Category Archives: General

Diet, General

High-fat Mediterranean Diet Is The Key To Weight Loss.

Counting calories may be a waste of time and dieters should instead focus on having a calorie-rich diet packed with ‘good’ fats, according to new research.

mediterranean diet
 

Scientists, from the University of Barcelona, tracked 7,500 men and women who either had type 2 diabetes or were at risk of heart disease.

The participants, from Spain, were analysed for 5 years and put on one of three diets.

One group had an unrestricted Mediterranean diet especially rich in olive oil, a second had a similar unrestricted diet packed with nuts, and the third group followed a conventional ‘slimmers’ diet that avoided all kinds of fat.

At the end of the five years, all three groups had lost a small amount of weight, but the participants who had the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil had lost the most weight – an average of 0.88kg (1.9 pounds).

Those on the nut-rich diet lost the least weight – 0.40kg (0.88 pounds).

To read more, please CLICK HERE.

If you are overweight (BMI 28 or over), tried dieting and excerise
but still haven’t had success in losing weight– please go to www.ukmeds4u.com for a free private online consultation for other weightloss options.

General

Smoking During Pregnancy Increases The Risk Of Baby Developing Schizophrenia

Expectant mothers who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of their baby developing schizophrenia in later life, a study has revealed.

stop smoking
This image was taken from bbc.co.uk.

Data on 1,000 schizophrenia patients were examined for the study. Scientists matched their birth and health records with those of non-affected ‘control’ individuals.

Smoking habits were assessed by looking at the levels of nicotine marker, cotinine, in their blood.

The results showed that a fifth of mums of schizophrenia patients smoked heavily during pregnancy, compared to 14.7% of mothers of controls.

Smoking during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby as it can reduce oxygen supply to the foetus, which causes their heart to beat harder. This increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight and stillbirth.

Senior researcher Professor Alan Brown, from the University of Columbia, New York, said: ‘To our knowledge, this is the first biomarker-based study to show a relationship between foetal nicotine exposure and schizophrenia.

These findings underscore the value of ongoing public health education on the potentially debilitating, and largely preventable, consequences that smoking may have on children over time.

Further studies could shed light on exactly how nicotine affects a foetus’ brain.

Finally, it is of interest to examine maternal cotinine in relation to bipolar disorder, autism, and other psychiatric disorders.’

To read more CLICK HERE.

Treatment to help stop smoking will be available soon from UKMeds4U.Com.

 

Erectile dysfunction, General

Man Fractures His Penis During Sex

A 32 year old man was rushed to hospital after his penis turned black and swollen after engaging in ‘vigorous’ sexual intercourse.

The man from New Delhi heard a ‘snapping’  sound during sexual intercourse which then resulted in him suffering from severe pain and caused his penis to bend.

After an examination he was diagnosed with penile fracture.

Doctors carried out ultrasounds which revealed that he had torn the wall of the right corpora cavernosa.

Corpora cavernosa are two chambers which run the length of the penis and are filled with erectile tissue.

Blood flows into the tissue which causes the penis to harden.

Penile fracture occurs when an erect penis undergoes blunt trauma during sexual intercourse or masturbation.

Penile fracture can cause other problems in the future including erectile dysfunction.

This is because scar tissue will form as the penis heals which will prevent blood flow to the tissue.

Erectile dysfunction is a condition where the penis does not harden and expand when a man is sexually excited.

To read more CLICK HERE

If you suffer from erectile dysfuntion, go to www.ukmeds4u.com for a free private e-consultation.

General

A High BMI Doesn’t Mean Unhealthy.

Experts have asked for a change in the way body mass index (BMI) is calculated, after it has been found that people classed as overweight actually live the longest.bmi

A study which covered 30 years found that people with a BMI of 27, which is considered as being overweight, have the lowest risk of dying from any condition.

The findings raised further questions about the BMI system as it cannot recognise muscle from fat.

As muscle is much heavier than fat, a well-built muscular athlete may be  categorised as obese when infact they are very healthy.

Body mass index is used to measure if you are at a healthy weight for your height.

For adults:

  • a BMI of under 18.5 means you are considered underweight
  • a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 means you are considered healthy weight
  • a BMI of 25 to 29.9 means you are considered overweight
  • a BMI of 30 to 39.9 means you are considered obese
  • a BMI of 40 or above means you are considered severely obese

The average BMI for a British woman is 26.9 and for a man is 27. Therefore the average adult in Britian is considered as overweight.

Researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark led a study which showed that the healthiest measurement had increased by 3.3 BMI points since the 1970s.

To read more about the study CLICK HERE.

If you are overweight, tried dieting and excerise
but still haven’t had success in losing weight– please go to www.ukmeds4u.com for a free private online consultation for other weightloss options.

General

Would Financial Incentives Encourage You To Stop Smoking?

stop smoking
This image was taken from bbc.co.uk.

Hospitals in France are offering money to expectant mothers if they are willing to give up smoking while being pregnant, which will hopefully lead to a smoke free life as a mother.

The new study, carried out by Paris’s public hospital system in association with the National Cancer Institute, will test whether financial incentives will encourage them to stay away from tobacco throughout pregnancy.

The mothers-to-be that show dedication to give up their addiction will be rewarded in €20 vouchers and if they do not start smoking again they can receive up to €300 in total.

Women who are over 18 years old, are less than 4 months pregnant, smoke more then five manufactured cigarettes or three rolled cigarettes each day can participate in the study.

The participants are subject to frequent testing to make sure they are not using e-cigarettes or other tobacco products as these are prohibited.

French health minister Marisol Touraine said France was “the European country where pregnant women smoke the most”.

This statement came after figures revealed that in 2015 one in five French women did not give up smoking during pregnancy.

Smoking during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby as it can reduce oxygen supply to the foetus, which causes their heart to beat harder. This increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight and stillbirth.

To read more CLICK HERE.

Stop smoking treatment will be available soon from UKMeds4U.Com

 

General

The Health Benefits Of Cherry Juice

We have some good news for the five million people in England who suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure) – cherry juice could help lower high blood pressure. cherry

Researchers have found that drinking cherry juice is just as good as taking blood pressure medication.

A study found that people who drank 60ml of cherry concentrate, diluted with water, saw their blood pressure drop by 7% in 3 hours.

If high blood pressure is left untreated it can increase the risk of heart failure, kidney disease, stroke, heart attack and dementia.

But drinking 60ml of cherry concentrate can reduce  the risk of a stroke by 38% and heart disease by 23%.

The scientists think that cherry juice has a strong impact on blood pressure because it is rich in phenolic acids.

Study leader Karen Keane, whose work was funded by the Cherry Marketing Institute in the US, said: ‘The majority of cardiovascular disease is caused by risk factors that can be controlled, treated or modified.

These include high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, tobacco use, lack of physical activity and diabetes.

Raised blood pressure is the leading cause of deaths from cardiovascular disease, yet relatively small reductions in blood pressure can have a large impact on mortality rates.

The magnitude of the blood pressure lowering effects we observed was comparable to those achieved by a single anti-hypertensive drug and highlights the potential importance that Montmorency cherries could have in the effective management of high blood pressure.’

Co-author Professor Glyn Howatson added: ‘This is the first study to investigate the acute effects of Montmorency tart cherry consumption on blood pressure, arterial stiffness and microvascular vasodilation in males with early hypertension.

This exciting set of data complements a growing body of research to show that eating the right sorts of foods can provide potential health benefits.

We believe these benefits might be linked to the combined actions of some of the plant compounds within the Montmorency concentrate and the positive impact they exert on vascular function.’

This is good news for those who suffer from the side effects of blood pressure medication. Some blood presure medicine can cause erectile dysfunction and depression.

If you have any concerns regarding high blood pressure, please see your GP.

If you are currently taking medicine for high blood pressure, you should not stop taking this for cherry juice.

To read more CLICK HERE.

If you think you suffer from erectile dysfunction, please go to www.ukmeds4u.com for your free online private consultation.

General, Uncategorized

What Happens To Your Body When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep

Around 1 in 3 adults regularly have less than five hours sleep each night and according to scientists, a lack of sleep doesn’t just make you tired. It can make you gain weight.

sleep
This image was taken from sleepfoundation.org

The recommended amount of sleep most adults need each night is between six and nine hours.

In a study, participants who slept five hours or less gained two pounds over  two weeks because they snacked more.

However, when they slept the recommended amount they lost the gained weight as they reduced their consumption of fat and carbohydrates.

Professor Ken Wright, of Colorado Boulder University, said: ‘I don’t think extra sleep by itself is going to lead to weight loss. 

Problems with weight gain and obesity are much more complex than that. But I think it could help.

If we can incorporate healthy sleep into weight-loss and weight-maintenance programmes our findings suggest it may assist people to obtain a healthier weight.’

Obesity is a common problem and around 1 in 4 adults are obese in the UK.

To read more CLICK HERE

If you are overweight (BMI 28 and over), tried dieting and excerise
but still haven’t had success – please go to www.ukmeds4u.com for a free private online consultation for other weightloss options.

General, Sexual health

National Bacterial Vaginosis Month – April 2016

This April, Balance Activ and Dr Dawn Harper have teamed up to support National Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Month.

bacterial vaginosis
This image was taken from balanceactiv.com

They aim to raise awareness of bacterial vaginosis and encourage women to learn more about the causes and symptoms.

Bacterial vaginosis is a common, but not well known, vaginal condition.

BV occurs when there is an imbalance  of the pH in the vagina which can cause lots of unpleasant symptoms such as fishy odour and abnormal thin, grey discharge from the vaginal area.

BV affects 1 in 3 women.

The campaign also encourages women to talk about all feminine health problems, not just BV.

If you think you might be suffering from bacterial vaginosis then please see your GP.

But in the meantime you can check your symptoms online – CLICK HERE

Diet, General

Good News For Dieters – ‘Cheat Day’ Will Help You Lose Weight

We have some good news for those on a diet – cheat days do help you lose weight!cheat day

Scientists say that a once a week cheat day to eat sugary treats can make it easier for dieters to lose weight.

According to recent research, planned cheat days help slimmers to resist the temptation the rest of the time and makes dieting more appetising.

Researchers carried out three experiments.

In the first experiment, 59 men and women role-played being on a diet. Half imagined being on a traditonal diet, while the other half dieted for six days and had a cheat day on the seventh day.

At the end of the procedure, they had to imagine walking down a supermarket snack aisle when hungry and think of ways to avoid giving in to temptation.

The results found that those who had the cheat day diet came up with more methods.

In the second experiment, researchers observed the weight, mood and willpower of 36 men and women who actually dieted for 2 weeks. Half followed a strict diet of 1,500 calories a day and the others ate 1,300 calories a day – apart from on Sundays, when they could eat 2,700 calories.

Tests showed that those who had the cheat day had stronger self-control than those who had the conventional diet. They were also happier, more motivated and lost just as much weight.

The final experiment showed that the same theory can apply to other goals such as saving money, where the occasional spending spree can make it easier to stick to a budget.

Researcher Marcel Zeelenberg, of Tilburg University in the Netherlands, said: ‘The findings… show it is important to plan hedonistic moments in goal pursuit when it is “good to be bad”.

Sometimes it is good in the long run to be temporarily bad in the short run.’

To read more CLICK HERE

If you are overweight (BMI 28 and over), tried dieting and excerise
but still haven’t had success – please go to www.ukmeds4u.com for a free private online consultation for other weightloss options.

Drugs, General, Mens Health

Could Metformin Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?

Children who are at risk of developing type 1 diabetes will trail metformin to see if the cheap drug can prevent the disease.

The study will take part in Scotland which will involve children, aged 5 to 16, taking a simple blood test to determine whether they are at risk of developing the condition.

Scotland has the third highest rate of type 1 diabetes in the world.

If they are found to be at risk then they will be given the chance to take part in a clincal trail.

Metformin is the worlds most common prescribed medicine for diabetes.

The study will test whether metformin can stop the immune response from destroying beta cells.

Professor Wilkin, of the University of Exeter Medcial School, said: ‘We still have no means of preventing type 1 diabetes which, at all ages, results from insufficient insulin.

‘We all lose beta cells over the course of our lives, but most of us have enough for normal function.

‘However, if the rate of beta cell loss is accelerated, type 1 diabetes develops, and the faster the loss, the younger the onset of the condition.’

It has been estimated that 80,000 children worldwide develop type 1 diabetes each year.

Diabetes can lead to other health problems such as heart disease, kidney failure and erectile dysfunction in men.

To read more CLICK HERE

If you have any concerns regarding diabetes then you should speak to your GP.

If you suffer from erectile dysfunction then visit www.ukmeds4u.com for your free online private consultation.