Healthwise 75
June 2006
Healthwise is a regular column written
especially for laterlife.com members and
visitors by Helen Franks, journalist and author.
Welcome to healthwise 75.
For previous articles in the
healthwise series visit
'more
healthwise'
Helen Franks
Helen has specialised in writing about
health and ageing and is a member of the Guild of
Health Writers. She has written for a variety of
newspapers and magazines including the Guardian,
Times, Observer, Woman, Family Circle, Vogue and
Choice.
Helen has also written several books
including Getting Older Slowly Your Guide to
Successful Ageing and Bone Boosters
co-authored with Diana Moran of TV Green Goddess
fame.
Don't forget to take a look at Helen's
separate
talkback
page too.
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50% of people with presbyopia (ageing of the eye) have difficulty in
writing cheques, says a report from eye company Bausch & Lomb of
people in 7 European countries. Using a mobile phone can pose problems
for 60%.
Presbyopia is due to the natural ageing of the eye, and affects
nearly everyone over the age of 45. The lenses in the eyes lose their
elasticity and when this happens, they are less able to adjust to
rapid changes.
People with short or long sight are affected differently, with the
long-sighted affected earlier. Reading medicine labels, food labels, a
wristwatch, applying make-up are some of the everyday activities that
provide difficulties.
Even so, 35% of people say they do not have their eyes tested
regularly. In your forties, you need to get tested at least every 2
years. Though the ageing condition is neither slowed down nor speeded
up through neglect, vision correction for reading text at close range
is important to avoid headaches or eye strain. Dangerous driving is
also a hazard for ageing eyes.
'There's a new technique to treat loss of
near vision, using controlled release of radio frequency energy. Go
to www.visioncare.co.uk
for details.'
Small specks or clouds moving in your field of vision are called
floaters. You may see them when looking at a plain background, like a
blank wall or blue sky. Floaters are tiny clumps of gel or cells
inside the vitreous, the clear jelly-like fluid that fills the inside
of your eye. They are considered harmless.
You may also see flashes of light. These flashes occur more often
in older people as the vitreous jelly thickens and pulls on the
light-sensitive retina. They may be a warning sign of a detached
retina.
Flashes also occur after a blow to the head, often called "seeing
stars". If you're suddenly seeing spots, floaters or flashes, get an
eye test to make sure nothing's wrong.
Dryness of the eye is a common complaint nowadays. Some people think
it is possibly because of the use of computers. Studies have shown
that the people using computers blink less, so the moisture film over
the eye is not replenished, leading to dryness. Treatment at the
moment is in the form of eye drops.
But investigators from the Women’s Health Study (WHS) in the US
have recently published evidence demonstrating a reduced incidence of
dry eyes in women who consume higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids
from fish.
Tuna fish consumption in particular was strongly associated with
reduced risk of developing dry eyes. The prevalence of dry eye
syndrome was found to be 68% lower in women who consumed 5-6 servings
a week of tuna, compared with those who ate only 1 portion or less of
tuna per week. But sadly, tuna in cans does not provide those fatty
acids. The canning process removes them.
Red wine could help repair some of the joint damage caused by
arthritis. Scientists at Bristol University have managed to grow
cartilage cells from bone marrow stem cells, with the hope that they
might one day inject the cartilage into joints of people who suffer
from osteoarthritis... And gentle yoga really does ease back pain...
All this from Arthritis News, the magazine of Arthritis
Care. The charity has a new website, so log on to
www.arthritiscare.org.uk
and learn as much as you need/want to know about the various types of
arthritis.
We all know we should brush, floss, rinse to keep our teeth in tip-top
condition to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, but what is the
perfect oral work-out and how long should it take?
-
Start by brushing for 2 minutes, firmly, but
not too hard, taking care to get to those hard to reach areas
at the back of the mouth. To get the best effect, use an
electric toothbrush such as Philips Sonicare.
-
Then floss – you can use disposable flossers.
Slide the floss between each tooth, eliminating plaque and
bacteria (flossing reaches 30% more bacteria than a brush).
This should take around 2 minutes.
-
Then rinse and spit. Using a mouthwash
regularly isn’t necessary according to dentists.
See your hygienist every 6 months for a
professional clean and polish. See your dental surgeon once
every 6-12 months (depending on the health of your teeth) for a
check up and to nip any dental problems in the bud. If you do
experience sudden toothache, see your dentist at once.
Cancer Research UK has a regular
e-newsletter. Read about their online garden centre, new
Dine@Mine event and how to book a place at the Bobby Moore Fund
Celebrity Golf Day. Also, find out about their
new-look website!
If in any
doubt about any of the information covered in
healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult
your GP.
IN THE PREVIOUS EDITION
In edition 74:-
In edition 74 of
healthwise
Helen covers 9 new topics:
Sex and the prostate
Booklet aimed at helping men and their partners understand the effects that
prostate problems have on sexual function
Online
weight reduction a success
A ground-breaking weight reduction project.....
Air purifiers - next
generation
Helping asthma and allergy sufferers are just two of the benefits......
laughing out loud
May be as helpful for your heart as taking a statin heart drug
World's first built-in pain medication
A dressing with a built-in pain medication has been launched
More or less
water?
Do we really need to drink eight glasses of water a day?
New for arthritis
Recently launched in the UK, Litozin has been on sale in Scandinavia for
over two years.
For latest
on bird flu
Look at the Foods Standards Agency website...
Tricks to
teach your body
Some handy quirky remedies
The
complete family health guide
 Essential medical reference that's a must for every home. Published
in association with the BMA, it includes comprehensive coverage of
every important aspect of health and medicine, as well as
user-friendly charts for at-a-glance information and easy reference.
Also lists the best medical websites...
 Maximise your memory
This work provides detailed instructions, illustrations and sample
exercises that show the reader how to build a system of personalized
frameworks for storing and recalling information on demand.
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