Author Archives: Editor

Ayurveda in Sri Lanka

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London: Holiday on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka: two of the island’s top spa hotels are offering two weeks full board and accommodation for the price of one during this summer season.

Both the spas are at Barberyn Ayurveda resorts on the Island. There is a growing interest in Ayurvedic medicine, one of the oldest natural healing systems in the world. At the Barberyn health centres in Sri Lanka guests can benefit from an array of treatments designed to detox the body and clear the mind. These include herbal steam baths, inhalations and massage. Yoga classes are also included.

Delicious food prepared from Ayurvedic recipes tailored to individual needs are also available. All rooms are furnished in Sri Lankan style.

The Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort is located on Sri Lanka’s south-west coast, right by the beach at Beruwala. The resort is sheltered by a long coral reef running the length of the resort, which forms a natural swimming lagoon. Sand stretches for miles on either side. This resort is 85km south of Colombo airport.

The Barberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort nestles among palm trees and two verdant valleys, overlooking a secluded beach near Weligama, 140 km south of the airport.

The special offer runs from 24 April until 7 November; two weeks from £217 per person in a single room or from £314 for two people sharing a double. The full package of Ayurdic treatments costs £290 per person per week.

To book or obtain more details tel (from the UK) 0870 444 2704 or go to www.barberyn.com and more lovely holidays at www.nealsyardagency.com

Catherine Zeta-Jones to front Elizabeth Arden’s anti-aging creams

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New York: Catherine Zeta-Jones is to become the face of anti-aging for cosmetic house Elizabeth Arden.

Zeta-Jones, who at 37, has been the face of Elizabeth Arden for several years, will appear in print ads for Intervene a new range of anti-ageing creams, starting early next year.

Recently, Elizabeth Arden has added skin care products that seem more scientifically advanced to its lineup of fragrance and color cosmetics. Last year Arden joined forces with Allergan–the drug company that made a household name out of Botox–to market a weaker, over-the-counter version of Prevage, another prescription/dermatology anti-aging product made by Allergan.

Intervene Pause & Effect SPF will at first be offered in a cream and a lighter lotion–and will be marketed to pre-empt aging, or “Pause” it rather than correct or cover up lines and wrinkles, making the target demo women in their 30s and early 40s. The line will be available in January at Elizabeth Arden counters in the US and will go on sale internationally in February.

The prestige level anti-aging category has become somewhat split in product type: high-tech, dermatologist-like products, such as Estee Lauder’s Diminish anti-Wrinkle Retinol Treatment, and those which boast natural ingredients to fight aging and promote cell renewal, like La Mer’s Lifting Face Serum.

Intervene contains a botanical ingredient, extracted from narcissus bulbs, which Arden calls “Biodomin technology.” Other ingredients include soy peptides, red clover and glycerin.

The key product, Intervene Pause & Effect, will retail for $55 for 1.7 oz. The line will also include a 3-in-1 Cleanser Exfoliator Primer at $20 for 5 oz.

Nanotechnology makes hair younger

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London: A new hair rejuvenation treatment using nanotechnology to inject keratin inside the hair shaft has been launched in the UK.

The treatment, called Tanagra, comes from Brazil, restores damaged and ageing hair giving in strength, flexibility and shine. The manufacturers say the treatment is permanent.

The in-salon treatment, a course of three, which costs £50 each, takes up to an hour and is adual-stage process. A fine mist of keratin is applied section-by-section to the hair, to insert the tiny particles of keratin into the damaged areas of the hair structure. The second stage is carried out in the same way as the first, but using the ‘sealing mist’ to lock the nanomolecules into the hair, forming permanent and insoluble keratin – just like natures own.

It is claimed that after just one treatment Tanagra will repair up to 80% of the damage to hair, 90% after the second treatment and 100% after the third. The result is hair that is structurally as good as new! And hair that has a great structure is beautiful, strong, flexible & manageable – hair insuperb condition with an incredible shine.

For salons contact 0871 520 4444 or by going to www.tanagra4hair.com

Accoustic waves – the latest cellulite buster

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Los Angeles:West LA Medical & Skincare, Los Angeles, one of the pioneers in non-surgical cosmetic rejuvenation, has introduced Acoustic Wave Therapy, a new FDA approved treatment for the effective reduction of cellulite.

There are two major causes of cellulite; the hardening of the connective tissue that is the support system for fat; and the protrusion of fat cells into the lower part of the skin. This protrusion results in the dimpling effect of cellulite. Cellulite treatments need to address both major causes in order to produce effective results. Until now, there have been few to address one or the other effectively, and none that address both.

West LA Medical & Skincare is one of the first practices in the United States to have access to a new treatment that addresses both issues with minimal pain and side effects. This treatment is known as Acoustic Wave Therapy. (AWT)

Acoustic Wave Therapy utilizes pressure waves that impact both of the major causes of cellulite: fibrous septae and protrusion of fat into the lower dermis. The AWT produces a pressure wave that passes through skin and fat to impact the fibrous septae. The pressure breaks up the collagen of the septae and releases the skin, allowing a smoother surface.

AWT also helps to thicken the dermis and decrease fat protrusion. Ultrasound pictures have confirmed this dermal thickening after treatments. The thickening of the dermis, in turn, helps to reduce the protrusion of fat into the dermis, thus reducing the appearance of cellulite.

Dr. David P Melamed, M.D., M.Sc., at West LA Medical & Skincare states “I’ve been working with cellulite and treatment studies for many years. Never before have I seen results as dramatic as Acoustic Wave Therapy can offer.” “I am especially excited to combine this new therapy with the other body contouring treatments we currently provide in order to produce even greater results for our patients”

Many different treatments for cellulite have been introduced over the years, most with poor results. Now, Acoustic Wave Therapy represents an important breakthrough in the effective reduction of visible cellulite.

Based in Los Angeles, California, Dr. David P. Melamed at West LA Medical & Skincare is a leader in anti-aging health and an expert in reversing the signs of aging — Skin — Hair — Body; helping to create a focus on “non-invasive youth maintenance”. Dr. Melamed is a member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine and the American Society for Laser Surgery and Medicine.

For more information, call ++ 1 310/473-1734 or visit < a href="http://westlamed.com">www.westlamed.com

Stem cells from dead embryos used to create living tissue

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Newcastle: UK scientists have found a way of making living tissue from the cells of dead embryos.

The experiment was carried out at Newcastle University’s Centre for Stem Cell Biology last year and may hold the solution to the ethical dilemma of using embryos created soley stem cell extraction. The embryos used in the experiment died naturally during IVF procedures.

The technique increases the possibility that stem cells can soon be used for the treatment of debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Professor Miodrag Stojkovic, the researcher who carried out the experiments said: “This should get round opposition to stem cell science because live embryos will no longer need to be used in all experiments.”

Stem cells extracted from embryos are prized by scientists because they are capable of turning into any cell or tissue type in the body. Ultimately they could be used as treatments for heart disease and diabetes and other diseases, researchers argue.

But the technology involves creating and destroying living embryos to extract stem cells. Usually these embryos are made at fertility clinics when couples go for in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

However, Stojkovic’s work suggests it may be possible to avoid using live embryos; instead, scientists use those that have died naturally during IVF. It would also mean that many more embryos were available for research and eventual treatment of the diseases, speeding up advancements in the cutting-edge science.

Stojkovic’s experiments were carried out while he was working at the Centre for Stem Cell Biology at Newcastle last year. In a paper, published last week online on the website of the journal Stem Cells, Stojkovic reveals he and his colleagues took 13 embryos, created by IVF. All 13 had stopped developing a few days after conception. ‘They were in a very early stage of development,’ said Stojkovic, now head of Sintocell, the Serbian medical research centre.

The team then waited 24 hours to check that the embryos were no longer dividing before beginning their experiments. ‘These were all deemed to be arrested embryos,’ said Stojkovic. ‘In other words, they were dead. [But] they had the capacity to develop any different type of cell you could think of, including kidney cells, liver cells, and skin cells.’

‘I think this is a very important development, although stem cells created this way should not be seen as an alternative to those made from live embryos. They should be seen as an additional source.’

Last night right-to-life campaigners called for caution. ‘In theory if an embryo is obtained ethically and a stem cell can be derived after that embryo has died naturally, then that will remove all ethical objections as there is no destruction of a living organism,’ said Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, a Catholic campaign group. ‘We do not have objections to the use of donated tissue and organs in other areas of medicine.’

But Quintavalle warned that the case for the use of dead embryo cells had not been proved. ‘There is the critical question of how you know when an embryo is dead or not.’

George Daley, of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, said the paper’s approach raised scientific concerns. ‘If there was something wrong with the embryo that made it arrest, isn’t there something wrong with these cells? We don’t know.’

However, Stojkovic’s work was given strong backing by Donald Landry, at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, who called the work an important addition to the field. ‘Regardless of how you feel about personhood for embryos, if the embryo is dead, then the issue of personhood is resolved,’ Landry said.

‘This then reduces the ethics of human embryonic stem cell generation to the ethics of, say, organ donation. So now you’re really saying, “Can we take live cells from dead embryos the way we take live organs from dead patients?”‘

What they do

· Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into any type of cell in the human body, from brain cells to skin and kidney cells.

· By creating cloned embryos of patients, it might one day be possible to grow their stem cells in the laboratory, say scientists. These could use then be used as transplants.

· Diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – in which particular organs or pieces of tissue have been destroyed – are thought to be the best candidates for treatments

Doctor fined for prescribing diet pills for giant cyst

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Wellington: A New Zealand doctor has been fined for prescribing diet pills for a woman after he failed to detect a giant 14.7 kg cyst in her abdomen.

The doctor, who was not named, was fined 22,500 dollars ($14,860) by a disciplinary tribunal after he was found to have failed to meet the standards required of a doctor.

The patient had visited the doctor several times in 2003 and 2004 complaining of stomach pain and weight gain. But the doctor failed to examine her, give her a blood test or an ultra sound scan and instead prescribed diet pills.

The 44-year-old woman later had to be rushed to hospital where the cancerous cyst, containing 10 litres of fluid, was removed and a hysterectomy performed.

GM rice withdrawn by UK supermakets

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New York: Imported genetically-modified rice has been eaten by UK consumers because there are no offical tests for contamination, the Food Standards Agency has admitted.

Millions of families are believed to have been eating American long-grain rice tainted with GM genes for at least eight months.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have all withdrawn some varieties of own-label rice.

The tainted rice will also have been used in many processed foods. The FSA said there has been no official testing to prevent GM contamination of food imports.

It relies on retailers to make sure products are GM-free.

The Government watchdog said it intends to hold talks with the European Commission to improve GM testing.

Authorities in America discovered GM contamination of long-grain rice in January but did not reveal the information until August.

Many everyday foods contaminated with chemicals

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Many every foods are contaminated with chemicals, says a report by the World Wildlife Fund.

A series of tests looked for eight groups of chemicals, including banned pesticides, artificial perfumes and industrial chemicals, in 27 different supermarket food. These included fish fingers, cheddar cheese, sausages, smoked salmon, tinned tuna and brown bread.

All the samples contained traces of at least one pollutant. Some were contaminated with several. Although the levels of toxins individually are not dangerous, the cumulative effect over years could be damaging.

Many of the compounds have been linked to cancers, genital abnormalities and birth defects. Even babies in the womb are in danger, as compounds enter the bloodstream through the umbilical cord, studies have shown.

Fish fingers were found to contain traces of several different types of chemical, including PCBs, industrial chemicals linked to liver cancer and male fertility problems.

Bought in a British supermarket, they also contained remnants of DDT, a banned pesticide linked to cancer.

Scottish cheddar contained one of the highest levels of flame retardants, compounds used in furniture and electrical products, and linked to problems with brain development and learning difficulties.

Meanwhile, olive oil had some of the highest levels of phthalates. Used in soap, make-up and plastics, they have been shown to disrupt the development of baby boys’ reproductive organs.

Some of the foods tested were bought on the Continent, but the majority were bought in the UK. The report warns that no one knows how the different pollutants interact and affect the body.

The WWF, which wants laws governing the use of chemicals to be bolstered, blames years of lax regulation for allowing them to enter the food chain.

All the chemicals are or have been used in everyday products such as food packaging and saucepans and are widely dispersed in the atmosphere and soil.

Stem cells may cure age-related sight loss

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WORCESTER, Mass: US scientists have used stem cells to slow vision loss in rats suffering from a similar disease to macular degeneration, says a report in the journal Cloning and Stem Cells.

The finding supports the idea of trying the technique in humans suffering from macular degeneration — the leading cause of blindness in people older than 55, The Washington Post reported.

Raymond Lund, then at the University of Utah, and Dr. Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology Inc. in Worcester, Mass., started by developing a method of turning embryonic stem cells into retinal pigment epithelium cells, which nourish the eye’s light-sensitive “photoreceptor” cells, the newspaper said. In macular degeneration, the pigment cells gradually disappear.

The researchers said they succeeded in all 18 stem cell lines they worked with, injecting the stem cells, about 20,000 per eye, into the retinas of 14 rats with a genetic disease similar to macular degeneration. Eight control rats received eye injections without any cells.

The scientists found treated rats were twice as responsive as untreated ones, which started to become blind. The study also showed treated rats had twice the visual acuity of untreated rats nearly three months after treatment.

British hospital’s used stolen body parts in patients

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London: Twenty-five British hospitals have bought tissue which may have been taken from diseased corpses in the UK body snatchers scandal.

And at least 40 British patients have been given transplants using body parts plundered by the mafia gang who stole more than 1,000 bodies from US funeral parlours. Most of the parts have been used in bone and dental grafts.

The body of veteran BBC broadcaster Alistair Cooke was among those stolen. and there are fears that potentially inadequate screening may have exposed British patients to HIV or syphilis.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency yesterday named the 25 hospitals where potentially contaminated body parts were grafted into British patients.

It revealed that 82 pieces of bone had been bought to be used in procedures such as hip operations and were distributed to the hospitals by the Swindon-based firm Plus Orthopaedics.

A spokesman for the health watchdog said the risk of catching an infection from the stolen bones was ‘negligible’ as they had been sterilised.

Normally, once tissue has been removed from a donor’s body and screened for disease, it is soaked in various solutions to prevent transmission of bacteria and viruses.

Nevertheless affected patients have been contacted and offered screening for diseases.

The scandal emerged in October last year when it was discovered hat the New Jersey-based company Biomedical Tissue Services (BTS) had been selling bones, ligaments and skin for use in transplants which had allegedly been removed illegally from corpses.

Bone is said to have been taken illegally from American corpses at funeral parlours without consent and without the necessary checks to make sure the bodies were free of disease. Cooke, whose Radio 4 programme Letter From America ran for 58 years, died from lung cancer aged 95 last December.

His bones were cut out and sent to BTS before he was cremated.

BTS owner Michael Mastromarino, who faces body harvesting charges, is said to have paid £500 per corpse.

The company, which has been shut down, supplied bones and other body parts to the NHS. Many of the bones supplied by BTS were recalled after the scandal broke.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which ensures medicines and medical devices are safe, has tracked down affected patients in the UK and alerted their doctors. It initially-thought 77 parts had been sent to the UK but has now increased the figure to 82.

‘We ensured that affected hospitals were contacted, advising them that the infection risk was negligible, so that clinicians could decide what advice they should give to their patients,’ a spokesman said.

Campaigners called for tougher controls on the import of human body parts into the UK.

Professor Stephen Wigmore, chairman of the ethics committee of the British Transplantation Society, said: ‘No one would want to think they’d received tissue from someone from whom it had been taken against their will. It’s cases like this that highlight holes in the law.’

The scandal has exposed a growing trade in bones and tissue which are harvested abroad and shipped to Britain.

Shortages of organs and tissue from this country have been blamed on the fall-out from Alder Hey and the Bristol babies scandal, where organs were removed without consent.

There are currently no laws governing the import and export of body parts into the UK.

The Government organisation responsible, the Human Tissue Authority, said yesterday that it does not know which countries import skin, bone and ligaments to Britain, nor does it know the quantities shipped.

The American scam was uncovered when a funeral parlour owner in Brooklyn discovered records of the bone theft and called in police.

It was found that the bones of some corpses had been replaced with plastic pipes.

In the case of Cooke, documents listed the cause of death as a heart attack and lowered his age to 85, investigators said.

Mastromarino and three others have pleaded not guilty to the charges

US safety watchdog plans to withdraw hydroquinone skin products

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New York: A recent ruling of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will put some American consumers of popular skin lightening products on alert, citing serious concerns with the safety of products containing hydroquinone – which may pose a risk for cancer and in other cases, cause a rare skin disease that results in a blue-black discoloration called ochronosis. Many US consumers use these products in their fight against age spots and skin discoloration.

Pending a final ruling by the FDA, within 30 days of December 30, 2006, all 2 percent hydroquinone over-the- counter (OTC) products will be withdrawn from store shelves and consumer distribution. Hydroquinone has already been banned in Japan, much of the European Union and Africa.

As consumers seek alternatives and retailers pull entire product lines from their shelves, an increasing number are turning to their dermatologists for help in combating age spots and skin discoloration. Fortunately, many of these doctors are able to provide their patients with PRESCRIBEDsolutions (Customized Skincare), an entire range of skin brightening products – without hydroquinone – from night creams to cleansers that can be boosted in a matter of seconds in a physician’s office with bio-engineered and botanical brightening agents that significantly lessen hyperpigmentation, where skin becomes darker in color than the normal surrounding skin.

In addition to other ingredients, PRESCRIBEDsolutions products contain a unique form of Vitamin C called sodium ascorbyl phosphate that also has skin brightening benefits. In clinical trails, sodium ascorbyl phosphate reduced the color of age spots by 25 percent after 2 months and reduced the melanogenesis in primary human melanocytes by 57 percent.

In the US, this customization and this special form of Vitamin C are only available through physicians nationwide. PRESCRIBEDsolutions is the only skincare line that enables physicians to customize patients’ skincare products so ALL products can be made to address their skin brightening needs.

“Physicians are the experts to turn to at a time like this,” noted Aurelian Lis, a respected authority on cosmeceuticals and the Chief Operating Officer of PRESCRIBEDsolutions. The ability to individualize the skin products for patients means that physicians can address age spots and brightening simultaneous to other skin issues,”

“It’s understandable that patients are very concerned by this FDA warning,” said David Avram, M.D. a prominent New York dermatologist. “Hydroquinone-free alternatives like PRESCRIBEDsolutions customized with potent brightening ingredients by their physician is very effective way of addressing hyperpigmentation. Patients should consult with their dermatologist to find out which skin products are safe alternatives,” added Dr. Avram.

Patients concerned with age spots and looking for alternatives to hydroquinone can find out more about the customized boosters and products and find a local dispensing physician, by going to www.prescribedsolutions.com.

ABOUT PRESCRIBEDsolutions (Customized Skincare)
PRESCRIBEDsolutions is the only skincare line that enables physicians to customize patients’ skincare products. Physicians can individualize the high performance base products, in a matter of seconds, for different skin concerns such as adult acne, lack of elasticity, photoaging or hyperpigmentation. This straightforward customization process allows them to provide their patients more than 100 treatment combinations. Since launch, the line has expanded to many of the most highly regarded dermatologists in the US.

Depression linked to folate deficiency

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Boston: The vitamin, folic acid, which is important in preventing birth defects, may help treat depression.

New research by Tufts University in the US has revealed that those with depression have low levels of the vitamin which is found in spinach, cabbage and strawberries.

In the UK, the National Health Service is to carry out a trial in which 700 people with moderate to severe depression will be given daily folate supplements.

Another recent report from St George’s Hospital in London, has already found that by adding the vitamin to antidepressant medication, treatment may boost the overall effect of other treatment.

Other studies suggest that folate deficiency may occur in up to one-third of patients with severe depression.

According to research at Tufts men and women who have experienced major depression have lower concentrations of the vitamin in their blood than those who had never been depressed.

The Tufts research, based on 3,000 people, suggests supplementation helps by reducing fatigue and improving energy levels.

Organic milk no better than cheaper type, says British food watchdog

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London: Organic milk has no health advantage over conventional types, the UK’s food watchdog, the Foods Standards Agency(FSA) has found.

A recent three-year study conducted at the Universities of Glasgow and Liverpool found organic milk contained 68 per cent more omega 3 fatty acids on average than conventional milk. Omega 3s are thought to cut the risk of heart disease, and have been linked with better concentration in children.

As a result 14 scientists from around the world demanded that the FSA to recognise the nutritional advantages of organic milk. But the Food Standards Agency this week rejected claims of any health benefits.

It did say that organic milk ‘can contain higher levels of types of fats called short-chain omega 3 fatty acids than conventionally produced milk’.

But it said these are of ‘limited health benefit’ compared with the longer chain omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish.

Childless women die younger

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London: Childless women have a 20 per cent higher risk of dying younger than those with two children, according to research from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council.

The statistics also show that childless women also had a greater chance of developing diseases such as breast cancer.

About one in five women born in 1960, now reaching the end of their reproductive age, is childless. This compares to one in ten of those born in 1945.

The new research studied almost 100,000 women in the UK and the U.S. from 1911 onwards.

Professor Emily Grundy, of the Centre for Population Studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that earlier research had already proven that childless women had a higher risk of breast cancer.

The researchers concluded that a happy family life has a positive influence on health.

The research found that women who wait fewer than 18 months between having children are likely to die younger than those who take their time to raise a family. Mothers with short gaps between births were more likely to develop long-term illnesses and had a 20 per cent higher death rate after 50.

Fathers from families where children were born in quick succession also appeared to suffer a higher mortality risk, but the effect was less pronounced.

Hectic lifestyle is main cause of stress

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London: Our hectic lives are making us ill, a new survey has discovered.

Those questioned were anxious about – not getting enough exercise (48%), not getting enough sleep (42%), general fatigue (34%), not being able to find a National Health Service dentist (29%), daily stress (27%), cleanliness of public hospitals (25%), depression (23%), food additives (20), hospital waiting lists (17%) and passive smoking (5%).

The poll indicates many of us are far more worried about not getting enough sleep and the stresses of everyday living than smoking, drinking or poor diets.

Public health experts believe the findings reflect the increasing pressure of surviving in a 24-hour society.

They have warned that the strain of modern life – in which employees work longer hours and spend less time with family and friends – could be costing the health of millions. There is no santuary at home where there are still mobile phones and the Internet.

The research carried out by healthcare insurance provider Legal & General questioned 5,000 men and women about their biggest health worries over the past three months.

Nearly half said lack of exercise was their number one health concern. Lack of sleep followed at 42 per cent while 34 per cent said general fatigue was a major worry.

More than a quarter blamed stress as a cause of anxiety while almost the same number said they worried about feeling depressed. Passive smoking, however, was mentioned by 15 per cent of those surveyed and drinking by just 12 per cent.

Only 14 per cent said they worried about not following a healthy diet and a fifth about food additives such as salt, colouring and preservatives.

Responsbility is key to happiness

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London: Responsibility such as marriage and bringing up a family, is just as likely to make you happy as a high-flying career, according to a new study.

Scientists at the City of London University questioned 10,000 adults at 30 and found highly educated and motivated career types were among the most satisfied with their lives. But so were those who had already settled with a partner and had a family.

In the study, the 30-year-olds were asked to rate how satisfied they were with life by choosing a number between zero and ten. The majority agreed with seven or eight.

Analysis of the finds found that young adults took four paths in life – a career, a traditonal family, late start or as part of disadvantaged families.

The most satisfied groups were the traditional family and career-focused people.

A traditional family was typically a married couple who owned their own home. They had one or two children and the man was the main breadwinner. The career types tended to have the most education, worked full-time and also owned their homes. Slow starters, who typically had no long-term partners, no children and did not own a home, were next on the happiness scale.

At the bottom were the disandadvantaged families, who tended to be less well-educated women living in rented accommodation.

Professor Schoon said: ‘Those in traditional families and those opting for a career without children reported the highest levels of satisfaction the least life stress. I was very surprised that traditional families had such good scores and slow starters had such relatively low scores.’

How to protect your body from flu – 10 must know facts

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A Special Medical Bulletin from Ronald Klatz, M.D., D.O. Founder of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

Chicago: Influenza is a highly contagious viral respiratory infection of the upper respiratory tract. The virus that causes the flu enters the body’s airways through mucous membranes in the nose, eyes, or mouth. Once the flu infection invades the body, it can settle into the throat, nose, bronchial tubes, lungs, and middle ear, causing an array of discomforting symptoms.

Symptoms of flu include chest congestion, cough, high fever, chills, aches and pains, headache, sneezing, and itchy eyes. After a bout of flu has completed it course, it is common for people to experience lingering fatigue that may last several weeks. Compared to the common cold or hayfever allergy, the flu only occasionally causes sneezing, sore throat, and stuffy nose.

We are now approximately two weeks from the start of the 2006-2007 flu season. Protect yourself from succumbing to the flu by learning these Ten Must-Know Facts About Flu:

Flu Fact #1.
Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu. Annual flu costs the US economy over $10 billion in worker absenteeism and lost productivity.

Flu Fact #2.
Seasonal flu can compromise health and quality of life. Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.

Flu Fact #3.
Influenza can be spread widely and wildly, transmitted easily from person-to-person. Be careful of how close you get to others. Viruses including the flu can transmit from person-to-person through handshakes and kisses. Human influenza virus transmits from person-to-person within a 3-foot (1-meter) radius of an infected person. A sneeze or cough can propel a virus 10 or more feet (3 or more meters). Cigarette smoke also spreads respiratory viruses, so it’s a good idea to avoid coming into contact with a smoke plume.

Flu Fact #4.
The influenza virus is highly contagious, and can remain on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours (even after that amount of time, enough virus particles can remain to potentially sicken people). Keep a supply of disposable antiseptic towelettes, and a wastebasket, near all phones, computers, fax machines, copiers, etc. Use a towelette each time prior to, and after, touching these items, and discard it promptly. Clean and disinfect surfaces that may have become contaminated with flu secretions by using products that are EPA-registered disinfectants. Pull your shirtsleeve over your hands when touching doorknobs, light switches, and other surfaces on which germs thrive.

Flu Fact #5.
Whereas influenza is a year-round disease, the peak of activity occurs during “flu season” which typically begins as early as October 1st and lasts as late as May 31st. A bout of seasonal flu can last up to a month.

Flu Fact #6.
Experts recommend that the single best way to prevent seasonal influenza is to get a flu vaccination in the fall. Yet, it can take up to two weeks for antibodies to develop that protect against seasonal influenza virus infection. And, vaccination is, at best, only about 60% effective.

Flu Fact #7.
The flu vaccine does not protect against the H5N1 bird flu virus.

Flu Fact #8.
As of 23 August 2006 (the latest available data as of this writing), the World Health Organization reports that worldwide, 241 cases of H5N1 bird flu infections have occurred in humans, resulting in 141 deaths. Bird flu is presently 58.5% fatal to humans. At this time, there is no commercially available vaccine to protect against the H5N1 bird flu virus. There also are no specific drugs approved at this time to specifically treat bird flu.

Flu Fact #9.
The most effective way to promote your body resistance to invasion by pathogenic germs of any kind, is to practice healthy hygiene habits the most critical of which is proper and frequent handwashing. Wash your hands ten times each day double that if you’re in an environment where infectious germs abound (for example, proximity to someone sick in the home or at the workplace, or physical contact with objects touched by someone who is sick).

It is especially important to wash hands: before, during, and after you prepare food (particularly raw meat, poultry, or fish); before you eat; before inserting or removing contact lenses; after you use the bathroom; after you blow your nose, cough, or sneeze; after treating a cut or wound of your own or someone else; after handling animals or animal waste; after changing a diaper; after handling garbage; when your hands are visibly dirty; more frequently when you or someone in your home is sick.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) outlines the technique for proper handwashing as:

1. Wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place the bar soap on a rack that allows it to drain.

2. Scrub all surfaces including wrists, palms, backs of hands, fingers, under the fingernails, and between fingers. Rub your hands vigorously together for 10-15 seconds.

3. Rinse well with warm water.

4. Dry hands with a clean or disposable towel. Pat the skin rather than rubbing, to avoid chapping or cracking. Apply hand lotion if your skin is susceptible to drying out.

Perhaps just as important as washing your hands is the matter of properly drying them. Researchers at Auckland Hospital in New Zealand found that drying hands for ten seconds using a clean cloth towel followed by air drying for 20 seconds achieved a 99.8% reduction in the amount of bacteria moved from one place to another on the skin.

Flu Fact #10.
Natural immune enhancement is a preventive health strategy designed to enhance and optimize an individual’s overall immunity in an effort to minimize the adverse effects of exposure to an infectious pathogen such as the influenza virus. Natural immune enhancement, employing vitamins and other dietary supplements, also can reduce viral load and control inflammation typically associated with infection. Check with your anti-aging physician to create an immune optimizing regimen that is best suited for your specific needs.

Young adults ravaged by lifestyle disease, says new report

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London: Poor lifestyle habits such as binge-drinking, bad eating habits and smoking are to blame for the increasing number of young adults who are not getting enough vital nutrients, a new UK study says.

As a result it is predicted that many will go on to suffer debilitating illnesses such as the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and even a drop in life expenctancy.

The study, commissioned by Boots Health Club, part of the nationwide chemist chain, found that large numbers of men and women have low intakes of at least eight key vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc and vitamin A.

It warned that millions of young people are thought to be ‘vita-rexic’ – a term coined for vitamin deficiency. Alarmingly, the study found that 96 per cent of women aged 19 to 24 were at risk of becoming iron deficient. This can lead to symptoms of anaemia, which leaves the sufferer feeling weak and tired.

More than half of women and a third of men were also found to be deficient in calcium, which is vital to help maintain healthy bones.

Dr Ann Walker, senior lecturer in nutrition at the University of Reading, said: ‘Modern lifestyles are at fault with many people working long hours, with bad diets and little time for exercise.

‘Bad diet, smoking and binge drinking are having a devastating effect on people’s health – women in particular – and adding to the burden of full-time work. It is hugely important that young adults start eating more healthily to avoid stressing the immune system.’

Every year Britons spend £300million on vitamin and mineral pills in the belief they can help prevent illnesses or make up for the nutrients lacking in their diet.

But earlier this year an influential panel of U.S. scientists said there is no strong evidence that they provide any benefit.

They warned that as many as one in ten of those taking supplements could even be in danger of overdosing and exceeding the daily ‘safe’ intake when nutrients in their food are included.

Most nutritionists agree that a healthy and balanced diet – which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables – will provide all the nutrients that most people need.

Hard work and fresh air secret of long life, says 103 year-old

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London: Retired farmer, Jim Webber, is still gardening at the age of 103, and is believed to be Britain’s oldest worker.

He works a regular week tending the pub garden in his village in the county of Dorset.

The great grandfather has looked after the garden at the New Inn in the village of Stoke Abbot for the past twenty years and says he will carry on his work until he is too old. He has also never had a holiday and takes a shot of whisky to give him the occasional energy boost.

He says: ‘I tried stopping work when I retired but I was so bored. Bored and miserable. I’d just sit in my chair doing nothing and looking out the window.

‘I have to keep going because some of these youngsters are a bit slack and need looking after.

Mr Webber, born in 1902, spends around ten hours a week at the pub and has seen off several landlords during his 20-year tenure. He is paid £3 an hour for his time.

Widower Mr Webber, who has two granddaughters and three great grandchildren, arrives for work on his 30-year-old Ferguson tractor, known locally as the ‘Tin Pony’. Until this year he carried out most of his duties alongside his brother Jack, who died in July at the age of 95. He usually wakes at 4am.

Mr Webber, who still has a full clean driving licence and will turn 104 on Christmas Eve, said: ‘I’m not sure there’s any secret to a long life – just hard work and lots of outdoors.’

UK cosmetic doctors to counsel surgery addicts

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London: British cosmetic surgeons are to be trained to treat patients who have become addicted to surgery.

In the UK the number of procedures is spiralling with a 35% increase last year, including 5,646 breast augmentations. Altogether there were 222,041 surgical opertions carried out.

But there are fears, even by the surgeons themselves, that women and to a lesser degree men are undergoing unnecessary operations because of a psycological disorder known as body dysmorphic disorder. This is when people imagine they are ugly.

Adam Searle, the president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), says these people will never be happy with how they look but get a temporary buzz from surgery.

Patients using Botox injections and other aesthetics for wrinkles may also be suffering from this condition. Botox is the fastest growing procedure in the UK.

The popularity of TV shows on cosmetic surgery and celebrities admitting to surgery is fuelling the demand, say experts.

Red wine fights gum disease

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Quebec: Chemicals in red wine may help reduce gum disease, scientists at the Universite de Laval have discovered.

The reason is that red wine contains polyphenols, chemicals which give red wine its colour, help reduce the periodontitis, the damaging disease which attacks the gums and bone surrounding teeth.

It is estimated that 65 per cent of adults aged over 50 and 15 of younger people have the disease which in its worst form leads to tooth loss.

It is caused by a combination of bacteria and free radicals – harmful oxygen molecules – in the mouth. When you drink red wine, the polyphenols interfere with this process and can reduce damage to the gums, scientists say. In laboratory tests, polyphenols were found to combine with the free radicals and render them harmless.

The research by scientists from Universite Laval in Quebec, Canada, is published in the latest edition of the U.S. Journal of Dental Research.

Lead researcher Dr Vanessa Houde presented the findings at the American Association for Dental Research in Orlando, Florida, yesterday.

Previous research has discovered that red wine has many health-giving properties.

Last October, researchers found drinking it may help to ward off lung cancer. UK doctors have even recommended red wine to heart-attack patients, after evidence emerged of its benefits for the cardiovascular system.

Scientists are also developing a pill which they hope will harness the healthy anti-oxidant properties of red wine without the alcohol.

Polyphenols are also found in green tea, fresh fruit and vegetables, which have all been found to lower the risks of cancer and heart disease.

The chemicals are thought to help get rid of free radicals which are believed to trigger the illnesses.

Polyphenols are also known to hamper the inflammatory process which leads the hardening of the arteries and other disorders.

Calcium fails to prevent fractures in children

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Tasmania: Calcium supplements have very little benefit for preventing fractures in childhood and later adulthood, concludes a study carried out by the Menzies Research Institute.

Children taking such supplements are have only small improvements in bone density, which are unlikely to reduce fracture risk, says the report published in the British Medical Journal, and other approaches could be more beneficial such as increasing vitamin D concentrations and eating more fruit and vegetables.

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem, particularly in women, and low bone mineral density is an important risk factor for osteoporotic fractures. Bone density worsens for women after the menopause, so intervention in childhood to maximise peak bone mass by improving factors such as diet and physical activity can minimise the impact of bone loss related to age.

The researchers analysed the findings of 19 different studies involving 2,859 children collectively aged between three and 18. They included randomised trials of calcium supplementation in healthy children that lasted at least three months and which measured bone outcomes after at least six months of follow-up.

They found there was a small effect on total body bone mineral content and upper limb bone mineral density – children taking the supplements only had 1.7% better bone density in their upper limbs than children not taking the supplements.

However, there was no effect at important sites in the body for fracture in later life – namely the hip and lumbar spine. After children stopped taking calcium supplements, the effect persisted at the upper limb, but disappeared for total body bone mineral content.

The authors conclude: “The small effect of calcium supplementation on bone mineral density in the upper limb is unlikely to reduce the risk of fracture, either in childhood or later life, to a degree of major public health importance. It may be appropriate to explore alternative nutritional interventions, such as increasing vitamin D concentrations and intake of fruit and vegetables.”

Contact:
Tania Winzenberg, Musculoskeletal Epidemiologist, Menzies Research Institute, Tasmania, Australia.

Acupuncture helps back pain, two reports confirm

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York:Acupuncture relieves low back pain and is cost-effective, according to two new studies carried out in the UK.

In the UK, an estimated 16% of the adult population consult their general practitioner for help with back pain in a 12-month period. The annual cost of lower back pain to the NHS has been estimated at £480 million (€703million; $901million) and the burden of lower back pain is estimated at over £10 billion per year in terms of lost productivity and sickness benefits. The full reports can be viewed at www.bmj.com

Acupuncture is used by an estimated 2% of adults each year for a range of conditions, including back pain. But the evidence is largely inconclusive and the best way to manage low back pain remains unclear.

So, researchers identified 241 adults aged 18 to 65 with persistent non-specific low back pain. The people were provided by members of the British Acupuncture Council. Patients were randomly assigned to either usual NHS care or up to 10 acupuncture treatment sessions. All patients remained under GP care.

Pain levels were measured at intervals during the two-year study period. Satisfaction with treatment and use of pain medication were also recorded.

At 12 months, patients in the acupuncture group showed a small benefit in pain scores compared to patients receiving usual care. Stronger evidence was observed for an increased benefit at 24 months.

At three months, patients in the acupuncture group were significantly more likely to be ‘very satisfied’ with their treatment compared with usual care, and with their overall care, but showed no such difference in satisfaction with information received.

At 24 months, the acupuncture group were more likely to report reduced worry about their back pain, less likely to report current use of pain medication for their back, and more likely to report no pain for the past 12 months.

Although the differences in pain scores between groups were small, they represent a clinically worthwhile benefit and can be viewed as a ‘moderate’ effect, say the authors.

Further research is needed to investigate the optimum timing for such an acupuncture treatment package, and to assess the value of repeated courses of acupuncture for patients experiencing recurrent episodes of low back pain, they conclude.

In a separate paper, the same researchers looked at the cost effectiveness of acupuncture for lower back pain. Costs were measured from both an NHS and a societal perspective, and effectiveness was measured in terms of quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained.

They found that total NHS costs during the two-year study period were higher on average for the acupuncture group (£460; €673; $859) than for the usual care group (£345; €506; $644).

However, the cost per QALY gained was £4,241 (€6,223; $7,921). This is well below the lower threshold of £20,000 used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to decide whether the NHS can afford to pay for a health technology.

A short course of traditional acupuncture for the treatment of lower back pain in primary care confers a modest health benefit measured in QALYs for a relatively minor extra NHS cost relative to usual care, say the authors. The use of acupuncture for the treatment of lower back pain therefore appears to be cost-effective in the longer term.

Carry on Cleo – asses’ milk – the latest elixir of life?

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Brussels: Donkey milk, or more glamorously asses’ milk was Cleopatra’ favourite bathtime tipple.

And recently the world’s oldest woman, Maria Esther de Capovilla from Ecuador, who died last week at the age of 116, said her longevity was down to donkey milk.

Farmer Olivier Denys from Belgium’s only donkey milk farm, the Asinerie du Pays des Collines at the Château des Mottes, operates Europe’s most productive donkey dairy, yielding between 2,000 and 3,000 litres of milk every year.

Half of this production goes into the company’s popular cosmetics range, offering customers donkey milk soaps, crème de bains, beauty cream, and face masks.

The rich composition of donkey milk means that these products are regenerative for the skin because of high levels of protein, phospholipides and ceramides, which in turn confer it with both soothing and restructuring properties.

Its rich composition also makes it an excellent moisturiser and, perhaps more importantly, it is said to be an effective anti-wrinkle treatment.

The milk also has 60 times the vitamin C content as cow’s milk, Denys said, as well as containing vitamins A, D and E, and is a rich source of calcium and phosphorous, making it highly beneficial, both for consumption and skin care applications.

These properties could all help to boost the future profile of donkey’s milk in the cosmetics market, particularly in view of the fact that demand for natural ingredients is one of the industry’s fastest growing areas.

There are a handful of companies that currently manufacture cosmetics based on donkey’s milk. Another leading player is the US-based Cleopatra brand, which includes a number of skin care products, including a day and a night cream.

Like Denys’ skin care range, it is marketed worldwide as a premium natural skin care product, albeit serving a highly niche market. And given the recent spotlight on donkey’s milk, demand for the ingredient could be given a significant boost.

However, one limitation to meeting increased demand might be low milk yield rates. A donkey gives about two litres of milk per day, over three milkings, while a cow can churn out 40 litres in a single milking.

And despite having 84 donkeys in his drove, Mr. Denys revealed that only about 15 jennies are ever on active milk duty.

“It’s niche,” he said. “But our production goes up every year, and the market is expanding.”

Rejuvenation treats for hands and feet

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Veiny feet and wrinkly hands have always been the ultimate giveaway of a person’s age. Hands in particular are more vulnerable to ageing and sun damage than other parts of the body because they are almost always exposed and have little subcutaneous fat.

The cumulative effects of aging, sun and exposure to other pollutants are brown spots, uneven pigmentation, skin cancers, thinning skin, and prominent veins.

The best way to keep hands and feet healthy and beautiful is to protect them from environmental damage in the first place. But if your hands are already showing signs of ageing or looking a bit worse for wear after some DIY, then there are several new treatments which can restore them to an earlier time.

There is a huge range of preventative and curative products and treatments on the market, containing the latest anti-ageing ingredients including cell-protecting anti-oxidants such as Co Enzyme Q10, vitamins A, C and E and essential oils.

One of the most effective anti-ageing treatments, which can be used for hands and feet, and has no harmful side effects is Restylane Vital from Swedish company Q Med. This treatment uses hyaluronic acid, a natural substance which is a precursor to natural collagen and is used to bulk out the hand or foot making it plumper and younger looking. It is delivered in a multi-injection and makes a difference from the very first treatment. The downside is that it is expensive at £400 and top up treatments will be as it is slowly reabsorbed by the body. (Fiona & Marie Aesthetics, 30 Devonshire Street, W1. T 020 7908 3773)

Dr Georges Roman (Devonshire Medical Chambers, W1 020 7323 2123), is London’s leading expert on the mesolift which is a vitamin- based injection popular with French women and normally used to rejuvenate the face. He has adapted his technique for use on the hands, with a special “gun” that delivers 200 tiny injections at a time. The combination of vitamins improves the quality of new skin and plumps it out . Although an improvement is noticed after the first treatment, best results are obtained after two to four (at £350 each)treatments.

Sun damage such as age spots are best treated with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) lasers which “vaporise” the thin layer of dark coloured skin by breaking down the melanin. Removal is permanent, although new spots may appear. Again hands can also be plumped out with IPL which gives a kick-start to collagen growth. Prices vary but start from £100 (Xfolio Skin Rejuvenation Clinic, Unit 1 Horizon Building, Hertsmere Road, E1. T: 020 7538 1001 and 52 Lambs Conduit Street, WC1 T 020 7242 5749 email info@exfolia.co.uk

Structural fat grafting is another option. This is best carried out by a cosmetic surgeon since it involves the removal of fat from the leg or abdomen. The fat cells are treated and reinjected into the hand or other part of the body that needs plumping up.(BUPA Hospitals. www.bupahospitals.co.uk T 0800 6644 434. Prices on application).

Microdermabrasion is another option which helps improve appearance by removing fine lines and also texture by removing dead skin cells.(Xfolia, Unit 1 Horizon Building, Hertsmere Road, E1 T: 020 7538 1001 and 52 Lambs Conduit Street, WC1 T: 020 7242 5749 email info@xfolia.co.uk.

As with hands, feet need regularly attention to keep them looking good so you should exfoliate, moisturise and protect. And a good manicure or pedicure gives an instant feel good factor.

These are some of the latest products to try at home and salon treatments

Proto-Col’s Beauty In An Instant

A range of spa-inspired scrubs for body, hands and feet that work in just 60 seconds. The
Instant Manicure costs£24.95 for 250g and is a revitalising blend of eight essential oils plus dead sea salts. Jojoba softens, rosemary invigorates, orange oil is uplifting and grapeseed essential oil is a powerful anti-oxidant, perfect as hands can show signs of ageing more than other parts of the body. The Instant Pedicure £24.95 for 250g is an exfoliating and soothing Swiss lavender and energising, stimulating capsicum, easing aches and revitalising tired feet. Tea tree oil helps keep feet fresh, whilst lemongrass works as a natural antiperspirant. Available along with the complete range from Urban Retreat at Harrods, from www.on-beauty.co.ukand at selected salons nationwide. For other stockist info call 0870 770 3860

Marks & Spencer’s new Spa Retreat at home

This is a lovely range of products for use at home that don’t cost the earth but smell and feel wonderful. Walking on Air is a buttery balm for exhausted feet to be used at night. It contains tamanu oil , sweet almond, cooling peppermint, beeswax, shea butter and vitamin B5.Costs £4.00 The Spa Midnight Moisture for thirsty hands is designed to work while you sleep. Made of cocoa butter and palm oil it is slighter richer than a daytime formulation and also contains keratin. Costs £4.50 The range also contains some sachet treats including the foot soak and the hands exfoliating scrub. Cost £1.00 each. From Marks & Spencers stores nationwide.

Airplus – high-heel hell prevention

The foot cushion favourite of the Hollywood A-list, these non-visible insoles take the pressure and pain out of the sexiest of stilettos and skimpiest of sandals. They are made from medical grade silicone, which has a silky-smooth surface, is cool and breathable and won’t loose its shape. They are available in a variety of different shapes. £5.99 for a pack of two at www.airplusfootcare.com

Scholl Luxury feet and nail range

Rough Skin Remover, £3.55; Dual Action Foot File,£4.69; Deep Moisturising Cream £4.25; Intensive Night Treatment with Socks£8.99; Cracked Heel Cream, £2.99 for 25ml or £7.99 for 100ml; Party Feet Invisible Gel Cushions £4.99 and Busy Feet Insers £8.99. Available at Boots and other pharmacies. For more information phone the Consumer Care Line tel: 0800 074 2040 www.scholl.co.uk

Supersalve Therapeutic Skin-care balm

New to the UK market this product from South Africa contains a nourishing blend of honey and essential oils and is so versatile is can be used to moisturise the face and body, hands and feet and can be applied to sunburn, insect bites, stings, minor allergies and irritations as well as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. It also a very green product as it does not contain parabens, petrochemicals, solium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances and lanolin. A 175ml tube costs £14.95. A complementary product is the Recovery-Rub, developed for arthritis and rheumatism and helpful for aching joints and muscles costs £13.95 for a 150ml tube. Online purchase at www.supersalve.co.uk or at selected health-food stores. Contact 0845 095 6505 for stockists.

Tisserand Essential Oil Rich Hand & Nail Cream

One of Tisserand’s hero products and celebrity favourite; this classic Essential Oil Rich Hand & Nail Cream moisturises and conditions hands and nails, leaving them delicately fragranced with the aroma of pure essential oils. It contains lavender, rose, geranium and sandalwood essential oils in a base of jojoba and kukui with chamomile extract to soften, protect and add fragrance. The Hand & Nail Cream costs £4.50 and is available from shops, by mail order 01273 325666 and online at www.tisserandshop.com

Lamisil Once

A new product from the specialists in treating that nasty fungal infection athletes feet. Lamisil Once is a gel-like solution that is a breakthrough in that sufficient active ingredient is delivered in a single application. Costs £9.99 from Boots and other pharmacies.

Salon

Padabhyanga Foot Massage and Karabhyanga Hand Massage at the Shymala Ayurveda Spa, Holland Park

A soothing foot massage with organic ayurbedic oils, combined with a full pedicure for the ultimate pampering experience. The hand treatment uses herbs and treats the whole forearm. Green tea and a selection of dried fruits, dates, apricots and ginger to accompany these treatments which are both 40 minutes and costs £70 and with a pedicure/manicure £100. Shymala Ayurbeda Spa, 152 Holland Park Avenue, W11. T 020 7348 0018

Clarins Manicures and Pedicures at Beauty Essence Bow Lane EC4

Perfect for a foot or hand makeover at lunchtime or after work. Beauty Essence offers a 45 minute full manicure for £25 or the luxury 1 hour treatment for £37. A 45-minute full pedicure costs £40 and the luxury version £48. All use luxury Clarins products.Beauty Essence, 7 Well Court, Bow Lane, EC4. www.beautyessence.co.uk T: 020 7248 0127

Crème de la Mer Ultimate Hand Treatment at Harrods

This ultimate luxury treatment uses sea quartz and diamond dust to buff and exfoliate and the luxury range of creams to hydrate. This costs £50 for 60 minutes and takes place in a room with flowing water. Available at the Urban Retreat, Harrods, SW1. T: 020 7893 8333