequately. If there is a case that Asian groups display a different manifestation and expression of psychological symptoms, they may not understand the questions being asked of them in a consultation - this dynamic in itself can be shaming. A vague series of symptoms which do not make sense to a GP may cause the patient to grow more nervous and misunderstood, whilst making the GP increasingly irritated. In despair, the patient may seek help from different doctors, anxiously trying to convince them of something. Unlike mainstream Britain, there are societies in the world where science, medicine, philosophy and religion are not separated into different compartments. For such cultural groups, there may not be the same distinction between the GP's factual explanation and moral judgement - so that a statement about an illness being bad may imply to the patient that there is something terribly wrong with them as a person!

Service credibility

For a person to approach a practitioner for assistance, and then follow the advice given, it is clearly important for there to be a sense of trust and a feeling that the practitioner understands the difficulties. Practitioners are often trained in a diagnostic method (i.e. asking various questions to narrow down possibilities), and this may undermine the confidence that Asian patients place in their consultations. Patients often arrive at the surgery with their problems, and expect the doctor to know what is wrong with them. If GP's proceed to ask lots of 'what' questions, before looking at 'why' and 'how to help', this is likely to influence their credibility. Within the conceptual model of Asian immigrants, many questions before solutions may serve to reveal their GP's ignorance and reinforce the belief that such doctors simply don't understand.

Furthermore, there may be beliefs within Asian communities that strong feelings should be restrained, that focusing on distress is unhelpful, and that it is better to rise above it and carry on. Such factors impact upon the credibility of a service, since it fails to fit beliefs about what is helpful. Clearly, attitudes to seeking help are a great influence on whether help seeking actually occurs, or not. Credibility may be described as a constellation of characteristics which make a service worthy of belief, entitled to confidence, reliability and trust. The ethnicity of the therapist and perceived 'cultural competence' may be an important factor in credibility beliefs. There is a potential for incongruities at various levels, to include problem conceptualisation, means for resolution, and goals for treatment - widely opposing ideas between therapist and client is likely to impact upon how credible the client perceives a service to be.

Tensions between cultural values and the western medical system

There may be a tension between the cultural values of certain ethnic groups and those of the western medical system. Therapy may involve an emphasis on verbal communication of distress and a focus on the individuals personal needs. However, for Asians it is widely believed that individual needs should rightly be subordinate to the needs of the family and collective as a whole. Other research findings contend that for Punjabis, a diagnosis of depression is counterproductive, since it suggests a self-centredness to this community which is associated with negative social and cultural values, and such a diagnosis is likely to meet with denial and a breakdown in communication. The control of personal feelings is important since the 'self' needs to be relinquished in order to gain proximity to God, and one part of this bargain is to control emotions that are self-willed impulses. In one study, Asian women in distress were found to talk about their difficulties by way of their circumstances, their families, their hopes, prayers and sorrows - they didn't talk about themselves!

It seems also that such close-knit family ties carry with them a 'sphere of privacy', where the sharing of certain events and experiences outside this network would be considered as an act of bringing disgrace for the whole family. The notion of sitting with a stranger and discussing personal issues may not rest easily with individuals of Asian background. In a study looking at preferences for help sources, Asian Americans did not indicate a preference to see counsellors.

Alternative sources of help

It seems that Asians prefer alternative health care (e.g. acupuncture, herbalists) as a first line of help for psychiatric symptoms and in India, many people use folk healers before turning to hospitals. Clearly, there are fewer folk healers in the Western world. The Asian healer (e.g a Vaid or Hakim) has been observed to conduct extended consultations with the patients that come to him for assistance. This consultation is akin to a counselling session, where the practitioner gets to know the patient and his concerns. Priests and religious specialists also play an important role in the health care of Asians in Britain. Beliefs in the contribution of cosmic factors to recovery manifest in traditional cultures around Asia and these beliefs are shared by folk practitioners and patients. Some Punjabis are known to prefer Ayurvedic or Unani practitioners over and above more western medical practitioners, primarily because Western medicines are thought to be 'hot' and aggravate certain conditions.

In a British review of the literature on primary care presentation and disorders such as anxiety and depression among patients from ethnic minorities, it has been found that the ethnic groups most likely to attend a GP were men and women of Pakistani origin. Male Asians including those born in Britain and those originating from the Indian subcontinent and East Africa were more likely than the general population to consult the GP. This would indicate that people are seeking help, but for various reasons the process of referral to mental health services is not occurring. It has been proposed that Asians who break down are more likely to be tolerated at home without more specialist consultation. Indeed it has been suggested that Asians who suffer with emotional difficulties are less likely to class these difficulties as pathological, and it is perhaps for this reason that such difficulties are not discussed with the GP.

Clearly, a number of other explanations are equally plausible - for example, perhaps the symptoms are seen as pathological, but the GP is not considered an appropriate source of help. Stigmatisation and shame have been addressed as important barriers to help seeking previously. Another issue is that problems affecting physical health may be seen as 'individual afflictions' which are amenable to a medical intervention, whereas more emotional or psychological problems are seen in the context of 'personhood and social roles'. Difficulties in the latter are seen to be within normal parameters - the ability to meet difficulties in life is held in high esteem.

As you will realise from the reading of this article, there are a plethora of barriers that sit between an Asian man or woman, and the help he or she needs with mental health problems. Some of these are barriers within health institutions themselves, although not knowingly created. Some are barriers of a cultural, social and spiritual belief system that are at odds with the western psychiatric approach. Depression, anxiety and stress take their toll - life satisfaction diminishes. Where will these people turn for help ? Perhaps to God, or hope of a better after life. Perhaps to drink, as a means of drowning out sorrows. Perhaps just through numbness, and lack of life energy, as the years limp on. As a British Asian, trained in psychology, I would like to make the plight of ethnic minorities in the UK known. Surely, we can all work together to offer help, compassion and care to one another.

2009-04-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed how TV adverts are now targeting men with skin care ranges? Days of countless Gillette razor adverts showing a handsome, chiselled man, clearing away shaving foam with one swoop of a super sharp razor are numbered. Men are becoming more skin care savvy and increasingly keen to embrace organic skin care as part of their daily routines.

Perhaps there wasn't as much awareness of men being able to care for their skin like women have traditionally done for eons. However, it's a fact that men have approximately 15 percent oilier skin and significantly larger pores than women do. More men are more careful of dirt being trapped in larger pores so a good deep cleansing routine preferably using good organic skincare products is very important.

Mens' skincare has taken a sophisticated turn from the eighties throwback of simple shaving foam and aftershave. Big beauty companies like L'oreal, Lancome and Clarins have neat ranges aimed at men so mens' skincare is certainly set to be the next best move in male grooming. Cleansers, toners, moisturisers, together with shaving gels and lotions now sit alongside all the skincare ranges targeted at women.

In Western Europe; the UK, Germany, Italy and France, men are embracing skin care products. Sales of mens' skincare products have increased by 25%, something unheard of in the eighties. In Australia, men are cottoning onto the fact that with the increase of skin cancer, it's a small price to pay by investing in a few creams.

So why are men becoming more image conscious? Lifestyle magazines like FHM, Men's Health and Nuts which have become trendy reading staples, have highlighted the importance of being body conscious, style conscious and image conscious. Traditionally, men have had more cautious attitudes towards mens' skin care and organic skin care, particularly with the use of cosmetics and toiletries by men.

In particular, young men are much more conscious of their personal appearance and looking after their health. It's hardly surprising that organic skin care is making a mark on the male consciousness.

Men are more conscious about their appearance than ever before. Mens' skincare and organic skincare is following hot on the heels of women's organic skin care with a strong tendency towards natural, anti-ageing and vitamin-enriched cleansers and moisturisers. Organic skin care ranges by Spiezia, Green People and Weleda are meeting the demands of men who are more ecologically aware and concerned about their skin.

Furthermore, there are many women who still buy products for men during their weekly shop. However, with the increase in single person households, women shopping for men's organic skin care products and skin care products generally are falling. Previously, men may have used their partner's products. With the plethora of mens' skincare products available, men are now asserting their freedom of choice.

2009-04-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

Conversation between Adwin Ang & Andy Gilchrist
Good day everyone and Welcome to our Interview with Andy Gilchrist!

Adwin:

Hi Andy, first of all I would like to thank you for taking some time off from your busy schedule for this online interview. I have read the materials from your CD; you bet they are highly informative products. Especially you use charts and picture to illustrate. Also it is a very good and fast reference guide.

My first question is Andy, what have made you decide to come up with a website's that focus on men's fashion?

Andy:

It was an extension of my natural and long time interest in men's clothing. I started out at the monitor of a men's fashion Forum that was connected to Men's Health magazine and liked the idea. I then decided to write a book on men's clothes, (The Encyclopaedia of Men's Clothes) which took me two years, and the website was a vehicle to sell the book.

Adwin:

I have read and saw the huge number of topics which you covered on menswear both on your website and CD Rom e-Book "The Encyclopaedia of Men's Clothes", the information really amaze me on what I have missed out all these years.

Where or how did you develop your fashion sense? Any special training or courses one need to take?

Andy:

Some of it came from my father, who living in the middle of Kansas (USA) and doing oil exploration work. But he was always interested in men's fashion and the quality of the various brands of shoes, suits, shirts, etc.
And honestly I think it somewhat out of insecurity!! Not being born the best looking guy in the world (don't argue!) I realized that image and looks was important and that I needed to make myself look as good in public as possible.

Adwin:

It occurred to me men in my country aren't really dress to impress or know their dressing sense but dress according to what they think is suitable for the occasion.

For example: Some men would wear a polo-shirt or jeans for Wedding dinner. They find it more comfortable which is obviously

Where can we obtain the information on latest trends in men's fashion? Any websites which are your favourites?

Andy:

Unlike women's clothing, most men's clothing (even for the most formal occasions) are intricately comfortable. Women are always searching for comfortable shoes, while men would not stand (pardon the pun) for shoes that didn't fit well and feel good.

There is also a world wide cultural (or sexual) mind set that men are not suppose to dress well. They are "supposed" to be unkempt, rugged individuals. But if you study every male animal species you note that the male is the more colourful!

It's good to keep up on the current trends, but not necessarily to go crazy for each fad that comes along. The value of men's clothing is that they change fashion rarely since the styles have been evolving down through a 100 years to something that fits men's body types, activities and makes most men look great. Look at formalwear - every man looks exceptionally handsome in the classic (no frills, no updates, no changes) basic tuxedo.
The "acceptable" colors for business (Navy or grey suit, white or blue shirt, etc.) compliment most gentlemen's skin, hair and eye colors.

Adwin:

You mention about the "Rule of Seven" a few times in your Men's clothes Encyclopedia. What exactly must we watch out on the '7 rules'?

Andy:

Just to restate that there is a "Rule of Seven" in women's fashion that applies to men as well. The "rule" states that there should be no more than seven points of interest on your body at any one time!

The theory is that too much visual stimulation detracts from the total look.

Points of interest could be a watch, pocket square, bright tie, blazer buttons, braces, belt buckle, cuff links, fashion glasses, facial hair, vest, anything that could draw attention to that item.

So if you're wearing an exceptional pair of cufflinks you don't want to overpower them by adding too many other visual excitement.
When others are visually overloaded they tend to repel you. The mistake when you have too many points of interest is that the look is loud, busy and discordant (not harmonic). Too many patterns make you look like a clown.

Adwin:

The section which I find it most interesting is on casual wear.” DON’T BE A CASUAL CASUALTY!" which you mention alot of people have misunderstood the meaning of casual dressing. I do agree and myself have always misunderstood it at the long.

What are the different types of casual wear and how should we wear to address the word "Casual wear" on our invitation card?

Andy:

Part of the problem is that the person sending out the invitation has no idea what the classifications of dress are and thus confuses the guests. There are 5 classifications of dressy and 5 classifications of casual and they all depend on the occasion. It's easy to get them all mixed up.

Adwin:

Ehm...Andy, as you know I am running a blog site on cuff links. My next question is in general how should we match our cuff links to the type of cuff shirts we wear, in terms of shirts and cuffs material?

Andy:

You can coordinate cuff links by colour with the rest of your ensemble for that harmonic impression.

You may want to coordinate the metal colour with your watch and ring, so that everything, for example, is gold, but that’s not really necessary. Many watches contain both silver and gold and colour mixing is not scorned.
Traditionally gold was appropriate for day, and silver for evening, but with the advent of a more casual approach both are interchangeable. Silver goes with blue, black or grey, and gold is best with earth tones.

Adwin:

About cuff links care, how should we store them to prevent scratches and should we clean them often for cuff links made of stainless steel?

Andy:

Store your cuff links in a felt lined jewellery case or use any other method that keeps the links from coming in contact with each other to prevent scratching.

If you don’t have a jewellery case just keep them in the felt lined box they were packed in when you purchased them. Of if they didn’t come in a box (where did you say you got these cuff links?) try storing them in a soft cloth in a drawer.

Adwin:

As you know, there are many type of cuff links in the market. For a person who intend to buy his first pair of cuff links what should he look out for? Is there such a thing as the main categories of cuff types?

Andy:

STYLES of CUFF LINKS:(from most elegant to least dressy)

Double-faced are links with two identical faces attached with a metal link. You push one face through the “button” holes of the cuff. These are the dressiest.Chain links -- A chain attaches the double-faced links.
Snap on are made up of two separate pieces that snap together.

Push-through -- This style has a bulbous or globular end opposite the showy side, which is pushed through the cuff holes. Also see Silk Knots below.

Hinged back -- This type has a bar, which can be aligned perpendicular to the link then opened parallel, after it’s pushed though the cuff, to secure the link in place.

Stirrup are cufflinks that wrap around the shirt cuff. Some consider these garish.

Silk knots have two knots linked together with and made of silk; one of the knots is pushed through the cuff hole to hold the cuff together. Silk knots are the least dressy style.

Adwin:

I have seen a few men's cosmetics store in Singapore but might be catering to a small group of people. But seems to me men nowadays are more concern of the way they dress themselves and they are more willing to spend on accessories.

Do you think men's fashion wear will continue to be more popular for the next 5 years or so?

Andy:

Absolutely. Men are realizing the importance to their daily lives of looking good. A good impression helps with business, love life, family and all relationships (getting through airport security!!) There will be a boom in men's cosmetics, quality and classic clothing (some with new high tech fabrics) and a greater willingness to spend money on items that make us look good.

Adwin :

Andy, having been in the men's fashion industry for many years, what are the common problems that are face by men nowadays in term of their dressing?

Andy:

The casual dressing era was welcomed by many men but then it became apparent that putting all those elements together properly wasn't so easy. Certainly not as easy as putting a suit (one element) together with a shirt, tie, and shoe and a belt that matched. It's more difficult to dress in casual mode and look good.

Adwin:

Coming back to the topic of cuff links, do you have any resources to recommend where readers here can draw information from?

Andy:

There must be a good history or a book on cuff links out there. If not, Adwin, let's write one!

Adwin:

From our last email exchanged, you are launching your a set of cuff links, do you intend to go into customisation cuff links for the Online community? How can they reach you?

Andy:

SmartTurnout, in the UK, in the UK, One of the sponsor's on AskAndyAboutclothes.com agreed to design a pair of chain style (double faced) cuff links with the Ask Andy hanger on one side and some nice blue tone stripes on the other. (so you could wear the ask Andy side out for Ask Andy get-together events and the other side out for day to day wear. I should have some news (photos, prices) very soon.

Adwin:Once again, thank you, Andy!, for sharing with us your knowledge on clothing’s and await to see more of your exciting tips and cuffs launches.
Take care and have a nice day!

2009-04-21T23:56:00.001-07:00

The Answers Will Surprise You

The average lifespan for a person who is born and raised in the United States today is 75 – 80 years. The average lifespan for someone in the UK is also 75 – 80. A Canadian is expected to live 80 – 85 years, as is an Italian or a Spaniard.

And in each of those developed countries, a man’s life is at least five years shorter than a woman’s.

With all the strides made in the last 30 years toward the prevention and treatment of heart disease, cancer, stroke, high blood pressure and other life threatening illness, women still outlive men by a clear margin. Why is that? What do you think are the top three differences between men’s health and women’s that make such a statistic possible?

If you said the stress of earning a living day in and day out, you are a little behind the times. Women have been flooding the job force since the 1960s, and with every passing decade, they have been entering more and more traditionally “Male Only” fields such as firefighting and police work. At the same time they have been climbing the ranks within the corporate world – earning bigger paychecks, working longer hours and accumulating the same stress and anxiety, as well. Yet women still outlive men.

If you said, health conditions that only affect men such as prostate cancer and low testosterone were the cause, you would be closer. Lowered testosterone levels can lead to osteoporosis and other health related complications, but few are truly life threatening. Prostate cancer, on the other hand, is one of the top killers among men in the United States. Only lung cancer accounts for more deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, about 220,900 were diagnosed in 2003, and about 28,900 died from it.

But the real reason men do not live as long has less to do with any one disease – and more to do with how men respond to their own disease and illness. Men are much less likely than women to seek treatment for illness. They drink more and smoke more than women, and visit the doctor less. This gives diseases such as lung cancer and prostate cancer – the number one and number two killers among adult males – a better chance of becoming terminal.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

As the old saying goes, “if you knew then what you know now. . . .” Now that you know the biggest health problem men face is themselves, it is time to take charge of your own health. If you are a man reading this article, make an appointment with your physician today to get a complete check up. If you are woman who cares about the men in your life, print this article out and hand each of them a copy.

2009-04-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

Health issues differ somewhat between men and women. We read so much about diet and nutrition for women, so I think its about time men had a look in!
So... here are some of my Top Foods for men.

Pumpkin seeds, Brazils, Walnuts, and Almonds

Nuts are often regarded and shunned as high-fat foods, with little understanding of their nutritional value. Some nuts are very high in fat; Brazil nuts are about 70% fat, so you wouldn’t want to eat too many at once, BUT only 10% of this fat is actually saturated, so as you can see the vast majority is “unsaturated” and therefore either essential, or potentially useful for the health of every cell in the body. The term “essential” in this context simply means our bodies do not manufacture certain fats (especially Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats), which means that the only ways of obtaining them is through the foods we eat… essential to life, so therefore essential to the diet! Most fresh unsalted and un-roasted nuts and seeds (NO… not S*NP*T peanut butter – UK readers will know what I mean here!), as well as oily fish such as salmon, avocados, vegetable and seed oils, and olive oil contain mostly essential fatty acids – in other words fats that we need and which are put to good use in the body. A handful of walnuts have as much omega-3-fatty acids as 3 ounces of salmon, which may help in light of the recent and on-going worries about farmed salmon. Not only do omega-3 fats help towards preventing heart disease, they also help to prevent arthritis and depression.

A 25g portion of brazils (about 10 nuts) would be an ideal snack or addition to cereal or fruit in the morning. It would give you a respectable 170 kcals, and 17 grams of fat. About 70g of fat in one day is acceptable, so as part of your whole diet, they are not fattening! Brazils are one of the highest food sources of the mineral selenium: an antioxidant that plays a vital role in the health of the heart and CV system, as well as the thyroid gland. Selenium is also regarded as a potent anti-cancer agent. It is often lacking in British diets, due to a drop in soil levels over the years and consequently a drop in crops. However, all is not lost if you eat a few Brazils on a regular basis… the above 25g portion would give you 383 micrograms (ug), way over the UK RNI of 45-75ug, so even half that amount would still be beneficial!

Seeds (especially pumpkin seeds) are considerably lower in fat than nuts; pumpkin seeds are only 45% fat, and again the majority is unsaturated. They are also higher in protein than many nuts, and contain more zinc too. Nuts are still a good source of protein, with almonds providing the highest amount, as well as the highest amount of calcium. Brazil nuts come top of the list again when it comes to magnesium, another essential mineral for men that works closely with calcium in bone and muscle function.
As you can see it is variety that counts and as we know it certainly provides the “spice” of life, but also provides the key to obtaining the full spectrum of nutrients we need to be healthy on a daily basis.

Did you know?

The body of a sperm contains 86% monounsaturated fat! So, healthy sperm need healthy fats (as well as a good dose of selenium!). The foods with the most similar fatty acid profiles to that of sperm are olive oil and macadamia nuts, but all the above foods come pretty close too! So guys, maybe this piece of information helps to put things a little more into perspective?!!

Flaxseeds and your Prostate

Some recent research showed men with early stage prostate cancer who ate a low-fat diet plus three tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily for just over a month saw their PSA levels drop. They also saw their testosterone and cholesterol levels go down. PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is an indication of tumour growth. The men who had more advanced cancers saw the PSA scores continue to rise. But researchers speculate that had they stayed on a flaxseed diet longer, they might have seen some benefit as well.
Flaxseed is high in fibre, lignans and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which may help fight cancer.

Soya foods

Versatile soya foods include tofu, soya beans, and fermented products such as Tamari or soy sauce, and miso. Not only are they one of the best sources of vegetable proteins, but soya foods also boast the presence of plant substances called “isoflavones”. These have a number of health benefits for men. Soya protein helps to lower the amount of unhealthy LDL cholesterol in the blood, and soya isoflavones are now known to be protective against prostate cancer, as well as heart disease.
Firm tofu is the best way to enjoy soya’s health benefits. Contrary to popular belief, tofu really can be edible, and even tasty. To get the most from your tofu, try marinating it in soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, and herbs, then bake, grill or stir-fry it with your choice of veggies. If you have never contemplated using tofu, try the following recipe, which is delicious, quick and easy.

Quinoa Risotto with Tofu and Asparagus

Serves 4

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic, finely chopped/minced

1 cup red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips

2 cups vegetable stock

2 tblsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 tblsp lemon rind

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 11/2 inch lengths

1/2 cup toasted cashews

Heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion for about one minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a further minute. Add the vegetable stock, lemon juice, quinoa grains, lemon zest, black pepper and tofu. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Place asparagus on top, cover and continue cooking for a further 5 mins. Sprinkle with toasted cashews.

Nutrition Facts:

Per serving (330g): 435 calories, 24 g protein, 17 g fat (3 g saturated), 48 g carbohydrates, 40 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium

Quinoa

Quinoa is a top energy food and definitely in my list of “Top Foods for Men”, partly because it has the best amino acid profile of all the grains! That means you can count it in, as a good protein source, and even better when you combine it with eggs, chicken or fish. It is full of vitamins and minerals too (especially B vitamins, calcium and magnesium). It is also high in potassium, just like bananas and avocadoes, all of which help to keep blood pressure within a healthy range. It is very low in fat and completely free of cholesterol, so a winner for those concerned about watching their dietary cholesterol intake.

Eggs

Eggs (preferably organic whenever possible) are a first-class source of protein (or what we term as having a high biological value), easy to cook, and an ideal way to begin a busy day. A high protein breakfast such as scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast balances blood sugar levels effectively and will certainly sustain you a lot longer than toast and jam. If you are concerned about the cholesterol content of eggs, limit your intake to 3 a week; otherwise there is no need to worry. Eggs are also rich in choline (vital for keeping your memory boys!!) and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin… these are important to help prevent cataracts, as well as age-related macular degeneration, both of which lead to blindness.
Eggs really are easy to cook... hard-boil them, soft-boil them, poach them, scramble them - just try to avoid cooking them with excessive amounts of butter, cream or oil. Eggs Benedict should be a “once in a while treat”!

Oysters and other Seafood

Oysters are rich in the mineral zinc – commonly referred to as the fertility mineral! Oysters are famed for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, and I suppose it’s the high zinc content that gives this reputation some scientific basis? The fact is that oysters do contain an extraordinarily high amount of zinc – essential for sperm production and the development of the reproductive organs.
Oysters unfortunately are not to everyone’s taste, so, are there any other foods that could have a similar effect? Well, some are mentioned above (pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds) but other excellent dietary sources of zinc include crab, most other shellfish, offal and wheatgerm, to name a few. I don’t think however that any of these have a reputation as true aphrodisiacs… offal or oysters?
Oysters for me I think…. With a glass of champagne preferably!

Garlic

Garlic has to be one of the most healthful and beneficial foods/herbs on the planet. Apparently it is one of the oldest cultivated plants, originating from central Asia. It is often talked about as being “anti-aging” as it is an excellent source of antioxidants. Antioxidants literally stop cells from “rusting” or ageing. We visibly see this process as wrinkles! Garlic is full of nutrients too such as B vitamins, calcium, sulphur and zinc, albeit in moderate amounts. But what garlic is most known for is it’s anti-bacterial benefits which are due to the active substance present in garlic, called allicin. This is why garlic is so helpful for colds and flu. Garlic supplements should contain the active substance (which remains stable when dried), as it is the properties of allicin that aid in maintaining a healthy heart and circulation, as well as possessing wonderful anti-microbial activity. Garlic acts as an anti-coagulant in the blood, which reduces the risk of strokes, and can help to destroy cancerous cells. The best way to eat garlic is RAW, minced, chopped or pulverised, and added to a salad dressing? However, I have to say that “garlic breath” isn’t very attractive!! Try chewing raw parsley after a heavily laced garlic meal. It works to neutralise the pungent smell of garlic as the chlorophyll in parsley acts as a cleanser and neutraliser. The alternative is to take a garlic capsule daily.

Avocados

Avocados, I think, feel a bit like butter on the tongue, but have a nutty flavour? In fact, Spanish sailors called them "midshipman's butter" because they used them as a substitute for butter on long sea voyages. Avocados contain good amounts of B vitamins, including folate, and are one of the few fruits that contain vitamin E… an important fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E is necessary for converting cholesterol into male sex hormones, and Vitamin E deficiency can induce fertility in both sexes by causing damage to the reproductive tissues. SO all you guys out there… a regular portion of avocado in the diet, with a handful of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (also high in “E”) wouldn’t go a miss in your quest for optimal health!

Surprising to some maybe, but avocados contain twice as much potassium as bananas do and are an excellent source of the phytochemical lutein… also found in leafy green vegetables, and a key nutrient for improving eye health. Like olive oil, avocados provide good, monounsaturated fat, which is crucial to lowering LDL cholesterol. When testing an “avo” for ripeness, give it a gentle squeeze – a ripe fruit will leave a finger or thumbprint. To eat avocados, carefully cut lengthways and prize away from the stone. Just scoop out the flesh and enjoy! Try mashing the green fruit with chopped tomatoes, lime or lemon juice, a little chopped fresh chilli and salt for a gorgeous guacamole. Mixing with ricotta cheese also makes a super low-fat healthy dip.

My childhood memory of eating avocados is mashed on fresh wholemeal bread and sprinkled with a little salt – delicious!

Apples and bananas

Apples are full of several powerful antioxidants including a compound called quercetin. Quercetin is known to be a very effective natural anti-histamine and works synergistically with another anti-histamine - Vitamin C. Hay fever sufferers find this combination very useful during the “allergy” season. You may find supplements available that often combine these with bromelain, a good anti-inflammatory. Apples are also high in the soluble fibre, pectin, helping to lower LDL cholesterol. So there must be some truth in the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? The best way to eat them is ripe, raw, and with the peel intact – don’t peel apples, as it is in the skin that you find the quercetin!

Bananas (like avocados) contain tons of potassium, magnesium and folate. Potassium helps fight high blood pressure and reduces the risk of strokes. A high fruit and veg diet should supply you with plenty of potassium. Folate is necessary for proper cell growth, and in lowering blood homocysteine - vital in the prevention of heart disease.

Berry fruits

Purple, dark red and blue berries are not only rich in vitamin C and are anti-ageing, but they can also be useful for gout sufferers. Gout is a very painful condition, and is the result uric acid being dumped in tissues – often in the big toe! It causes inflammation and pain, and can progress to joint degeneration and arthritis. Unfortunately too, it is often related to kidney problems, and there is an increased risk of kidney stones. Fruits such as blackberries and blueberries etc. can help due to the presence of antioxidants known as anthocyanins and proanthocyanins – these are what give them such a rich gorgeous colour. Better still, they are natural anti-inflammatories so can ease the pain of the inflammation. Gout sufferers also need to follow a low animal protein diet, cut down on alcohol, drink plenty of water and eat lots more colourful fruit and veg.

Oats

Oats are high in B vitamins and calcium, as well as both insoluble and soluble fibre. This means that not only are they nutritious, they can help to keep the bowels free from toxins – as well as helping the elimination of waste too!

The high soluble fibre content in oats is the reason why they’ve been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels (the nasty cholesterol) when eaten on a regular basis. By including a bowl of porridge oats in your diet everyday, you will be doing something quite significant towards protecting yourself from heart disease. Another great source of soluble fibre in linseeds, so add a tablespoon to your bowl of oats in the morning. Whole organic oats are the best to go for!

Tips and recipes…

This recipe has been kindly compiled by Paul Clements. Paul is Jersey’s top male triathlete, Great Britain triathlon age group team member since 1999, European triathlon age group champion in 2000, Island Games Gold medallist 2001 and Bronze medallist 2003. He has just qualified for the Commonwealth Games, being held in Melbourne in March 2006.

Paul is passionate about healthy eating, and says his food and nutrition is quite simply his fuel for success!
His tip for healthy eating is to be well prepared, keeping a stock of vegetables in the fridge and fresh fruit in the fruit bowl - It is as simple as that!

This recipe is one of Paul’s favourite post-workout recovery meals.

Grilled wild salmon on a bed of sweet potato mash, with roast winter vegetables

Serves 2:

2 large fresh wild salmon steaks

French Dijon mustard

Ground black pepper

Two large sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

2 parsnips

2 large carrots

1 bulb of fresh broccoli

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 leak

1 red onion

2 fresh garlic segments

1 small bag of kale

Chop the parsnips, carrots, broccoli, peppers, leak, onion and garlic into pieces. These can be as big or as large as you wish... cutting the carrots and parsnips length ways is my favourite. Place all the pieces in a bowl and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive. Cover the bowl and shake to cover all the vegetables. Place the veggies on a baking tray and pop them into the oven at 200C for 30-35 mins. Whilst these are cooking chop the sweet potatoes into small pieces and place in a saucepan.

Cover the salmon steaks with a thin layer of Dijon mustard on both sides & sprinkle a little black pepper on top. Fill the kettle up and go and put your feet up or have that post gym shower for 15 mins. When the vegetables have 15-20 mins to go, open the oven and give them a quick stir. Put the kettle on to boil.

Now, put the steaks under a hot grill for 15 mins, turning them over mid-way through.

Poor the boiling water onto the sweet potatoes and simmer for 8-10 mins or until they’ve become soft. Put your plates on to warm.

When there is approximately 5 mins to go, sprinkle the kale over the roasted vegetables and pop back in the oven.

When the time is up, drain the water from the sweet potatoes and mash. Place the mash on the centre of your plates to form a bed for the salmon. Remove the salmon from the grill, and place on top of the potato. Now remove the roasted vegetables and arrange around the potato and salmon.
Add some garnish if you require, but most importantly, relax and enjoy your healthy post exercise winter meal!

Nutrition Facts:

Per serving: 780 calories, 50 g protein, 32 g fat (5 g saturated), 75 g carbohydrates.

This meal really is packed with nutrients, being rich in Selenium (50ug), calcium (300mg), folic acid (360ug), as well as being high in the antioxidants vitamin A, and C.

Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr is a registered Nutritionist, based in Sussex, England. Her consultancy "Simply Nutrition" attracts many individuals and sports people keen to improve their health, their athletic performance or to lose weight. She is passionate about food and nutrition, and is a keen writer.

2009-03-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

men health uk

Aging is an inevitable process for all of us. However, you don't have to take it "lying down". As a matter of fact, you can literally manage the whole ordeal and either hang on to your body's prime condition or regain that which has been lost for years following a few very basic principles.

mens health

The first and most important aspect of your prime maintenance mens health has to do with what you allow to enter your body via your eating habits. (mens health )You know what they say---"garbage in, garbage out"---and it couldn't be more true than when it applies to your longevity and how good or bad you will age over the next few decades.One thing that you will want to start doing immediately is to wean your body off of its cravings for and dependence on sugar. Sugar has a very insidious way of speeding up the aging process by weakening your body in a number of ways. In fact, Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., and author of "Lick the Sugar Habit" outlines the following detriments of sugar intake.

Not such a bad thing in moderation, excessive alcohol consumption inhibits the youthfulness and vibrance of the body by making it more susceptible to a number of diseases and infections which debilitate its ability to function. Of course, some of the same diet intake strategies that are affective in weight loss help to maintain prime condition as well. Not making a habit of eating late or consuming a lot of dairy and animal fat products will help to both keep you trim and preserve the functioning of your arteries in order to help your body keep control of its blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well, measure which will protect you from developing heart problems.

NOTE TO VISITORS: Photographs on these pages may be downloaded for use in other web formats or in news publications provided that credit is given as listed with the captions. Web users of these images are kindly requested to hotlink photo credits to the Oil-for-Food Home Page. Images downloaded from these pages may not be used in advertising. Any questions about the terms of re-use should be directed to Ian Steele email: steelei@un.org
For more information on the Health Sector.

Body Tone and Mobility

You may or may not be currently putting your body through regular resistance training. However, doing so get more and more important as you get older. Once past the age of 35, our bodies lose approximately 1% of their muscle mass annually. Since it is this muscle mass that gives your body its shape, form, and much of its strength, you will want to use resistance training to prevent atrophy and preserve as much of the actual muscle tissue as possible.

A second way in which resistance train helps you is that it keeps the bones strong and able to take abnormal amounts of pressure. This "practice" for the bones will come in handy in keeping them away from breaks and fractures that are very common as well as debilitating in older people. Even more important than resistance training is your body's flexibility. Nothing contributes more to optimal mobility than having flexible joints and muscles.

What's more is that a regular stretching routine not only adds to mobility but also helps to guard against 3 of the most common injuries---those to your back, knees, and hip area. Many of these injuries are the result of a rigid body being twisted into positions beyond its strength capacity or its range of flexibility to the point that something "snaps". Once any of these areas suffers major damage, it is generally never the same again. The third major ingredient in preserving prime body tone and conditioning is cardiovascular activity. The benefits of such activity are obvious: a stronger, healthier heart and minimized body fat, the latter of the two helping the body maintain its most attractive shape and tone.

washington dc ob gyn -