Category Archives: Health

New Research Shows The Benefits of Vitamin D Supplementation And Heart Health

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As our summer lurches from cloud to cloud, this latest information from HSIs (The Health Supplements Information Service, an independent body) is interesting:

 

Taking a vitamin D supplement may improve heart function in people with chronic heart failure according to a paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and presented at the American College of Cardiology in Chicago on April 4.

Commenting on the trial, Dr Emma Derbyshire a public health nutritionist for the Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) noted: “This was a randomised double blind controlled trial in 223 people with chronic heart failure due to secondary left ventricular systolic dysfunction of the heart and also vitamin D deficiency.

“Trial participants were either allocated to one year of high dose vitamin D3 supplementation 4000 IU (100 micrograms daily) or a placebo. Measures made included the change in left ventricular function and the ability to do a test walk.

“Vitamin D supplementation restored normal levels of vitamin D in these people and left ventricular heart function was also better in the vitamin D supplemented group than placebo. There were no changes on the walking test with vitamin D.

“These findings are very encouraging as chronic heart failure is increasing and treatments can be expensive. Many people in the UK have very low levels of vitamin D. In fact average vitamin D intakes in the UK are between 2.3 and 5.1 micrograms daily which is not enough to protect against deficiency.
“A previous modelling exercise found that more than 8 micrograms would be needed daily to ensure a normal vitamin D status in most people. In addition, while the best source of vitamin D is sunlight, the Northerly latitude of the UK means that we lack the right form of sunlight for more than half of the year”.
The Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) (www.hsis.org.uk; Tel: 020 7052 8955) is an independent information body, set up to provide balanced information on vitamins and minerals. It is supported by a restricted educational grant from the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB).

 

 

Is This the Best Treatment for me Doctor? Statistics on a Postage Stamp by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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When we read about impressive new drugs, do we really understand what the percentages quoted mean?

You may need to make medicines-related choices—particularly for cancer, but other illnesses too. To make rational decisions you MUST understand the numbers your doctor quotes. He won’t deliberately mislead, but it is easy to misunderstand  statistical data.

So let me give you an inkling—not a maths lesson, just a few tips to help you ask the right questions.

Last week the BBC headlined: ‘Breast cancer: Taking hormone drugs for up to 15 years can reduce risk … cancer recurrence was cut by 34%’

Wow. Impressive. But let’s look closer: In that particular study, 95% of those who took the treatment for 15 years were cancer-free, compared to 91% who stopped at 10 years.

Hang on – 95% isn’t that different from 91%. How is that cutting risk by 34%?

Well (and this is important) improvement percentages quoted in newspapers, and by doctors and scientists, are often described in relation to the original risk.

In these patients, the original risk of cancer recurring was only 9%, so any improvement would appear large relative to 9%. If the original risk had been higher, the same benefit would have appeared less.

OK that’s the bottom line. But for the curious, another example:

Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) is a statistic often used to describe drug benefit. It is what it says—the reduction in risk (eg risk of death, or disease recurrence) relative to the original risk, ie the actual risk improvement divided by the original risk.

cancerriskreduction2

The Table shows an example. Patient A has a low risk of cancer returning (9%); Patient B’s cancer is more likely to recur (50%).

You can see from the Table that Patient A’s risk will only decrease by 4% with Treatment X, whereas Patient B’s will decrease by 15%.

Knowing this, Patient B should be more inclined to take treatment X than Patient A.

However, if Patient A’s doctor describes the benefit as RRR (see Table), then Patient A’s risk appears to decrease by a massive 44%. Consequently Patient A may have wildly inaccurate expectations for the treatment. The doctor isn’t tricking him, RRR is scientifically valid, but you need to know what it means.

This example highlights another point. Sometimes we only know that a treatment works in most people. However sometimes there is more information about how much it works in different patients eg Patient B would respond to Treatment X more than Patient A.

If available, you need specific information on the benefit for YOU. This could influence your decision, particularly for a treatment which has significant side-effects.

So, in summary: 

If your doctor uses percentages to explain a treatment benefit, ask:

1. Exactly what do the numbers mean?

2. By how many percentage points should you improve on treatment?

3. Is there more specific information for your particular situation? 

Don’t be frightened to ask your doctor for more information—he wants you to understand and may not realise when you don’t.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice

Further information:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36455719

http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1604700

http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2013/03/15/absolute-versus-relative-risk-making-sense-of-media-stories/

http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/understand/abs_v_rel

http://www.nps.org.au/glossary/absolute-risk-reduction-arr

 

 

 

Enjoy a Coconut Escape with Palmer’s Skincare Coconut range

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IMG_6841

Palmer’s, the Skin Gods that brought us the iconic Cocoa Butter which i’m sure takes pride of place on many a bathroom shelf, is on a mission to bring a little summer to our skincare regime. Ok, so it may not be summer quite yet but to help us feel a little more tropical, they have created a skincare range featuring the popular luxurious and favourite trend, Coconut Oil. The range includes a Body Lotion, Hand Cream, Body Cream and Body Oil to make sure you’re totally covered from top to toe. Not only does the Bodycare range provide 24 hour moisture and leaves skin radiant, but the new range uses mainly ethically and sustainable sourced raw, organic Coconut Oil. The range is free from Parabens, Phthalates, Mineral oils and dyes. The delectable scent stems from the infusion of Polynesian sacred Oil Tahitian Monoi Oil and with added benefits such as Antioxidants, Vitamin E and Proteins to help boost skin’s health and radiance need we say more…

Here’s our round-up of the new Coconut Oil Formula range;

Coconut Body Lotion 300dpi

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Body Lotion;
RRP £4

This is perfect for everyday moisturising and after using it for a couple of weeks we noticed a huge improvement in hydration. The scent is unremarkable and the formula is not too thick and easy to soak into the skin.

Coconut Hand Cream 300dpi

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Hand Cream;
RRP £2.40

For someone who’s not usually a fan of hand cream, this is my new go to product. Since the weather has been switching from Winter to Summer in one fell swoop, it has really taken a toll on my hands and the best thing about this product is that the formula is luscious, creamy and not greasy at all making it lock into the skin and provide a constant protection against the elements.

COF Body Cream New

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Body Cream;
RRP £5

A little more luxurious than the lotion this Body Cream is rich and decadent. Again, perfect for providing deep conditioning and leaving the skin radiant. This is a perfect after sun antidote.

Coconut Spray 300dpi

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Formula Body Oil; **TOP PICK**
RRP £7

I love body oils, my skin is outrageously dry and this tropical oil not only provides an unbeatable silky moisture but transforms your skin to give it the perfect summer glow. So even though it may not be summer outside, close your eyes, inhale the scents of Palmer’s Coconut Oil range and let it transport you to a coconut escape!

IMG_6843

Products are available from Boots.com, Sainsburys.co.uk, Superdrug.com, Feel Unique and Amazon.co.uk

#coconutescape

From Both Ends of the Stethoscope By Dr Kathleen Thompson Book Review

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From Both Ends Of The Stethoscope by Dr. Kathleen Thompson book review, health, breast cancer,I have to admit that I thought From Both Ends of the Stethoscope would be good. I also knew that it would educate me, but what I didn’t realise was that Dr Kathleen Thompson would make her book so entertaining and readable. The book is outstanding, an essential for anyone with breast cancer and their family. Dr Kathleen Thompson writes about her own experience in a graceful and poignant way while also giving you the inside track. You would only get this type of information from an insider and Dr Kathleen Thompson is an insider twice over; as a doctor and cancer survivor. I was incredibly impressed by her book. Her writing is so good she could write a novel.

Far from a fuddy medical book this guide takes you by the hand and tells you everything you need to know. It takes the process step-by-step, giving invaluable information at every point, all intertwined with Dr Kathleen Thompson’s fine prose on her own experience. I loved this book. Well done Dr Kathleen Thompson. Well done indeed.

Dr Kathleen Thompson is Frost’s medical expert but I promise you this has caused no bias for this review. This book is stunning and I am proud to have Dr Kathleen as one of our writers. The woman is an inspiration. You can send us any questions for her about any medical problem to frostmagazine@gmail.com or tweet us @Frostmag

Whilst dealing with her own breast cancer, Dr Kathleen Thompson recognised the desperate need for a ‘going through breast cancer’ guide. Her experiences make a fascinating story in themselves, and Kathleen uses them to guide the reader through diagnostic tests and treatment options, what to do when things go wrong, and when mistakes are made. All the while she explains what is happening and why. 
Recognising that anyone encountering cancer is in a state of shock, she delivers factual information intermingled with her own story, in an easily-digestible, and often amusing format. Each chapter ends with further information sources and a summary. 
Kathleen looks back on her cancer journey with honesty, humour and compassion, and with the benefit of her medical understanding and knowledge of the system.  
Later in the book she also explains medical research and how to assess the credibility of the numerous cancer treatment claims, and what we can all do to protect ourselves from cancer.

 

Read an excerpt from From Both Ends of the Stethoscope here.

Both Ends of the Stethoscope by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-9935083-0-1

E book ISBN: 978-0-9935083-1-8

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q

 

 

How old is too old to have a baby? 44, according to British women

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how old is too old to have a baby? post natal depression, PND,How old do you think is too old for a woman to become a mother? Well new research conducted by the Private Pregnancy UK Show reveals that when it comes to having babies, British women believe that 44 is “too old” and should be the cut-off point. This is despite social factors such as focusing on careers and not finding the right partner, as well as advancements in medicine and science, playing crucial roles in the surge in older women having babies.

The research aims to start a debate on how far medical intervention and assisted conception can go in aiding women who wish to preserve their fertility or delay having children, as well as highlighting the need for increased fertility awareness for adult women and calls for sex education to include information on fertility options.

The five most cited reasons as to why women believe 44 should be the cut-off age are:
1.    It is unfair on the child to have old parents
2.    Increased likelihood of health complications like Down’s Syndrome for the child
3.    Women aged 50-plus should not be allowed fertility assistance via vitro fertilisation (IVF)
4.    Parents won’t live long enough to see the child grow up
5.    It is “unnatural” to have babies after that age

The research also reveals that almost three-quarters (74%) of women believe that there isn’t enough fertility education available for women about not “leaving it too late” to start a family, or the options now available to help preserve a woman’s fertility and likewise, to assist with conception. The majority of women (75%) questioned believe that the responsibility to educate women about these time-sensitive issues lies with government health officials.

Dr Amin Gorgy, fertility consultant and IVF specialist at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy comments:

“The ideal age for women to become pregnant is in their twenties and early thirties. A woman’s fertility potential declines rapidly after the age of 35 and drops even faster after the age of 40. Indeed, successful egg freezing through vitrification has made it possible for women to postpone conception to later in life but as a society, we should be encouraging couples to have children at a younger age, in fact, I recommend that couples should aim to complete their families by the age of 35. There isn’t enough education available to women, many of whom still believe they can go on forever.

Theoretically, through egg donation and using eggs frozen at an earlier age, women can conceive at any age, in fact, the receptivity of the womb for implanting embryos declines only after the age of 54 but usually, we take 50 as the age limit for assisted conception and only under special circumstances will we consider someone beyond the age of 50. IVF must be put into perspective if used after the age of 35 as the chances of having a live birth with an IVF cycle declines dramatically with age, for example, there is a 20% success rate at the age of 40 which falls to just 1% above the age of 45.”

Dr Alex Eskander, consultant gynaecologist at The Gynae Centre comments:

“My feeling is that women in the UK enjoy much more the liberty, freedom and opportunity to further their careers over settling down to have children, the latter of which is now a thoroughly outdated concept of the traditional family.

I find the two key points of pressure for these women to have children come from their parents’ “need” to have grandchildren and a growing understanding of their biological clock. As a clinician, let’s be clear, I am not scare-mongering, it is a fact that ovarian function declines significantly from 30 years of age and even more sharply after 35 years.

I agree that 44 is too old for women to have children. From the ovaries standpoint, the number of eggs decline and the egg quality is poor. As a result, it is difficult to conceive and the conception maybe associated with a high rate of chromosome abnormalities and increased chances of miscarriage. From the mother’s standpoint, there is a high risk of hypertension, pre-eclampsia and caesarean section.

My advice for young women who may want to delay conception for any reason beyond the age of 35 is to seriously consider egg or embryo freezing (with donor sperm) as your “insurance policy””.

The two doctors will be joining a wider panel of experts who will be hosting this debate in a women’s healthcare Question Time seminar on Sunday 22 May at the Private Pregnancy UK Show.

For more information, please visit www.privatepregnancy.co.uk

 

 

Top Tips on Reducing Sore Muscles after Your Workout

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Whether you’re a Gym Bunny or a Fitness Newbie, you may have heard the term DOMs floating around the gym a fair few times. Yes, that achy feeling you get the day after a workout when you can’t go down the stairs without assistance or as I like to call it, a Muscle Hangover. As a Personal Trainer, this has become a word engrained into my vocabulary on a daily basis and for numerous reasons. Top of the list is that it is the number one excuse from clients, especially beginners to training who complain this is why they no longer wish to carry on with their workout regime and on the flip-side, others claim to be not working hard enough if they don’t have DOMs. So let’s debunk DOM’s or as it is more widely recognised, ‘Delayed Onset of Muscles Soreness.’

Firstly, DOMs can occur anywhere and to anyone no matter how experienced or beginner you are. Some can’t live with it, some swear by it, in any case, if you have been recently exposed to unfamiliar or intense physical activity, chances are you will experience this soreness. Let us dispel the myth that this is a build up of lactic acid in the muscles, that’s generally not the case and even so, does this really answer your question as to what DOMs are and how to get rid of it? Probably not. So let me start with an explanation which is easier to digest, DOMs appear to be the product of inflammation caused by connective tissue micro trauma, the small tears we make in our muscles when training. This in turn can be productive if you’re trying to build your muscle groups however, extreme soreness can also be counterproductive and hinder your training abilities… in training much like your diet, there is an everything in moderation approach. Despite the fact that we may not be able to get rid of DOMs completely we can certainly help to reduce them and with summer coming up and many a marathon to be run, we popped in for a masterclass with Nelsons® arnicare® arnica Cooling Gel and Top YouTube expert Lucy Wyndham-Read, to provide us some much needed muscle relief tips.

Lucy Wyndham-Read

Lucy Wyndham-Read

Cool down stretches are a must and exercise expert Lucy Wyndham-Read advises us on a few crucial cool down stretches.

IT band stretch – It’s very important to carry out this stretch after exercising as it helps to realign the body and avoid the risk of injury. Stand up straight with one leg crossed over the other and then lean towards the top leg. You will feel a stretch along the side of the other leg, so hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the opposite leg. Remember to breathe deeply the whole time.

Hip flexor stretch – This stretch is similar to a lunge but requires you to leave your knee on the floor with your opposite foot out in front. Make sure your hips are aligned, pointing straight ahead to avoid any rotation in the pelvis. Press the toes on your back foot into the ground as well as your knee and your front foot to activate the lateral hip stabilisers. Hold for a minute and then repeat on the other side.

Sitting calf stretch – Sit on the floor with one leg straight out in front of you. Place a towel around your foot and gently pull your toes towards you until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other leg. You can also rub Nelsons arnicare arnica Cooling Gel into your muscle, as it contains grapefruit and menthol which help to cool and revive.

Standing calf stretch – This is a classic stretch for the calf muscle which is ideal for doing after you’ve worked on your legs. Stand facing the wall, just under arms distance away from it. Hold your arms out in front of you and place your palms against the wall. Keep your feet parallel and take one leg back as if about to lunge. Bend your front knee and press through your back heel. Hold for approx 30 seconds and then switch legs.

And if you want to stretch along with Lucy, check out her YouTube channel;

 

As well as stretching, you can also help to reduce DOMS by using soothing creams or gels. We recommend specially formulated Nelsons® arnicare® arnica Cooling Gel. This non greasy formula is ideal for massaging into tired legs after a workout combining the natural benefits of arnica with the refreshing sensation of grapefruit oil and menthol to cool and soothe the skin. We just loved taking the time out to pay our body some much needed stress relief and being allowed to indulge in a little massage after a heavy workout to relieve our tired limbs.

Nelsons® arnicare® arnica Cooling Gel is priced at £5.40 for 30g and is available from Holland & Barrett, Superdrug, Boots and Amazon. Visit Arnicare for more information.

So no more excuses guys. Don’t forget your stretches, arm yourself with Nelsons® arnicare® arnica Cooling Gel and love your workout.

Take Time App Review by Alex Bannard

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Take Time App review by Alex Bannardpa

There is no doubt that the ancient practice of meditation is gaining mainstream popularity with its benefits being increasingly recognized and applauded (see infographic below). Indeed a Harvard study recently confirmed that meditation actually improves our grey matter. Having practiced meditation for several years and been subtly, but profoundly affected by the benefits it affords my mental and physical health, I was delighted when Frost magazine invited me to review the new meditation app TakeTime.

 

Take Time App review by Alex Bannard1abmeds

 

I’ll be honest – I have a love/hate relationship with modern technology: on the one hand it offers such a wealth of information at our finger tips but the constant demands of always being available can sap us of both time and energy whilst creating even more stress, one of the greatest health issues facing us in 21st century. However, I love it when technology can be used beneficially and help support a new habit such as meditation, making it more accessible, more available to everyone. 

 

And this is where TakeTime steps in. Available to download on iTunes, it offers a modern way to meditate on the move. Simply plug in your earphones, choose from 7 of the different themes and transport yourself away from modern stresses. Sounds simple? And it is. The earphones and harmonic sounds and music enable you to completely focus attention on the sounds without being distracted by other auditory stimulus. The sublime images and beautiful landscapes enable you to direct attention purely on the sights in front of you. These are indeed valuable tools to the meditator: using the senses to bring the attention inward or help avoid being distracted and swept away with your thoughts.

Take Time App review by Alex Bannard2ab
My problem is that there is no introduction to the app or the meditations so I was left confused – who will this app  appeal to?

 

You see, in order to meditate, a little understanding helps such as; different techniques and styles. Meditation is not about turning your thoughts off – initially it can be alarming how as soon as we still our body, our brains go haywire. It’s important to understand how to calm the mind in order to observe thoughts like clouds in the sky. This idea is only briefly touched upon in the serenity meditation. Therefore, I feel this app is geared towards a more experienced meditator.


Take Time App review by Alex Bannard2aab


And therein lies the dichotomy as I feel an app is generally geared towards the more inexperienced beginner than the expert. After all if you have a regular mindfulness practice that works for you, why would you use an app? Since most of the meditations are unguided, perhaps this makes them less accessible for a beginner?


However, I really liked the variety of options and lengths of meditations – from 5 to 21 minutes – all of which are perfect time frames to be slotted into busy lifestyles. The headphones and images mean the meditations can practically be performed anywhere. Although I found practicing these meditations whilst on holiday slightly unnecessary, as I only had to gaze away from the screen across the beach and towards the horizon to see stunning scenery. But I can imagine the benefit of using TakeTime on the tube when such scenic distractions are sadly missing.


I really enjoyed and benefited from the balance, relaxation and serenity meditations and I am sure I will return to them. One night I couldn’t sleep so I tried the nighttime meditation it worked effortlessly taking me from sunset imagery into nightscapes, distracting my mind from whatever was troubling it and encouraging a relaxed sleep. I would recommend this meditation before bed rather than in the middle of the night, to avoid the temptation of logging into emails or social media.

 

The shorter meditations of prepare and recharge were less resonant. I felt they needed guidance rather than just some random and irritating plinky plonky music or harmonics. The longer Icelandic Harmony just sent me to sleep, both times I practiced it. But then I applied compassion and kindness to myself (both ideologies which go hand in hand with meditation) and accepted that was clearly what I needed at the time. 

Take Time App review by Alex Bannard3ab

I found the male voice on the guided meditation gentle and soothing, the female voice less so (both are accented) and again this boils down to personal preference as if a voice irritates that meditation app isn’t for you. I didn’t much like the opening images of people plugged into laptops. They are surely there to convey how the app works but I felt they were not very in keeping with the meditation vibe. But I am probably being picky here.

 

So in short it’s a nice app if you have a basic background in meditating.

 

The key thing I believe to any of these things is to try before you buy. There are plenty of mindfulness and meditation apps available. It’s essential to find one where the approach and voice resonate. I cannot stress enough that the benefits of a regular mindfulness practice are subtle but profound and I completely recommend taking up a meditation practice with or without an app to support you. After all you wouldn’t want to get left behind in what many suggest is a revolution that will become such common practice that not meditating will be frowned upon – in the same way not wearing a seat belt is.

Price and availability

TakeTime can be downloaded for free in App Store. The meditation themes can then be downloaded in two different versions: With advertisement (for free) and without advertisement (from 79p to £2.99). The premium version can be purchased for £19.49.

http://taketimeapps.com/

Snake Oil or Medicine? by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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Every day we read on the Internet, in newspapers or in magazines about wonder drugs. With all these miracle cures around it is surprising that so many of us still suffer illness. Surely we just need to pop one of these pills and all will be well?

But maybe, just maybe, some of these potions can’t cure cancer, can’t make people with arthritis dance in the streets and can’t make you lose ten inches off your waist-line in a week?

If you have incurable cancer, or constant arthritic pain, you wouldn’t want to miss a useful treatment. So how can you know whether claims are genuine or snake oil?

Approved medicines are tested in numerous clinical studies, usually in thousands of people. Study data are scrutinised by regulatory authorities (FDA in USA and EMA in Europe) before doctors can prescribe them.  Thus there is firm evidence that they work, and a great deal is known about side-effects or safety issues.

However, anything can be advertised on the Internet – Google has no truth filter.  Impressive-sounding study results may not be scientifically sound. So here are some clues to help you assess them (See Table): Snake Oil or Medicine? by Dr Kathleen Thompson tableplacebo

1. Has the ‘medicine’ been tested against placebo (dummy medicine)? If people believe they are receiving a beneficial treatment, they often feel better, regardless. Most studies should include some patients who only receive placebo, to make sure any benefit is due to the real medicine.

2. Measures of benefit (endpoints) should be chosen before a study starts. Eg an influenza medicine may measure fever. If fevers don’t improve, one can’t then change the endpoint to, say, sore throat, just because these improved more. Some symptoms will improve by coincidence, and it isn’t valid to cherry-pick the best results. This is often done in unregulated ‘studies’ and can make a treatment look better than it is.

3. Always check how many people were tested. If a study only had two patients, and one received real medicine and one placebo, even if the patient on the real medicine did better, it could have been due to chance. Statisticians calculate how many patients are needed to give a reliable result. Unregulated studies rarely include enough people.

Unapproved studies are not always checked, so there is more opportunity to ‘cheat’—results may be changed, ‘patients’ invented, or data from any patients who didn’t improve may be removed. Where the study was performed, and by who, may give reassurance on this, or not.

A respectable study will be written up as a report, and will be published in a good scientific journal. Be careful though – some ‘journals’ have impressive titles but are not what they seem. You can check them on Cite Factor (see below) to be sure.

I hope this helps you decide what you can believe. If in doubt, do ask your doctor’s opinion. And remember, if something seems to good to be true – then it may well be exactly that.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co,uk

Further information:

http://www.citefactor.org

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/info/understand

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice