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AHA adds sleep to heart health checklist

07/07/2022

The American Heart Association (AHA) has added sleep to its cardiovascular health checklist for the first time. Sleep now joins diet, exercise, tobacco use, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and blood pressure on the association's list of factors people can modify to stay healthy. The AHA published its new checklist, called “Life’s Essential 8,” in the journal Circulation on June 29. The old checklist, created in 2010, was known as “Life’s Simple 7.” “Not only is sleep health related to the other things that play a role in heart health, it seems to also be directly related to cardiovascular health itself,” says Michael Grandner, PhD, the director of the sleep and health research program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, who helped compile the new AHA checklist. “Sleep is changeable, and studies show that you can improve aspects of heart health just by improving sleep,” Dr. Grandner says. People who get less than six hours of good quality sleep a night are at increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, as well as worse mental and cognitive health, Grandner says. Likewise, those who get more than nine hours of sleep a night are also less likely to be healthy and more likely to die prematurely, he added. *Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay

Just one in five Americans have 'optimal' heart health

30/06/2022

Only 20% of American adults have 'optimal' heart health, new research reveals. According to the study by the American Heart Association (AHA), the US population is well below optimal levels of cardiovascular health. This is based on AHA's Life’s Essential 8™ cardiovascular health scoring, its updated metrics to measure heart and brain health. The AHA's Life’s Essential 8 scoring includes: diet physical activity nicotine exposure sleep health body weight blood lipids blood glucos blood pressure With sleep being the newest addition. For the AHA study, researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2013 to 2018. This data included non-pregnant, non-institutionalized individuals between two and 79 years old who did not have cardiovascular disease. All participants had an overall cardiovascular health (CVH) score calculated for them ranging from 0 to 100, as well as a score for diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration, body mass index (BMI), blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure – all using AHA definitions. The results revealed that among the more than 23,400 American adults and children without cardiovascular disease (CVD), overall cardiovascular health was not ideal. Indeed, the research showed roughly 80% of people scored at a low or moderate level. Mitchell Weinberg, MD, chair of cardiology at Staten Island University Hospital, part of Northwell Health in New York, the AHA's Life’s Essential 8 scoring is both valuable and patient friendly for determining CVH. “Possessing one number that crystallizes a person’s current health status enables that individual to comprehend the need for change and target a single numeric goal,” he said. *Image by Andrzej Rembowski from Pixabay

Skip those late-night meals to reap anti-aging benefits – study

20/05/2022

Calorie restriction has long been known to have anti-aging benefits, but now new research suggests timing can also play a role. According to the study by researchers at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, the timing of meals contributes to the life-extending effects of calorie restriction. Studying mice, the researchers found that following a calorie-restricted diet, the rodents that only ate during the active phase of their circadian rhythm lived nearly 35% longer than control mice that were allowed to eat whenever they wanted. Both animals and humans have circadian rhythms, the purpose of which is to control daily cycles of physiology, metabolism, and behaviors like eating. In mice, which are nocturnal, the normal time to eat is at night. The study revealed how eating at other times had a significant impact on lifespan. “We have discovered a new facet to caloric restriction that dramatically extends lifespan in our lab animals,” says senior author Dr. Joseph Takahashi, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and chair of neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “If these findings hold true in people, we might want to rethink whether we really want that midnight snack,” he adds. The study is published in the journal Science. *image by DanaTentis from Pixabay

Sugar-free drinks help lower weight and risk of diabetes

24/03/2022

Sugar-free and low sugar drinks can help people realise a number of health benefits, a new study has found. According to the research, the results of which are published in JAMA Network Open, drinking diet soda and sugar alternatives, such as Stevia and Equal, instead of can help people lose weight, reduce their BMI, and lower their risk of diabetes. In fact, the researchers said participants who consumed low and no-calorie beverages saw positive effects similar to those one would expect from water. “Ideally, you would replace sugary beverages with water as much as possible, but our findings show that people have another choice — a low-calorie or no-calorie beverage is a good option as well,” said Tauseef Ahmad Khan, MBBS, PhD, a researcher at the University of Toronto department of nutritional sciences and a coauthor of the study. Modern Western diets often contain too much sugar and it's causing a huge health problem. For example, the average American consumes 22 teaspoons (tsp) of added sugar daily, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends people limit their daily intake of sugar to about 6 tsp women and 9 tsp for men. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, lists higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease among the health issues related to too much sugar intake. *Image by DesignDraw DesignDrawArtes from Pixabay

Just two glasses of wine enough to hit daily sugar limit

21/02/2022

Sorry, wine lovers, but new research shows that you could be hitting your daily recommended sugar intake with just two glasses of your favorite tipple. The analysis of 30 bottles of wine by Alcohol Health Alliance UK, a coalition of more than 60 organisations working together to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, found that some bottles had up to 59g of sugar – more than a glazed doughnut! In the UK, winemakers are not legally required to put nutritional information on labels. The UK's NHS recommends that adults consume no more than 30g of "free sugars" per day, which includes sugar in fruit juices and smoothies, or sugar added to food or drink. Campaigners are calling for change, to better inform wine drinkers about how many calories and how much sugar they are consuming. The Alcohol Health Alliance UK analysis revealed it was possible for a person to hit the daily sugar limit for adults by drinking two medium-sized glasses of some wines. More telling was the discovery that lower-strength wines were among those containing the most sugar. So just because they have a lower alcohol content, it doesn't mean they are necessarily the healthier option. Next time you're in your local supermarket, have a look to see which wines have nutritional information and, if you can, opt for one that has a lower sugar content. Image by Vinotecarium from Pixabay

World population predicted to peak by mid-century, then decline

16/07/2020

It took more than 200,000 years for the world’s population to reach one billion, but only 200 years for it to top seven billion. Today, the population of the world is estimated to be just under 7.8bn. However, new analysis predicts that the number of people in the world will peak in 2064 at around 9.7 billion. Then, we will see a decline to around 8.87 billion by the end of the century. If this prediction is correct, the world’s population would be two billion below UN forecasts by 2100. The reasons behind the predicted decline include widening access to contraception and improvements in educating women and girls. According to the research led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington's School of Medicine, the findings of which are published in The Lancet, some countries, including Japan, Spain and Italy, will witness their populations halve in the next 80 years, while sub-Saharan Africa’s population will triple. Furthermore, the number of older people in the world will overtake the number of young, with estimates saying there will be 2.4 billion people over the age of 65 forecast by 2100, compared with 1.7 billion under the age of 20. Speaking about the findings of the research, IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray, who led the study, said: “Continued global population growth through the century is no longer the most likely trajectory for the world's population. This study provides governments of all countries an opportunity to start rethinking their policies on migration, workforces and economic development to address the challenges presented by demographic change.”

Better diabetes management could be just a text message away

10/09/2019

Simple educational and motivational text messages can help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar better, a new study has found. It is not only an extremely affordable and scalable measure, but one that can be applied globally. According to the six-month Chinese study, diabetes patients who received the text messages and standard care reduced their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c ) by more than patients who just received standard care. The results showed an average reduction in HbA1c of 2 mmol/mol (0.2%) in patients who received the supportive text messages. The group that did not receive the text messages experienced an average increase in HbA1c of 1 moll/mol (0.1%). For the study, the participants were split into two groups: one that received standard diabetes care and two text messages each month thanking them for their participation, and another group that received standard care and up to six text messages per week containing information on subjects like dietary advice, physical activity, emotional support and blood glucose monitoring.  As well as actually reducing their HbA1c, the group receiving the supportive text messages also had a greater proportion of patients who achieved their HbA1C target of less than 7% (69.3% vs. 52.6% in the control group). Speaking about the findings of the study, Dr Xiqian Huo, of Beijing's Fuwai Hospital, said: “Lifestyle advice such as strict dietary control may have contributed to glycemic improvements, together with reminders to monitor blood glucose regularly. The messages were designed to provide information and motivation, and help patients set goals and manage stress.” The results of the study were presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology on Saturday, August 31 also appear in journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Study shows four-in-one pill reduces risk of heart attack, stroke

29/08/2019

A pill that contains four different medicines and is designed to be taken daily could dramatically reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes, a new study has found. The polypill – which is the generic term used to describe a medication that contains multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients – contains aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering statin and two drugs to reduce blood pressure. For the study, researchers from Iran and the UK studied around 6,800 people from more than 100 villages in Iran. Half were given the polypill and advice on how to improve their health through lifestyle changes and the other half were just given the lifestyle changes advice. After five years, the group taking the polypill had experienced 202 cardiovascular events, while the group that had just been given the advice had experienced 301 cardiovascular events. In other words, the group taking the polypill had experienced around a third less cardiovascular events. The researchers say the pill costs just pennies a day, but could have a huge impact, especially in poorer countries where doctors have fewer options available to them. Stroke and coronary heart disease are the top two causes of death worldwide, killing more than 15 million people each year. Obesity, smoking and doing little exercise are all risk factors associated with an unhealthy heart. Based on the findings of the study, if 35 people were all given the polypill daily, it would prevent one of them developing a major heart problem within 5 years. “Given the polypill's affordability, there is considerable potential to improve cardiovascular health and to prevent the world's leading cause of death,” said Dr Nizal Sarrafzadegan, of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The findings of the research are published in The Lancet.

World-first phage therapy treats teenager with drug-resistant bacterial infection

09/05/2019

A British teenager has become the first person in the world to have a drug-resistant bacterial infection treated by genetically engineered viruses. Isabelle Holdaway, 17, was given just a 1% chance of survival after a double lung transplant to treat her cystic fibrosis left her with an intractable bacterial infection that could not be treated with antibiotics. Her arms, legs and buttocks had numerous big, black, festering lesions where the bacteria were pushing up through her skin. She finally ended up in intensive care after her liver began to fail. Every previous patient in Isabelle’s situation died – some within a year, despite aggressive treatment. Desperate for a solution, Isabelle’s mother researched alternative treatments online and came across phage therapy. It’s not new; doctors have been using it for nearly a century, but its use has been eclipsed by antibiotics because they are much easier to use. Isabelle’s care team at Great Ormond Street Hospital contacted Prof Graham Hatfull at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, in the US, who had the world's largest collection of phages (approximately 15,000). Hatfull and his team identified three potential phages that would be effective in tackling Isabelle’s bacterial infection and genetically modified two of them to make them more effective. Isabelle was injected with the cocktail of phages twice daily and they were also applied to the lesions on her skin. Within just six weeks, a liver scan showed that the infection had essentially disappeared. Phage therapy involves injecting bacteria-killing viruses into a patient’s body which track down, infect and ultimately kill bacteria. The phages hijack the bacterial cell and turn it into a phage factory until the viruses burst out of the bacteria killing it in the process. While Isabelle’s fatal infection has not been completely cured, it is under control and she is beginning to lead a normal life. She still has two infusions of phages every day and is currently waiting for a fourth phage to be added to the mix, which will hopefully clear the infection completely.

Substituting red meat for plant protein reduces heart disease risk

23/04/2019

We recently wrote about how just one rasher of bacon a day can increase bowel cancer risk. Now, new research has revealed that replacing red meat with plant protein can reduce heart disease risk. For the study, researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA, and Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, conducted a meta-analysis of trials comparing the effects of meat vs. other diets on our health. The results are published in the journal Circulation. It was an approach that allowed the researchers to not only examine the health effects of red meat, but also see whether substituting red meat for other protein sources brought benefits. Analyzing data from 36 randomized controlled trials, the researchers looked at the blood pressure and blood concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoproteins of the participants. They then compared these levels with those of people who ate less red meat and more chicken, fish, legumes, soy, nuts, or carbohydrates. They found that while there wasn’t much difference in lipoproteins, blood pressure, or total cholesterol, diets high in red meat did cause an increase in triglyceride concentrations. In addition, diets rich in high-quality plant protein led to lower levels of bad cholesterol. Speaking about the findings of the research, Marta Guasch-Ferré, lead author of the study and research scientist in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said: “Previous findings from randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of red meat on cardiovascular disease risk factors have been inconsistent. “But, our new study, which makes specific comparisons between diets high in red meat versus diets high in other types of foods, shows that substituting red meat with high-quality protein sources lead to more favorable changes in cardiovascular risk factors.”

Strength training better for the heart than aerobic exercise, study finds

20/11/2018

Strength training exercises benefit the heart more than aerobic activities, such as walking and cycling, new research suggests. The survey of more than 4,000 American adults found that static exercise, like lifting weights, is more effective at reducing the risk of heart disease than cardiovascular exercise. Specifically, while undertaking both static and dynamic exercise was associated with a 30% to 70% reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, the link was strongest for younger individuals who did static exercises. Nevertheless, any amount of exercise brings benefits and doing both static and dynamic types is still better than focussing on just one kind, the researchers from St. George's University in St. George's, Grenada said. Speaking about the findings of the research, Dr. Maia P. Smith, assistant professor at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at St. George's University, said: “Both strength training and aerobic activity appeared to be heart healthy, even in small amounts, at the population level.” Current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines recommend that American adults should undertake at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity every week. The same guidelines also stipulate that said activity should be spread across the week and not completed in just one or two days. Are you doing enough physical activity each week? If not, you could be increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. [Related reading: Why being overweight increases your risk of cancer]

Action group calls for ban on ‘grotesquely sugary’ freakshakes

15/11/2018

So-called “freakshakes” (milkshakes that contain chocolates, sweets, cake, cream, sauce and more) should be banned because they have “grotesque levels of sugar and calories,” a UK charity has said. Action on Sugar, a charity concerned with sugar and its effects on our health, has called for the belt-busting creations to be removed from sale, following a survey it conducted. For the study, the charity surveyed milkshakes sold in restaurants and fast food shops across the UK to see how much sugar and how many calories they contained. Topping the survey (not in a good way) was the Toby Carvery Unicorn Freakshake, which contains an eye-watering 39 teaspoons of sugar and 1,280 calories. That’s more than half the recommended number of daily calories for an adult and over six times the amount of daily sugar for a seven to 10-year-old. Many of the milkshakes looked at by Action on Sugar contained more than half the recommended daily amount of calories for an adult. More worryingly, out of the 46 products looked at by the charity, all would be labelled red/high for excessive levels of sugar per serving. Speaking about the findings of the survey, Action on Sugar chairman, Graham MacGregor, said: “These very high calorie drinks, if consumed on a daily basis, would result in children becoming obese and suffering from tooth decay - that is not acceptable. “These high calorie milkshakes need to be reduced immediately below 300kcal per serving.” [Related reading: Why being overweight increases your risk of cancer]

VIH/sida : toujours 6000 contaminations chaque année en France

09/07/2018

Un trop grand nombre de personnes sont séropositives sans le savoir et risquent de transmettre à leur tour le virus. En 2016, 5,4 millions de sérologies VIH (virus de l’immunodéficience humaine) ont été réalisées en France par des laboratoires de biologie médicale, dont 300.000 anonymement. Un chiffre considérable qui a conduit à la découverte d’environ 6000 nouvelles contaminations. Un chiffre désespérément constant depuis une petite dizaine d’années. L’une des explications vient sans doute de l’épidémie cachée, c’est-à-dire des personnes contaminées (séropositives) sans le savoir. Ils seraient 25.000 en France selon une modélisation de l’Inserm. On comptait pourtant beaucoup ces dernières années sur l’arrivée de nouveaux outils de dépistage pour réduire ce foyer occulte. Hélas, ni le dépistage communautaire possible depuis septembre 2011 en France par test rapide d’orientation diagnostiques (Trod), 56.300 réalisés l’an dernier, ni les 75.000  autotests vendus en pharmacie en 2016 (disponibles depuis septembre 2015) n’ont amélioré sensiblement la situation. ls ont néanmoins l’intérêt d’atteindre une population particulièrement exposée au VIH, principalement les hommes ayant des rapports avec des hommes (HSH) et les migrants. Ces deux groupes constituaient les deux tiers des personnes dépistées par des tests rapides. «Plus on connaît tôt son statut sérologique, plus le bénéfice est grand» François Bourdillon, le directeur général de Santé publique France Les experts de Santé publique France, qui ont publié un bulletin épidémiologique hebdomadaire entièrement consacré à l’épidémie d’infection à VIH/sida, soulignent deux enjeux de santé publique: le retard diagnostic et la dynamique de l’épidémie dans certains groupes de population (HSH, migrants originaires d’Afrique subsaharienne). Le retard diagnostic reste important, «Plus on connaît tôt son statut sérologique, plus le bénéfice est grand, rappelle François Bourdillon, le directeur général de Santé publique France. Le bénéfice est individuel mais aussi collectif car le risque de transmettre le VIH à un partenaire pour une personne traitée avec une charge virale indétectable est quasi nul.» Même dans le groupe des HSH, pourtant sensibilisé au VIH/sida et bien informé sur les moyens de protections tels que la PrEP (prophylaxie pré-exposition), seulement la moitié des infections font l’objet d’un dépistage précoce et 18 % des infections sont découvertes à un stade avancé. La majorité des nouvelles contaminations concerne toujours les hétérosexuels (3200), devant les HSH (2600). Cependant la découverte de séropositivité diminue d’année en année (-9 % entre 2013 et 2016) chez les hétérosexuels, avec une baisse plus marquée chez les hommes que chez les femmes, alors qu’elle reste stable chez les HSH.  

WHO classifies video game addiction as a mental health disorder

19/06/2018

Do your kids spend a lot of time playing video games? If so, have you ever thought they might be addicted to them? A new World Health Organisation (WHO) classification recognises that video game addiction as a mental health disorder and it’s not just kids who are at risk. According to the WHO, the new classification of “gaming disorder” has three main characteristics: Impaired control when gaming Prioritising gaming over other interests Continuation or escalation of gaming despite negative consequences The diagnosable condition will be set out this month in the organisation's reference work of recognised and diagnosable diseases, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). However, many psychiatrists, including the American Psychiatric Association, disagree, saying there is insufficient evidence to consider gaming addiction as a unique mental disorder. As a result, a veil of confusion has been cast over how to approach so-called video game addiction. The mental health disorder classification gives mental health professionals a basis for setting up bespoke treatment plans and identifying risks. But some mental health professionals are concerned that the classification is grounded more in moral concerns rather than science. Speaking about the WHO’s decision, Richard Graham, a specialist psychiatrist in technology addiction at Nightingale Hospital, London, said there was a very important difference between enthusiastic gaming and the new disorder. "What we're talking about - and what the World Health Organisation is talking about - is the people who can no longer stop, no longer control their use. "They're prioritising their gaming above pretty much everything else in their life”.

‘Apple shape’ women at greater risk of heart attack than their ‘pear shape’ peers

28/02/2018

New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that waist-to-hip ratio is a better heart attack predictor than body mass index (BMI), with so-called “apple shape” women at greater risk than their male counterparts. According to the research from the George Institute for Global Health, waist-to-hip ratio is an 18% better heart attack predictor than BMI in women and 6% in men. However, the research also found that BMI was linked to heart disease risk in both sexes. For the research, the team from the George Institute in Oxford interviewed nearly 500,000 UK adults aged 40 to 69. They found women who had bigger waists relative to their hips are at more risk of heart attacks than men with similar body shapes. Speaking about the findings of the research, Ashleigh Doggett, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Considering the large amount of UK participants, this is a very interesting study which highlights that obesity remains a risk factor for heart attacks in both men and women. "Interestingly, it suggests that those of us who are 'apple' as opposed to 'pear' shape, especially women, may be at higher risk of a heart attack.” The researchers say their findings suggest the differences in the way men and women store fat may affect their risk of heart disease. While more research is needed, these findings do support the notion that being “apple shape” (having proportionally more fat around the abdomen) is more hazardous for your health than being “pear shape” (having proportionally more fat stored around the hips. The full findings of the research can be found in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Low calcium levels may raise heart attack risk

10/10/2017

Calcium is well-known for its role in promoting healthy bones, but a new study suggests it could also be beneficial for heart health too. Cardiac arrest, or heart attack, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States today. In fact, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), approximately 350,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) occur in America every year. Furthermore, almost 90% of people who experience SCA die as a result. The primary cause of SCA is coronary heart disease. However, around 50% of women and 70% of men who die from SCA have no medical history of heart disease, suggesting other significant risk factors are at play. For the study, researchers from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, CA, analysed data from the Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study. They found that the risk of SCA was increased by 2.3-fold for people who had the lowest blood calcium levels (under 8.95 milligrams per deciliter). More importantly, this risk remained after confounding factors, including demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and medication use, were accounted for. Dr. Hon-Chi Lee, of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, said: “This is the first report to show that low serum calcium levels measured close in time to the index event are independently associated with an increased risk of SCA in the general population”.

Coconut oil no better than beef fat or pork lard

22/06/2017

Coconut oil is higher in saturated fat than butter, beef dripping and pork lard, and can increase “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. That’s the stark new warning contained in updated advice from the American Heart Association (AHA). A diet high in saturated fat can lead to clogged arteries and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Despite coconut oil being commonly sold as a health food and a “healthier” alternative to other saturated fats, the AHA says there are no good studies to support this. In fact, 82% of the fat found in coconut oil is saturated, which is higher than butter (63%), beef dripping (50%) and pork lard (39%). And studies show that like other saturated fats, coconut oil can increase “bad” cholesterol. The AHA says people should watch how much saturated fat they eat and replace some of it with unsaturated vegetable oils, like olive oil and sunflower oil. Dr Frank Sacks, lead author of the AHA advice, said: "We want to set the record straight on why well-conducted scientific research overwhelmingly supports limiting saturated fat in the diet to prevent diseases of the heart and blood vessels." Nevertheless, saturated fat is still an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet and shouldn’t be completely cut out, just limited. In the UK, Public Health England advises that men should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day and women no more than 20g a day.

The local surgery app that could help save lives in Africa

14/03/2017

It is hoped that a new mobile app developed in Canada could help treat millions of patients in Africa. MOST, or mobile optimised skill training, is an application that can be accessed on a tablet or smartphone which helps accelerate the number of healthcare workers that can be taught essential surgical skills. The brainchild of Vancouver-based surgeon and UBC surgical professor Dr. Ronald Lett, MOST was brought to life by Surrey, B.C. tech company Conquer Mobile and will be provided by the Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) for free. Unlike existing face-to-face courses, which are usually taught by doctors visiting Africa to limited groups, MOST will facilitate the sharing of skills in the community long after visiting teams have left.  At present, there are 5 mobile training courses available in MOST, but another 7 are planned for the future. The new technology will be used to train 25,000 African healthcare workers and treat 2 million patients over the next 3 years. [caption id="attachment_3741" align="alignnone" width="620"] Dr. Ronald Lett has been teaching surgical skills to healthcare workers in Sub-Saharan Africa for 22 years. (Image credit: Ronald Lett)[/caption]   "The problem is there is a huge demand for surgical education, limited funding, and therefore we feel that we can optimize training, by having it available using newer technology," said Lett. African healthcare workers will be able to download the app onto their smartphone or tablet and go through the academic knowledge part using games and skills questions. There will also be avatars which react and provide feedback as though the individual were practising on a real life patient. Today, women in Africa are 10 times more likely to die in childbirth than women in the Americas. Furthermore, 13% of Africans will die as a result of an injury. The MOST app will be tested by CNIS in Ethiopia and Rwanda this spring or early summer.

Testimonials

21/12/2016

TESTIMONIALS Mr Philipp D.C.     Mr Peter A.   Dear Carine Thank you so much for calling!  We saw your card that you had dropped in. William is very happy with everything . Some ordinance documentation was dropped off with William . It was for the anti coagulation injection for the nurse . William had told me you were going to send him some post op instructions. We were not able to send emails from the hospital. He had sent you one when he arrived but was not able to go through. Many thanks for all your assistance. Your organisation has been superb . The hospital and staff have been exemplary. Best wishes Denny H.  December, 2016             Hello Carine,         Thank you so much for all you have done for us these past two weeks. Our trip has            been spectacular.         We do love Toulouse and are looking forward to coming back for our future                        medical needs. We really liked both Drs De Chevigne and Bournazou.           You are really remarkable and we so thank you for your professionalism,                        dedication and kindness.           Best wishes to you ,          Joyce and Bruce  May, 2016 Dear Carine,    I would like to say thank you SO very much for getting me an appointment with Dr. Delepine!    He was fantastic and he really made my situation so much better!    Without you that wouldn't have been possible. I really appreciate that you were helping me out.    I have now returned to the US and if things go accordingly to Dr. Delepine, I will be walking on my leg within a month and surgery thankfully won't be necessary.    Again, THANK YOU so much for everything.    Best,    Julia.    June, 2016   Thank you for your e-mail which is very kind and most appreciated. We are glad that France Surgery is doing well as you all deserve it by being genuine people with a caring attitude which is rare in these times. many thanks Deborah S.   The support you have given me during my medical stay in France was exceptional ! la Sauvegarde Clinic in Lyon is very professional and the medical staff was extremely helpful and comprehensive. Je suis tres impressionee! I want to thank you for your exceptional service and your attention always so punctual. Bien cordialement, Valerie S.   Going into hospital for an operation major or minor can be stressful but going into a hospital for an operation in a country where the language is not the same as your own can be even worse. Therefore when I learnt that I needed a cataract operation in March 2011, in France, I approached the process with some trepidation. However I took a deep intake of breathe and I attempted to get myself sorted out but the best I could achieve was an operation in September 2011. As I could barely see anything out of may left eye, my husband and I resorted to the internet to see if there xas an alternative and this was where encountered a company called France Surgery. They specialise in looking after people coming to France from overseas for operations/treatments and also nationals from other countries living in France. There is obviously a charge for their services but for us it was worth every centime. From the moment we made contact they were able to book me into a clinic for the operation before the end of April 2011 and accompanied me every stage of the way. 1. They attended all the initial consultations 2. They dealt with all the administration including invoices from the hospital 3 They booked my room for the operation and ensured that the nurses who would deal me spoke English 4. They checked with the surgeon after the operation that all gone okay and rang me to reassure me that all was well 5. They attended the post operative consultation and checked me out of the clinic 6. They also attended the final check-up with the consultant and finally provided me with all the follow-up paperwork and the invoices information. I would not hesitate to recommend this organisation to others Claudia D.   Dear Carine, It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to write to you to express my thanks for the very professional way that my operation for Carpal Tunnel Release was arranged and completed. Barry B. Likewise, I was very impressed with the Post Operation help given to me in collating all the necessary paper work from the Hospital, to enable me to follow up my claim with my Medical Insurers. I personally would not hesitate in using France Surgery in the future and would most definitely recommend your services to my family and friends. Kind regards Barry B.     Hi Carine Thanks for your e-mail and Dr Giraud's report. Many thanks also for your support before and during our stay here, I do not know how we would have managed without you. Denise is leaving the Clinic tomorrow after lunch and we have decided to leave Montauban and head for home. Best wishes to you and France Surgery in the future. Thanks again Graham H.     Hi Carine ...Bernard & Dr Aebi, I am writing to thankyou for your help and the overall Surgery Package.You all gave me the the very best attention..seeing to my every requirement. the Hospital and nursing staff were excellent as was the Physiotherapist. I couldn't have had a kinder... more encouraging and kind Surgeon than Dr Aebi, he came to see me, usually at least once..sometimes two or three times each day,always showing me more that I could achieve every day ! I am walking very well...a little discomfort...not a problem though.I am pleased with my progress and see improvement on a weekly basis now. Many Thanks, Paul M.     Hello Carine, I am now back at Callac and I have to say a massive thank you for organising the treatment. Compared to England it was exceptional and with some careful planning I consider you could develop a really successful business. The Doctor gave me his medical opinion and referred me back to my own doctor in England for the correct medical (cf. surgical) treatment. He sent a message and the report has been posted to England, Many Thanks Rod D.     This E Mail is to confirm that I recently had a new Knee replacement at Clinique du Pont de Chaume. I have a house in France and wanted the surgery here as I believe the Hospitals cleaner and medicine better than in the UK. Carine at France Surgery took over all the paper work to ensure the proceedure was paid for by EHIC and I was required to pay only for France Suregery fees and cost of Private faciilities in the Hospital. I was met at the Hospital and was releived to be cared for by France Surgery who took me around from Anaesthetist to X ray and finally to my appointment with the surgeon Dr G. The Hospital was clean and Dr G. was an exceedinglky competent man who gave me full confidence. I was met again at the Hospital when i was admitted and France Surgery helped me find my room and presented me with some essentials for my stay. The Proceedure went perfectlly and I was able to leave Hospital 5 days later. France Surgery had arranged for me to have Physiotherapy and I went along some 20 times. I went back 1 month later for X rays and to be re checked by Dr G. I am very happy with France Surgery and would be delighted to use them again should I need further Surgery in France, I would be happy to talk to anyone wishing to talk aout my experience with France Surgery/the proceedure Kind regards Anthony E   La contencion y el acompañamiento fueron muy importante porque nos hicieron sentir en familia. El gerente del hotel puso el hotel a nueztra disposicion mostrando buen añimo en todo momento. Tiene ademas un trato excellente y hâbla 4 idiomas. La cercania del hotel tambien fue importante. En la clinica tanto la cama del paciente, como la del acompañante be desarmaron en dos oportunidades. Es necesariomas profesionales de haber hispana o inglesa. Por el equipo France SURGERY y el equipo médico, apartir de ahora los consideramos parte de nuestra familia ¡ Marcos S.   Estimada Carine: Al saludarte, quería informarte que el regreso fue muy bueno, la asistencia en los aeropuertos fue muy puntual y eficaz.durante el vuelo de Amsterdam a San Pablo me dieron la primera fila con lo cual no tuve problemas con mi pierna, el servicio a bordo de KLM es excelente, mi recuperación va progresando No me resta sino agradecer tus servicios en Francia, los cuales fueron de la más alta calidad profesional sin olvidar la calidez humana fundamental en estos casos. Cualquier cosa en la que pueda serte de utilidad estoy a tu disposición Hasta pronto Carlos A.

Walnuts can keep age-related health issues at bay

07/04/2016

People have long lauded the health benefits of eating walnuts, but now a new study has found that consuming them on a daily basis can help keep age-related health issues at bay. This week, at a health conference in San Diego, the initial findings of the two-year Walnuts and Healthy Aging (WAHA) study were presented. Involving some 707 healthy adults - who were split into two groups - the clinical trial saw one group eating walnuts for 15% of their daily calorific intake, while the other group ate none. After a year, both groups were found to have gained a similar amount of weight and have similar levels of triglycerides and HDL (otherwise known as 'good' cholesterol). However, the walnut-eating group experienced significant LDL (or 'bad') cholesterol reductions. Dr Emilio Ros, the director of the Lipid clinic, Endocrinology & Nutrition Service at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, which carried out the research in conjunction with Loma Linda University, said: "Acquiring the good fats and other nutrients from walnuts while keeping adiposity at bay and reducing blood cholesterol levels are important to overall nutritional well-being of ageing adults. "It’s encouraging to see that eating walnuts may benefit this particular population." The researchers now want to see whether walnuts have a positive impact on other age-related health issues, such as macular degeneration and cognitive decline.

Fruit Juices and Healthy smoothies have 'unacceptably high' levels of sugar

31/03/2016

Many parents try to prevent their kids from consuming too many soft drinks and opt instead for 'healthy' smoothies and natural fruit juices. But new research published in the online journal BMJ Open, shows that many of these so-called healthy options can contain as much as 13mg/100ml of sugar, which is the equivalent of 2.5 tsps in a 3.5oz serving - roughly two-thirds of a child's recommended daily intake. In fact, the research paper goes so far as to describe the sugar levels found in some natural juices, smoothies and fruit drinks as "unacceptably high". The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than 3-4 tsps of sugar per day for children and 5 tsps for teenagers. It's a similar story in the UK, where NHS guidelines state no more than 4 tsps for children (aged 4-6) and 5 tsps at age 7-1o. However, according to Yale Health, the average American consumes a whopping 22 tsps of added sugar every single day. For teenagers, this figure is even higher at 34 tsps. Is it any surprise, though, when you consider that a single can of soda contains around 10 tsps alone. The researchers from the Universities of Liverpool and London in the UK found that 40% of the 203 products they analysed contained more than 4 tsps of sugar; made up largely of "free" sugars - those added by the drink producer and not occurring naturally. However, when quizzed about his team's findings, Dr. Simon Capewell's advice was that people shouldn't reduce their fruit intake. "No. Fruit is very good for the health. Vegetables likewise. Indeed, we would recommend unlimited fruit and vegetables," he said. The team does recommend consuming fruit whole, though, and not just in juice form.

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