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Laterlife Healthwise - 66
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Healthwise is a regular column written especially for laterlife.com members and visitors by Helen Franks, journalist and author. Welcome to healthwise 66. 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. For previous articles in the healthwise series visit 'more healthwise' Don't forget to take a look at Helen's separate talkback page too.
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A new survey conducted by Cancer Research UK suggests that around a quarter of British men are in denial about their weight problem. National data shows that 65 per cent of men are overweight or obese. But the survey, which interviewed over 2,000 men, found that a worrying proportion – 25 per cent – would not admit they were carrying any extra weight. The survey, released to launch Cancer Research UK's Man Alive Campaign, shows that men are not heeding health warnings to maintain a healthy body weight. Around 65 per cent of men had no idea that being overweight or obese increases their chance of developing cancer and an alarming 75 per cent did not know that being physically inactive also increases their risk. Only 22 per cent of men questioned eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day and two thirds fail to meet the recommended target of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. It is estimated that obesity may now be responsible for around 4000 cases of cancer in UK men every year. A recent review suggests that obesity increases the risk of bowel cancer by 60 per cent. Being obese also doubles the risk of being diagnosed with kidney, oesophageal and stomach cancer as well as being a risk factor for bladder cancer. Good diet and regular exercise are two factors that can help in reducing the risk of developing cancer. The Men’s Health Forum points out a certain form of health inequality and calls on the Government to put gender into the equation as well as area. Dr Ian Banks, President of the Forum, says: ‘Poor men receive the equivalent of a life sentence for murder through their reduced life expectancy. This is premature male death by postcode'. Peter Baker, Director of the Forum, says: ‘It is vital
that gender is fully acknowledged by the Government as a dimension of
health inequalities. Men’s health remains unnecessarily poor and in
many ways is getting worse, with the rates of prostate cancer, chronic
liver disease and obesity all increasing sharply. Men suffer the
greatest health inequalities and the health system must pay this
greater attention if we are serious about improving the health of the
most disadvantaged groups.’ Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK, but a new survey shows that 51% of women still believe that breast cancer is more of a threat to their health. The survey found that 68% of those in the 45-54 age group did not know what their cholesterol level is. Around 1.8 million people in the UK are prescribed lipid-lowering drugs, but 71% of women in the survey said that they would prefer to treat a high cholesterol level by dietary change rather than medication. However, until now, they have been deterred by the cost of some foods. For the first time in the UK, a new range of appropriate foods will be available in supermarkets to allow those who are not on a high income to consider this option. H·E·A·R·T UK, the cholesterol charity, reveals that Britons believe they're more likely to die from old age than from any other cause when, in fact, coronary heart disease is the country's biggest killer. To raise awareness of CHD and its associated risk
factors, H·E·A·R·T UK has published a booklet entitled "So you think
heart attacks only happen to other people?", designed to improve
understanding of heart health. The charity has also launched
www.heartuk.org.uk
- a website that provides consumers with a fast and accurate
assessment of their risk of a heart attack. A treatment for cancer with few side effects and requiring just two sessions is available to only a few hundred patients a year in the UK. PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) is currently available in only a handful of UK hospitals to successfully treat skin, head, neck and oesophageal cancers; and a chronic lack of funding means that most cancer patients are being deprived of its benefits. Advantages of PDT is speed – usually requiring at most two treatments. And the treatment doesn’t induce hair loss, nausea, skin burns and weight loss. There is no invasive surgery required. While the UK medical teams at the National Medical Laser Centre at UCL are world leaders in the development of the therapy, they find it hard to get the funds they need to pay for patient trials and for an in-depth study of PDT in a wider range of cancers. The lack of profits for the small drug companies who are involved is also holding back UCL development plans, and the absence of Government financial aid in the UK means that the top British research team at National Medical Laser Centre are being frustrated by their lack of progress. A new charity, Killing Cancer, has been set up to pressurise the Government regarding PDT. David Longman, director says, “With a couple of million people signing our online petition the Government will sit up and take notice. We are asking the Government to give us 40 pence per year per person for the next five years.” While stressing that PDT isn’t a miracle drug treatment that can kill all cancers, the charity says that with more financial support, it could achieve so much more, including possibly treatments for pancreas, liver, bladder, breast and many more cancer killers. To find out more, go to the website at:
http://www.killingcancer.co.uk/
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...
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New bowel cancer
screening programme The programme will be phased in, starting from
April 2006. Men and It is the first time such a programme will operate in England and one of the first of its kind in Europe. Because of the nature of the disease, people can feel uncomfortable talking about it, let alone coping with the symptoms. The privacy and dignity that the home testing kits afford will help better to tackle the disease. Although bowel cancer affects more than one in 20
people in their Bowel cancer is a disease of the large bowel (colon)
or rectum. It is also sometimes called colorectal or colon cancer. Experts do not know precisely what causes most bowel
cancers, and in Diet, lifestyle and family history are the three things most likely to affect a persons chances of developing bowel cancer. Your risk of bowel cancer increases with age, but it
does affect younger people. Eat a healthy diet. This means eating lots of fruit,
vegetables, wholegrain foods and fish, and less fat, red and processed
meat. Not everyone will have symptoms and the symptoms may
vary. The most common symptoms to look out for are: NHS Cancer Screening Programmes Cancer Research UK Beating Bowel Cancer Colon Cancer Concern Men's Health Forum
In edition 65:- In edition 65 of healthwise Helen covers 7 new topics: ReplensMD is now available on prescription A new combined herbal supplement is available Smoking could be responsible for more than 50% of all cases of gum disease. The DOH has launched a campaign to raise awareness about this condition. A new herbal remedy if traditional painkillers are causing concern An invitation from Carnation Footcare The NHS is coordinating a new service to ensure COPD patients have access to the latest equipment to meet their individual needs.
Index to all previous Healthwise editions For books on Health visit the Amazon Family and Health Section. Don't forget if you buy books or videos from Amazon by linking from laterlife, you generate money for Charity.
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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The
complete family health guide
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