Health Advice

Women in general are believed to express there emotions more then men, lead researcher Professor Tony Cassidy strongly believes that this natural phenomenon, makes people who grow up in a normal family environment and have a older or younger sister are more likely to be in good psychological health.

Researchers interviewed a population of 571 male and female subjects, aged between 17 to 25, and found that Sisters promote the showing and sharing of ones emotions as an integral part of any relationship, therefore whilst growing up if you had a sister in your family you are more likely to be more happier and a more balanced individual, then the less privileged.

This openness in communication is linked to sisters making people happy by bonding and sharing emotions to provide a different perspective, as sisters make families in general more open and willing to talk about problems, so for all of us in good psychological health we might owe a little more respect to sisters, mothers and women in general.

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Experts from The British Medical Journal carried out a study and found a high correlation between Drinking steaming hot tea and an increased risk of oesophageal (food tube) cancer. The oesophagus is a muscular tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach, the risk of cancer can be increased if black tea at temperatures of 70C is consumed on a regularly basis, the theory behind it is based on the fact that regularly drinking very hot drinks damage the lining of the gullet, therefore assuming a regular habit of eating and drinking very hot foods and drinks could increase your risk of developing cancer of the oesophagus.

In conclusion: Being a nation of tea lovers in the UK, we don’t tend to drink black tea at such high temperatures and we usually add milk, which cools it down, where as in eastern Europe and Asia this is not the case, although there was no conclusive association between the amount of tea consumed and risk of cancer. However some points to consider are:

• Adding milk, and gently stirring to aid the process of cooling down before consuming.
• Leave for 5mins to allow natural cooling, occasional stirring to speed the cooling process.
• Ideally tea should be less then 60C in temperature, to minimize the risk of cancer.

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Further to my previous articles on Hydrotherapy, recently I came across a website offering an interesting range of Hydrotherapy and water feature therapy products, Hydrotherapy is the use of water to heal and ease a variety of ailments and the water can be used in a number of different ways. The healing properties of water have been recognised since ancient times and generally our first thoughts would be a nice warm relaxing bath. Additionally being around water itself has a relaxing effect hence why many hotels are built on overlooking the sea or rivers. For those of us unable to have the luxury of a home overlooking water we have the alternative available of setting up water features in the garden such as a Koi Pond to simulate this feeling of tranquillity. Sitting beside Koi Ponds for 30mins after work or alternatively on weekends, having dinner in the garden is a great way of relaxing and slowing the mind and body down after a busy day. As many of become busier and busier in our hectic lifestyles this is one way of stopping for a few seconds and giving the body a chance to catch up. It can be as simple as sitting down watching the water flow in your garden. Many companies offer great packages for Koi Ponds and are able to advice on what you will need and how to maintain it.

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As travelling abroad becomes more and more expensive, many people are opting to go Camping in Spain as a quick and easy option, as opposed to jet setting off to any other European city or popular holiday destination. Holidays are seen as a time to relax, enjoy the good weather and eat well! An option that we should consider for healthier holidays are those which additionally allow us to enjoy the outdoors and keep us active at the same time. Instead of sunbathing in Spain why not try camping in Spain. With more and more campsites offering great facilities for adults and children staying fit on holiday doesn’t mean you need to go to the gym every day. Walking along the sea, hiking on the mountains enjoying the view are all different forms off exercise. Additionally many resorts offer a range of sports activities too, such as tennis, water polo, table tennis and squash etc. which all help to keep us active. There are many online companies that specialise in offering great deals on outdoor holidays, such as camping holidays abroad, as campsites these days are well equipped with pools and range of children activities too and by taking your children to play a game of ball in the hotel or campsite grounds is a great way to stay active for both them and you.

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In today’s climate we are urged more and more to carry out regular exercise - at least 30-40mins per day. One of the most traditional efforts is training at the gym, doing aerobic classes or swimming. Weight loss doesn’t come easy and a lot of strenuous effort has to be put in for the majority of us. Alternatively health and beauty spas offer various treatments which claim to work the muscles just as hard. One of these is the Inter slim Profile which is a computer controlled treatment giving a extremely comfortable workout! Begin both speedy and effective it’s claimed to be the equivalent of carrying out over 350 sit ups or buttock raises in just one 20 minute session. It’s also said to successfully treat all aspects and conditions relating to overweight and unfit bodies costing approximately 35 pounds. Question to ask is - is it just as good as going to the gym or just a alternative for one off occasions?

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Cooking with lard (pork fat) has decreased in popularity. This is great due to the high levels of saturated fat it contained hence not a good option in terms of health. Lard has shown to increase bad cholesterol levels and increase inflammation in the body. It provides one of the unhealthiest options for food preparation and therefore consumption should be limited. Being able to cook and prepare healthy treats and positively affecting your cholesterol levels, immune system and heart health is vital. As it’s easier to use healthy fats such as sunflower oil or olive oil when cooking at low temperatures it makes sense to opt for a healthier cooking methods such as grilling, oven roasting or steaming rather than frying.

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Sugar is divided into two categories – that which is naturally occurring sugar (Intrinsic Sugar) and part of the cellular structure of plants, found in food such as fruit and vegetables. The foods we know are part of a healthy diet and the sugar is slowly absorbed in the body. Refined sugar or sucrose is known as Extrinsic sugar and is extracted from sugar cane, honey or sugar beet and commonly added to manufactured foods such as cakes, biscuits and drinks. Other types and sources include maltose from barley, lactose which is found in milk and fructose found in fruit and honey. Artificial sweeteners can be used to replace sugar but long term it’s better to wean yourself off the taste of sugar and sweet flavours.

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