offspring

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Putting 3 year old son in washing machine as punishment....

French boy, three, dies after father 'puts him in washing machine and turns it on as punishment for throwing nursery classmate's drawing down toilet'

  • 'I felt his heart beat for the last time and then he died'
By Tim Finan

Last updated at 7:52 AM on 29th November 2011

A 33-year-old man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing his three-year-old son by locking him in a washing machine and turning it on.

Christophe Champenois, from Meaux, near Paris, allegedly stripped Bastien naked and shut him in the machine to punish him for a prank at nursery school - throwing a classmate's drawing down a toilet.

He is then said to have run the cold cycle wash for a few minutes at their house, in the village of Germigny-l'Eveque.

Christophe Champenois, 33, allegedly killed his three-year-old son Bastien (above) by locking him in a washing machine and turning it on
Christophe Champenois, 33, allegedly killed his three-year-old son Bastien (above) by locking him in a washing machine and turning it on 

The child, whom neighbours described as blond and angelic, died of head injuries on Friday night, French police said.
His mother Charlene, 25, recovered him from the machine, according to Le Parisien newspaper.
 
She then ran to her neighbour, known only as Alice, and told her that Bastien had 'fallen down the stairs'.
Alice told Le Parisien: 'I picked him up and his limbs were as loose as those of a rag doll.

The house in Germigny-l'Eveque, Meaux, near Paris where Bastien Champenois died
The family house in Germigny-l'Eveque, Meaux, near Paris where Bastien Champenois died

'I felt his heart beat for the last time and then he died.' 

Bastien's five-year-old sister, Maud, told Alice's husband that it was not the first time the boy's father had put him in the washing machine as punishment.

Neighbours told the newspaper that the boy had been repeatedly abused - by being locked up for hours in a cupboard and also by being left on a window sill for hours wrapped in a blanket. 


Flowers left outside the property where Bastien lived his short life
Flowers left outside the property where Bastien lived his short life

'Bastien was an unwanted child', claimed Evelyne, his grandmother.

'On the day he was born, his father was out drinking and when I told him he had a son, he said that he didn't want him.' 

A judge in Meaux placed unemployed Champenois under investigation for murdering his child and charged his wife, a mother of seven, with failing to prevent a crime and failing to assist a person in danger. 

Both were placed in custody and their surviving children taken into care.

 

Friday, December 16, 2011

Paracetamol is a safe and effective painkiller when used correctly.....

Young mother, 20, dies after taking 'a few extra paracetamol' to help cope with breast surgery pain

  • One in four with paracetamol-induced liver damage have taken a 'staggered overdose'
  • Desiree had emergency liver transplant to try and save her but her body rejected the organ
By Tammy Hughes

Last updated at 1:22 PM on 15th December 2011

A young mother died from liver failure following routine surgery after she took 'a few extra tablets' of paracetamol each day to cope with the pain.


Desiree Phillips, 20, had a number of benign lumps on her breast removed earlier this year.

Doctors prescribed antibiotics and over-the-counter paracetamol to help her cope with the discomfort.

Accidental overdose: Desiree Phillips died after taking extra paracetamol tablets to help her cope with pain following surgery to remove a benign breast lump
Accidental overdose: Desiree Phillips died after taking extra paracetamol tablets to help her cope with pain following surgery to remove a benign breast lump

Her family suspected she was taking just ‘a few extra tablets’ a day before she was admitted to hospital with a failing liver nine days after the operation.

The single mother, from Llanelli, South Wales, endured a week of excruciating pain and a liver transplant. But she died at Birmingham Queen Elizabeth hospital on August 26.

Her grandfather Des Phillips and mother Ayshea spoke of their shock and sorrow.
Mr Phillips, 58, a chef, said: ‘She must have been taking a few extra tablets than the recommended eight a day. She seemed fine to us, then out of the blue her boyfriend found her stretched out on the sofa. 

‘When we heard she was at hospital we never expected she might die. People don’t realise that an extra two over a period of time can harm your liver if you keep taking that over two to three weeks.’

He added:'We have lost part of our heart, losing her like this.'

Warning: Doctors have told people to beware of a staggered overdose of paracetamol, which is where they take an extra couple of tablets each day over a longer period
Warning: Doctors have told people to beware of a staggered overdose of paracetamol, which is where they take an extra couple of tablets each day over a longer period

By the time Desiree arrived at hospital, her liver failure was irreversible. 

Liver failure can result in a potentially fatal build-up of fluid in the brain.

Mr Phillips said: ‘They said she should have a liver transplant straight away but her body rejected the new organ.’

Although an inquest is yet to be held, Desiree’s family is keen for action to be taken to try to prevent similar tragedies.

Mr Phillips said: ‘If a painkiller is that dangerous, it should be prescribed. Cigarettes have a label saying “smoking kills” but paracetamol packets don’t look dangerous.’

Desiree’s family said her one-year-old son Jayden is now being cared for by his father Simon Dewi-Jones. 


Desiree’s mother Ayshea, 38, added: ‘Jayden doesn’t deserve to be growing up without a mum because of this.’

The 20-year-old's funeral was held at Llanelli Crematorium yesterday.
Dr Kenneth Simpson, of the Scottish Liver Transplantation Unit, who led a study on paracetamol-induced liver injury in 663 patients, says 161 of them had taken a ‘staggered overdose’ – taking one or two too many over several days. 

‘Those who’ve taken a staggered overdose do worse, paradoxically, than the people who’ve tried to kill themselves,’ said Dr Simpson.

A Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency spokesman said: ‘Paracetamol is a safe and effective painkiller when used correctly and when dosage recommendations are followed.

‘Every pack has a warning about overdose and instructions not to take more than eight tablets in any 24-hour period.’

Pay attention to scratches...

It was just a small scratch from a cat - but six days later my heart stopped

By David Hurst

Last updated at 10:41 PM on 12th December 2011

A week after Jon Taylor was scratched by his mother-in-law’s cat he was undergoing emergency surgery — and given just 48 hours to live.


Bacteria from the claw had entered his bloodstream, triggering septicaemia.
Jon recalls: ‘I was in the kitchen when the cat jumped from our oven on to my foot and left two 6cm scratches. After putting TCP and a bandage on, I thought nothing more of it.’

In fact, the break in his skin had allowed a strain of streptococcus bacterium from the cat’s claw into Jon’s bloodstream.

It multiplied, settling on the aortic valve in his heart — which controls the flow of blood around the rest of the body. 


Two days later Jon, 44, thought he was coming down with flu. The day after that, he felt so ill he took to his bed. 


‘I’m usually resilient — but I was surprised at how much this “flu” had knocked me for six,’ says Jon, who lives with his wife Stephanie and their three children near Okehampton, Devon.

The next night he was woken by a pulsating pain in his left ring finger — by the next morning it was swollen and had turned purple. 

Even then, market wholesaler Jon wasn’t unduly concerned, thinking he might have damaged it at work. But swellings like this, away from the original site of injury, is a typical symptom of septicaemia (or blood poisoning). 


Septicaemia occurs when bacteria multiply in the blood, causing widespread inflammation that damages vital organs. If not treated promptly, septic shock can develop, where bacterial toxins cause blood pressure to plummet. 

Eventually, the organs start to fail, and it results in death in more than half of patients. 

Bacteria can enter the bloodstream via open surgery and tooth abscesses, as well as burns — and scratches.

The doctor told Jon he had just 48 hours to live
The doctor told Jon he had just 48 hours to live

‘I still didn’t think my symptoms were anything to do with the scratches, as they looked like they were healing,’ says Jon.
‘But six days after being scratched, I was jaundiced and very unwell. I had a raging fever and was very weak.’
His family became so concerned they called an ambulance and Jon was rushed to hospital.
‘By this point I was drifting in and out of consciousness, and my memory of being admitted is hazy,’ he says. 


Jon was taken to intensive care, where tests showed his heart, lungs, liver and kidney were about to fail — at one stage his heart stopped beating for a few seconds and had to be restarted.
 
He was told his aortic valve needed replacing. 


Jon says: ‘The doctor didn’t mess about, he told me if I didn’t have the surgery, I’d be dead in 48 hours. My wife was terrified and even in my state I was pretty frightened.’


It is important to pay attention to scratches, no matter how small, advises Dr Suranjith Seneviratne, an immunologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London. 


An infected scratch will usually start to look red and infected, and the lymph node will start to swell near the wound after ten days. This will be followed by fever, fatigue, headaches and, in some cases, a loss of appetite, enlarged spleen and sore throat. 


Worryingly, Dr Seneviratne adds: ‘A scratch can look like it’s healing, but the bacteria could have travelled to another site. Symptoms can often be seen away from the scratch, because of the incubation period — usually a few days — as the bacteria multiply and divide.’


The bacteria can settle on the heart, liver, brain, kidney and lungs, with those with a low immune system — such as the elderly, babies or someone with an existing illness such as cancer or diabetes — being most at risk. 
 
Certain medications can suppress the immune system, including chemotherapy and  steroids (used for conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis).
‘With otherwise healthy people, normally their immune system would kill off the bacteria,’ says Dr Seneviratne.

Jon had been diagnosed with a heart murmur in his mid-30s, caused by a weak valve, and doctors believe that bacteria from the cat’s claw had settled on this weak spot.


It is important to pay attention to scratches, no matter how small
It is important to pay attention to scratches, no matter how small

After his operation, Jon was given six weeks of intravenous antibiotics — but it took a further 11 months until he was fit enough to return to work.


It’s not just animal scratches that can cause problems — so, too, can splinters or thorns.

Debbie Penwill, who runs a livery stable, developed a bacterial infection after scratching herself at a wedding reception.

‘Someone messing about lobbed a chair cushion that was backed by a thin piece of wood,’ says Debbie, 29, from Tavistock, Devon.

‘It hit me between my ankle and knee, causing a painful bump and scratch just a couple of millimetres long. It didn’t look deep, so I didn’t wash it and thought nothing more of it.’


But six days after the wedding in September, she woke up with a rash all over her body.
‘I’d had a flu-like virus a few weeks before and put it down to that.
‘But the next day the rash was really red and I was sick. I went to the local hospital where one doctor said it could be scarlet fever, but his colleague said it wasn’t.’


She was given moisturising cream, as her skin felt dry. But that night she couldn’t sleep because of the pain. ‘It was like I’d been dragged through stinging nettles — itchy and burning. I was scared as I didn’t have a clue what it was.’


At 4am she went to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
‘I had a blood test and nine different  doctors had a look at me. They decided it wasn’t an allergy, but they still didn’t know what it was.’ 


Debbie was sent home with steroid tablets and some other skin creams.
In a couple of days the rash had calmed down, but then it merged into purple and black patches — which she later discovered was due to bacterial toxins circulating in her body. 


Debbie’s skin became sore and tender for a few days.
‘I felt like a 90-year-old, as I was in pain when I walked and could barely get out of bed,’ she says.


Debbie saw another doctor after about three weeks, and by then  her symptoms were a faded rash. A blood test showed she’d had the streptococcus bacteria. 


It must have entered her bloodstream through the small scratch — the rash was scarlatina, a bacterial illness linked to scarlet fever. It develops only if someone is susceptible to the toxins produced by the streptococcus bacteria.


‘I had to take three weeks off work, and as I’m self-employed I lost a lot of money,’ she says.

‘My skin is still peeling nine weeks later. But I’m just glad to know what it was. I’ll definitely clean any scratches from now on.’

THE DANGER SIGNS OF SEPTICAEMIA

If a scratch becomes swollen, hot or inflamed and you start getting chills or a fever, seek immediate medical attention as this could mean it is infected.

‘The dirtier and deeper the scratch the more likely there will be an infection,’ explains Hilary Longhurst, consultant immunologist at St  Bartholomew’s Hospital, London.

‘The classic case we might see is the old lady doing her roses who gets a thorn scratch after putting manure down.’ 


She adds: ‘With septicaemia, look out for hot swelling, pain, feeling unwell, or swollen lymph glands near the scratch. If it’s not improving go to your doctor or A&E immediately.

‘Depending on its severity, oral or intravenous antibiotics will usually clear up an infection, but the sooner it’s caught the better.’


Sunday, December 11, 2011

Eating white bread and pasta could increase risk of breast cancer returning in patients

  • Starch-rich diet linked to new tumours developing
  • Refined carbohydrates, such as white breads and white pasta, contain more starch than whole grains
By Sadie Whitelocks

Last updated at 5:02 PM on 9th December 2011
Eating cereal, bread and potatoes may boost the risk of breast cancer recurrence say scientists
Eating cereal, bread and potatoes may boost the risk of breast cancer recurrence say scientists

Eating plenty of cereal, bread and potatoes may boost the risk of breast cancer recurring in survivors, say scientists. 

A study found that former sufferers who followed a starch-rich diet were more likely to develop tumours compared to those who reduced their intake.

Researchers are unable to explain the trend but it is believed that increased insulin levels, sparked by refined carbohydrates, could stimulate the growth of cancerous cells.

A team from University of California, San Diego, studied the diets of 2,651 breast cancer survivors over 12 months.


They found that carbohydrates in general - especially starches - were linked to the risk of new tumours developing.


The rate of recurrence was 14.2 per cent among women who increased their starch intake while it was 9.7 per cent for those who decreased their consumption.

Lead researcher Jennifer Emond said: 'The results show that it's not just overall carbohydrates, but particularly starch. 

'Women who increased their starch intake over one year were at a much likelier risk for recurring.'
 
At the start, the women's carbohydrate intake was 233g per day. 


Women whose cancer recurred increased their carbohydrate by 2.3g per day during the first year, while those who did not see a recurrence reduced their intake by 2.7g.

Carbohydrates are the most important fuel for muscles, and an essential energy source for the brain and central nervous system, but some can be healthier than others.

Refined carbohydrates, such as white breads and white pasta, contain more starch than whole grains. 


Professor Emond added: 'We didn't pinpoint the exact foods.'

Marji McCullough from the American Cancer Society said the findings, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas, are important for breast cancer survivors who want to know know how to lower their risk of recurrence.

However she added that it is too early to advise making dietary changes and further research is need. 

Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive, Breast Cancer Campaign said, 'This study suggests that reducing starch consumption could possibly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

'However, it is too early to make dietary recommendations based on these results and we therefore welcome further investigations into this interesting area.

'While the overall risk of developing the disease can be reduced with some adjustments to diet, a reduction in alcohol consumption and not smoking, the causes of breast cancer are complex with the biggest risk factors being gender, age and genetics.'

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK affecting about 46,000 women every year.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Most people in the UK are killed by five diseases -

Most people in the UK are killed by five diseases - here are some tips to avoid them

By Doctor Sarah Brewer

Last updated at 9:59 PM on 24th September 2011

We all have to go somehow. And last year 493,242 Britons died of various causes. The majority were due to heart disease and more than a quarter were as a result of various forms of cancer.
But behind these sad statistics is another story: yes, we all die of something, but how soon it happens and what gets us in the end is, to some extent, down to our lifestyle.
So what are Britain’s most common killers, and how can we avoid them? Here is my practical guide.



Heart Disease

Most common: Heart attack, 70,196


Why does it kill? When cells in the heart die, the muscle cannot pump blood around the body. Without a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood, the body dies.


Will it happen to me? The risk of suffering a heart attack can be as high as one in three. A family history of heart disease also raises the risk of developing it. Heart attacks are most common in men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55.

How to avoid it: Give up smoking – you are five times more likely to have a heart attack in your 30s and 40s if you smoke. Lose excess weight and eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and less salt. Eat oily fish or take a fish-oil supplement rich in omega 3 oils – studies have shown that taking just 1g of long-chain fish oils (EPA and DHA) daily reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack by 45 per cent. Control stress levels – excess stress can increase blood pressure by the equivalent of carrying an extra 44 lb in weight or gaining an additional 20 years in age. Exercise for at least 30 minutes each day.

What to look for: A heart attack can be difficult to distinguish from angina (the body’s warning sign that it is close to suffering a heart attack). Both are due to lack of oxygen reaching the heart muscle. A heart attack usually occurs after physical activity and symptoms can be vague. Fatigue, an urgent need to empty the bowels and chest discomfort as opposed to intense pain can all be the beginnings of a heart attack. Angina usually fades after rest but heart-attack symptoms will steadily worsen.

Stop: You are five more times likely to have a heart attack in your 30s and 40s if you smoke
Stop: You are five more times likely to have a heart attack in your 30s and 40s if you smoke

Cancer

Most common: Throat and lung, 29,977

Why does it kill? Cancers develop when a single cell starts to divide repeatedly, producing abnormal copies of itself, rather than dividing occasionally just to replace worn-out cells. If the immune system does not destroy these cells, they continue to reproduce and invade surrounding tissues. Cancers usually kill because they can impair the function of the organ or tissue they are growing on.

Will it happen to me? Cancer can occur at any age and results from poorly understood interactions between genes, environment and lifestyle. But if you smoke, the chance of developing cancer – particularly throat and lung – is almost 100 per cent; otherwise you stand a one in three chance. The risk is higher if there is a family history of the disease.

How to avoid it: At least 40 per cent of cancers can be prevented by lifestyle changes. Not smoking (again!),  controlling alcohol use, sun exposure and weight, eating nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables, regular exercise, reducing intake of air pollution (such as using a mask if you cycle in a city regularly) as well as making sure you are not exposed to toxic chemicals in the workplace will help. Get checked for sexually transmitted diseases as some, such as hepatitis and the HPV virus (genital warts), have been linked to certain cancers. 

What to look for: Cancer symptoms are usually specific to the area affected, but never ignore a lump, changes in bowel habits, urinary difficulties, recurrent heartburn, a nagging cough or shortness of breath, recurrent discomfort in a specific place, sudden and inexplicable weight or blood loss.

Dementia

Most common: Alzheimer’s disease, 6,757

Why does it kill? A form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease causes brain cells to deteriorate, but more specifically because there is an accumulation of protein both inside and outside of the brain cells that attacks the nerves, cells and neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain).

Will it happen to me? As with all forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s does have a hereditary component. Smokers are also much more prone. 

How to avoid it: Folic acid (Vitamin B9) has been shown to protect against the disease but the most important thing is to keep challenging yourself mentally – with brain cells, it really is a case of using them or losing them. Omega 3 supplements have also been shown to prevent dementia.

What to look for: The same symptoms as other forms of dementia – mood swings, and difficulty thinking, speaking, remembering and making judgments. 


Dose up: Folic Acid will help prevent Dementia but the most important thing is to keep challenging yourself mentally
Dose up: Folic Acid will help prevent Dementia but the most important thing is to keep challenging yourself mentally

Digestive Disease

Most common: Liver failure, 7,503

Why does it kill? The liver is responsible for filtering toxins, regulating blood production and producing bile to digest food. As liver disease sets in, liver cells are replaced by scar tissue (cirrhosis). When this happens, the liver cannot function and toxins build up in the body. This can slow blood-clotting by 50 per cent. 

Will it happen to me? The liver is a very resilient organ, and even if 75 per cent of it is removed it will usually grow back. Women are more prone to  liver disease than men. The chances of developing the disease is one in 109 in the UK.

How to avoid it: Avoid ingesting too much of substances that damage the liver, such as alcohol and painkillers. Get tested for hepatitis if you think you may be at risk of having contracted it (if you have engaged in unprotected sex or have been contaminated with hepatitis-positive blood).

What to look for: Tenderness in the upper right abdomen, jaundice (yellow whites of the eyes or skin), intense itchiness, easy bruising and bleeding. Red spider veins on the torso, red palms of hands and gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts) can also be symptomatic of an underlying liver problem.




Diabetes

Why does it kill? If the pancreas does not produce enough of a hormone called insulin (type 1 diabetes) or the body does not make effective use of the insulin (type 2 diabetes), high glucose levels build up in the body. Poorly  managed glucose levels trigger heart disease, poor circulation, blindness and leg ulcers that are prone to infection. 

Will it happen to me? Having a father with type 2 diabetes makes the chances of developing the disease one in 40. If both parents suffer, the chances increase to one in 20. Adults of Asian origin are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and should be vigilant in maintaining a healthy weight. 

How to avoid it: Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly. People who are prone to developing type 2 diabetes tend to store fat around their middle. A man is at highest risk of developing the condition once his waist size has reached 40in. For a woman, it’s 35in. Studies have shown that losing 22 lb can reduce the overall risk of a premature diabetes-related death by up to 30 per cent. Bringing blood pressure down to  normal levels can reduce your risk of diabetic death by 32 per cent, stroke by 44 per cent and heart failure by 56 per cent.

What to look for: A raised blood sugar level – get checked regularly by your doctor if you are at risk.

Death: A Survival Guide – 100 Ways To Die And How To Avoid Them, by Dr Sarah Brewer, is published by Quercus Publishing Plc at £9.99.


Friday, November 25, 2011

Shoppers ignore health warnings on food ......

We're not dumping the junk! Shoppers ignore health warnings on food and buy whatever they want, study finds

By Claire Bates

Last updated at 4:36 PM on 25th November 2011
Unhealthy choices: Shoppers will regularly ignore health labels on food
Unhealthy choices: Shoppers will regularly ignore health labels on food

Most shoppers ignore nutritional labels labels on food packets and simply buy what they like, a new study claims.

The findings are a blow to the UK government, which has pressurised food manufacturers to display calorie, fat and salt content prominently on packaging so that consumers can make healthier choices.

Schemes include the voluntary 'traffic light system,' which rates how healthy food is by using red, orange or green labels.

Researchers from the Food Labelling to Advance Better Education for Life (FLABEL) investigated 37,000 products in five potentially unhealthy types of food, including biscuits, chilled ready meals and fizzy drinks.

They found Britain had the highest proportion of nutritional information on packaging, with more than 95 per cent including it on the back of packs, and 82 per cent on the front.


However, the research also found that most shoppers understand perfectly well how healthy various foods are with only the bare minimum of nutritional information.

In a further blow to the costly schemes, the authors discovered that people who said they understood or liked the various labelling schemes were happy to ignore them and buy the food they liked best, regardless of how unhealthy it was. 

 
FLABEL advisor Professor Klaus Grunert, from Aarhus University in Denmark called on food companies to put clear information on the front of packs for maximum impact.

However, he conceded that even this wouldn't make shoppers to dump the junk, saying: 'Motivation was a major factor affecting the impact of nutrition labels on the choices made by consumers.
'When prompted, consumers were able to identify which products were healthier, but they did not use this information to choose which product they prefer. 


'A lack of consumer motivation, therefore, is one factor standing in the way of healthy food choices resulting from nutrition labelling.' 


He added: 'The FLABEL research shows the most promising option for increasing consumers' attention to, and use of, nutrition information on food labels, is to provide information on key nutrients and energy on the front of the pack, in a consistent way.  


'Complementing this information with a health logo can also increase attention to, and use of, the information, especially when the consumer is under time pressure.  


'Similarly, use of colour coding can increase attention and use in certain situations, although the effects of both are not strong.'  

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2066226/Were-dumping-junk-Shoppers-ignore-health-warnings-food-buy-want-study-finds.html#ixzz1eloBLUCL

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

What can cause cancer

From hot drinks to using a mobile phones, everyone has a theory about what can cause cancer. But what do the experts think?

By Anna Hodgekiss

Last updated at 9:29 AM on 15th November 2011

Cancer is on the rise and nearly 40 per cent of Britons will develop the disease at some point in their lives, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Just ten years ago this figure was one in three. So what is triggering this increase?
Experts point to an ageing population (older people are more at risk as their cells age) and lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, smoking and a lack of exercise.

Many people have their own ideas about what's behind the rise in cancer - from hormones in chicken to microwave ovens and barbecued meat
Many people have their own ideas about what's behind the rise in cancer - from hormones in chicken to microwave ovens and barbecued meat

Alcohol is another factor: earlier this month a study found that women who drink as little as two-and-a-half units of wine a day — equivalent to a 175 ml glass of wine — increase their risk of breast cancer by 15 per cent.

The Harvard University researchers believe alcohol might increase levels of the female hormone oestrogen, which can fuel breast cancer growth.

 
But while the evidence linking these factors to various cancers is strong, scientists are exploring other links, too. 


Many people have their own ideas about what’s also behind the rise — from hormones in chicken to microwave ovens and barbecued meat. Is there any truth in these theories? We asked the experts...

HOT DRINKS

Hot tea was linked with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer in an Iranian study published in the British Medical Journal
Hot tea was linked with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer in an Iranian study published in the British Medical Journal

THE THEORY: Drinking steaming hot drinks is thought to damage the gullet. Hot tea was linked with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer in an Iranian study published in the British Medical Journal.

Compared with warm or lukewarm tea (65c or cooler), hot tea (65-69c) was associated with twice the risk of oesophageal cancer, and very hot tea (70c or hotter) with an eight-fold increased risk. 


Drinking a cup of tea in less than two minutes straight after it was poured was associated with a five-fold higher risk of oesophageal cancer compared with drinking tea four or more minutes after being poured. 


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘In countries such as Iran and Brazil, the culture is to consume absolutely boiling hot drinks,’ explains Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser at the World Cancer Research Fund. 


‘They also often drink it using a metal straw which takes the liquid right to the back of the throat. This seems to cause inflammation of the oesophagus, and inflammation is associated with cancer as it can increase the risk of abnormal cells developing. 


‘However, in the UK we tend to drink our tea several degrees colder and also add milk, which has a cooling effect and essentially eliminates this risk.’

BARBECUED MEAT

A Norwegian study has suggested that high doses of a chemical substance called HCA, found in burnt meat, were associated with a higher risk of colon cancer
A Norwegian study has suggested that high doses of a chemical substance called HCA, found in burnt meat, were associated with a higher risk of colon cancer

THE THEORY: Some people believe the way meat is cooked — particularly charring it, as with a barbecue — is a risk factor for cancer. 


A Norwegian study published earlier this month suggested that high doses of a chemical substance called HCA, found in burnt meat, were associated with a higher risk of colon cancer. 


While the study involved genetically-modified mice which are not normally exposed to cooked meat, previous experiments have also suggested that burnt meat might have carcinogenic properties.


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘When it comes to how you cook your meat, the evidence is inconsistent,’ says Yinka Ebo, senior health information officer at Cancer Research UK.
‘But some studies have shown that cooking meat at high temperatures until it chars can produce cancer-causing chemicals. So it’s a good idea to use low-temperature methods such as braising.’

PHYSICAL TRAUMA

THE THEORY: It’s the sort of thing your mother says to you: ‘Be careful not to knock your breast as it could give you cancer.’
But can it? 


A study by scientists at the University of Lancaster found that physical trauma (a blow to the breast area) could trigger the disease.
However, other experts argue that such a trauma will result in the breast itself being examined more closely than usual, which is why breast cancer is detected, rather than being due to the actual injury. 


‘Some people believe physical injuries can lead to cancer, but there’s no good evidence for this,’ says Yinka Ebo.

‘Cancers are fundamentally caused by faulty or damaged genes and take a very long time to develop, and it’s much more likely injuries draw attention to tumours that are already there.’

MOBILE PHONES

Mobiles are ranked the same as car fumes but lower than asbestos
Mobiles are ranked the same as car fumes but lower than asbestos

THE THEORY: Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation admitted that mobile phones may cause cancer. 


A review of evidence suggested an increased risk of a malignant type of brain cancer could not be ruled out and it advised ‘pragmatic’ measures to reduce exposure, such as using hands-free kits and texting instead of calling. 


After assessing the research available, the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that mobile phone use is ‘possibly carcinogenic’, a term which places the phones in the middle of five tiers of possible carcinogens. 


Mobiles are ranked the same as car fumes but lower than asbestos (the highest possible tier).
Yet a study published last month on the British Medical Journal website, disputes these findings. Led by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark, it looked at more than 350,000 people with mobile phones over an 18-year period. 


Researchers concluded users were at no greater risk than anyone else of developing cancer of the brain or nervous system. 


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘There have been endless publications on the possible link between mobile phones and cancer,’ says Professor Karol Sikora, medical director of Cancer Partners UK.


‘Due to the lack of long-term studies no one really knows if there is a risk, but if there is one it’s likely to be very small. That’s because otherwise we would have seen a very clear relationship beginning to emerge by now. 


‘Mobile phone use surged in the Nineties and we would have seen more brain, head and neck tumours by now.


‘A problem with long-term research with phones is that the technology — and therefore the type of radiation — is constantly changing.

'However, it is worth remembering that, anecdotally, women chat on the phone a lot more than men, and they do not have a higher incidence of brain tumours.’

GENES

Hereditary: around 10 per cent of cancers may be due to your genetic background
Hereditary: around 10 per cent of cancers may be due to your genetic background

THE THEORY: It’s often thought that cancer is ‘genetic’ so you can’t really do much about it. In fact, experts think around 5 to 10 per cent of cancers may be linked to inherited genes.

They have identified genes that increase risk for some of the more common cancers, such as cancers of the breast, bowel, ovary, womb and prostate. 


For instance, women who have inherited the faulty BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genes have an increased lifetime risk of breast cancer.


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘It is true that around 10 per cent of cancers may be due to your genetic background,’ says Professor Sikora. ‘This is the one risk factor you can’t do anything about, but a healthy lifestyle and not smoking, in particular, also play an important role.’

CONSTIPATION

THE THEORY: Some people believe that constipation — where stools sit in the bowel for a long time — raises the risk of bowel cancer as the waste products in them may cause a change in the lining of the bowel. 


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘We know that the incidence of colon cancer is lower in areas such as the Far East, where the transit time  of food through the body is much quicker because they eat more fibre and vegetables,’ says Professor Sikora. 


‘A high-fibre diet helps cancer-causing compounds pass through quicker, reducing your risk of developing colon cancer.’

PLASTICS

THE THEORY: A chemical widely used in food packaging may be a contributing factor to women developing breast cancer, scientists at Tufts University School of Medicine in the U.S. suggested a few years ago. 


A study of mice found that a compound called bisphenol-A (or BPA), used in plastic food containers, affected how they responded to oestrogen, which fuels most breast cancer in humans. 


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘A lot of people have very strong ideas about this theory, but the evidence is very poor,’ says Professor Sikora. ‘This was a mouse study and as a result, it is pretty meaningless. 
‘Mice only live for two years, so their lifespan is in no way comparable to ours. They would also have been given large doses (for them) over a short period. 


‘I would not worry about using plastic bottles or storage containers for food. There are also often concerns about heating food in plastic containers in the microwave; while there are carcinogens in plastic there is no evidence that heating the plastic will release them into the food. 


‘Again, it doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a relationship, but if there is, it’s very small. It’s also important to bear in mind that eating a lot of processed, microwaveable food may be indicative of an unhealthy lifestyle and may accompany other risk factors, such as a lack of exercise.’

MICROWAVES

THE THEORY: Microwaves work by using electromagnetic radiation to raise the temperature of food. There have been concerns that this radiation exposure could cause cancer in humans.


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘The main thing to say here is that microwaves don’t use the same type of radiation that is known to cause cancer — ionising radiation, which is  the type produced by nuclear reactions,’ says Yinka Ebo. 


False alarm? Microwaves don¿t use the same type of radiation that is known to cause cancer ¿ ionising radiation
False alarm? Microwaves don¿t use the same type of radiation that is known to cause cancer ¿ ionising radiation

‘We know this can change a cell’s DNA, which may cause cancer  to develop.
‘Non-ionising radiation, which microwaves use, has enough energy to move things around inside a cell (in this case to heat them), but not enough to change cells chemically. 


‘Microwaves heat food, but do not make any changes to it that aren’t made in any other cooking method. So they do not make food any more likely to cause cancer.’

CHICKEN

THE THEORY: It has been suggested that the hormones widely used to rear poultry in battery farms might raise levels of oestrogen in humans. Raised levels of the hormone are associated with breast cancer. 


EXPERT COMMENT: ‘It’s a frequent scare story, but you’d have to eat an awful lot of chicken — about two birds a day — to increase your risk,’ says Professor Sikora.
‘The oestrogen pellets used in battery farming to increase weight would only slightly increase levels in the meat, and not enough to increase human levels.’

ILLNESS/VIRUSES

THE THEORY: The thinking is that having an illness or developing a condition in a certain part of the body makes it more likely cancer will develop there later in life.
Another theory is that viruses can trigger genetic changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.


EXPERT COMMENT: When it comes to bowel cancer, the charity Beating Bowel Cancer warns that people with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis might have a higher risk.


‘Women with endometriosis have a slightly higher risk of ovarian cancer, as do women who are treated for ovarian cysts under the age of 29,’ adds Dr Sarah Blacklidge, of Ovarian Cancer Action. 


And when it comes to viruses there may be a link with some cancers. Cervical and oral cancers, for example, have been linked with the human papilloma virus (HPV).
‘HPV is the most prominent virus at the moment when it comes to cancer,’ says Professor Sikora. 


‘There are almost certainly other viruses that may trigger cancers such as lymphomas, but we do not yet understand the relationship.
‘It’s thought they might be triggered by an abnormal immune reaction to a virus.’

HRT

THE THEORY: There has been focus in recent years on the link between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and an increased risk of breast, ovarian and womb cancers. The theory is that the hormones encourage the growth of breast cancers
.
EXPERT COMMENT: ‘HRT is still an effective short-term treatment for menopausal symptoms,’ says Yinka Ebo.

‘Using HRT for a few years doesn’t greatly increase your risk, but the longer you stay on it, the higher your risk becomes.
‘Five years after stopping, your risk will return to that of a woman who has never used HRT.’


Research indicates that women who use oestrogen-only HRT have a slightly increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, adds  Dr Blacklidge.
Women who take the contraceptive pill are thought to have a lower risk of developing womb cancer.


For further information visit cancerresearchuk.org

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2061515/Cancer-From-hot-drinks-using-mobile-phones-theory-cause-disease-But-think.html#ixzz1dspUy1iv

Monday, November 14, 2011

Diabetes breakthrough could save sufferers from drawing blood by testing tears instead

By Claire Bates

Last updated at 12:21 PM on 11th November 2011
Diabetics may be saved from having to draw blood several times a day to test their sugar levels after scientists found a way to use tears instead.
Diabetics have to test their blood sugar levels from two to 10 times a day by drawing a droplet of blood with a finger-prick test.
However, some people don't measure their levels often enough because of the discomfort it causes.

Tear drops not blood drops: Glucose can be measured from watery eyes
Tear testing: Diabetics nay be able to measure their blood sugar levels from tears instead of having to use a finger-prick blood test

Now researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a sensor that can detect blood glucose levels in tears.
The study, which used rabbits as human substitutes, found glucose levels in tears correlated to glucose levels in the blood.

 
The researchers said in the journal Analytical Chemistry: 'Thus it may be possible to measure tear glucose levels multiple times per day to monitor blood glucose changes without the potential pain from the repeated invasive blood drawing method.'

Some type 1 diabetics must check their blood sugar levels 10 times a day
Some type 1 diabetics must check their blood sugar levels 10 times a day

Doctors say there is a great demand for an alternative to using lancets, or pricking needles, to draw blood. 

Fingers can become sensitive over time and there is always a small risk of infection.
Frequent tests are essential for people with type 1 diabetes, who can't produce the hormone insulin,  needed to control blood sugar levels.

Skin prick tests are the only way to safely monitor glucose levels and will let patients know if they need an insulin injection.
If blood sugar levels fall too low, type one diabetics can develop hypoglycaemia, which can lead to coma and death if left untreated.

People with type 2 diabetes don't produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels.  Although it can be treated with a healthier diet and exercise it is a progressive condition and medication may be needed when the condition is more advanced.


Those with type 2 diabetes may only need to test themselves twice a week if they manage to get their sugar levels under control.


Diabetes affects 2.8 million people in the UK and 26 million people in the U.S. The majority of sufferers have type 2 of the condition.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2060258/New-diabetes-device-tests-tears-instead-blood.html#ixzz1dhHl9Qn3

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fish could cut risk of dementia as it boosts blood flow to the brain

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:54 AM on 25th October 2011

Eating fish may boost blood flow to the brain which could stave off dementia in later life, researchers have discovered.

The health benefits of a diet rich in omega-3, a fatty acid found in oily fish, have long been suspected, and the findings of two studies into its effects on young people suggest that it can improve reaction times in 18-35 year olds as well as reducing levels of mental fatigue after they perform tough tasks. 

Although the results suggest that, contrary to popular belief, taking omega-3 or fish oil supplements may not have an impact on the mental performance of young adults, the researchers at Northumbria University say the increased blood flow to the brain it caused could be important for older people.

Delicious: Not only is fish tasty it could also help fight dementia because it is rich in Omega-3 
Delicious: Not only is fish tasty it could also help fight dementia because it is rich in Omega-3

Lead researcher Dr Philippa Jackson said: ‘These findings could have implications for mental function later on in life. The evidence suggests that regularly eating oily fish may prevent cognitive decline and dementia, and increased blood flow to the brain may be a mechanism by which this occurs.
 
'If we can pinpoint both the behavioural and brain blood flow effects of this fatty acid in older healthy people, then the benefits for those with mental degenerative conditions associated with normal ageing could be that much greater.'

Researchers now plan to conduct a study on omega-3 use in people aged 50-70.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Cancer-stricken mother dies 23 days after giving birth.....

Cancer-stricken mother dies 23 days after giving birth to daughter she saved by refusing chemotherapy treatment

  • Stacie Crimm gave birth by Caesarian on August 18 as heart rate plummeted
  • Mother met baby girl Dottie Mae just once as she battled in intensive care
  • Three days later, on September 11, Stacie died in Oklahoma hospital
  • Her brother and his wife will now care for the girl, who weighed 2lbs at birth
By Laurie Whitwell

Last updated at 10:30 AM on 19th October 2011
Faced with the knowledge that only chemotherapy would save her from terminal neck cancer, newly-pregnant Stacie Crimm made the ultimate sacrifice.

The 41-year-old, who had been told by doctors she would never be able to conceive a child, decided to refuse the treatment so her unborn daughter could live instead.

Stacie was able to survive for five months before being forced to deliver Dottie Mae, weighing just 2lbs 1oz, by Caesarean section - and even managed to hold her on one occasion before succumbing to the disease three days later.



Dottie Mae
Stacie Renea Crimm
Trade: Stacie Crimm, right, refused chemotherapy for cancer so that her unborn baby Dottie Mae, left, could survive

Sacrifice: Dottie Mae will now be cared for by Stacie's brother Ray Phillips and his wife Jennifer
Sacrifice: Dottie Mae will now be cared for by Stacie's brother Ray Phillips and his wife Jennifer

'This baby was everything she had in this world,' Stacie's brother Ray Phillips told the Oklahoman.

It was he Stacie called in March when she received the unfathomable news that she was pregnant after years of thinking she was infertile.
'You're not going to believe this,' the mother-to-be had told him in a mixture of laughter and tears, according to The Oklahoman.

But over the next days and weeks, as she shopped for all the things her baby would need, a serious worry began to gnaw at Stacie. She was having severe headaches and double vision, while tremors struck every inch of her body.

 
She began to tell Ray of her growing concerns. 'I'm worried about this baby,' she said in one text, according to the Oklahoman. 'I hope I live long enough to have this baby,' said another message. 'Bubba, if anything happens to me, you take this child.'

Stacie was no longer with the father of the baby and would have raised her daughter as a single mother if she survived.

At her family's encouragement, Stacie visited a number of doctors and in July, a CT scan revealed that she had head and neck cancer.

Emotional: The moment Stacie was able to meet her baby daughter before she passed away. Also pictured are her siblings Ray and Elizabeth
Emotional: The moment Stacie was able to meet her baby daughter before she passed away. Also pictured are her siblings Ray and Elizabeth


Ill: Dottie Mae was delivered four months early by Caesarian section, weighing just 2lbs 1oz
Tiny: Dottie Mae was delivered four months early by Caesarean section, weighing just 2lbs 1oz

She had to do what no would-be mother should have to - choose between her life and that of her baby's. It was an easy decision.

Ray told the Oklahoman that his sister waived the potentially lifesaving chemotherapy in the hope that she would eventually hold a healthy baby in her arms.

Then on August 16, Stacie collapsed at her home in Ryan, Oklahoma and was rushed to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
Doctors said the invasive tumour had begun wrapping around the brain stem, the Oklahoman reported.

Two days later the baby's heart rate plummeted, then Stacie's heart stopped. Code Blue was issued. Doctors and nurses rushed to her aid and decided a C-section was the baby's only chance.

Dottie Mae arrived into the world weighing less than a third of an average newborn. She was swiftly taken to neonatal intensive care, while her mother was placed in intensive care in another building.

'Sister was dying right there. She was gasping,' Ray told the Oklahoman. 'The human body fights death.'

Stacie fought back and managed to wrestle herself off the ventilator and sedation after a few days. 'There was still a lot of hope at that point,' said Ray's wife Jennifer.

Dottie Mae
Stacie Renea Crimm
Loving mother: Dottie Mae was able to meet her mother before Stacie died three days later on September 11


Like uncle, like father: Stacie's brother Ray Phillips has taken Dottie Mae into his home with his four children after the baby's father left his sister
Part of the family: Stacie's brother Ray Phillips has taken Dottie Mae into his home with his four children after the baby's father left his sister

But the cancer had affected one of her eyes and destroyed the muscle behind it,
It had paralysed her throat so that when she did talk, she was hard to understand. She had tumours on her brain. She often became unconscious and had not been able to sign Dottie Mae's birth certificate.

Stacie was too weak to be taken to her baby, and her baby was too weak to be brought to her.

'We'd show her pictures and she would cry and she would want to hold her baby,' Ray told NewsOk. 'It was quite the ordeal. I felt helpless. I wanted to help her, I wanted to do what I could for her - we all did - but they had told us it was impossible for her to see the child.'

On September 8, Stacie stopped breathing and once again was resuscitated. Hospital staff warned the family that she was very close to death.
But she had not yet held, kissed or looked into the blue eyes of the baby whose life she had chosen above her own.

Nurse Agi Beo, herself a mother, could not bear to think of Stacie's emotional pain and decided to do something about it.
She worked with nurse Jetsy Jacob and talked to Neoflight, the medical centre's neonatal transport team, about using a capsule-like ICU to safely move Dottie Mae to her mother.
 
Special unit: Dottie Mae had to be transferred into an ICU module so she could be taken from intensive care to her mother
Special unit: Dottie Mae had to be transferred into an ICU module so she could be taken from intensive care to her mother

'I knew all of this was going on in the background and I didn't say nothing to her until I knew it was going to happen because I didn't want to get her hopes up,' Ray said.
He asked his sister what she would would think about seeing her daughter that day. 
Stacie's eyes popped open and she began looking around to find her.
Soon the nurses arrived with Dottie Mae and laid her right on her mother's chest. The two stared into each other's eyes for several minutes.
'Nobody said anything, it got real quiet,' Ray told NewsOk. 'I told my sister, "You have done a beautiful thing". It was the perfect moment, that's what I called it.'

Stacie died three days later. Her funeral was on September 14.

Her obituary on the Dudley Funeral Homes website reads: 'Dottie Mae was the light of her life and her greatest accomplishment. She chose to give this baby life instead of taking treatment for herself.'

Dottie Mae now lives with Ray, his wife Jennifer and their four children in their Oklahoma City home

'I think she's a miracle. I just want to do right by her and do what Stacie asked,' Jennifer said.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2050224/Stacie-Crimm-refuses-chemotherapy-unborn-daughter-Dottie-Mae-live.html#ixzz1bEyPP8tm

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