Healthwise 85     April 2007

Healthwise is a regular column written especially for laterlife.com members and visitors by Helen Franks, journalist and author. Welcome to healthwise 85.  

For previous articles in the healthwise series visit 'more healthwise' 

Arthritis explained

Arthritis affects people of all ages. More than eight million people a year consult their doctor about some form of arthritis: 5% are between 16 and 44, 23% are between 44 and 64 and 41% are 65 plus. There are 8,060,000 sufferers in the United Kingdom alone.
There are two main types of arthritis:

• Rheumatoid arthritis causes
  swelling and pain in the joints

• Osteoarthritis occurs where there is a loss of the protective surface of cartilage over the ends of bones

Rheumatoid arthritis:

• Affects the hands, especially the knuckle joints, and tends to happen symmetrically - on both sides of the body.

• Most of the swelling is a result of an increase in fluid, with symptoms being worse in the morning.

• Possible triggers are infections, food allergies, and genetic factors.

• Roughly1% of the worldwide population suffers from this form of arthritis, with women three times more likely to suffer.

• The common age for onset is in the forties, and in the winter when temperatures drop.

Osteoarthritis:

• This is a swelling and distortion of the joint that usually affects the
  fingers, knees, hips base of thumb and spine.

• 10% of the over 60's are affected.

• This type of arthritis is often mild and mostly affects the fingers. It is more common in women and can be hereditary.

Recognising a stroke

We’ve had this one before, but sometimes it’s as well to repeat it. Symptoms of a stroke may be difficult to identify. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
 

Doctors say a bystander can recognise a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK, to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Ie: It is sunny/raining today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

Another sign of a stroke is: Ask the person to stick out their tongue... if the tongue is crooked (if it goes to one side or the other) that is also an indication of a stroke.
If he or she has trouble with any one of these tasks, call for an ambulance immediately and describe the symptoms to whoever is in charge.

The truth about heart disease

Recent studies have uncovered what seems to be the real culprit behind 50% of cardiovascular, heart and stroke problems. And it's none of the usual suspects. Not fat. Not lack of exercise. And not even cholesterol.

According to research published in the British Medical Journal, homocysteine is the biggest threat to our heart's good health.

A study at the department of cardiology in Southampton General Hospital trawled through 92 studies that focussed on homocysteine levels in over 20,000 patients.
Homocysteine levels can be brought down quickly and easily.

Here's what to do...

• Get your homocysteine levels checked out. Under 8
  is good. Under 7 is even better.

• Studies (reported in the British Medical Journal) have shown that vitamins B6 and B12, together with folic acid, help lower homocysteine levels.
  For folic acid, liver is absolutely the best source, plus spinach, broccoli, asparagus, beetroot, banana, oranges and peaches.
  For B12, eat liver beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt. For B6 eat whole grain cereals, breads, liver, avocados, spinach, green beans, bananas,
  fish, poultry, meats, nuts, potatoes, green leafy vegetables.

This copy is taken from the Good Life Newsletter: http://www.goodlifeletter.co.uk

 

Campaign to help combat colds and flu

Sneezing or coughing without covering your mouth is more annoying
than people talking loudly on their mobile phone. And also more annoying
than people who don't say please and thank you - yet nearly half of
people do not always carry a tissue outside the home, a new survey
has found.

More than three in ten people interviewed in the survey said they
would use a tissue at least two or three times before throwing it
away, while one in ten people admitted to not always washing their
hands before preparing food.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Use disposable tissues and throw them away afterwards in a bin.
And clean your hands regularly - especially after coughing and sneezing.
Women are almost twice as likely than men to have tissues
with them outside of the home whilst nearly half of all people
surveyed said they caught colds at least twice a year.

The North West was found to be the region where people washed their hands the most, while London proved to be the place were people were less likely to
wash their hands.

 

Hope for hay fever sufferers

A vaccine offers hope for hay fever sufferers, in the form of a pill. Grazax, as it is called, can provide immunity to allergens in grass pollens, with a success rate of 83%.

Traditionally, anti-histamines have been used for treating hay fever symptoms, and also steroid nasal sprays. But these reduce symptoms by 10-20% and 20-30% respectively.

The new vaccine has been developed at London’s Imperial College and is already approved for use in around 30 European countries. Grazax is available at specialist clinics. Ask your GP if you can be referred to one of these.
 

Why it’s a bonus to brush your teeth

Good oral hygiene could help prevent strokes and heart attacks say researchers. When 120 patients with periodontitis, severe gum disease, were given instructions to brush their teeth to normal or intensive levels, after a period of 180 days the intensive patients’ arteries improved and blood flow increased, reducing their risk of stroke or heart attack. Also, their gums appeared healthier.

The research was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Earlier studies associated gum disease with strokes and heart attacks, but the trial established the link by comparing patients.

So flossing and brushing – ideally with an electric toothbrush – twice a day is good for the gums and good for reducing risk of stroke or heart attack.
 

Do-it-yourself massage…

…or maybe with a partner. A new book tells how to use massage and combines ancient healing practices of the east with western massage techniques.

Daphne Roubini’s book Healing Massage focuses on a range of techniques to get you started, learning step-by-step how to unwind and enabling you to give yourself, friends or family a healing massage.

Healing Massage by Daphne Roubini is published by Cico Books at ?14.99, and available from all good bookshops.
 

Useful websites

www.depressionalliance.org.uk
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
www.prostate-cancer.org.uk
www.parkinsons.org.uk
 

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 84:-

New breakthroughs in memory research

Exciting clues about memory loss and how to prevent it.

Folic acid boosts minds of over 50s

Now recommended for the over 50s to boost mental alertness.

Another protection against Alzheimer's

3 cups of coffee a day can protect against Alzheimer's

Gene identified for type 2 diabetes

70% of people have a genetic background for this condition

How to lower your BP

Improving people's emotional well-being could be an effective way to control their BP

Testing for bone disease

Routine dental x-rays could find signs of Osteoporosis..

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.