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| Thursday, 02 September, 2010 |
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'Sorry' is still the hardest word
(London)
When something goes wrong in the NHS, staff can be reluctant to offer patients and relatives the apology they seek.
But in this week's Scrubbing Up health column, England's Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson says the NHS needs to apologise more -...
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Grapefruit diet 'put leg at risk'
(London)
A woman who went on an intense grapefruit-based diet developed a blood clot in her leg and risked losing the limb, US doctors have reported.
The unusual case, written up in the Lancet medical journal, occurred in Washington state in November last year...
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Gene defect clue to male pill
(London)
A male contraceptive pill could be a step closer after US researchers identified a gene flaw linked to male infertility.
The study of Iranian families found mutations in the CATSPER1 gene which controls a protein determining sperm movement.
Researc...
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Menus to display calorie counts
(London)
Hundreds of food outlets will start displaying calorie information on menus later this month, ministers say.
A first wave of 17 firms will trial the scheme, aimed at getting people to eat healthily.
High street chains including Pizza Hut and Burger...
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How scratching can stop an itch
(London)
Scientists have shown scratching helps relieve an itch as it blocks activity in some spinal cord nerve cells that transmit the sensation to the brain.
However, the effect only seems to occur during itchiness itself - scratching at other times makes no...
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High-salt diet link to ulcer risk
(London)
The bug that causes stomach ulcers may be more likely to cause disease when exposed to high concentrations of salt, a US team of researchers has said.
Two genes associated with the potency of Helicobacter pylori became more active if a lot of salt is p...
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Baby broccoli 'controls gut bug'
(London)
Eating a daily portion of broccoli sprouts could help tame the H. pylori bacteria, linked to stomach ulcers and even cancer, research suggests.
The study in Cancer Prevention Research of 50 people in Japan found eating 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts e...
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Balance of good health
(London)
Eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay active
The key to a healthy balanced diet is not to ban or omit any foods or food groups but to balance what you eat by consuming a variety of foods from each food group in the right proportions for good health.
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What's a healthy weight
(London)
Good health is about more than just your weight. It depends on many things, including your family's medical history, your genes, whether you smoke, the type of food you eat and how active you are.
A combination of factors determines our weight, and that'...
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The digestive system
(London)
What is digestion?
Digestion is the process of breaking down food so that it's small enough to be absorbed and used by the body for energy or in other bodily functions.
Digestion involves a number of different stages. The first phase is known as the...
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Caffeinated drinks
(London)
Effects of caffeine
Caffeine acts as a stimulant to the heart and central nervous system, and is also known to increase blood pressure in the short term, although there's no conclusive evidence of long-term effects on blood pressure.
The effects on ...
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Salt
(London)
Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is made up of 40 per cent sodium and 60 per cent chloride. Found predominantly in pre-prepared foods, excessive salt consumption has been linked with high blood pressure and stomach cancer, and can exacerbate osteoporo...
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Alcohol
(London)
There are mixed messages about alcohol, so what are its proven health benefits and risks, and how much should you be drinking, What is alcohol?
Alcohol is a common term for ethanol, a compound produced when glucose is fermented by yeast. The alcohol co...
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Milk and dairy products
(London)
What foods are in this category?
This food group includes milk and milk products - cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais - but not butter, margarine or cream. They belong in the fat and sugar group of the Food Standards Agency's 'eatwell plate'.
Varieties...
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Bread, cereals and other starchy foods
(London)
Refined and unrefined grains
The foods listed above (apart from potatoes) are all produced from grains, such as wheat, corn or rice. They should be a part of all meals, filling about a third of your plate. They can come in two forms – refined or unre...
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Fats and sugars
(London)
These foods, although an important energy source, often contain few other nutrients, so it's healthier to limit their consumption.
What are they?
This group, which includes foods such as cakes, biscuits, sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks and crisps, make...
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Fruit and vegetables
(London)
Five a day
Due to their nutritional and health benefits, it's recommended that fruit and vegetables form the basis of your diet, with a minimum intake of five portions each day - about a third of your daily food consumption. Currently the UK averages t...
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Eating out - choosing healthier options
(London)
More and more of us are eating out on a regular basis, whether it's for a business lunch, a girls' get together, or for a family meal.
The 2006 Family Food Survey found that households where the head of the household was under 30 years old were spending ...
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