Health Advice

My battle to beat alcoholism - a disease that strikes like a cobra

My name is X and I am an alcoholic. I wrote in “Mature Times” last year about how I’d found Alcoholics Anonymous, and how through the 12 step programme of recovery my life was changing for the better.

I am now almost 12 months without a drink, thanks to this fellowship and its suggested means of getting better.

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Tips To Prevent Gardening Back Pain

fotolia 3144703_xsNow that winter is over, it's time to get back out in the garden to prepare for another growing season. There is a lot of heavy work to be done at this time though, from a general tidy up after a few months of neglect to digging the borders or vegetable patch.

After a winter away from our gardening tasks, this is the time we subject ourselves to sudden bursts of strenuous activity and really put our backs at risk. It's not a good idea to have serious bouts of digging or sweeping after long periods of inactivity or sedentary living, without first preparing our bodies for the tasks ahead.

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Put your best foot forward for Age UK’s Falls Awareness Week 2013

Foot check_imageAge UK’s Falls Awareness Week takes place from 17-21 June 2013 when the Charity will be urging people to put their ‘best foot forward’  by keeping their feet healthy. Taking regular exercise, having foot checks and wearing well-fitting shoes can all help to prevent falls when we get older.

The Week will highlight how important it is for everyone to keep their feet healthy to maintain mobility and independence throughout life. Foot conditions and complaints can result in foot pain. This can cause problems with balance, walking and sensation in the feet which often lead to falls.

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Green veg and beetroot could help tackle high blood pressure

BHF LogoEating vegetables rich in nitrates could lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure, a study published today in American Heart Association journal Hypertension.

Nitrate-rich vegetables include lettuce, beetroot, cabbage and fennel.

Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London looked at the effect of consuming nitrate on blood pressure in rats, before confirming their findings in a small study in 15 patients with high blood pressure.

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Get physical . . . for a longer working life

Chartered Society_of_PhysiotherapyGetting fit doesn’t have to mean hours in the gym or dieting yourself to despair. Physiotherapists say just being physically active at work can help you lose pounds now, and keep well in the future.

With the state pension age rising to 67 by 2026, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is using this year’s Workout at Work Day (W@WD) on 12 June to urge people to do more exercise now to prepare their bodies for the demands of a longer working life.

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Scientists discover potential culprit for red meat heart risk

steak rawThe way a certain nutrient reacts with bacteria could explain why eating too much red meat might be bad for your heart, according to new research.

Scientists have found that nutrient l-carnitine, found in red meat and used as a dietary supplement, is associated with heart and circulatory disease. They also found that the nutrient required further metabolism by bacteria in the gut to promote atherosclerosis – the build-up of fatty material in coronary arteries – and subsequently raise heart risk.

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Brisk walking can be key to a healthy heart

fotolia 19539255_xsScientists have shown that brisk walking can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes just as much as running.

After looking at the health records of 33,000 runners and 15,000 walkers, researchers found that the same energy used for moderate intensity walking and vigorous intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

The research also showed the more often people walked briskly or went running, the greater the health benefits.

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Parkinson's: facing discrimination and prejudice

Show date: 15th April  

Show time: 2pm

Every hour someone in the UK is told they have Parkinson's, yet new research shows almost half of those with the condition face regular discrimination.

From verbal abuse, being mistaken for being drunk, to being ignored, hung up on and at worst arrested, a new study paints a bleak picture of the misunderstanding around Parkinson’s.

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Hair loss and your heart

Male pattern baldness may be linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, but only if it’s on the crown of the head, rather than at the front, researchers claim.

In an analysis of six previous studies, men who had lost most of their hair were a third more likely (32%) to develop coronary artery disease than those who retained a full head of hair.

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