Most people try hard to maintain a healthy weight but one woman is trying to do just the opposite. At 43 stone and still growing Donna Simpson from New Jersey is hoping to become the world’s fattest woman. Donna insists that she is perfectly healthy despite the fact she now has to rely on a mobility scooter to do the shopping. It is her goal to try and reach a weight of 71 stone within the next two years which will break the record. She currently eats around 12,000 calories a day compared to the average recommended amount for a woman which is just 2,000 and spends $750 a week on food. She runs a website where men pay to watch her eat which brings in money to fund the food bill.

Personally I don’t like Ugg boots so don’t own a pair but I was surprised to read this article which suggest they could damage peoples feet. It seems the boots which are actually made to be worn inside are not suited to outdoor use. When they are worn outdoors the foot slides around inside the boot and leads to ankle, knee, back and hip problems. The problem can be particularly acute with teenage girls because their bones are still developing. The message here seems to be that the boots are designed to worn like slippers and that you should purchase something more sturdy for outdoor pursuits.

This interesting looking device could help treat people who suffer from migraines. The hand held device emits a single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation which disrupts the electrical events in the brain which cause the symptoms of migraine. In a trial 40% of patients who used the device were pain free for hours afterwards. Trials have shown it to be more effective than placebo treatment with more patients being pain free up to 48 hours afterwards. More research is needed before the device is likely to be available to patients.

Three cases of Legionnaire’s disease in Scotland have been directly linked to compost. The cases of the disease which occurred between 2008 and 2009 have been linked to water droplets in packs of potting compost. They are the first cases to be linked to gardening within the UK but have led health experts to call for health warnings on packs of potting compost. The disease has previously been linked to gardening and potting mixes in Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. Legionnaires disease is normally linked with contaminated water and air conditioning systems.

A farm in Sussex has started offering unpasteurised milk in an effort to save their farm. Longley’s Farm near Hailsham has been selling organic pasteurised milk for some time but recently has started losing money on the product. The farmer says that pasteurised milk now costs around 34p a litre to produce but they are only paid 26p for it so make a loss on each litre. Unpasteurised on the other hand is cheaper to produce although it must carry a warning that it might contain bacteria and can only be sold directly by the farmer. It is thought that the unpasteurised milk, however, has the advantage of containing more nutrients because it has not gone through the heat treating process. The farmer is currently planning to deliver the milk once a week but it will be interesting to see how much demand there is for the product.

According to this article some French vineyards are starting to make their fruit into health tonics, pills and dietary supplements in order to move into the teetotal market. Is seems that these products can often be made from the part of the grape that would be discarded. Although some wineries have traditionally turned this wine residue into state subsidised industrial alcohol, these subsidies are due to be ended and so producers are looking towards new markets and instead looking to develop medicines and supplements. One producer that the article mentions produces Dionysox a drink made from the grape skins which he sells as a dietary supplement whilst another sells dietary supplements made from the vines. Although 80% of wine studies show it has a positive affect on health there are as yet no guarantee that the wine extracts do, so it would be interesting to see if any of these products undergo any clinical trials.

According to a recent poll on obesity and weight loss, people in the East Midlands are the fattest in the UK. The poll looked at the average body mass index (BMI) across the country. It found that people in the East Midlands had an average BMI of 28.4 compared to London which was 26.1. Putting this into perspective a BMI of anything between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight. Based on this it seems that even the lower of the two figures is taken into account then the average person in the UK is overweight.

According to this article a study has found there could be potentially damaging effects from “third hand” cigarette smoke. Scientists have found that significant quantities of cancer causing chemicals are produced on surfaces even when a smoker has been away from the room for several days. It is these chemicals that linger in the room after smoking that they refer to as third hand. The chemicals are found to be present in significant amounts on chairs, tables, carpets and even skin. Nicotine can stick to indoor surfaces for several days where it interacts with nitrous acid released by car exhausts and gas appliances. When combined these chemicals form something called tobacco-specific nitrosamines which can cause cancer. It is thought that the amounts found are enough to pose a danger to non-smokers and young children so it seems there may be yet another way that smoking can kill you, albeit indirectly.

According to this article our DNA could affect our ability to burn off fat through exercise. Dubbed the “unfitness gene” it seems one in five of us will be unable to lose weight no matter how much we exercise. Researchers asked 600 people to take up cycling and then tracked their improvements in fitness.  They did this by measuring the amount the amount of oxygen they took in. By looking into the volunteers DNA they found 30 genes that affected oxygen intake and noticed that one in five had a combination of genes which meant their oxygen intake did not change despite the recent exercise. 10 per cent of the volunteers did see a massive improvement in their aerobic fitness, however, this could explain why some people find it hard to lose weight. Or it could just be that extra piece of cake you couldn’t resist.

According to this article drinking beer could help prevent weak bones. A study claims that certain types of beer are a rich source of dietary silicon and can actually help prevent osteoporosis. Not all beers, however, have the effect. Those that contain malted barley and hops have a higher silicon content that beers made from wheat so these are the ones to choose if the article is correct. However, the study suggests consuming them in moderation. Beer. Is there anything it can’t do?

According to this article scientists have created a tomato that can stay fresh for up to six weeks. The tomato which is the result of genetic engineering will stay fresh for around 45 days, three times longer than a normal tomato. Researchers believe the process could also be applied to other fruits including bananas and mangos. It has been created by researcher in India who have managed to stop the production of ripening enzymes in the fruit. The increased firmness stops the fruit going soft for longer. The one problem may be that no one has yet tested the tomato for taste. It would also need to undergo extensive safety testing before it would be allowed to go on sale. I’m not convinced myself, I find fruit and vegetables at their best when they are fresh and am a little dubious at something that can be kept so long.

According to this article Kellogg’s will change the recipes of their brands of cereals in order to cut the salt content. The Move comes after a health watchdog criticised the salt content in brands such as Corn Flakes and rice Krispies. The salt content in these brands will be cut by 30%. The new recipe Rice Krispies are already on sale and the new recipe Corn Flakes are expected to be available in March.

According to this article nine out of ten food allergy cases are all in the mind. Researchers say that nine out of ten Britons who believe they have a food allergy or intolerance are actually perfectly healthy. Studies show that although 20 per cent of adults claim they cannot eat certain foods when in reality fewer than 2% actually have a problem. Internet searches, self testing kits and celebrity food fads are blamed for the problem which causes millions of people to restrict their diet unnecessarily. Other people could be suffering from a medical problem which goes untreated because they believe they are suffering a food intolerance instead. The advice here is to see your doctor to receive a correct diagnosis.

I am a great fan of the morning run and usually try to fit one in around three or four times a week. It certainly make me feel not only fitter but also more alert and when I can’t run I have the opposite side effect of feeling rather slow and sluggish. I was interested then to read this article which suggests that running is not only good for your body but that it is also good for your mind. It seems that a regular jog actually leads to the growth of new cells in the area of the brain which boosts your memory. Although it it is not know exactly what causes this it is thought it may be linked to increased blood flow or higher levels of hormones that are released whilst exercising.

If you watch a lot of TV then this article might encourage you to get out a bit more. It suggests that every hour spent TV increases the risk of dying from heart disease by almost a fifth. Researchers monitored 8,800 adults over a six year period to see what impact TV had on their long term health. The results found that each hour spent in front of the TV increased the risk of heart disease related death by 18%. During the follow up period there were 284 deaths, 87 due to cardiovascular, or heart and artery disease, and 125 from cancer. The scientists warned that any prolonged sedentary behaviour such as sitting at an office desk can have the same effect and that even those who are not overweight are still at risk.

If you need another excuse to go shopping then you might find this article interesting. It claims that the average woman burns off around 48,000 calories a year just by shopping. According to the article most women burn off around 385 calories walking around the shops every week. In fact this amounts to around 154 a miles a year, the same as walking from London to Nottingham. The figures are based on the assumption that the average woman covers 2.96 miles on a shopping trip and spends about 2.5 hours browsing in stores every week. So next time you don’t feel like heading down the gym you might be justified in hitting the shops instead.

According to this article overweight people could be paid to slim down as part of a new scheme. Under the scheme people could earn up to £1,750 as an incentive to lose their extra weight. The scheme is privately run and the payments made by a private firm but it is hoped that it could soon be available on the NHS. In a trial run within the NHS in Kent patients earned up to £425 as an incentive from private form Weight Wins. In order to earn the reward patients had to meet weight loss targets. It appears that the pilot scheme was successful and one person who took part earned the maximum available payout after reaching the target of losing three stone in seven months and managing to keep the weight off over a six month period. The scheme has now been extended for private individuals whilst the success rate is evaluated further to see if it can be offered on the NHS.

Having suffered from irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) for a number of years I read this article with some surprise. The article suggests that insoluble fibre can make the condition worse in many cases. Personally this was not what surprised me, it was more the fact that it has taken this long for this research to be reported. I first went to a doctor more than ten years ago for help with managing the condition. At this time I was prescribed a fibre supplement which made all of my symptoms much worse. Having felt disillusioned with the advice given by the doctor I have since relied on natural remedies and diet to manage the condition and still find that excessive insoluble fibre intake such as bran leaves me with severe symptoms. The article suggests what I have already discovered that for someone with an already irritable bowel insoluble fibre is likely to worsen symptoms and in fact it is best to stick to white breads and other products made from refined white flour. Sufferers are advised to stick to soluble fibre such as fruit and vegetables and steer clear of bran, wholemeal bread, brown pasta and cereal bars which are likely to irritate a sensitive bowel.

If you feel you have a little too much blood and would like a little more beer then this scheme could be for you. Cascade Regional Blood Services in Tacoma, Washington is offering donors a free pint of beer every time they give blood. They are hoping the scheme might encourage more people to donate. Donors have to be over 21 and are given a coupon entitling them a free pint when they donate blood through the scheme. It appears to be having the desired effect with the blood centre saying the scheme has worked so well that it is being expanded.

If you have tried in vain to lose excess weight from around your bum, hips and thighs then this article might offer some comfort. It suggests that carrying a little extra weight in these areas could actually be good for you. It is claimed that extra weight in these areas can help protect against heart and metabolic problems. Apparently hip fat helps to mop up harmful fatty acids and contains an anti-inflammatory agent that stops arteries clogging whereas extra fat around the waistline offers no such protection. In fact too little fat around the hips can lead to some metabolic problems such as Cushing’s syndrome. Taking this into account perhaps I should start appreciating my large bottom.

According to this article women’s feet are getting bigger with the average shoe size going up from a size five to a size six within the last five years. Medical experts believe the rise in size is down to the obesity epidemic with people eating high density foods such as pizza during puberty, stimulating growth hormones. Research from Debenhams certainly supports this showing that in 2009 sales of size nine shoes increased by 23% whilst sales of size six shoes increased by 17%. Based on this the store is now considering stocking size ten shoes as standard rather than its largest women’s size being a nine. It’s not just women that are getting taller and heavier men are increasingly wearing bigger shoe sizes, with sizes 10, 11 and 12 being more popular. Personally as someone who takes a size 6 and half or 7 depending on the store I have trouble finding nice shoes. Most styles tend to make my feet look like aircraft carriers. If it is the case that women’s feet are indeed getting larger, I wonder whether manufacturers might start making nice shoes for those with slightly bigger feet.

If you have overdone this Christmas and are looking for a quick way to lose the extra weight then you might be interested in this new slimming pill. Called Capsiplex it is already used by Hollywood stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Bard Pitt and Britney Spears. Trials of the pill have found that it can burn off 278 more calories in adults before, during and after exercise than a placebo. The pill contains capsicum extract from hot chilli peppers and works by speeding up the metabolism causing people to lose weight more quickly. Presumably, as with most weight loss products it is best used combined with an existing weight loss programme so is unlikely to a miracle cure for all those couch potatoes out there. At £29.99 it’s not cheap either so you might be better off spending the money of a gym membership.

According to this article some British sausages are made up of as much as a third fat and only 32 per cent meat. The rest of the sausage is usually made up of ground wheat rusk which is used as a bulking agent to cut costs and improve the texture of the sausage. A study has been carried out on 36 brands of sausages including the country’s biggest sellers to find out exactly what goes into them. Researchers for the journal Meat Science looked at the packaging for information on meat fat and salt content. On average the sausages contained 62 per cent meat but four of the sausages that were looked at had less than 50 per cent and the worst one had less than a third pork. The study did not identify the different brands but did reveal that the two sausages with the lowest meat content were Asda Smart Price with 34% pork and Sainsbury’s Chipolatas with 32% pork.

According to this article red wine could actually be good for your teeth. Scientists have claimed that it contains chemicals which could help combat tooth decay by stopping bacteria from sticking to the teeth. The findings which are due to be published in the journal Food Chemistry suggest that a glass of red wine a day can help teeth healthy and reduce the need for fillings. Studies have also shown that red wine can improve brain power, boost your immune system and fight diabetes and obesity. Wine. Is there anything it can’t do?

This article suggests that cutting the amount of salt you eat by one teaspoon a day could save you from a stroke. Research shows that eating less salt can reduce the risk of a stroke by a quarter and the chances of heart disease by 17%. The article also suggests that most of the salt we eat is hidden in processed and packet food and that many people are unaware of their salt intake. So perhaps the key is to cut out all processed foods that way you can add as much or as little salt as you want, and at least you know what is in your food.

According to this article doing puzzles such as Sudoku can help you burn calories. The claim has been made by mental agility experts cannyminds.com who say that doing puzzles and quizzes burns as average of 90 calories an hour. It is based upon the fact that our brains need 0.1 calories every minute to survive. When we do something more challenging such as a quiz we can burn more calories as many as 1.5 a minute. The bad news, however, is that whilst the brain does use up energy it does not use fat to do so so you might burn calories, but are not going to get any thinner.

According to this article drinking a bottle of wine or six beers every day can cut the risk of heart disease in men by half. Researchers have found that the protective effects of a daily drink are not just limited to those who drink a moderate amount but also extend to those who consume higher levels of alcohol. Research was carried out on 15,000 men and 26,000 women aged from 29 to 69 years. They were studied over a period of 10 years. The results showed those who drank a little such as a glass of wine or a bottle of beer a day had a 35% lower risk of a heart attack than those who didn’t drink. Moderate drinkers, those who consumed two or three alcohol drinks a day had a 54% lower risk. Those classed as heavy drinkers, however, had a 50% lower risk of a heart attack making them half as likely to suffer an attack as the teetotallers.

According to this article case of superbugs that are resistant to all antibiotics are increasing across Britain and Europe. Intensive care doctors have reported a rising number of patients with infections that are resistant to all available antibiotics meaning there are no drugs to treat them. It is thought that part of the problem is the overuse of antibiotics for minor diseases. A survey carried out among intensive care doctors found that half of them had treated a patient with an infection that was totally or partially resistant to antibiotics within the last six months so it appears the problem is getting worse.

If you don’t have much time to exercise but want to keep fit then it appears it is possible to get a good work out at home. According to this article the exercise games available on the Wii are as good for you as real exercise. The article suggests that people use more energy playing Wii Sports or Wii Fit than they would if they went for a brisk walk. Whether the games are a substitute for a morning run, however, is debatable. Still its a good way to get some exercise when the weather is too bad to exercise outside.

According to this article a new chocolate has been made that could help you lose weight. The chocolate is supposed to taste just like regular chocolate, it does, however, have a disturbing green tinge. The chocolates are designed to be eaten before a meal and are supposed to make you feel full so you want to eat less. They contain the dietary supplement spirulina and vitamins A and B12 which all have weight loss benefits. At £5 for a box of five they are not cheap and they are currently only available in Spain so it may be some time before you spot them in your local supermarket.

If you want to lose weight then you could try eating more slowly. According to this article people who eat their food quickly are more likely to overeat than those that take their time. The reason is that eating quickly stops the release of a hormone that tells the brain that the stomach if full leading you to overeat. The findings come as a result of a study which looked at diner eating a 300ml serving of ice cream. Those who took a leisurely 30 minutes to finish the ice cream described themselves as feeling fuller than those who ate the the food more quickly. So next time you are tempted to bolt your food it might be worth eating it a little more slowly.

According to this article tomatoes could help you lose weight because they make you feel full. Apparently the fruit suppresses the urge to snack and makes you feel full longer. The findings came after researchers looked at the benefits of enriching white bread with fruit and vegetables. A group of people were offered cream cheese sandwiches on white bread with added carrots or tomatoes, with the tomatoes found to be more satisfying. It is thought lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes its colour also helps to dull appetite. This seems interesting but unfortunately I hate tomatoes.

According to this article there has been a rise in the cases of scurvy reported in children in the UK. The disease which is more commonly associated with sailors is caused by a deficiency in vitamin C usually caused by a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. It seems that the disease has soared by over 50 per cent in the last three years with 61 children being admitted with the disease in 2004/2005 and 94 in 2007/2008. These figures only cover those who have been admitted to hospital and it is thought that the problem is much more widespread. It makes me wonder what sort of diet people are eating to get this disease today when it is possible to buy large quantities of fruit and vegetables at low prices especially if you choose the supermarkets own brand value range.

According to this article a daily portion of dark chocolate could help protect the skin against the aging effects of the sun. A study found that just a few squares of chocolate every day can help to prevent wrinkles caused by UV light. Dark chocolate is very high in flavanols which occur in the cocoa beans and it is these antioxidants which protect the skin from the harmful UV effects. I’m not entirely sure if I believe the claims but its a good excuse to eat more chocolate.

I have suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for a number of years now and have learnt to control the condition with a combination of diet and exercise. Until recently I had got to the point when I was only suffering the problem every few months and usually when I had eaten something that I knew would trigger the symptoms. I was surprised then, when after my move back to Sevenoaks I found I was suffering from the condition every day.

At first I didn’t occur me what was wrong I assumed that the symptoms were a stomach bug, but after a month and half of symptoms I realised that the IBS was back with a vengeance. I went back to square one keeping a food diary, cutting out any known triggers completely and making sure I exercised every day but the symptoms still continued. That’s when I realised that the only thing that had changed was the fact that before our house move I was drinking water only from the filter tap. The new house had no filtration system installed and since we had moved house I had been drinking water straight from the tap. It seemed a long shot but I stopped drinking the tap water and started buying bottled mineral water. After a few days my stomach which had felt like a beach ball for nearly two months finally went back to normal and all the other symptoms stopped soon after.

Since then I have continued to drink only mineral water and will later be installing a new filtration system. I am now back to the occasional IBS flare up when I eat something I know will upset me but I like, such as cheese or red meat. I can only assume that there is something in the tap water that not only triggers my IBS symptoms but makes them much worse than usual. I have read reports that suggest fluoride in drinking water can trigger IBS but up to now have been sceptical and as I have no idea whether the tap water in Sevenoaks contains fluoride I am unsure whether this is the cause. What is clear, however, is that I can’t drink the water.

I would describe myself as a pessimist so I was mildly pleased when I came across this article which suggests being grumpy could be good for you. Apparently being grumpy makes you better at decision making and less gullible whereas those annoyingly happy people tend to make more mistakes because they are more inclined to believe what they are told. The findings come after a psychology expert studied the effects of positive and negative emotions. He found that when you are more grumpy you get more problems sorted out and make less errors. This works quite well with my way of thinking.

According to this article junk food could be as addictive as heroin. Apparently a diet of junk food can programme your brain into craving more foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat. After some time the junk food starts to become a substitute for happiness and eventually people become addicted. The finding comes after research was carried out on the dangers on a high fat and high sugar diet. The results showed that the brain can react to junk food in the same way that it reacts to drugs. On that note, I fancy a burger.

If this article is to be believed, then white wines could actually be worse for your teeth than red. Scientists have found that white wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio wear away tooth enamel more quickly than reds like Merlot and claret. Researchers have found that prolonged contact with white wine can erode the protective layer of enamel making teeth more sensitive to cold, hot and sweet food.

A team looked at the effects of eight red and white wines on the enamel of teeth removed from people between the age of 40 and 65. The teeth were soaked in the wine for up to 24 hours and then analysed to see how much damage had occurred. The teeth that had been soaked in the white wine had more damage than those soaked in the red. White wine has also been found to cause staining to teeth because the acids cause spots and groove in the enamel leaving them vulnerable to stains from tea and coffee. The good news, however, is that calcium rich food can offset some of the damage to teeth helping to prevent dental erosion. Next time I have a glass of wine, I will make sure I have a nice piece of cheese with it.

This interesting looking device is a bracelet that will tell you when you are too stressed. The bracelet is supposed to feel the emotional state of the wearer by measuring the way you sweat. It then sends radio signals to the bowl which changes colour depending on the users feelings. The bowl starts off yellow but gradually turns orange and finally red when the user becomes stressed.

Fans of the Wii might be interested in this new gadget which is due to be released in 2010. Called the Cyberbike it looks like an exercise bike. It comes with a cycling sports game but will also be compatible with Mario Kart. The game that comes with the bike will feature 18 different circuits and have several options including Fitness, Story and Multiplayer. I can see that it might be more interesting than using a conventional exercise bike but I’m wondering if like my exercise bike which lies forgotten at the bake of the garage this might also be a gadget that ultimately ends up gathering dust once the initial appeal has worn off.

Of course George the cat isn’t really a hypnotherapist but surprisingly he is registered as one. It appears the laws on becoming an accredited hypnotherapist are so lax that even George can become accredited. Not that I’m doubting his ability of course George might be particularly good at his job. Still I think the main point of the story is that George should not have been able register because he happens to be a cat. George in fact belongs to Chris Jackson a presenter of Inside Out. Chris registered George with three industry bodies and each accepted a certificate from the non existent Society of Certified Advanced Mind Therapists as prove of his credentials. From this it appears industry bodies are not running proper checks on their members.

According to this article 65% of supermarket chickens contains a bug called campylobacter. The bacteria causes around 55,000 people a year to fall ill every year and causes symptoms such as diarrhoea, cramping and stomach pain which usually last for about a week. People with weakened immune symptoms can be at risk of the bacteria spreading to the bloodstream and causing a life threatening infection. The illness can however, be prevented by properly cooking food. Surprisingly Free range and organic chicken are actually more likely to carry the bug than battery birds.

On a recent trip to my local Co-op I was surprised to find that all of the ingestion remedies and the majority of the cold and flu ones have all sold out. Judging from this I can only assume there is an evil bug going affecting the part of Sevenoaks where I live.

This interesting looking snack is called the Craz-E Burger. It contains a bacon cheeseburger with a buttered grilled and glazed doughnut instead of a bun and has 1,500 calories.  It has recently become a huge hit at a major fair in Massachusetts where visitors brought 1,000 of them on each day on the 17 day event.

We all know pizza is bad for you but according to this article some pizzas from High Street chains contain as much as 76% of your daily saturated fat allowance. The findings are based upon a basic cheese and tomato pizza. The highest total fat content was found in a Pizza Hut Pizza which contained 28.99g of total fat with Prezzo coming a close second. Pizza Express fared slightly better with 19.6g, the lowest total fat content of the chains surveyed. The same pizzas also contained more than 3g of salt, half the recommended daily amount.

This is the Super Scooby burger which is on sale at The Jolly Fryer takeaway in Bristol. Weighing 1.5kg it includes four beefburgers, eight rashers of bacon, eight slices of cheese, 12 onion rings, salad and three sauces. With a massive 2,645 calories it is thought this is Britain’s largest and most fattening burger and it contains 145 more than the recommended daily calorie limit for men. It costs £10 and if you can eat it all in one sitting you get a free Diet Coke.

According to this article taking a shower could be bad for you due to germs that build up inside the shower head. Apparently nearly a third of shower heads contain dangerous bacteria. The bacteria is found in the slime that builds up inside the shower head. The slime protects the germs from the chlorine in the water which is supposed to kill them and when the shower is turned on you get a nice dose of Mycobacterium. This can be easily inhaled into the lungs and can cause problems in people with weakened immune systems. The article recommends switching to a shower head that contains a filter and replacing this regularly, choosing a metal shower head over a plastic one and stepping outside of the room for a few minutes when first turning the shower on as measures to prevent inhaling the germs.

I tend to get a lot of migraines so was interested to read out this new treatment. Its a mouth spray that works in 30 minutes and has the advantage of lasting up to 2 days. The treatment which contains Levadex is currently undergoing clinical trials so is not yet available but is supposed to be more effective than current over the counter remedies and have less side effects.

This is Paul Karason a man that has managed to turn himself blue. The colour is caused by the effects of using a silver compound which he has been using for over ten years to treat a bad case of dermatitis on his face. I think I would rather have the dermatitis than the blue skin but he seems happy with the results and continues to take the compound. Apparently he will stay blue for life.

According to this article tall people lead happier lives than their shorter friends. A study published in the journal Economics and Human Biology has found that most miserable men are almost an inch shorter than average. The research found that shorter people are generally more dissatisfied with their lives. 450,000 adults were interviewed about how they viewed their life. Tall people were more likely to be positive and judge themselves as happy, they were also less likely to feel negative emotions such as sadness and physical pain. I’m not convinced myself, I’m fairly happy but am also tall but I also have plenty of friends who are short but also happy.

It seems everything is out to get us, just last week we discovered the pint glass is dangerous, now it appears biscuits are too. According to this article more than half of all Britons have been injured by biscuits. The injuries range from being scalded by hot tea or coffee whilst dunking to breaking a tooth during a morning tea break. An estimated 25 million adults have been injured whilst enjoying a biscuit, with around 500 ending up in hospital.

The custard cream appears to be the most dangerous biscuit, it gets a risk rating of 5.63 being responsible for the most accidents. The safest biscuit is the jaffa cake with a rating of just 1.16. The hidden dangers of eating biscuits include flying fragments, injuries caused by dunking into hot drinks, being poked in the eye with a biscuit, choking on crumbs, breaking a tooth and falling off a chair whilst reaching for the tin. One man also managed to get stuck in wet concrete after wading in to retrieve an escaped biscuit. In the interests of biscuit safety below is the a list of biscuits by risk factor as taken from the article on the The Telegraph. Be afraid.

Custard Cream 5.64
Cookie 4.34
Choc Biscuit Bar (eg: Rocky) 4.12
Wafer 3.74
Rich Tea 3.45
Bourbon 3.44
Oat Biscuit 3.31
Digestive 3.14
Ginger Nut 2.99
Shortbread 2.90
Caramel Shortcake 2.76
Nice Biscuit 2.27
Iced Biscuits/Party Rings 2.16
Chocolate Finger 1.38
Jaffa Cakes 1.16

This is interesting, its a lip gloss that claims it can also help you lose weight. The lip gloss contains green tea, hoodia and caffeine and applying it is meant to energise you, curb your appetite and help you burn fat. I’m not entirely convinced, neither it appears is the lady in the article but no doubt people will be rushing out to buy it, thinking it is some sort of miracle cure. If you want some its called Burner balm and is available from HQ Hair priced at £4.95. If you have tried it, I would be interested to know what you thought so let me know by leaving a comment.

According to this article beer can have some health benefits when it is consumed in moderation. The article suggests that moderate amounts of beer can help strengthen women's bones. A study carried out on 1,700 women found that bone density was better in regular beer drinkers then in non drinkers. It is thought that plant hormones in the beer could the reason behind the effect. It appears beer is good for you, drink too much, however, and it can also have the opposite effect.

If this article is to be believed eating junk food does not only cause you to gain weight, it can also make you less intelligent. Research was carried out at Oxford University on a group of rats. The rats were fed a high fat diet over ten days. It was found that the rodents short term memory was damaged and that they were less mentally alert. The high fat diet also decreased the rats ability to exercise in turn making them more likely to gain weight.

According to this article the World Health Organisation have placed sunbeds on the list of the most cancer causing substances and habits, declaring them as lethal as cigarettes. Previously sunbeds were classified as “probably carcinogenic but after reviewing the evidence WHO scientists have found there is no doubt that they can trigger cancer. Other things on the list include arsenic, asbestos, cigarettes and alcohol. I have never been able to understand why people risk their health for the sake of a tan.

According to this article chocolate bars could be made smaller in a bid to try and fight obesity. The food standards agency wants the average chocolate bar to be reduced by a fifth to reduce the calorie intake and is trying to get chocolate makers to make voluntary changes to the size of their snacks. By 2012 the watchdog wants all confectionary to weigh no more than 50g. Manufacturers are also being asked to sell bite size bars as single items instead as part of a multipack. Under the plans fizzy drinks would also be sold in smaller containers. I’m guessing the pack size will go down and the price will not, meaning you get less for your money.

I drink quite a lot of milk so was interested to read this article that suggests it could cut the risk of dying from heart disease or a stroke. According to the article scientists have found that drinking milk can reduce the risk of dying from heart disease or a stroke by as much as a fifth. The research which was carried out at Reading University found that milk could have more health benefits than just building strong bones and helping growth and that there is strong evidence of an overall reduction in the risk of dying from coronary heart disease, stroke and colo-rectal cancer.

This is interesting, its a new treatment which could prevent the onset of macular degeneration, one of the main causes of blindness. The treatment can reverse the effects of age related macular degeneration. It works by using a short pulse laser to clean tiny particles of debris which cloud the patients sight. The technique rejuvenates the membrane behind the retina and allows the eye to return to a more youthful uncluttered state. The treatment is currently still in the trial stages with the next trial focusing on people who have already been treated for AMD in one eye, with the aim of halting the onset of AMD in their other eye.

This is interesting, its a study that suggests being slightly overweight could actually help you to live longer. By slightly overweight it means being a few pounds heavier that your recommended BMI. The findings come after scientists studied the relationship between body mass index and death among 11,326 adults over a 12 months period. They found that underweight people were 70 per cent more likely than people of a normal weight to die and extremely obese people were 36 per cent more likely to die. People who were only slightly overweight, however, were 17 per cent less likely to die. Based on this I think I will have that bacon sandwich I was thinking about.

According to this article some supermarket salads contain more fat and calories than you would find in a Big Mac and fries. The consumer group Which? looked at a number of salads on sale in supermarkets. It founds that a Smedleys Atlantic prawn marie rose salad from Morrisons contained 855 calories and 66.3g of fat. A Sainsbury’s tomato and basil chicken salad also had a high fat content with 27.7g of fat and 595 calories. In comparison a Big Mac and medium fries contains 820 calories and 40g of fat. The reason for the high fat content of most of the salads was the fact that they contained a large amount of mayonnaise, creamy sauces or pasta all of which are high in fat.

One lady got a shock when she opened a jar of tikka masala sauce from her local Asda and found that it contained something extra. Along with the curry sauce she found a dead mouse which it seems had fallen into the jar before it was sealed. The jar of sauce has since been sent away for analysis in order to establish where it came from.

One man got an added extra with his loaf of bread when he found a dead mouse embedded in the bottom of the loaf. He had purchased the loaf from a supermarket in Ballymoney and found the mouse when he unwrapped the bread. The company who made the loaf have since been fined £1,000 for putting unsafe goods on the market.

This article suggests that a natural supplement made from tomatoes could help to prevent heart disease and strokes. The supplement in the form of a pill contains lycopene and ingredient which blocks bad cholesterol that can block the arteries. The pill called Ateronon is being launched as a dietary supplement for sale on the high street. In tests it has been shown to reduce the oxidation of harmful fats in the blood to almost nothing within an eight week period and it is thought it might even more effective than statins that are currently used by doctors to treat high cholesterol. I wonder how many tomatoes you would need to get the same effect naturally.

Weather forecasters are predicting that the UK will have a hot summer this year. Whilst this is good news cancer experts are predicting that this could lead to a rise in people suffering from skin conditions. They have issued a warning to sunbathers which they hope will make them act more sensibly when it comes to enjoying the sun. It never fails to amaze me the amount of people that don’t take the simple precaution of wearing sun block and staying out of the sun at the hottest times. It seems that people in the UK think that the sun in Britain is not strong enough to do any damage. Already I have seen several people who have the lobster effect and I’m guessing I will see many more, it seems the message from the cancer experts just doesn’t get through.

This article is interesting it suggests that eating soup can help you lose weight. Apparently if you were to eat a meal of chicken of vegetables with a glass of water you would only feel full for a couple of hours but if you have the same meal blending the water with the food to make soup it fills you up for much longer. According to the article this is down to the fact that after you have eaten a meal the pyloric sphincter in your stomach holds back food so that digestive juices can work. Water passed through the sphincter to your intestines and therefore does not fill you up. However, when the water is mixed with food the mixture stays in the stomach making you feel fuller for longer. I quite like soup but I also like bread to dip in it which I think adds any extra calories that you might save by not snacking.

This is interesting its a contact lens which can help blind people to see again. The treatment works by using the patients own cells to repair damage to the cornea. It is carried out under local anaesthetic and patients can go home just two hours after surgery. Under the treatment samples of stem cells are taken from a healthy eye. These are then grown on a contact lens for 10 days before the lens in inserted into the eye. After three weeks the stem cells heal damage to the cornea and vision begins to improve. So far three patients have been treated all of whom had poor vision caused by corneal disease, a form of blindness which affects around 10 million people worldwide.

This is interesting its about a fitness instructor who decided to embark on an experiment to try and help him understand his obese customers. Paul James decided that the best way to try and understand the problems facing obese people who want to lose weight was to become like them. Once super fit he now weighs in at 20 stones after giving up his healthy lifestyle. Previously he weighed 12.5 stone and lived on a diet of lean meat and grill fish with vegetables. His new diet of chocolate, biscuits and fizzy drinks, however, has definitely taken its toll. He started the experiment on New Years Day and on the 1st of July will start a healthy diet and exercise programme to get back in shape. It will be interesting to revisit this story towards the end of year and see how easy he finds it.

According to this article eating honey can shorten the length of a cold by two days. A trial was conducted on 60 patients who were recruited within 24 hours of them catching a cold. All the patients were given traditional therapies such as decongestants and drugs to lower the temperature but half were also given four tablespoons of honey a day. At the end of the study the researchers found that the patients who had been given the honey had recovered from their colds much more quickly than the others showing a significant difference in the duration of all the symptoms. I will have to remember this, next time I am suffering with a cold.

It never fails to amaze me when my husband gets flu how long it take him to get over it, whilst I on the other hand tend to simply work through it. This article might explain why. It suggests that women have more powerful immune systems that men because of their hormones. A study found that the female hormone oestrogen boosts the immune system’s first line of attack against bacteria. It also found that men were more susceptible than women to infection by bacteria, fungi and worms. So perhaps next time my husband thinks he has man flu, he just might be telling the truth.

If you are considering having laser eye surgery then you might want to have a look at this useful article from The Daily Mail. The article sums up the main types of laser eye surgery with the advantage and disadvantages of each and the cost of each treatment. It also looks at the risks involved and the mistakes that could occur. You might also want to read my account of laser eye surgery detailing my experience of Wavefront treatment which I had back in 2005. The article describes this treatment as as individualised treatment tailored to the patient and personally I have been very satisfied with the results.

It is very rare to see normal sized women in the media these days. By normal sized I mean anything from a UK sized 12 to a size 18. Most models or celebrities seems to be an average of a UK size 6 or 8 which is my option makes them underweight and also tends to make me wonder if they are hungry. This latest picture, however, of a contestant in the Australian Miss Universe contest appears to take the trend to the extreme. At 5ft 10 the model weighs just 7st 7lb. She maintains that she is a healthy weight but personally I think she needs feeding up a bit.

I’m not usually one to read articles about miracle face creams that instantly make you look younger but I must admit this article caught my eye due to the claims it works in two weeks. The product in question is called the 2 Week Miracle and it costs £69. The article highlights one woman who tested the miracle cream out to see whether or not it worked. The regime appears to be that you cleanse your face as normal before adding the Miracle Solution to tone the complexion. Then you use the Miracle Serum to regenerate new cells. Next the Miracle Cream which fills in lines and finally the Miracle Eye Contour which reduces puffiness and dark circles. It all sounds quite easy although a bit of the expensive side.

What I was more interested in, than the product itself was seeing the results afterwards. The lady who tried the product seemed to think it had worked and was quite pleased with the results. Personally, however, when I looked at the before and after pictures I found myself wondering what the difference is. As far as I can see, the after picture is shot in a much better light, presumably to make the skin appear healthier. The before picture on the other hand looks like it has been subjected to a little blurring, perhaps the Vaseline effect on the camera lens. I’m not saying the product doesn’t work, but I really think a better attempt could have made to shoot the two pictures in similar conditions in order to give a better comparison. As for the miracle cream it all seems it a bit too good to true and if I were spending that much money, I think I would expect better results.

If this article is correct then a cure for blindness could be developed within the next six years. According to the article a simple 45 minute operation which involves injecting new cells into the back of the eye could be the answer. The surgery is being developed by researchers at the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London to tackle the most common cause of blindness age related macular degeneration (AMD) which affects around 500,000 in the UK. The treatment involves growing human embryonic stem cells in a lab. These cells are able to turn into different types of cells and so can be used to create small patches identical to the damaged cells in the eyes of AMD sufferers. The cells are injected into the back of the eye where they replace these damaged cells are restore sight. The treatment has already been tested successfully on rats and pigs and human trials are due to begin within two years.

According to this article being fat is bad for the environment and can actually contribute towards global warming. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that overweight people are more responsible for carbon emissions than their thinner counterparts because they consume more food and fuel. The study identified an increase demand for livestock production and a higher dependency upon cars  as the main causes of global warming. This led them to the assumption that overweight people are more likely to consume more meat and as they find it harder to move around easily also more likely to use cars rather than walk, thus contributing to global warming more than a thinner person. The researchers also estimated that a lean population of one billion would emit 1,000million tonnes less carbon dioxide per year than a ‘fat’ nation of the same size. What do you think, is being fat a cause of global warming?

According to this article honey can be used as a natural cure for hayfever. The article suggests that rather than using anti-histamines you could just have a spoonful of honey each day. People that use honey to combat hay fever usually have one spoonful every day and start taking it well before the pollen season starts. Honey contains small amounts of pollen and helps be desensitising you to the pollen in the air. Apparently it doesn’t work for everyone but it can’t hurt to try it and I do quite like honey on toast.

I read this article with some amazement. It looks at the story of a fifteen year old girl who became addicted to using sunbeds. So much so, that she began using them twice a day spending all her pocket money on topping up her tan. Several years later her skin began flaking off, she has developed scarring caused by too much exposure and she is on chemotherapy to treat a rash triggered by sunbed use. In addition to this her chances of getting skin cancer have soared. A couple of things worry me here, the first is that the girl seemed oblivious to the dangers of sunbed exposure and the second is that the girl’s mother appeared to have no knowledge of what her daughter was doing. Both seemed equally surprised that sunbed exposure could lead to a lasting skin condition but in some ways this girl appears to have got off lightly. The article highlights other cases where sunbed use has resulted in the user developing skin cancer in the form of a malignant melanoma, although once again these girls were lucky that the cancer was caught quickly and had not spread. I have difficulty understanding why someone would want to risk developing a lasting skin condition or possibly even cancer for the sake of a tan. Personally I try to limit my exposure to sun and am quite happy with a pasty white complexion, I would rather that, than the alternative. What do you think is getting a tan worth the risk?

According to this article some of the leading fast food chains are going to start displaying the calorie content of their food. Eighteen companies have signed up to a government scheme which is designed to help people make healthy choice when they eat out. The companies taking part include KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway and Pret A Manger. They will start displaying information either in menus or on boards by the end of this month. It an interesting idea, although I think most people are aware that this type of food has a very high calorie content and will probably still choose to eat it. A few examples from this article show a typical meal from some the leading chains and the calorie content (below).

Pizza Hut Mediterranean Meat Deluxe Cheesy Bites Pizza: 4,392 kcal
Harvester Ultimate BBQ Stack Burger: 2,130 kcal
Burger King limited offer Double Texican Whopper burger: 1,239
Wimpy jacket potato with grated cheese: 973 kcal
KFC Tower Zinger Burger: 668 kcal
Pret A Manger cheddar, roast tomatoes and pickle bloomer: 668 kcal

Bearing in mind that the recommended daily intake for men is 2,500 calories and for women it is 2,000 calories some of the food on offer contains double the amount you should consume in a day. I still take the view, however, that most people are unlikely to eat take away food every day. Personally I indulge in take away food around once a fortnight but am fully aware that it is bad for me, I do however, eat quite healthy meals on a daily basis so I think I can afford to pig out once in a while.

This article should serve as a cautionary tale, its about a woman who mistook a bottle of nail glue for eyedrops and glued her eye shut. Luckily the glue simply glued her eyelashes together and doctors were able to cut her lashes off and prise the eye open. I hate to think what would have happened had she squirted the glue into the centre of here eye, I think she is very lucky that she didn’t have any permanent damage but it goes to show you should double check the bottle before putting anything in your eye.

This article suggests that high street opticians often underplay the risks of laser eye surgery. I find the claims the interesting, having has the procedure over three years ago. When I first considered having the surgery I first went for a consultation with Boots Opticians, back in the year 2000 when I went to see if I could have Lasik. After the usual tests they told me that as I had extensive scars on my eyes caused by my contact lenses, laser surgery was unsuitable and could potentially be damaging. Although I was upset to hear this, I felt that I was evaluated on an individual basis and that the optician had my best interests at heart rather than simply making a profit and resigned myself to the fact I would always need to wear glasses.

I went for second consultation in 2005 when I learnt that there was new technology that might mean I could now have the procedure. This time I went for a consultation with Ultralase to see whether I could have Wavefront surgery, the latest procedure which maps the contours of your eyeball for the most accurate treatment for you. This time after going through the consultation I was told I could have the procedure and the optician once again clearly went through the risks with me. At this point I also mentioned that I had previously been refused for surgery and was reassured to hear that the advantages in technology in the past few years meant that the risks were small and that there was a high probability of success. At no point in either of my two consultations was I pressured to make a decision and after my second consultation I went away to think about the situation before deciding to go ahead. You can read my full account of what was involved here, and I happy to say that four years on I still have perfect vision. I am however, aware that as I age I may still require reading glasses, but for me my vision was so bad that it was all worth it.

According to this article scientists have produced new evidence that suggests eating lots of red meat can damage your health. The US study was featured in the Archives of Internal Medicine and was based upon more than 500,000 people. The risk is greatest with people who consume a large amount of red or processed meat over a ten year period. People whose diet contained the highest proportion of red and processed meat had a higher overall death risk as well as a higher risk of cancer and a higher risk of heart disease. People eating the most meat were eating about 160g of red or processed meat per day. In contrast those people who have a higher consumption of white meat have a slightly reduced risk of death over the same period as well as a lower risk of fatal cancer or heart disease. The message here is clear, we can eat steak but perhaps not everyday.

This is interesting its a plaster that alerts you when you have been in the sun too long. The plaster has been created by scientists in Scotland and is sensitive to ultraviolet light. It works by changing colour when the wearer is at risk of sun burn. The plaster costs 10p and will be available either as a wristband or a sticky plaster. It will also be able to detect ultraviolet rays when it is worn under a swimming costume. It is thought that the device will radically cut the chances of developing skin cancer caused by prolonged overexposure to the sun because it can take between four and eight hours for sunburn to show on the skin by which time damage has been done. The plaster should help warn people before this happens. People do need to be aware that they need to cover up when in the sun and put on a sunscreen that provides adequate protection, the plaster might alert you that you have been in the sun too long but it is better to be aware of the risk first.

According to this article the brain starts to decline at the age of 27 after peaking at age 22. This was the result of research done by Professor Timothy Salthouse. He carried out tests on 2000 people between the ages of 18 and 60 with the participants having to solve puzzles, remember words and spot patterns in letters. In nine out of 12 tests the average age at which the top performance was achieved was 22 with the first age at which there was a marked decline being 27. Having already reached this age, I find this research rather depressing.

This article suggests that eating an egg a day could actually help lower your blood pressure. It is based on research that has found eggs produce proteins that mimic the action of drugs that lower pressure such as Ace inhibitors. These drugs lower blood pressure by stopping the hormone angiotensin narrowing the body's blood vessels and it appears that eggs can do the same thing when they come into contact with stomach enzymes. The study was, however, funded by the poultry industry so whilst I find it interesting I can't help feeling a little skeptical.

I drink a lot of tea so was pleased when I found this article which suggests that drinking three cups of tea a day can help to reduce the risk of stroke. The study was carried out by scientists from the American Heart Association who found that drinking three cups of tea a day cuts the risk of brain clots by 21 per cent. It is thought that it may do this by reducing blood pressure.

This article suggests that the type of exercise you do dictates the type of food that you want to eat afterwards. Apparently some work outs trigger cravings for health foods such as fruit whilst other make you more inclined to reach for a chocolate biscuit or a piece of cake. A long tiring swim in a cold pool tends to leave you hungry for high fat foods whereas going for a run on a warm day is more likely to make you want to eat fruit. Dr Stensel explains this saying: 'While some high-intensity exercise, such as running in hot conditions, suppresses the ghrelin hormone, which stimulates appetite, other high-intensity exercise, such as swimming in cold water, actually increases the hormone which, in turn, increases hunger.' I'm not sure I agree, any form of exercise makes me want to eat chocolate.

Regular readers will know that I like wine so I am always quick to highlight articles about the benefits of drinking it. This article, however, says just the opposite. It is based upon a study from the National Cancer Institute in Paris which found that as little as one unit of alcohol, the equivalent of half a glass of wine can increase the risk of colon cancer by nine per cent and the risk of mouth or throat cancer by 168 per cent. The report also found that when more alcohol was drunk the risk was greater. The findings appear to dispute previous claims that small amounts of alcohol could be good for heart health. I seem to read conflicting reports every few weeks so its hard to know what to believe, but I think I like wine a bit too much to be giving it up.

I'm quite partial to the occasional doner kebab but the reason I don't eat them that often is I am aware they contain masses of calories. It didn't really come as much of a surprise to me when I came across this article that a doner kebab contains an entire day's calorie allowance for an average person. That's about 2,000 calories in just one kebab. The average kebab also contains 98% of the daily salt quota for an adult. Surprisingly some of the kebabs sold as Halal also tested positive for pork  when it was not identified as an ingredient. I find this aspect slightly more worrying than the information about the calorie intake, we all know kebabs are bad for you and are best enjoyed in moderation but I think most people would like to know what's in the food the eat.

This article suggests that the amount of calories contained in food could soon be printed on menus of restaurants and takeaways. The idea is part of an initiative to try and encourage healthy eating and steer people away from the unhealthy option. Its quite a good idea for those who are following strict diets. Personally I eat out so rarely now that when I do I want something tasty and full of calories, I don't think seeing how many the food contained would change what I ordered.

According to this article a device called the iPosture could help you to get rid of back pain in just two weeks. The iPosture device looks similar to a small badge. It can be stuck onto the skin, or attached to a strap. It works by vibrating when the wearer slouches for more than three degrees for one minute. The vibrations stop when the back is straightened and the head is lifted. Users of the device have been able to adopt a perfect posture after using it for four hours a day for two to three weeks. They have also been able to maintain a good posture after a few weeks without wearing the device. You might wonder why you would want to improve your posture if you are not experiencing any pain but the article also says that women with improved posture appear more attractive and men are viewed as more successful. It can also reduce the waist size in women by as much as two inches.

Sales of traditional lightbulbs have soared as some retailers are finding their sales of the 100 watt bulbs triple. Many supermarkets are now running low on the traditional style bulbs as they have begun to phase them out as part of an agreement with the government. The older style lightbulbs are expected to be scrapped completely by September 2012. Whilst many people seem happy to make the change to energy saving bulbs it appears others believe that they can cause skin rashes, epilepsy and migraines. People also don't like the strip lighting effect that you often get from energy saving lightbulbs. One company thelightbulb.com has apparently seen its sales for the entire month of January last year matched in just the first three days of January this year. Whilst I am happy to use the energy saving variety I do wonder whether the traditional alternative should be sold alongside them so those who have health concerns have the option to purchase an alternative.

If you want to lose weight but can't be bothered to exercise there might soon be a solution for you. This article suggests that a new diet pill that costs just £1 can help you rapidly drop a dress size. The drug is called Ali and will be available over the counter within the next few months. The drug works by preventing the body from absorbing fat in food. In trials people lost an average of 10lb over the course of six months. During the trials people taking the drug also lost 50 per cent more weight than those who relied on simply will power alone. It's not all good news though the pills do have some rather unpleasant side effects. These include severe wind and diarrhoea and the drug can also interfere with the absorption of some vitamins. Personally I don't think its for me, I will stick with trying to eat well and get plenty of exercise.

This article suggests that snorers burn more energy whilst they sleep. Apparently people who are heavy snorers burn around 373 extra calories a day compared with those with only mild symptoms. Scientists studied the link between weight gain and sleep apnoea and looked at 212 patients. On average the volunteers burnt 1,763 calories a day, whilst those with the worst symptoms burnt 1,999. The extra calories amount to the same amount that you would burn if you did a 30 minutes work out in the gym. 

This article suggests that the average Briton spends more than three and half years of their lives suffering from colds and flu. That amounts to an average of three colds a year and around three weeks a year off sick. Over the course of an average adult lifetime this amounts to an surprising three years, five months and 15 days suffering from a cold or flu. I guess I must be one of the lucky ones, I can't remember the last time I got sick.

This is unusual, its a story about a doctor who performed an operation he has never done before using only text message instructions. The British doctor who was volunteering in the Congo needed to perform a complex amputation know as a forequarter amputation. The procedure involves the removal of the collar bone and shoulder blade and needed to be carried out on a boy whose arm was badly infected. Mr Nott has never performed the operation, so asked for instructions from a colleague who had. He contacted Professor Meirion Thomas, from London's Royal Marsden Hospital who sent him step by step instructions by text message. The operation was later performed successfully and the boy made a full recovery.

Whenever I get sick I always put it down to having travelled on public transport and picked up other peoples germs. This article came as no surprise to me. It claims that a single sneeze can infect as many as 150 fellow passengers with a cold in just five minutes. Researchers looked at 1,300 workers and found that almost all of them had suffered from at least one cold last winter. The results were analysed by a cold and flu experts who also looked at how the sneeze travels. He found that a single sneeze expels 100,000 droplets into the air and that these droplets transfer themselves to handles, rails and other areas. Around 10 per cent of commuters then come into contact with this infected area which at rush hour amounts to 150 people. 99 per cent of people who travel by tube, 96 per cent of rail passengers and 98 per cent of bus passengers were found to have caught a cold last winter. In contrast only 58 per cent of those of worked from home caught a cold. The advice is to 'think of others before you sneeze without a tissue, otherwise in just five minutes you may have infected other commuters and won't be the only one feeling poorly.'

I have come across a couple of articles over the past few days relating to treating irritable syndrome or IBS. The first from the BBC discusses how older treatments for the condition are often overlooked in favour of more modern and often expensive drugs. The article suggests that fibre, anti-spasmodic drugs and peppermint oil are all effective in treating the condition and that guidelines that deal with the treatment of IBS should be updated to reflect these findings. Personally I agree with this I have never resorted to prescription drugs preferring to eat less of my trigger foods (red meat, cheese and dairy products) and use natural remedies when I do have a problem.

The second article looks at the effectiveness of peppermint oil when treating the condition and suggests that it is the most effective treatment. According to the article 40% of sufferers experienced an improvement in their symptoms after using peppermint oil as opposed to only 20% taking drugs. Reading the comments on the bottom of the article is it apparent that a lot of people are interested in trying peppermint oil as a treatment but are unsure how to take it. I make either home made peppermint tea with mint from the garden or for bad attacks I take peppermint oil capsules available from Woods Health. They are designed to dissolve slowly once you have swallowed them and are best taken overnight. Even with the worst bloated tummy (beach ball size) I find three of these capsules taken before bedtime and a hot bath with a few drops of lavender oil added to it will leave me able to fit into my normal trousers the next morning.

This article suggests that scientists have created a drug that can restore white hair to its original colour. The drug known as K(D)PT was found to trigger the production of pigmentation in hair samples when it tested in a lab. It is thought that is might be possible to convert it into a shampoo as an alternative to hair dye.

According to this article green tea blended with grape seed and olive leaf could help you lose weight. Research has shown that drinking three cups of Spearole Tea (a blend of green tea, spearmint, grape seed and olive leaf) a day can help keep obesity at bay and also cut blood pressure. The tea makes it easier for the body to process sugar. It is thought it works by stopping fat cells from releasing inflammatory chemicals which attract more fat causing them to grow in size. The claims are that three cups of the tea can help you stay trim even whilst continuing to eat junk food. I'm not entirely convinced but then I don't like green tea so it would take a lot to convince me to drink it.

A leading scientist has said that a skin cancer vaccine could be available with five years. Professor Ian Frazer who have already developed the first vaccine for cervical cancer are now on the verge of creating the world's first vaccine for skin cancer. Testing on animals has already shown that the vaccine works and trials are due to start on people in the new year. If successful the vaccine could save thousands of lives every year.

This article suggests that it is the size of your waist not your weight which is more likely to increase the likelihood of premature death. Researchers found that people were more likely to die an early death even if they were not considered to be overweight or obese. They found that people with a large waist, that's more than 120cm for man and 100cm for women had double the risk of dying prematurely compared with people who had a slim waist, less than 80cm for men and 65cm for women. According to the research excess weight is more harmful around the stomach than extra weight around the legs and hips. It appears from this I should stop worrying about my large bottom and put more effort into keeping my tummy trim.

This article suggests that sleeping for less than seven and a half hours a night can raise the risk of heart disease by up to fours time. On average people in Britain get about seven hours of hours by a third of people in Britain only have five hours of sleep or less. Scientists have blamed the trend towards shorter nights' sleep for increasing the risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. The research was based upon studying 1,255 patients with high blood pressure over a period of 23 months. 1,007 people slept for more than 7.5 hours a night and 248 slept for less time. Getting less sleep was associated with a 27% increase in the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Based on this, I think I need more sleep.

This article suggests that obesity could be contagious. Apparently its all down to how fat you feel compared to other people around you. Two leading economists have said that in a society where there are a growing number of overweight people, you are less bothered about staying slim. It seems that as obesity becomes more common the perception of what is counted as obese changes or as the article puts it "When my neighbour gets a little fatter, I ...become a little fatter since it is now not necessary to be so slim in order to compete." Judging by this if we want to be thin, we should make sure we have thin neighbours.

This is quite strange, its a short news story about a jogger who ran for a mile with a rabid fox attached to her arm. The fox bit her foot whilst she was running along a trail, so she grabbed it by the neck and it bit her arm. She wanted to get the fox tested for rabies so ran a mile to her car with the fox still on her arm. She then pried it off and tossed it into the trunk of the car. The fox was later tested and was found to have rabies. It also bit an animal control officer. The woman and the animal control officer were given rabies vaccinations.

A government think tank has come up with a "five a day" program designed to help people stay sane. The Mental Capital and Wellbeing report was compiled by Foresight. They believe that a small increase in levels of wellbeing can produce a large decrease in mental health problems. It suggests amongst other things connecting with others, being active, taking notice of your surrounding, learning and giving to neighbours and the community. The five steps from the article are listed below but can they really keep you sane?

Connect
Developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours will enrich your life and bring you support

Be active
Sports, hobbies such as gardening or dancing, or just a daily stroll will make you feel good and maintain mobility and fitness

Be curious
Noting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you

Learn
Fixing a bike, learning an instrument, cooking – the challenge and satisfaction brings fun and confidence

Give
Helping friends and strangers links your happiness to a wider community and is very rewarding

This is rather strange its a snake massage. Basically the snakes are placed onto the persons skin and as they crawl around they produce a massage sensation. Smaller snakes are used for delicate areas such as the face and larger snakes for other parts of the body. The snakes are all none venomous. If you fancy it prices start as £30. If you don't fancy a snake massage you can also get a rodent style message where mice and rats are placed on your feet. 

I get sick a lot less now that I don't have to commute on the tube everyday. Before that I was ill at least every few weeks and tended to have a constant cold all winter as I got another one each time the previous cold came to an end. I also suffered from frequent sickness bugs. I had assumed that all the illnesses were caused by being packed into a train with lots of people who were coughing or sneezing. It appears, however, that there are more bugs about than I originally suspected. This article suggests that one in four commuters has bacteria from faeces on their hands. It is based on a study carried out by scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. They swabbed 409 people at bus and train stations in five major cities in England and Wales and found that many people do not wash their hands properly after using the toilet.  People who used the bus had dirtier hands than those using the train and manual workers were found to have cleaner hands than other professionals. The further north they went the more dirty hands they found with men in Newcastle being the worst offenders.

This is interesting its a new procedure for people who want fuller eyebrows. The procedure involves shaving the hair from the back of the head, extracting the follicles and then implanting individual hairs into the brow area. It was previously only available in the US but if you fancy it, you can now get it in here in the UK for about £2,000. It sounds painful, I'm not sure its worth it just for the sake of fuller eyebrows.

This article suggests that smokers who regularly drink red wine could reduce their risk of developing lung cancer. Research suggests that smokers who drink at least a glass of red wine daily are 60 per cent less likely to develop lung cancer. Men who were heavy smokers, saw a greater reduction in risk with a 4 per cent lower likelihood of developing lung cancer seen for each glass of red wine consumed per month. White wine does not have the same benefits.

This article suggests that pets are good for you. Apparently owning a pet can reduce the owners chances of developing cancer by nearly a third. Studies carried out at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University in California have found that pets can help protect against cancer by boosting the immune system. Previous studies have also found that children that have pets take fewer days off school because they are much more resistant to infections. Based on this I should be very healthy I have lots of cats.

This is a rather unusual story that I came across, it about a girl who suffers from a condition that means she bleeds spontaneously from her pores. Twinkle Dwivedi who is 13 loses blood through her skin without being cut or scratched. She has had to undergo several transfusions to replace her lost blood after it has seeped through here eyes, nose, hairline and the soles of her feet. She has also woken up covered in blood. Her family have consulted a number of doctors and even preachers but as yet no cure can be found for her condition which is thought to be caused by a rare platelet disorder.

This article suggests that sitting still increases hunger. US researchers carried out a study where they monitored the appetite of a group of people who were asked to be active or inactive for day at a time. On the days when they were inactive the people were more hungry. Whilst the results are preliminary the study suggests that exercise decreases appetite whilst sitting still boosts it. I'm not sure how much truth there is in this but I defiantly eat more if I am bored and have nothing to occupy me.

I watched a documentary last week that looked at what goes into some of the leading brands of wine. The results were rather disturbing. Many leading brands of wine and champagne were found to contain flavourings and additives that are added to disguise the poor flavour of inferior grapes. Wines are also bulked up with water, sugar and hydrochloric acid and often oak chips are adding to give an the impression that the wine has been fermented in oak barrels. The main problem is that because the wine industry does not have any regulations forcing manufacturers to list the ingredients of a particular wine, you can never be entirely sure what is in it. Some examples included traces of fungicides in champagne made by Moet, Veuve Clicquot and Lanson. The well know brand Hardy's adds yeast to its merlot and egg, milk and gelatine to the wine to make it less cloudy. Jacob's Creek uses tartaric and ascorbic acid in its Chardonnay and Blossom Hill also uses tartaric acid, enzymes and tannins to the grape juice. It does make me wonder how the consumer can be sure what is in a bottle of wine when these ingredients are not listed on the label.

If you get stressed out when you do not have access to the internet then you could have discomgoogolation. That's the term that psychologists are using to describe the high stress levels that can be caused by internet dependency. Apparently monitoring of heavy web users showed increased brain activity and blood pressure when they were cut off from the internet with people feeling stressed and confused when they were unable to gain instant access to information. I'm not sure how true this is, personally I feel stressed if I don't have internet access because it prevents me working. What do you think? Do you suffer from discomgoogolation?

This article suggests that eating dark chocolate on a regular basis could help reduce the risk of heart disease. Apparently eating a couple of chunks of dark chocolate daily for two weeks can reduce high pressure and lessen the risk of diabetes. Research also shows that patients who already have problems with blood pressure and are in the early stages of diabetes could boost their health simply by eating chocolate. Milk chocolate does not appear to have the same effect as dark chocolate as it does not contain enough of the beneficial flavanols which help fight disease. I'm not entirely convinced but any excuse to eat chocolate seems good to me.

I still don't know what bit me last weekend but the good news is that the rash has nearly gone and so has most of the swelling. Whilst this bite was different to the usual mosquito bites that I suffer from on a regular basis, it still seems to respond to the same treatment. Generally I find the best thing to is to open up the bite wound every evening and squeeze out as much of the pus as possible. Whilst this does really hurt, in my experience getting rid of the poison helps the bite to heal more quickly. It also seems to reduce the infection making the bite feel less hot and reducing the itching sensation. In combination with this I also find that using tea tree oil or a bite cream that includes tea tree overnight  tends to work quite well. Saying that the best thing to do is try to prevent getting bitten in the first place. Whilst I never know when the critters are going to get me at home, when going abroad I take a course of garlic tablets. These are available from most health food shops and I find taking them for a couple of weeks before you go abroad and whilst you are away does cut the amount of bites I receive, although some of the more determined insects will still get you.

This article suggests that people who regularly enjoy a fry-up or the traditional English breakfast could have a 63% higher risk of bowel cancer. Researchers have warned that processed meat such as sausages and bacon increase the risk of bowel cancer as well as being fatty and high in cholesterol. The good news, however, is that it only seems to have a damaging effect if you eat it on a regular basis with the risk getting higher the more you eat. I think I can probably still justify having a cooked breakfast a couple of times a month especially if I combine it with exercise.

This is interesting, its a pillow that researchers claim can help reduce wrinkles. The pillow has a copper oxide case and is designed to help reduce lines and crow's feet. In tests people who used it for four weeks had fewer wrinkles and lines than those who used a conventional pillow. Apparently moisture from the skin releases copper ions from the pillow case which stimulate the production of collagen below the surface of the skin. If you want one, you may have to wait, however, they are currently not available in the UK.

I have a very swollen foot where something has bitten me. It started at the weekend when I noticed a small black beetle type creature on my ankle. At the time, I just brushed it off and thought little more of it. Now, however my whole foot is swollen and is covered by a very itchy and painful rash which surrounds a single puncture wound on my ankle. I'm not entirely sure what the creature was that bit me, but this is a different type of insect to the normal ones I have. It seems to be more painful and it is taking longer for the swelling to go down. Do you think you know what it was that bit me, if so let me know here?

This article suggests that common moisturisers could cause skin cancer. The possibility was uncovered by accident when scientists were looking at the benefits of caffeine on the skin. During the test they applied moisturiser to the test subjects, mice who had been exposed to ultraviolet light. They discovered that the moisturiser increased the production of tumours. Three other moisturisers also increased the production of tumours by 69%. The cancers were generated were non fatal varieties that would usually be treatable but following these surprise results researchers will now go on to study the implications for humans.

This article suggests that clumsy children are more likely to become obese as adults because they exercise less. It is based on a study that found children with poor hand control and co-ordination are more likely to be obese later on in life. I'm not entirely sure the link is down to the children being clumsy, its more likely to be down to lack of exercise as children. I was a very clumsy child and have always managed to break pretty much everything I touch, I still amaze myself how quickly we seem to get through glasses in my house, I never have a set for more than a few weeks before an accident occurs. Whilst naturally clumsy, however, I have not grown up obese, although I was quite an active child.

My ankle has eventually healed after a frustrating week of not being able to do any exercise and I am now back to running every day. It is getting easier and I am now looking forward to my daily run, the only problem appears to be fitting it in around the dreadful weather. I also came across some further motivation in the form of this article which suggests running can help halt the ageing process. The article talks predominantly about older people and the fact that elderly joggers are less likely to die prematurely. I'm guessing the same principle applies to younger people who run on a regular basis, so hopefully I will not only get fit but live a bit longer as well, either way the exercise has to be good for me.

A dentist in London has started offering laser fillings which are supposed to be pain free. Preparing the tooth for filling takes about the same time as using conventional treatments but doesn't need pain killing injections or any drilling. Instead the laser heats the water molecules in the tooth leading to a build up of pressure which leads to a micro explosion as the decayed area of the tooth is removed. Because there is no pressure on the tooth there are fewer vibrations but the technique cannot be used on old mercury filling because the laser beam would reflect back off the metal surface towards the dentist. Prices for the treatment are higher starting at £75 compares to £40 for a normal NHS filling. I have been lucky enough never to have needed a filling but this sounds much less painful.

According to this article this new health drink called skinny water can suppress hunger and fight fat. It costs 99p a bottle and its manufacturers say it is scientifically proven. Nutritionists, however, say that its claims are not supported by clinical trials. The pomegranate flavoured water contains L-Carnitine and chromium which supposedly reduce sugar cravings and improve the body's ability to burn fat. Personally I'm rather skeptical, I still think the only way to lose weight is simply to eat less and exercise.

I have been taking a forced break from my new exercise regime over the last few days due to trying to do too much and ending up with a swollen ankle. I am actually finding I am missing my morning run, and am getting a little impatient with the slow healing process of my ankle. For those who don't have the time to exercise there could soon be a new solution in the form of a pill. The pill fools the muscles into thinking they have worked out which means they burn fat and increase fitness. In effect it should give you all the benefits of exercise without leaving the sofa. The bad news is it is not going to be available for several years. Back to running then as soon as my ankle is better.

As most of work involves using my computer I spend a lot of time sitting on my bottom. I decided that its about time I spend a bit more time getting fit. It is, however, really hard to find the time and by the evening I am usually just too tired to make it to the gym. That's why I have taken the rather painful decision to start running in the mornings. My new exercise regime involves getting up at 6am in the morning and going for a 30 minute run. Having never run before in my life this is proving no easy feat. The first day of running was two weeks ago and I honestly thought I was going to die. That day I spent more time walking, than running. Since then I have been running 6 days a week with a day off in the middle of the week to allow my muscles to recover. Every day I seem to be able to go a little further and I can now manage all of the 30 minute circuit followed by a short walk. I am already starting to feel fitter and slimmer so although it hurts I will continue to run. Perhaps after a few more weeks I might start enjoying it.

If you want longer legs then you might want to consider a leg lengthening clinic. Based in Russia the clinic claims it can literally add inches to your legs. The article cites two examples the first where a lady had her legs lengthened by 3 inches and another where a man has the procedure to correct the fact that he had one leg longer than the other. In both cases the treatment appears to have been successful. It does, however, sound really painful. The treatment involves having your legs broken in several places before being attached via metal pins to something called the IIizarov Frame. The frame provides a support of a cast and uses metal spokes to pierce the flesh and fix the bone in position. Rather than setting the bone the device gradually moves the two sections further apart causing new bone to grow and seal the break. It is possible to lengthen the bone as much as 2 inches in a month. I am lucky to be quite tall already but this procedure seems an awful lot of pain for the sake of a few extra inches. Ouch.

According to this article drinking two cups of tea a day can halve your risk of dementia. It is thought that chemicals in the tea called flavonoids help protect the brain although researchers do not yet know why tea protects against damage. Other studies have shown that tea can also help prevent the development of cancerous tumours and prevent against heart disease and stroke as well as strengthening teeth. All very good news, I drink lots of tea.

KFC is often jokingly referred to as "Can't find the Chicken" well in this case the name could be justified. KFC Canada has introduced a vegan alternative that contains no chicken. Known as unchicken it is soy based and it is completely meat free. It is currently only available in a handful of outlets but it will be interesting to see if it becomes more widespread.

A patient has undergone a knee operation without any anaesthetic and using self hypnosis as her only pain relief. Bernadine Coady insisted that she would rather use self hypnosis than drug to numb the pain during a one hour knee operation. It obviously worked because the operation was a success and surprisingly this is the third time she has used this technique. Personally I would rather have the drugs.

This article suggests that metal earrings and tooth filling could cause chronic back pain. Apparently the body reacts when it is pierced by pieces of metal and the nervous system tries to remove the offending object leading to the skin surrounding them becoming uncomfortable. This seems to be a fairly new theory but it is becoming more widely believed amongst professional chiropractors.  Personally I'm not convinced about the fact that jewellery can cause back pain but I have read other articles in the past that suggest people have been cured after having their metal fillings removed.

According to this article it is going to be a good year for mosquitoes and midges. Apparently the mild winter and the wet spring have provided the ideal breeding conditions for the little critters. I have nearly recovered from my insect bites that I got last week but it looks like there could be many more to come this summer. I hate midges.

Insects really like to bite me and every time they do I seem to suffers quite bad reactions. I don't know when they got to me this time but today I have at least three insect bites on my thigh. The combination of the three bites has meant that my entire upper leg has swollen to about twice its normal size, and it really is painful and itchy but also numb in places. In fact I think this might be my worst insect bite so far, it looks so hideous that I'm not going to post a picture this time but if you check out the last time I got bitten and imagine this but much redder and four times as big, then you are nearly there. Needless to say I am in a really bad mood today.

I hate injections and unfortunately have a history of passing out when I have had to have one. A new patch, however, could offer a vaccine without the need for a injection. The patch has been developed by the University of Queensland and tests on animals have shown it can be even more effective than a normal vaccination. It is the size of a 5p piece and contains thousands of tiny projections coated in the vaccine on the underside. Once applied to the skin these projections push through the outer layer of skin. The nanopatches need a fraction of the dose that would be needed for an conventional needle vaccination. They could also be safer, because they would avoid incidents of needle prick and cross contamination. They are also potentially cheaper to produce. All this sounds great, but for me the best part is that there are no needles involved, unfortunately they are not likely to available any time soon.

This article is interesting, its about a new type of contact lenses that can help to correct short sight. Unlike normal contact lenses you wear them at night. They help to reshape the eyeball by pressing on the eyeball and correcting the problem that causes short sight. The interesting thing is that because they correct your sight overnight, they do not have to be worn during the day. The lenses are basically like normal gas permeable or hard lenses rather than the soft type. They are shaped to the contours of your eyeball and then press on the cornea reducing the curvature and restoring it to the shape of normal vision. They do need to be worn every night because the effect is temporary and the eyeball will gradually spring back to its original shape. Whilst I can see it might take some getting used to wearing lenses whilst you sleep, this seems like a good idea. The lenses are suitable for people with short sight and a prescription of -5 or less.

I read this article that suggests eating a large breakfast can help you lose weight. It is based on research carried out on a group of women. Over several months the women who ate half their daily intake of calories in the morning lost more weight than those who ate a smaller amount. The bigger breakfast apparently helps because it makes you feel fuller during the day, meaning you are less likely to snack.

This article suggests that tea could be good for you. According to the article drinking at least four cups of tea a day can be good for your health and can help prevent heart attacks. It can also help to improve alertness and mood levels and can strengthen bones. It certainly makes me less irritable in the morning.

Researchers have found that a chemical derived from red wine can help keep the heart "genetically young". The chemical called resveratrol appears to stop age related changes in the function of heart genes producing an effect similar to eating a very calorie diet. Unfortunately the chemical does not stay in the blood for very long and a researcher said "In order to have any effect, you would have to drink literally gallons of wine, and that is not recommended."

I have just found another reason (excuse) to drink wine. According to this article drinking five or more glasses of wine or beer a week can halve your chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis. It is thought that alcohol helps to suppresses the inflammatory process behind the condition.

I don't suffer from hay fever as much as I used to, probably because I no longer wear contact lenses since having laser eye surgery. I do, however, find that I get a constant sore throat and runny nose during the summer months. I was interested to find out that a hay fever vaccine is currently being tested. It is meant to the reduce the symptoms of hay fever by training the immune system to tolerate pollen. During a four week trial volunteers who received the vaccine reported a significant  improvement in their symptoms. The only problem I can see is that it involves having an injection every week. Being scared of needles I think I will just live with the hay fever symptoms until it comes in a pill format.

This is an interesting idea, a pair of pants that keep a check on the wearers blood pressure. The pants called "smart pants" contain sensors in the waistband that pick up information on how fast blood is flowing through the arteries, this can give vital clues about the condition of the artery walls and act as an early warning system to pick up any problems. They are still in the experimental stage but Phillips has recently applied for a patent for the idea so they might well be in the shops soon.

This is an interesting idea, its a ceiling that recreates the effect of a sunny day indoors. Called a SkyCeiling the ceiling creates the illusion that you are underneath a sunny sky and can be used to brighten up a room even it has no windows. It works by using high resolution photographs of the sky and overhanging trees which are suspended from the ceiling to create a 3 D effect. The photos are produced on transparent tiles and are lit from behind with high powered fluorescent lights. The system can be programmed to mimic the time of the day and different seasons. It is expected to be popular with offices and hospitals where it could be used to reduce stress and boost feelings of well being.

We had to take Oscar to the vet the other day because he had a problem with his right eye. He had been unable to open his eye for most of the day and was obviously in quite a lot of pain because he was not his usual happy self. The vet said that he has a eye ulcer and has given us some drops which we need to use three times a day. Oscar is now starting to look a bit better, he can open his eye and is bouncing around as usual. We have to take him back for a checkup at the end of the week but hopefully it will have cleared up by then. As to what has caused the ulcer, apparently it is commonly caused by fighting so I'm guessing one of my other cats is responsible.

I read this article that suggests a kebab can contain as much as a wine glass full of cooking oil which amounts to around 111g of fat and 1,000 calories. Other fast food such a chicken korma or a medium pizza also had fairly high levels of both salt and fat. I find the article interesting not because it shows that fast food is bad for you, but because it implies that people still don't know that fast food is bad for you. We all know that a kebab is bad for you but that's why we don't eat them everyday and just indulge every now and again on the way home from the pub. mmm kebab.

I read this article that suggests fruit smoothies can lead to widespread tooth damage. Although fruit smoothies are supposed to have many health benefits, dentists have warned that these benefits are outweighed by the the damage that the drinks can cause to your teeth. The problem is that they contain high level of sugar and acid which can damage teeth. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth before drinking fruit juice because this can help protect teeth against the damaging effects of the acid contained in the juice.

I read this article that suggests some sandwich chains are selling sandwiches that contain more calories, salt and fat than you would find in a Big Mac. In some cases customers could be consuming two thirds of their daily salt and saturated fat intake, just by eating one sandwich. The National Consumer Council also found that many sandwich chains do not provide any information to show customers how much salt and fat their sandwich contains. A chicken sandwich from the sandwich chain Greggs for example contains 3.6 grams of salt which is two thirds of recommended maximum intake for an adult. In many cases the Big Mac and fries actually turns out to be healthier than a sandwich or a salad from one of the leading sandwich chains. Personally I never purchase sandwiches when I am out, mainly because I tend to be a little fussy. As some one who can’t stand mayonnaise or tomato, finding a sandwich that does not contain either of these ingredients is next to impossible, I do however quite like visiting Burger King.

When I get an insect bite, I always seem to get a bad reaction. In the past I have been known to have weird growths the size of tennis balls appear a couple of days after being bitten. They do eventually go down but it is always very painful for a few weeks. I woke up today to find that an insect had bitten me on finger and that it was in the early stages of swelling up, so thought I would take a picture of it. Here it is below. Currently I am unable to bend the finger and it is very inflamed and itchy.

The mixture of the wet weather we have had here in the UK recently, followed by a period of warm weather has created the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Experts have warned that we could see the insects arriving in large numbers within the next few weeks. As someone who has gets an allergic reaction to insect bites, I am not looking forward to a summer of swollen and itchy arms and legs.

A team of scientists have found that office printers can cause a health risk. Some printer models emit dangerous levels of toners that can damage lungs in much the same way that cigarette smoke does. They advise people to make sure printers are used in well ventilated areas.

A man who went to the doctor with what he thought was shingles found out he actually had creatures living in his head. He had picked up an infection whilst in Belize and it turned out the creatures were bot fly lava. The bugs were successfully removed.

I was looking into a detox program and thought about juice fasting. Looking around for more information on it I came across this website that contains lots of useful tips. The site talks about both the good and bad points of Juice Fasting. The benefits include the fact that it can help expel toxins in your body but it can also have side effects. Looking at the website I don’t know that juice fasting is really for me, but I found the information here really useful.

If you buy your toothpaste at a discount store, you might want to check the label. Tubes of Sensodyne toothpaste have been found to contain toxic chemicals that could be harmful to young children and people with impaired liver or kidney functions. The contaminated batch are 50ml tubes and have both English and Arabic writing on them.

A pint of milk can keep your heart healthy, thats according to this article. Research has found that dairy products can help to protect against heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

I have been feeling a little tired and run down recently so was considering putting myself through a detox and cleansing programme. I came across this article on the benefits of colon cleansing and how it can have positive effects such as improved digestion and less bloating after meals, which suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a problem that tends to really affect me. The article went onto to recommend a cleansing product called Bowltrol. I’m usually a bit sceptical as to whether these sorts of products work, but this website contains a Bowltrol Review where the product was tested on real life customers with all of them seeing successful results after using the product.

I read this article which claims that pre-packed sandwiches can contain as much salt as seven bags of crisps, that's more than half the recommended daily amount. The saltiest sandwich was Asda's Special Yorkshire Ham and Wensleydale which contained 65% of the recommended daily salt intake. Personally I don't eat a great deal of pre-packed sandwiches, mainly because they usually contain things I don't like. This article has reinforced my belief that its best to make your sandwiches at home because you know exactly what goes into it and its generally fresher than the pre-packed alternative.

Good news for chocolate lovers, eating some dark chocolate every day can lower your blood pressure thats according to a study carried out in the US. Eating one or two chunks of chocolate every day can be enough to be beneficial.

Apparently having a regular glass of wine can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease and can even cure a sore throat. That's according to a study carried out by some Italian scientists. It seems to me like another good excuse to drink wine.

Apparently Russian men are risking their health by drinking aftershave and cleaning agents because they contain up to 97% alcohol. The problem which seems to be getting worse is now responsible for half of all deaths in working men in Russia. Hazardous drinking (drinking excesses of bear, wine and spirits) is also a problem in Russia, but people who consume non beverage alcohol are nine times more likely to die.

Waterbeds can be beneficial for a number of reasons. They offer total body support so you can sleep with greater comfort. They also have a hygienic surface, so dust mites are unable to thrive on them; a great alternative if you are allergic to dust mites. waterbeds also offer a more controllable sleeping temperature. You may think that a waterbed will not be very durable but they can actually last up to 15 years because unlike an ordinary bed there are no springs to break down. Bearing this in mind now is a good time to visit my waterbed shop they currently have a sale on their waterbeds and also offer free shipping

The European Commission is looking to relax rules that currently stop farmers feeding animals on the carcasses of other animals. This practice was stopped seven years ago because of the links with BSE and the fact that it was widely spread by feeding the remains of infected cows to other cattle. Apparently the commission is going to investigate the safety of feeding pig meal to chickens and vice versa. The reason they want to reintroduce the practice is to save money, it is cheaper to feed farm animals on the remains of other animals rather than on expensive vegetable protein. Sainsbury's and Asda have already said they will not sell livestock fed on animal by-products. I know where I will be doing my meat shopping if the ban is lifted.

These giant pants might not look very attractive but according to their creator they can help you lose weight and reduce cellulite in just four weeks. This article puts it to the test with four women trying the pants out for a month. They all lost some weight using the pants so there could be something in the claims.

I came across this site www.myfitnesspal.com. It’s free to sign up and provides an easy weight loss plan. Just enter your current weight and the weight you would like to be and the site works out long it should take to reach your goal weight, taking into account how many times you expect to exercise every week. I typed in that I would like to lose a stone in weight and I would try and work out for 30 minutes three times a week. The results were that if I managed to do this I would lose 5.0 lbs by the 26th June.

The website includes a free calorie counter. You just search for the food you want to add and the meal you need to add it to and the calorie counter works out how many calories you have consumed during the day. I was surprised, having never bothered with calorie counting before, how many calories I actually consume in a day. Most of my intake seems to consist of cheese and wine, two things I love which I find very hard to cut down on.

Looking at my meals today I have eaten 434 too many calories but because I went to the gym I earn an extra 291 calories. It all seems very complicated but the website makes it easy to manage. Myfitnesspal also includes several handy reports so you can check your progress, see what your fitness is like and check whether you are eating a nutritious diet.

Are you looking for an excuse to eat beef jerky? Or perhaps drink alcohol and eat chocolate? Well apparently all of these things can be good for you according to this article. Beef jerky is not only high in protein; it also contains omega 3 fats most commonly associated with oily fish. Alcohol on the other hand can lower the risk of a heart attack when drunk in moderation. The most beneficial alcoholic drink has been proven to be pinot noir, a good excuse to go the bottle shop. Lastly chocolate can help improve blood flow to the heart. Now I just need to find an excuse to eat cake.

According to an article on The Daily Mail’s website eating two eggs for breakfast every day can actually help you lose weight. Apparently starting the day with eggs for breakfast makes you feel fuller for longer so you eat less throughout the rest of the day. I’m not sure if there is any truth in this but I like eggs so will give it a go. 

According to an article on The Daily Mail website when strawberries are treated with alcohol it boosts their cancer fighting properties. The article doesn’t say exactly how many daiquiris are needed for a beneficial effect.

I came across this interesting article where a guy tries using Wii Sports as part of a fitness programme. After 6 weeks of using the Wii as his only form of exercise he has now managed to lose 16 pounds. This seems like a good excuse to play more computer games.

I found an interesting article about what goes into a McDonalds Chicken Nugget. Apparently it contains 56% corn as well as another 38 different ingredients one of which is obviously chicken but disturbingly it also contains TBHQ which is an antioxidant derived from petroleum.

I saw this article in The Metro about a pillow that apparently helps prevent hangovers. The pillow is stuffed with various plant extracts including fennel, juniper, mustard and peppermint, all of which are meant to counter the effects of a hangover. Personally I frequently sprinkle lavender oil on my pillow when I am having trouble sleeping and use peppermint or eucalyptus if I have a blocked up nose. I find that when doing this I awake felling much more rested the following morning. At only £7.50 even if it doesn’t cure your hangover this pillow is likely to help you have a restful nights sleep.

We all have our problems at work, perhaps you are not paid enough or you work very long hours, now it appears that your office could actually be killing you. According to an article in The Daily Mail there are many factors in every office that can damage your health. Sitting at your desk for long hours can put you at risk of deep vein thrombosis whilst air conditioning in the office can lead to dehydration, as well as making you more prone to viruses. In addition your chair can cause back pain and your computer screen can cause eyestrain, headaches and problems with vision. Even your computer keyboard can make you ill as it can harbour more germs than the average toilet seat. You may also think your phone is clean but it is actually a prime breeding ground for bacteria. So its official work really is bad for us.

Well its just as we have all suspected, people in Britain are really not getting enough sunlight. This is the claim made by an article in the Daily Express which blames the gloomy winter weather for British people spending too much time inside. Being exposed to rays from the sun provides the body’s main source of vitamin D. The article states that 87.1 of people in Britain have lower levels of vitamin D than are recommended for good health and predicts a “substantial public health problem” with people likely to suffer from heart disease, cancer and bone problems.

It’s now been two years since I had my laser eye surgery. I used to have a prescription of -5.75 in each eye which basically meant I could see about 10cm in front of face and everything else was blurred. From the age of 13 I have worn glasses or contact lenses and am now at the age of nearly 30 just enjoying the freedom of being able to see normally. After noticing there are not many blogs showing actual experience of laser eye surgery I thought I would post my experience. I hope it helps people who are thinking of having the procedure done so they know what to expect. It may seem scary but I found the results were worth it.

Five years after going for my first consultation for laser eye surgery and being told I was unsuitable for treatment, I finally decided to go back again for another consultation. I was sure that I would be told again that I was unsuitable for treatment but was hopeful that with new technological advances there might be a solution. This time when I had the consultation I was told that I could have Wavefront treatment, a new type of treatment that has recently become available using more sensitive lasers and mapping of the eyeball.

It took me about a day of thinking about it and then I decided to book the treatment for two weeks after the initial consultation. It all seemed a bit scary and although I had wanted the operation for so long I found myself getting increasingly worried as the day of the procedure got closer.

I had booked the procedure straight after work on a Friday so that I would have the weekend to recover. At 5 a clock my boyfriend came to meet me and we went over to the Ultralase clinic in Hammersmith. I had a brief check up during which they checked my prescription, put some drops into my eyes and explained the aftercare procedures.

Then I had to take my glasses off and go into the treatment room, which was a little scary because these people seem to think you can see where you are going when you don’t have your glasses on, you would have thought being in this business they would at least know you need a guide dog to get to the treatment chair. More drops to numb the pain and then they started on the first eye. First they put the suction cup on the eyeball to elevate it so that they can make the incision. Then everything goes black, I guess that’s when they make the actual incision. Next you have to stare at the red dot whilst they use the laser. The laser makes a really loud, slightly scary noise and there is a bad smell as the surface of the eyeball burns away (this is what the leaflet describes as a fragrant aroma). Sound nasty but you don’t feel anything. Next the weirdest bit. Someone washes your eyeball. It’s really strange to feel water running down inside your eyeball and not being able to do anything about it and a fair amount of the water naturally ends up in your ear.

Well that’s the first eye done and they ask you to sit in a chair with your eyes closed whilst they recalibrate the laser to do the next one. Same procedure but the next eye is slightly more uncomfortable. I think it’s probably because you are expecting the suction cup on the eyeball and so are waiting for the pressure. When it’s all over and you walk back down to the recovery room you have fairly limited vision, although it’s better than without your glasses before treatment, it is very cloudy but I could see walk down the stairs … amazing, I couldn’t have done that before. You have to spend 30 minutes in the recovery room and then see the surgeon before you can go home.

Now the interesting bit is finding your way home. The surgeon recommends wearing sunglasses for the first couple of days after treatment and by this time it was dark outside. I really needed the sunglasses, the smallest bit of light made by eyes stream with water, even a traffic light was like a beacon. Getting on the tube I got a lot of strange looks with my dark glasses on, people either thought I was blind or was covering up a black eye. Changing trains at Richmond everyone moved out of way instead of crowding in front of me as they usually do.

On arriving home I had to keep my eyes closed for the whole evening so that the flap in the cornea had chance to settle. We had the lights turned down as low as possible and still the dim light was too bright for my eyes. I had to put 2 different kinds of drops into my eyes every 2 hours in order to prevent infection and help lubricate the eyes. At this stage my eyes felt like I had really dirty contact lenses in, all scratchy and with stabbing pains at around 5 minute intervals. At night I had to wear eye protectors for 2 weeks after the operation. These are basically plastic guards with air holes in them which you secure with sticky tape; they look like something out of The Fly and are very uncomfortable.

The next morning when I woke up, I could see the time on the alarm clock without glasses or lenses for the first time in 10 years. Although bright light still hurt my eyes, by lunchtime I could walk around in the sunlight without my dark glasses on. At the 1 day check up I was told I had already got 20/20 vision and that it would get even better. I had to use the 2 lots of eye drops every couple of hours for the next week and although I was back at work on Monday I had to take regular breaks away form the computer and after a long day my eyes were very sore and dry. After about a week I no longer had any pain in my eyes and two years after the operation I think it’s the best thing I have ever done.