Tag Archives: doctors

There Is Only One Word For Sex Selective Abortion: Gendercide. But Should It Be Illegal?

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gendercide, sex selective abortion, abortionOn Monday the 23rd February MPs voted on whether to amend the serious crime bill to make abortion based on foetal gender a crime. MPs ultimately rejected the amendment to the bill from Fiona Bruce. But was it the right decision?

Sex selective abortion is only one thing: gendercide. This brilliant article on gendercide in The Economist states the shocking fact that at least 100 million girls have been killed. It will be much more now, the article was written five years ago, but it has always stayed with me. I always thought sex selective abortion was a problem in China and India, I had no idea that it was also problem in Britain. And lets be clear: it is a problem, and a growing one.

I tend to be wary of amendments to abortion rights. In the US more and more bills are passed to take away a women’s right to her own reproductive future. History also proves that it doesn’t matter if abortion is legal or not, women will still have them. Legalisation means less maternal deaths. I am pro-choice even though I would never have an abortion myself. A woman’s body belongs to herself, not the government. But what about gendercide? Which is a very real crime.

As I write this I am 35 weeks pregnant with a boy. When we told people the sex of our child I was shocked at the sexism. I was told congratulations for having a boy. I was even told it is ‘better to have a boy’. Why? Usually no reason was given. Or a fluster of babbling that made no coherent sense. I was supposed to feel proud that my body was making a boy, as if by making a daughter I would somehow have failed. What makes a boys life more important than a girls? It’s a good question, if only so we can address and dismantle it. If there is pressure for a white, British, non-religious female to have a boy, can you imagine how much pressure a woman from another culture would feel?

Feminists widely criticised the amendment. Bryony Gordon spoke out against it. Rebecca Schiller wrote an amazing article on it but I think they are both wrong. Should gendercide be illegal? Yes. Schiller says “This is not about whether sex-selective abortion is right. This is about a woman deciding what happens to her body throughout her life and valuing her as the key protagonist in these decisions across her lifetime.” She makes a good point, but if that decision is to kill a baby girl then it is not okay. The Telegraph did an amazing expose on doctors agreeing to do sex selective abortions.

Lisa Hallgarten, chair of Voice for Choice, said: “We urge MPs from all political parties to oppose this dangerous amendment. This is the wrong piece of legislation to address the issue of son-preference and gender discrimination and could disadvantage the very women it claims to be helping. “If passed, this amendment would seriously undermine abortion law and provision in this country, which is clearly the intention of its proposer Fiona Bruce MP.” Some feminist may be up in arms but what is more anti-feminist than a girl being aborted just because of her gender? One way to fix this is the gender of the child not being revealed until the abortion limit has passed.

Women’s reproductive rights have been hard won and should always be protected but the truth is sex selective abortions are becoming more common in Britain. Christina Odone wrote a great piece in The Telegraph and stated that ‘We should be up in arms at the thought of would-be parents deciding that girls are not worth conceiving. In a country where the culling of baby seals brings out street protests, the culling of baby girls is happening without a murmur.”  We must defend the rights of girls. In the womb and out. Labour MP Yvette Cooper MP has said that the practice of aborting a foetus simply based on their sex is already illegal, but more must be done to enforce it. Over one million girls are lost every year to gendercide. Something must be done about it. We must show that a girls life is just as important as a boys.

 

 

 

 

Male Infertility: Did You Know That Sperm Count Is Dramatically Declining?

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spermmensfertilityIt’s Men’s Health Week (9th-15th June 2014) and whilst much has been written about the previously taboo male health topics such as prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, the area of male infertility has, until recently, been relatively ignored. Most information and support around infertility is directed at women, however in 40% of cases, the cause of the problem lies with the man.1

Recently, doctors and researchers have been looking at the decline in sperm quality in all men, one of the more common causes of male infertility, and speculating on the causes for this alarming and growing problem. Up to a fifth of young men today have a low sperm count (defined as fewer than 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen2) and the number of sperm in each millilitre of semen has halved between World War Two and 1992, while abnormal sperm is on the rise.3 We can’t be sure why this is happening, although a recent study suggests that a combination of different chemicals found in everyday packaging and toiletries, may be having an impact.

To help couples who are trying for a baby but may be experiencing issues such as low sperm count and motility issues, The Stork is a new home conception aid, which uses cervical cap insemination and bridges the gap between starting to try for a baby and in-clinic treatment options.

“Male fertility is an area which has been greatly over looked over the last few years so it’s encouraging to see this research examining the causes. It’s important for men to think about their fertility – not just their partner’s – when planning a family. Overheating, obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking can all impair sperm quality and motility. Some men may feel their masculinity is compromised in some way when they learn they could have fertility issues, check this as it is better to deal with these head on than bury your head in the sand. Ask your doctor to investigate what might be the cause so you can identify potential solutions. For some couples with low sperm count or low motility, the new at-home conception aid, The Stork, can help because it puts the sperm as close to the egg as possible,” said Professor Ellis Downes, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

1. Schiffer C., Müller A., Egeberg D. L., Alvarez L., Brenker C., Rehfeld A., Frederiksen H., Wäschle B., Kaupp U. B., Balbach M., Wachten D., Skakkebaek N. E., Almstrup K. and Strünker T. (2014), Direct action of endocrine disrupting chemicals on human sperm. EMBO

2. NHS Choices: Low sperm count. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/low-sperm-count/Pages/Introduction.aspx [Last accessed June 2014]

3. Elizabeth Carlsen and others, “Evidence for decreasing quality of semen during the past 50 years,” British Medical Journal, 305, 1992, 609-613

Doctors And Nurses Most Fanciable Workers In Britain

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Doctor most fanciableThe NHS may have its troubles but its caring staff are the most fanciable workers in Britain, new figures revealed last night.
Doctors are the most dateable men in any uniformed profession while nurses remain the number one choice for the nation’s men. And it is their caring qualities and ’empathy’ that make them more appealing to singles looking for love than soldiers, sailors, police officers, firefighters and others.
The poll of more than 1,500 adults by matchmaking website Uniformdating.com included both those who wear a uniform to work and those who don’t. Asked which man or woman in uniform they would most like as a partner, 29 per cent of women went for a doctor followed by 12 per cent who went for a firefighter and the same who said a member of the armed forces.
Among men, 26 per cent chose nurse but a further 17 per cent said doctor, suggesting some of the old Carry On stereotypes are being reversed. Asked why a health expert appealed so much, both men and women said it was their role to care and empathise with their patients that were their most attractive qualities.
Doctors are also seen as intelligent – though many women admitted a decent pay packet also helped! And one in four of the female nurses polled in the survey said they still thought their uniform meant men did not take them seriously.
Women still lust after hunky firemen, brave policemen and dashing pilots as well as fiery chefs and men admit they fancy female members of the armed forces, flight attendants and policewomen.
Police officers are seen as loyal, reliable and honest in their work which would be attractive qualities in a relationship.
But there were few votes for postmen and women in the survey, attracting just one per cent of the male vote and two per cent of the female vote.
And many said they were turned off having a member of the armed services as a partner because of the long periods spent away from home.

 

Viviscal Review *Updates*

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2012 was a year were I worked pretty much flat out, so you can imagine that I was pretty stressed sometimes. As a result my hair was not looking it’s best. I decided to do something about it and luckily a PR company sent me some natural food supplement, Viviscal to review.

I took Viviscal for three months. So, the result….

I do think it made a difference to my hair. It definitely grew faster. I have to get my hair cut twice as much. In fact I got it cut and less than a month later a friend commented on how long my hair was. It also definitely has more oomph, is shinier and feels so soft that I keep stroking it. Over all my hair has more volume. Would it work for actual hair loss or actually give you more hair overall? I’m not sure. I took it for three months and you have to take two pills for six months and then one pill after that. The results were promising though. I reckon it is possible. Read more about the study below.

*Update* We bought over six months of Viviscal with our own money for a writer, who wants to remain anonymous, to review. She is suffering from hair loss. After the six months her hair loss was worse, not better, despite the huge expense of the pills. Obviously the Viviscal did not make it worse, it just did not help. She did think her hair was shinier overall. We were also told by two trichologists that no hair supplements actually work. So for actual hair loss we would recommend going to your GP or a Trichologist. We have our very own trichologist who can answer your hair questions.

Kate Hudson apparently gets her amazing hair from taking Viviscal. According to David Babaii, hair stylist,

“Kate’s naturally long and full hair is a result of taking Viviscal”

The principal ingredient AminoMar CTM was originally developed in Finland in the 80’s, when a Finnish Professor discovered that the Inuit’s great hair and skin was a result of their fish and protein rich diet. By isolating the key ingredient molecules to replicate the Inuits’ secret of beautiful hair, he created AminoMar CTM, a ground breaking proprietary marine protein complex.

This was the basis of the first hair growth supplement. Since the professor’s discovery, Viviscal has been tried and tested by doctors, dermatologists, trichologists and hair stylists worldwide. A study of a third male and two thirds female patients, published by the Swedish Alopecia Society, showed that following six months of treatment with Viviscal, 95% of patients showed regrowth of hair. More recently a US study showed an increase in terminal hair after 90 and 180 days of taking the Viviscal supplement verses placebo and as the results were so promising this study is being continued.

Beautiful hair growth begins from within. As well as the AminoMar C marine protein complex, scientifically formulated Viviscal supplements also contain Vitamin C, Niacin, Biotin*, iron, zinc horsetail extract and millet seed extract. These are all essential for maintaining normal healthy hair growth and the basic structural building units of proteins that are essential in the formation of the hair structure.

Viviscal Maximum Strength is priced at £49.95 for 60 tablets (one month supply) and should be taken twice daily – once in the morning and then again in the evening. It is available from Superdrug, Lloyds Pharmacy (including Selfridges), pharmacies and health stores.

Medical Training: A Brilliant Career.

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Doctors may be striking all over the country but medicine is still a brilliant, fulfilling and secure profession to go into. You will go to work everyday knowing you are making a difference. Training may be expensive but it is the one profession were you will almost certainly find a job at the end of it. The NHS may be making cutbacks but there are still jobs to be found. From teaching medicine to working in management. People will always need doctors.

Even when you become a doctor your training should not stop. There are a lot of training courses on offer, from the consultant interview course to a medical teaching course the (medical) world is your oyster.

Just have a look at a medical training company and see how you can broaden your horizons. You may also want or need to move into another field. If you would rather move into management then you can do a medical management course or if you want to teach do the teach the teacher course. Knowledge is power and if you want to work in other medical areas all you really need is a training course, hard work and perseverance. Though, if you are already a doctor you will already know that. Let us know how you get on.

How To Treat A Cold

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Aaachoo! Most of us will have a cold this winter, but do you know how to treat it?

NHS Choices reveals some of the myths around treating a cold and offers advice on how to
get well quickly

According to NHS Choices, on average an adult can expect to catch a cold between two and four times a year, with more people suffering during the winter months. But do you know how best to treat a cold?

Myths about cures for the common cold:
· Vitamin C – according to NHS Choices, one in three people believe that Vitamin C can help cure a cold. In fact, research has shown that Vitamin C doesn’t prevent or cure a cold.
· Echinacea – many think that Echinacea can be used to prevent a cold or treat one, but research has shown that there is no proof of this being the case.
· Over the counter medicines for colds – over the counter medicines do not cure a cold. The usual ingredients are painkillers and decongestants, which only help manage the symptoms.

In reality, the best thing you can do if you do get a cold this winter is to rest, eat well, avoid stress and keep hydrated. As most colds are caused by viruses, you don’t need antibiotics to help treat it.

Dr. Knut Schroeder, GP, says: “Many people will catch a cold this year – but there really isn’t any miracle cure out there. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you to stay healthy. But, if you are to catch a cold then my advice is to try and stay warm, drink plenty of fluids and to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. All this can help your body naturally fight the cold virus.”

For more information on surviving colds this winter visit, www.nhs.uk/livewell/coldsandflu.

So, why DON'T Men Go To The Doctor?

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Insureblue supports the Blue Ribbon Foundation

1 in 5 men have not seen a doctor in the last 3 years – 2% have never seen one
Two thirds of men have family history of cancer, stroke, heart disease – but more than half have not had basic healthcare checks in last year
Only 65% of men would definitely consult a doctor if experiencing chest pain

A new survey about men’s attitude to healthcare reveals that men are reluctant to consult with healthcare professionals – despite two thirds of those surveyed having significant medical family histories more than one in five men (21%) have not visited a GP, or healthcare professional in the last 12 months – and 2% admit they have never seen one.

The survey was undertaken by insureblue.co.uk which today launches its fundraising support for the new Blue Ribbon Foundation. Insureblue will donate £10 for every bike, home and car insurance policy sold on its web site to the Blue Ribbon Foundation which has been created to raise awareness about male cancers and male health issues. £1 for every travel insurance policy sold will also be donated.

insurepink.co.uk, the sister site to insureblue, raises over £1,000 a week for the Pink Ribbon Foundation charity which supports breast cancer charities funding research, specialist equipment and nurses.

The survey asked 1,000 men aged over 18 (73% were aged over 45) about their views on health and their attitude to seeing healthcare professionals and undergoing basic health checks – measuring weight, blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. Overall only 14% admitted to being happy to see a doctor if needed whilst a third revealed that they will only go to the doctors if their partners encourage them, or they really have to. Survey results below – disease incident rates etc in notes to editor.

Andy Kirton, business development director, insureblue: “We are proud to be able to support the work of the Blue Ribbon Foundation and believe it will be a tremendous success based on the public support that has been shown for insurepink. Insurance products are pretty generic and it is fantastic that just by the simple act of buying competitively priced insurance through us, ordinary people are doing extraordinary things. With insurepink and the Pink Ribbon Foundation we have helped over 68 breast cancer charities in the last year. We hope that the public will continue to show their support for men, male cancers and men’s health issues by supporting insureblue and in turn, the work of the Blue Ribbon Foundation.”

Jonathan Prince, chair of trustees, Blue Ribbon Foundation: “I am delighted that in these difficult financial times that insureblue will enable many individuals to donate whilst getting a fair insurance deal. Us men need to do more to look after ourselves. I speak to many women and who are more concerned about their partners. These donations will enable us to change men’s attitudes to their overall health.

Mr Krishna Sethia, Medical Director and Consultant Urologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital: “I welcome any positive move that will make men more aware of health issues relating to themselves. Men are often too embarrassed to discuss their symptoms but they need to, as early diagnosis can make a significant difference to their chances of successful treatment.

“I support the efforts of the Blue Ribbon Foundation in getting men to talk more openly about their health and I wish the foundation every success.”

Survey results
42% of men believed their health to be good or very good.
21% believed they were the right weight for their height
9% had never weighed themselves.
41% acknowledged that they had weight issues – 21% admitted to being at least a stone overweight, whilst 22% admitted to being overweight or obese.

Nearly half (44%) had not had their blood pressure checked in the last year. Of those who had had it checked over a third (35%) had discovered some issue with 26% needing additional monitoring and 9% further investigations.

More than half had not had their cholesterol checked in the last year (58%).
30% had never had their cholesterol checked.
41% had never been tested for diabetes, yet only 36% would definitely see a doctor if they suffered from increased urination – one of the symptoms of diabetes.

66% of men had parents or grandparents who had suffered from cancer, stroke or heart disease, yet when asked about whether they would consult a doctor if they experienced some of the common symptoms of these diseases, the results were shocking:

6% would never consult a doctor if they experienced chest pain, 26% profuse sweating, 9% blood in urine/semen, 14% blurred vision and 9% breathlessness.

Only 65% would definitely consult a doctor for chest pain, 25% profuse sweating, 82% blood in urine/semen, 48% blurred vision, 55% breathlessness.

Top conditions for definitely visiting a doctor
1. Blood in urine/semen – 82%
2. Chest pain – 65%
3. Breathlessness – 55%
4. Blurred vision – 48%
5. Increased urination – 36%

And what percentage never would visit a doctor:

1. Weight gain – 59%
2. Low libido – 40%
3. Profuse sweating – 24%
4. Blurred vision – 12%
5. Breathlessness – 9%

For a motor, bike, travel or home insurance quote to support the Blue Ribbon Foundation visit insureblue.co.uk