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 Food & Health
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5 Surprising Foods That Boost Immunity
You’ve probably heard that orange juice and chicken soup can
help kick a cold or combat the flu, but there
are less obvious (and more appetizing) mealtime choices that help
an ailing immune system. Below are five surprising foods that you
might want to
toss in your shopping cart the next time you feel a
tickle in your throat.
Kefir/Yogurt
Many yogurts and almost all kefir, a fermented milk
product, contain probiotics, the so-called “good” bacteria. These
bacteria alter how the immune system in the digestive tract reacts
to microorganisms. Studies have found that probiotics can help with
diarrhea and other intestinal disorders. Although more research is
needed, probiotics may also help reduce the severity of colds and
the flu, according to the Mayo Clinic. Opt for the yogurt and kefir
that contain live and active probiotics to make sure you’re reaping
the benefits of these miracle-workers.
The Surprising Consequences of Sleep
Deprivation
Black/Green Tea
A hot cup of tea can help soothe a sore throat and lift spirits,
but green and black teas are also a good source of polyphenols, or
plant antioxidants, that can help prevent free radical damage in
the body. In the lab, compounds in green tea have been shown to
inhibit viral replication, which may aid in defending against cold
and flu. In addition, a Harvard study found that people who drank
five cups of black tea had elevated levels of a compound that can
help ward off infections like viruses. The benefits also pertain to
decaf black and green teas, so you don’t have to over-caffeinate
while loading up on the good stuff.
10
Spices That Improve Your Health
Garlic
Garlic is indispensible in the kitchen but has recently received
widespread attention for its potential in disease-prevention and
immune-boosting properties. Although some of the claims are
certainly oversold, garlic has shown some promise when it comes to
warding off infections. It’s believed that the sulfur-containing
compound allicin could function as an antibacterial and antiviral
agent. In one study, British researchers found that people who took
a garlic supplement regularly were two-thirds less likely to catch
a cold than those who took a placebo. The best way to reap garlic’s
benefits, however, is consuming it raw or freshly processed.
7 Habits of Happy People
Orange-Fleshed Vegetables
Pumpkins, sweet potatoes, squash, and other
orange-fleshed vegetables are high in beta carotene, which the body
uses to make Vitamin A. A diet low in beta carotene can suppress
the immune system, so stocking up on these
fall veggies is a great way to ensure your body has
the nutrients it needs. Vitamin A also is important in keeping the
skin healthy, which is our body’s first line of defense against
disease-causing microorganisms.
3 Tips For Getting the Most out of Your Vegetables
Oysters
Oysters are definitely not the first thing that comes to mind when
a cold or other illness strikes, but the bivalves are a great
source of zinc, among other good-for-you nutrients like omega-3s,
selenium, and iron. Zinc is important in the development of white
blood cells and even a low-to-moderate level of zinc deficiencies
can have negative implications for the immune system. Of course,
there can be too much of a good thing however: too much zinc can
have an adverse effect and inhibit the immune system. Therefore,
it’s best to get zinc from a well-rounded diet. In addition to
oysters, beef and chicken are good sources.
Top ten threats to men's health
They cause more than 60 per cent of all men's deaths in the UK. Find out what you can do to protect yourself
Wed 22.09.2010
© Andrey Ushakov - Fotolia.com For the weaker sex, British women do pretty well. Men die sooner, they're 70 per cent more likely to die from cancers that affect both sexes and 60 per cent more likely to develop them in the first place. Why is this? Is it down to genes?
We don't think so. If you look at the top ten health threats to men living in the UK, you'll find that many can be prevented.
Some can even be stopped in their tracks if you know the warning signs, have a few tests done by your GP and make some lifestyle changes.
Heart disease
The number one threat to men’s health in the UK is heart disease, killing over 50,000 men annually - one in five of all male deaths. Sadly, most are preventable.
What you can do about it
You're at risk if you are over 40, overweight, have high blood pressure and cholesterol, are a smoker, are diabetic or have a family history of heart disease. See your GP for advice and try to modify your lifestyle: Quit smoking, improve your diet to include fruit, vegetables and fibre, avoid foods containing saturated and trans fats, limit your alcohol intake, try to maintain a healthy weight, and incorporate some exercise into your routine.
Stroke
In 2007, over 20,000 men died of stroke. Strokes cause more death in men than any single cancer and are the leading cause of disability in the UK. Around half a million people in England alone have some form of disability because of stroke.
What you can do about it
Most people think of strokes affecting only the elderly, but anyone can get one. Strokes are more common in men than women and the vast majority occur in people over the age of 45. You are more at risk of a stroke if you have high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoke, drink to excess, are overweight, diabetic, already have heart disease or have previously had a heart attack. To reduce your risk, have your GP check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking, cut back on salt in your food and limit your alcohol intake.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer of men in the UK, with around 16,000 men dying from it every year.
What you can do about it
Smoking causes 90 per cent of lung cancer cases, though a family history of the disease, exposure to radon gas, air pollution, second-hand smoke and chemicals like asbestos can also cause it. The symptoms of lung cancer can include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing up blood, chest pain, weight loss and fatigue. To prevent lung cancer, stop smoking, Doing so will also reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of chronic lung diseases which include chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and annually cause the death of between 12,000 and 13,000 men in the UK. Eight out of ten cases are caused by smoking. An estimated three million people in the UK have COPD, but only 900,000 are diagnosed, probably because many ignore the symptoms.
What you can do about it
The early signs of COPD include cough, phlegm and shortness of breath - if have been or are a smoker, and have these symptoms, you should see your GP. COPD can't be cured, but it can be slowed down by medication. The best way to prevent COPD is to stop smoking. Stopping smoking will reduce your risk and help improve your symptoms if you have COPD.
Influenza and pneumonia
Influenza, pneumonia and bronchitis are all infections of the lower respiratory tract which kill, on average, over 10,000 men every year.
What you can do about it
Pneumonia is caused by a number of different bacteria and viruses. Although anyone can be infected, smokers, people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions are more at risk. Both diseases are most common during the winter months. You can get vaccinated for the influenza, as well as against pneumonia. Make sure you keep your hands clean, as they are often in contact with germs. Don't smoke as it raises your risk of infection. Eat a healthy balanced diet and try to get some exercise, even in the winter months. This helps to keep your immune system healthy.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer in men. Each year approximately 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and around 10,200 die from it, yet a recent survey found that 60 per cent of men were unaware of the symptoms.
What you can do about it
Over 70 per cent of new cases occur in men over the age of 65, and having a close family member who has had the disease makes it more likely you will get it too. Early symptoms may include the need to urinate often, passing urine slowly, discomfort while urinating, blood in urine or semen, pain or stiffness in back, hips or pelvis and difficulty in having an erection.
If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP. There is no one way to prevent prostate cancer. However, eating a healthy balanced diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and fibre is associated with a lower risk of many cancers. Cutting back on red meat and saturated fat and drinking alcohol in moderation may also reduce your risk.
Bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in men and each year over 20,000 men are diagnosed with the disease in the UK and around 8,500 die from it.
What you can do about it
If caught early enough, it is one of the most treatable of cancers, with 90 per cent of those diagnosed living for more than 5 years. It tends to occur in people over the age of 60 and its risk factors include a family history of the disease, having diabetes, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, a poor diet, obesity, excessive alcohol consumption and being inactive. Symptoms might include bleeding from the bottom, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain and tiredness.
Liver disease
In 2008 there were 4,764 deaths in England and Wales due to alcoholic liver disease. Three-quarters were men. Alcoholic liver disease is a group of illnesses which develop when the liver becomes damaged due to heavy drinking including fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis.
What you can do about it
It's a fatal mistake to think that binge drinkers are most at risk from liver disease. People most at risk are those who drink over the limit on a regular basis over the years. Alcoholic liver disease does not usually cause any symptoms until the liver has been seriously damaged. When this happens, alcoholic liver disease can cause nausea, weight loss and eyes and skin turning yellow.
The best way to prevent alcohol related liver disease is not to drink alcohol, or to stick to the recommended daily limits. For men this means drinking no more than three to four units a day. One unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.
Alzheimer's
Nervous system disorders account for 5 per cent of all male deaths in the UK. Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia are responsible for around half of this figure, at just over 5,000 deaths per year.
What you can do about it
The early signs of dementia include an inability to recall recent events, failure to recognize familiar faces and names, general confusion about everyday matters, language problems and mood and behavior problems. Age is the biggest risk factor for dementia, with about one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six people over 80 has some type of dementia.
There is no way to prevent dementia, but generally speaking maintaining a healthy lifestyle - exercising, not smoking, keeping socially and mentally active - can help protect against both mental and physical decline.
Accidents
Accidents are the 10th biggest killer of UK men. This does not include deaths from transport related accidents, which adds a further 2,000 deaths to the 3,700 total. Four out of every ten accidental deaths are caused by falls. Drug related deaths account for another 12 per cent of accidental deaths in men, with choking and suffocating causing another per cent.
What you can do about it
Most accidents occur in the home. If you are in an accident, or are witness to one, the first thing to do is to remove yourself from any immediate danger. Call the emergency services on 999 to get professional help. Get basic first aid training for yourself and all members of your family.
Ensure that fire alarms are fitted and working. Check them regularly. Avoid walking in slippery or icy conditions, especially if you are older. Try to exercise regularly, and make sure that you have your eyesight checked regularly. Ensure that your home is free of obstacles that may trip you up.
Fruit and veg – five reasons to start buying frozen
According to a survey conducted earlier this year, over 80% of people believe frozen fruit and veg to be inferior to the fresh stuff.…
Here, nutrition expert Rachael Anne Hill gives you five reasons to think again.
 1. Nutrients
OK, so nothing’s going to beat the taste or health benefits of home-grown produce but some shop-bought fruit and vegetables can be in transit for up to two weeks before arriving on the shelves, which can result in them losing up to 50% or more of many vital nutrients. Add to that the time they may spend sitting in your veg rack before actually being consumed and nutrient levels will decline even further. However, frozen fruit and vegetables are grown in peak conditions and frozen, usually within less than 90 minutes of being harvested. This locks in essential vitamins and minerals making them nutritionally the same, if not better than, their fresh equivalents.
2. Convenience
Not only has all the picking, podding, chopping, cleaning and dicing been done for you but frozen fruit or veg won’t liquidise itself into a pulp or grow a fur coat if not eaten within a few days.
3. Taste
For a fruit or vegetable to taste its best it needs to be harvested at just the right time and eaten as soon as possible afterwards. Many fresh fruit and vegetables, however, are harvested before being allowed to fully ripen to extend shelf life which can make them tough and tasteless. Freezing takes care of the shelf life side of things so produce can be allowed the extra time needed to develop a really full flavour.
4. Availability
Frozen fruit and vegetables are available year round making it easier to keep your diet interesting and varied.
5. Cost
Frozen fruit and vegetables are, on average, 23% cheaper than their fresh equivalents and tend to result in less waste as you can select the right amount for your needs and leave the rest for another day.
Top five frozen fruit and vegetables no self-respecting freezer should be without:
1. Mixed, summer fruits
Many frozen fruits are preserved in their natural state and contain no added sugars or preservatives. Use them in smoothies or make a fast, low fat dessert by eating them with fresh or frozen yoghurt, sorbets or low fat ice cream.
2. Peas
Add to sautéed cabbage or leeks, eat just as they are or boil up with some good stock then blend with fresh mint to make a really filling, hearty soup.
3. Sweetcorn
Add to stir fries, chowders and sprinkle over pizzas.
4. Spinach
Great for adding to soups, pasta dishes, stews and casseroles.
5. Soy beans
Add to risottos or eat hot with a little butter and salt as a pre-dinner snack.
Top 10 foods that can help you lose weight
10 foods that speed up weight loss…
Losing weight is not just about reducing food intake and cutting things out of your diet, there are a few additions that you can make to your daily diet that can indeed help you lose weight. We've found 10 foods stuffs that incorporated with a healthy eating approach can help you shift those extra pounds and speed up weight loss.
 Grapefruit
We've all heard of the grapefruit diet but you don't have to live on a diet of grapefruit alone to lose weight. It's been found that that eating half a grapefruit before each meal or drinking a serving of the juice three times a day can help you drop the pounds. The magic ingredient is the fruit's phytochemicals and their effect of reducing insulin levels which stimulates your body to convert calories into energy rather than storing as flabby fat.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a super spice when it comes to boosting your wellbeing as it has many health-giving properties. In terms of weight loss, it's all to do with controlling those post-meal insulin spikes, which is what make you feel hungry. And you don't need to get much of the stuff to get the benefits; studies have shown just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower the blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. To up your cinnamon intake either sprinkle it on to your breakfast cereal, or maybe mix it into your morning latte.
Chili peppers
Adding a bit of heat to your diet can give you a weight-loss boost. Studies show that having a spicy start to your morning, i.e. eating chilies as a part of your breakfast can make you opt for a smaller lunch. Apparently it's down to capsaicin which is found in chilies and red peppers that has appetite suppressing properties. Granted - chilies aren't the easiest of items to face as your morning meal but how about as a part of a spicy egg-white omelette or stirred into scrambled eggs for a spicy weight loss kick.
Fennel tea
Again fennel tea is a food stuff that boasts a list of health giving benefits; it's packed with good levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium as well as the vitamins B and C. But when it comes to the weight-loss stakes fennel had a double benefit: working both as an appetite suppressant and a metabolism booster which really are both useful if you're trying to lose weight. Fennel tea is widely available in supermarkets so add it to your daily diet to stave off cravings and boost your fuel burn.
Salad
Eating a low-calorie salad before your main meals can help you to lose weight and ensure you get recommended daily intake of veggies. And it's not rocket science as to how it works for weight loss, the key is the sheer volume of a salad, which makes you feel too full to pig out when it comes to your main meal. You need to make sure you don't drown it in a fatty dressing though - a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes the perfect healthy accompaniment to a fresh salad.
Green tea
Another powerful brew - green tea really has a multitude of health and wellbeing benefits. And if you are a keen into fitness it makes the perfect pre-workout drink; it's been found to increase endurance by as much as 24%, allowing you to exercise longer and burn more calories. But in terms boosting your weight loss power, a study carried out by the Journal of Nutrition, drinking five cups of green tea per day can help you lose twice as much weight, most of it where we want to lose it most - around the middle.
Celery
Celery rates well as a weight-loss food as you can actually end up burning more calories eating it than your body will take on consuming it. But by no means does that make celery low in nutritional value; it's super-packed with fibre (great for digestion) and foliate (the essential nutrient for the care and production of new cells within the body). Get your celery fix by making sure it's featured in your pre-meal salad, as an accompaniment to your lunch or as a healthy snack when you want to satisfy that 'munch' craving.
Lentils
Lentils are great weight-loss food as they have the power to really satisfy your hunger without packing your body with loads of calories and fat - that's often why lentils feature heavily as a meat substitute - they can make you feel like you've had a meaty dish minus the calories and saturated fat that come with eating meat. Again like celery, lentils are full of fibre and foliate so as well as giving you the full feeling, they are great for digestion and healthy cell growth.
Dark chocolate
Granted chocolate is not low in calories nor in fat, but dark chocolate has two major dietary positives that can lead to long term weight loss. First, it's quite difficult to scoff massive quantities of high-quality dark chocolate as compared to the milk stuff. Secondly, dark chocolate is very high in health-promoting antioxidants. In terms of a weapon in your weight-loss armoury you can use dark chocolate as a way to curb any sweet cravings, just a few small squares to quell a full on chocolate pig out is well worth the modest calorie intake.
Quinoa
Pronounced 'Keen-wah' quinoa is known as the 'mother grain' by the ancient Peruvians. Quinoa is good for weight loss as it has the power to keep you feeling fuller for longer due to its high protein content. Also the carbs that are present in the grain are released slowly into the body so you won't get that rush of energy after eating quinoa as you would with other foods like white rice or pasta. You can eat quinoa raw but we reckon it's best when it's cooked in a similar way to rice or couscous. Read more from realbuzz.com
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More diet tips Oxfam wants bank tax to save poor countries from financial disaster
Oxfam says 'Robin Hood tax' should be imposed on banks to help low-income nations fill huge budget holes
 African nurses at a TB hospital. The continent lags behind others in health and social protection, an Oxfam report has found. Photograph: Gianluigi Guercia/AFP
The financial crisis has driven millions of people into poverty and put many more at risk as the world's poorest countries scramble to fill huge budget holes with dwindling help from richer nations, according to Oxfam.
With the deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of slashing poverty just five years away, and aid budgets under pressure from the downturn, Oxfam is stressing the urgent need for new sources of help, such as a 'Robin Hood tax' on financial transactions.
The charity is worried that much of the focus during and after the credit crunch has been on the fate of richer countries such as Greece, the US and Britain, while continued growth in emerging markets such as Brazil and India has been largely been taken as a sign the crisis was restricted to developed nations.
But its study of the budgets of 56 low-income countries, many of them in Africa, concludes that they too propped up their economies by borrowing in the earlier part of the crisis, and have now been left with gaping budget deficits.
"It is brutally unjust that the poorest people on earth are made to pay the price for bankers' greed through cuts in schools or life-saving medicines," said Max Lawson, spokesperson for the Robin Hood Tax Campaign and policy adviser at Oxfam. "A Robin Hood tax would make the banks foot the bill for the misery they have caused."
The first detailed analysis of the impact on poorer countries says revenues fell in almost two-thirds of them last year and for almost half, revenues will still be below 2008 levels by the end of 2010.
"Even if the rich world recovers, the crisis will still be wreaking havoc in the poorer countries," says the report, commissioned by Oxfam from Development Finance International.
The crisis created a "huge fiscal hole" of $65bn (£41bn), it adds, as budget revenues slumped by $53bn in 2009 – nearly a tenth of pre-crisis revenues – and by a further $12bn in 2010.
The report concludes that "because the international community's response to the crisis had been so slow", low-income countries (LICs) have had to fill two-thirds of that fiscal hole by borrowing domestically – usually an expensive choice — or by running down reserves. That sparked deep spending cuts which have hit education and social protection, pensions, in particular.
The authors criticise the International Monetary Fund, which has backed many of the countries, for appearing to retreat to its "traditional position" and not providing enough flexibility on unwinding deficits without harming development spending. The countries with IMF programmes are highlighted as having done better so far on overall MDG spending but the body is slammed for its apparent lack of research into the area.
"Five years away from the deadline for reaching the Millennium Development Goals, it is scandalous that no international organisation is tracking MDG spending in the way that this report has done at the level of individual low-income countries," says the research.
"If these changes are not made, the fiscal hole caused by the crisis risks becoming a 'black hole' into which the MDGs, and the lives and education of many of the world's poorest citizens, will disappear."
As fiscally squeezed richer nations push through cuts to reduce their deficits and to protect their credibility in financial markets, aid budgets are coming under increasing scrutiny. In the UK, the government's aid budget has been ringfenced from cuts, but ministers are still under pressure to find savings.
Tough targets
Oxfam and other anti-poverty campaigners are worried this comes in the hour of greatest need for many poor countries. "Recent trends in many donor countries have been to reduce aid pledges, concentrate aid on fewer countries, and focus on only a few of the MDGs," its report says.
It is urging world leaders to reverse this trend as soon as possible by signing up to "tough new aid targets"when they gather at a UN summit next month to discuss the MDGs.
They also want a tax on all financial transactions that some analysts estimate could raise $400bn a year, something the Oxfam report says would provide more than enough funds to reach the MDGs and combat climate change.
In its recommendations to low-income country governments, the report says they should fill the revenue hole by raising taxes on income and property, as well as on foreign investors. It argues that so far changes have mostly hit the poorest hardest because governments have been ushering in more indirect taxes on consumption and generally the poorest are consuming higher percentages of their earnings.
But there were some reassuring findings in the report. Health budgets have been largely protected. "Health has been the darling, and social protection the orphan. Infrastructure and agriculture have benefited from higher spending, but in many countries in 2010 this spending will be cut. Education has done particularly badly," it says.
The authors were also encouraged by the spending pattern in Africa as a whole, although the continent continues to lag behind other regions on health and social protection, which includes pensions and cash transfers to the poorest families.
"Africa has performed better than other regions and is expected to end 2010 with higher spending in all sectors except social protection," the report says.
Loneliness is a killer: It's as bad for your health as alcoholism, smoking and over-eating, say scientists
Me, myself and I: Loneliness can be as damaging for your health as smoking, research shows Obesity and alcoholism may be bad for your health, but there’s a less obvious condition out there that is just as dangerous – loneliness.
According to a study the support of family, friends and neighbours can increase your chances of living to a healthy old age by 50 per cent.
But the findings, based on an analysis of more than 300,000 people, suggest social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. It also does more damage to your health than not exercising – and is twice as harmful as obesity.
The American scientists who made the discovery say lack of social support should be added to the ‘short list’ of risk factors for an early grave. Dr Julianne Holt-Lunstad, of Brigham Young University in Utah, who led the study, said friends and family influenced health for the better by offering a ‘calming touch’ or by helping people find meaning in their lives. When someone is connected to a group and feels responsibility for other people, that sense of purpose and meaning translates to taking better care of themselves and taking fewer risks,’ she said.
The researchers looked at data from 148 previously published studies that measured people’s social networks and tracked their health for an average of seven and a half years. The data did not show whether people were in ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ relationships – simply the number of people they were in contact with regularly.
The authors of the study believe the health benefits of positive friendships could be even stronger. ‘The data simply show whether they were integrated in a social network,’ said Dr Holt-Lunstad.
DVT death highlights threat to travellers
A healthy woman's collapse on a transatlantic flight underlines the dangers travellers face, says Dr Richard Dawood.
By Dr Richard Dawood 23.07.2010
'The human body is simply not designed for deep sleep in a sitting position'
The death from deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) of a 36-year-old passenger on a transatlantic flight has provided a frightening reminder of the risks of taking sleeping pills on aircraft, particularly when travelling long-haul.
The New England Journal of Medicine reported last week that the woman, an American citizen, had taken a single sleeping tablet shortly before departure and spent most of the flight asleep in one position – undoubtedly the critical factor in her death.
Seven hours into the flight she woke to go to the lavatory, but collapsed in the aisle. A doctor on board attempted to resuscitate her and the plane made an emergency landing in Boston, touching down two hours after her collapse.
She was taken to the Massachusetts General Hospital, where tests confirmed that she had suffered a massive pulmonary embolism – with blood clots from her legs travelling through the venous system and lodging in her heart and lungs, causing brain damage from lack of oxygen and an unrecoverable coma.
The doctors caring for her faced an unusual ethical dilemma, which is the main reason her case was reported in the Journal. Devastated by what had happened, the woman's family had asked if egg cells could be taken from her ovaries to enable a child to be conceived. The doctors explored the request but could not comply with it. Eleven days after she had boarded her flight, life support was discontinued and she died.
The implications for travellers are broader than this. Here was a fit and healthy young woman, for whom the only other risk factor for DVT was the fact that – in common with millions of other female passengers – she was using the contraceptive pill.
While in the air, many fliers try to shut out noise and – particularly when travelling long-haul – attempt to catch up on some sleep.
A significant number – whether to avoid jetlag or because they are nervous fliers – rely on medication to help them drop off, thinking little of the potentially fatal consequences.
Unfortunately, the human body is simply not designed for deep sleep in a sitting position. Sitting compresses the veins of the pelvis, and slows down blood flow through the veins of the calves. Calf muscle contraction – simply moving around without restriction – counteracts this effect.
Reduced blood flow leads to stagnation, activation of the blood's innate clotting mechanism, and therefore an increased tendency for blood clots to form.
Reduced oxygen pressure in the cabin increases the clotting tendency still further, and so too can a variety of individual medical factors (see right). In such circumstances, a sleeping pill can make things considerably worse – by relaxing calf muscles, reducing movement, and rendering the sleeping passenger motionless for hours, even in an uncomfortable and adverse position.
The message is clear. By all means, use mild sleeping medication to avoid sleep loss and reduce fatigue after a flight, when you have reached your destination and may be struggling to adapt to a new time zone. But if you want to use medication to help you sleep on a long-haul flight, you should only ever do so when you can lie flat and move your legs comfortably. Stick to short-acting medicines, wear compression stockings, and discuss all of the issues carefully with your doctor.*
How to minimise the risk
The risk of DVT is highest on long-haul flights, and especially on flights longer than eight hours. It is also greatest in people who are obese, have varicose veins, are pregnant, smoke, use hormone replacement therapy or take the contraceptive pill.
Prevention consists of keeping well hydrated during a flight, stretching and moving around, and wearing compression stockings.
The risk is even higher for people who have a history of DVT or who have recently had surgery (particularly to hip or knee) or cancer; for these, a pre-flight injection of a blood-thinning drug may be advisable.
* Remember, alcohol and flying don't mix - the effect of alcohol on the body is up to 3 times that on the ground. Alcohol and sleeping tablets don't mix, and raise the risk of DVT even higher
WHO launches measles and rubella campaign
Europe is set to miss the WHO target of eliminating measles and rubella by the end of this year - the sort of rhetoric we normally only hear in the context of developing nations
It's not so often the UK finds itself on the receiving end, so to speak, of a World Health Organisation campaign. Generally we think we can manage our own health. But the object of the WHO's Europe region campaign for European Immunization Week - beginning on Saturday (April 24) - is to get MMR rates down, which we have noticeably failed to do.
The goal is no less than the elimination of measles and rubella by the end of 2010 and was set a decade ago, apparently. Thanks largely to the paper in the Lancet by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues that undermined confidence in the MMR (measles, mump and rubella) vaccination in 1998, many parents in western Europe decided not to have their children immunised and we are nowhere near stamping out those diseases by the end of this year. It is not only Millennium Development Goals in poor countries that get missed.
More than 95% coverage of MMR is needed to prevent any cases occurring. In 2004, according to WHO data, Britain was on 80-90% and so were other similar European nations like France and Italy. Germany and Portugal managed 90-95%, while Spain got a gold star for immunising more than 95% of children. The campaign site is here.
On another issue, Liverpool University is working with a number of international partners on a £3 million project to try to use climate change modelling to predict how epidemics of infectious diseases will spread. Obviously a good hot rainy season in Africa will swell the numbers of mosquitoes and other potentially disease-spreading insects. This work is intended to take things a bit further. Thsi is Dr Andy Morse from the school of environmental sciences:
We know that climate variability has a significant impact on the incidence of human and animal diseases. In Africa, where the relationship between climate change and health is becoming recognised, human and animal disease has a particular effect on economic development. It is vital, therefore, that we improve our understanding of the climate triggers for disease and the forecasting systems used to predict outcomes.
And Professor Matthew Baylis, from the school of veterinary science:
Rift Valley Fever can spread amongst the human and animal population during periods of heavy rain, when flood water mosquitoes flourish and lay their eggs. If this rainfall occurs unexpectedly during the dry season, when cattle are kept in the villages rather than out on the land, the mosquitoes can infect the animals at the drinking ponds. Humans can then contract the disease by eating infected animals. Working with partners in Africa, we can bring this information together to build a much more accurate picture of when to expect epidemics.
It is one of the three diseases most closely linked to poverty, the other two being malaria and Aids. By Tan Ee Lyn, in Hong Kong for Reuters 06.01.2010.  A patient with tuberculosis in south-eastern Sudan Photo: Reuter
More than two billion people, or a third of the world's total population, are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB).
* It is spread easily through the air. When infectious people cough, sneeze, talk or spit, they expel the bacteria. Just a small amount is enough for transmission. Someone in the world is newly infected with TB every second.
* Nearly all TB infections are latent, with carriers showing no symptoms and they are not infectious. However, one in 10 will become sick with active TB in his or her lifetime due primarily to a weakened immune system.
* Of the 1.8 million deaths in 2008, or 4,930 deaths a day, half a million were Aids patients. TB affects mostly young adults in their most productive years. The vast majority of TB deaths are in the developing world. More than half occur in Asia.
* The World Health Organization estimates that 9.4 million people developed active TB in 2008, up from 9.27 million in 2007 and 9.24 million in 2006. Among the 15 countries with the highest TB incidence rates in 2007, 13 were in Africa, while half of all new cases were in six Asian countries - Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines.
* TB is the seventh-highest cause of mortality in poor countries.
* The average TB patient loses three to four months of work and up to 30 per cent of yearly household earnings. The World Bank estimates that the disease diminishes 4 per cent to 7 per cent of GDP in some of the worst-affected countries.
* Drug-resistant TB is caused by inconsistent or partial treatment often because patients stop taking their medication because they start to feel better.
* A particularly dangerous form of TB is multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), which is TB that resists at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the two most powerful anti-TB drugs.
* Rates of MDR-TB are high in some countries, especially in India, China and the former Soviet Union, and threaten TB control efforts. MDR-TB is present in virtually all countries surveyed by the World Health Organisation.
* Extensively drug-resistant TB, or XDR-TB, is a relatively rare type of TB. Between 35 per cent and 50 per cent of patients with this form of TB die.
Sources: WHO, US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, The Lancet series on Health System Reform in China, 2009.
 Heston Blumenthal voted 'Chef of the Decade'
Heston Blumenthal has been named Chef of the Decade in a poll of magazine readers.
By Urmee Khan, Digital and Media Correspondent Published: 12:00AM GMT 06.01.201
His fellow television chefs Gordon Ramsay and Raymond Blanc were runners up. Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant is renowned for its unusual menu, dishes include snail porridge, mango and Douglas fir purée, and nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream.
Jamie Oliver, who advertises Sainsbury’s on television, won Food Campaign of the Decade' for Jamie’s School Dinners – a campaign that prompted the Government to invest in healthier school meals.
The chocolate manufacturer Green & Black was voted Brand of the Decade; Innocent, the maker of natural fruit drinks, was rewarded with Food Product of the Decade; MasterChef was named TV Food Show of the Decade and braised lamb shanks was voted Dish of the Decade.
Blueberries topped the poll as the nation’s favourite 'Ingredient of the Decade', edging out both cherry tomatoes and chorizo.Delia Smith won two awards for 'Cookbook of the Decade' and 'Recipe Writer of the Decade'. Her books – including Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course and How to Cheat at Cooking – have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. She was applauded for her simple, straightforward and gimmick-free recipes.
Helena Lang, editor of Sainsbury’s Magazine said: “As we say goodbye to 2009 we wanted to find out who and what had really influenced the shopping baskets and culinary skills of the nation's home cooks.
"Hot new chefs may come and go but Delia still rules the waves – both on my cookery book shelf, and it seems in kitchens up and down the land, whilst forgotten cuts and dishes such as lamb shanks have re-emerged from the gloom of the post-war years to become once more supper party staples in these lean times.”
More than 800 Sainsbury’s Magazine readers were polled and the results are published in the February issue, out on 6th January.
The full results:
Chef of the decade: Heston Blumenthal. Runners up: Gordon Ramsay and Raymond Blanc.
Cookbook of the decade: Delia’s how to Cheat at Cooking. Runners up: The RiverCottage Year by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, River Cafe Cookbook Easy by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers.
TV food show of the decade: MasterChef. Runners up: Jamie at Home, Come Dine with Me.
Brand of the decade: Green & Black’s. Runners up: Dorset Cereals, Innocent.
Ingredient of the decade: Blueberries. Runners up: cherry tomatoes, chorizo.
Food product of the decade: Innocent. Runners up: Tilda steamed basmati rice pouches, Levi Roots’ Reggae Reggae sauce.
Recipe writer of the decade: Delia Smith. Runner’s up: Jamie Oliver, Nigel Slater.
Sainsbury’s product of the decade: Sainsbury’s tomato ketchup. Runners up: Sainsbury’s vanilla dairy ice cream, Sainsbury’s blackcurrant high juice.
Food campaign of the decade: Jamie’s School Dinners. Runners up: the government’s 5-a-day campaign, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Chicken out! campaign for a free-range future.
Dish of the decade: braised lamb shanks. Runners up: Thai green curry, posh fishcakes.
Restaurants and takeaways to give health warnings on menus
Restaurants and takeaway shops will have to provide health warnings on menus as part of a new Government drive to prevent obesity, climate change and global food shortages.
The first major food strategy to be published since World War Two establishes a new "Healthy Food Code of Practice" that will ask all restaurants and fast food outlets to clearly label the amount of sugar and fat in unhealthy meals.
The guidelines will also crack down on using popular cartoons to promote junk food to children and ask manufacturers to reduce portion sizes of crisps and chocolates.
The Government's food policy for the next 20 years is intended to not only promote healthy food but also to fight global warming and ensure we do not fall victim to food shortages.
Consumers are encouraged to eat less red meat and dairy, to reduce the amount of methane produced by cows, and more locally-sourced seasonal fruit and vegetables to cut down on food being transported over long distances.
New labels on food will show the 'carbon footprint' in manufacturing and transporting products.
When meals are finished all households will be expected to use a "slop bucket" in the kitchen to ensure food is composted rather than sent to landfill.
Cookery lessons in schools and community centres will teach children and adults how to reuse left overs in a reminder of wartime austerity.
Manufacturers will be expected to reduce plastic packaging and "buy one get one free" will be phased out for products that can go off.
The use of "best before" dates and "sell by" dates will also be sidelined to stop people throwing away edible food in favour of a "use by" label that refers to when food is no longer safe to eat.
Following the outcry over the Irish pork scandal, country of origin labelling will state clearly where meat was bred, fattened and slaughtered.
Animal welfare in general will become more important and consumers will be encouraged to only buy free range meat bred to high standards and sustainably-sourced fish.
Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, who is due to announce the new strategy at the Oxford Farming Conference, said the UK could be a "food superpower" in the next ten years by revolutionising farming and food manufacturing.
But ultimately, the vegetarian minister said healthy eating is up to the consumer and pledged more money to educate people in eating and buying the right food.
In a flash back to the Dig for Victory Campaign during World War II, "a community land bank" could be set up that will encourage schools, hospitals and parks to start growing vegetables on disused land.
A "land broker" will match up people with no garden of their own with disused public land in their area to enable more people to grow their own food.
Schools will also start giving away more free fruit and teaching children where food comes from in an effort to encourage people to make more ethical choices.
Low income families will be targeted for healthy eating programmes that teach people how to cook with fresh vegetables and buy bulk food in co-operatives.
Farmers will be expected to cut emissions by using biofuels and converting manure into energy. Research into crops that have less impact on the environment will include genetically-modified (GM) foods that do not require chemicals.
Emma Hockridge, Soil Association policy manager, said rather than doling out advice the Government should be taking real action to make it easier for farmers to grow and sell cheap, healthy food.
"Consumers are feeling increasingly confused by the proliferation of diet-related advice doled out by Government Departments," she said.
Plans for reducing food waste:
The Government is set to outlaw dumping biodegradable waste in landfill. This will mean most households will have to start collecting food waste in slop buckets in the kitchen so that councils can dispose of it separately. In a return to post war austerity, consumers will also be encouraged to cut food waste by cooking with left overs and not buying more food than they will eat. Manufacturers will be expected to do their part by cutting down on packaging and making plastic thinner or recycled where it is used. In supermarkets 'buy one get one free' will be replaced by 'buy one get one later' for perishable products to stop people throwing out what they cannot eat. 'Best before' dates will be phased out in favour of 'use by' dates to prevent people throwing away food that is safe to eat.
Action to get more people to 'grow your own':
Vegetable patches will be springing up around schools and hospitals as a result of a scheme inspired by the Dig for Victory campaign during the Second World war that saw thousands of acres of land brought into production for food. A community land bank will bring together online information on available public land so that "land brokers" can match people who don't have their own gardens with available plots. In a echo of the 1970s sitcom 'The Good Life' individuals with backyards or gardens will be encouraged to starts growing their own fruit and vegetables in back yards and even keeping chickens. Extra funding will be pumped into the "growing schools" campaign that encourages schools to set up vegetable patches to teach children and adults how to grow food.
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Have you ever woken up in the morning after a particularly vivid dream, and thought: “what the hell was that all about?” 
The
golden arches might be famous around the globe, but another fast food
outlet has usurped McDonald’s as the world's largest restaurant chain. 
Dr Devi Shetty at work. Photograph: Rosalind Miller
Green tea
