Can your multivitamin increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

Many of us want to improve our odds of getting into old age in the best of shapes by using multivitamins. I do it. You probably do it, too. But can your multivitamin increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? Recent research focuses on copper, a common ingredient of many multivitamins as a possible suspect in dementia.

“For some time it has been clear that copper toxicity plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease,” says professor George Brewer, a researcher at University of Michigan.

It all started with Larry Spark’s rabbits. In his West Virginia laboratory Dr. Larry Sparks, a researcher investigating the effect of high cholesterol diet in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), developed an animal model of this disease. He and his team fed rabbits with high-fat diet until they developed AD-like disease (and you thought you had a depressing job!). When he moved his lab to Arizona, to his surprise he found that he no longer was able to induce dementia in his animals. What happened? He maintained the same conditions (same breed of rabbits, identical food etc.). The only change, he realized after some time, was that in West Virginia he used tap water, whereas in Arizona the water was distilled. After experimenting with different substances in water he narrowed it down to a difference in the levels of copper.

But keep in mind: this doesn’t make copper a villain. Copper remains an important trace element; its deficiency can cause as much trouble as its excess. It is a crucial component of many enzymes.

We get 75% of our copper from food such as shellfish, nuts, grains, many fruits and vegetables and chocolate.  It is so-called “organic copper” or copper-1. Over millennia our bodies figured out a safe way of handling it through processing it through liver, which works like a distribution center, sending it to whatever cells may need it.

Then, there is remaining 25%, inorganic copper or copper-2, which we get from water (leached from copper piping) and more recently from supplements.  It slightly differs from copper-1 in that it is unattached to any bigger molecules.  As a result, it shows up in our blood almost immediately after ingestion, as it bypasses the secure channels in liver. What’s more concerning, it can cross through the blood-brain barrier, an important mechanism, which decides which substances can cross safely into the brain.

We have evolved to handle copper-1 safely, but copper-2 is a different matter altogether. Excess of copper-2 in water is a new phenomenon and our organisms don’t have efficient pathways to handle the increased amount of this mineral. But we may be making matters worse by getting even more of copper-2 in our bodies by taking it in form of supplements (almost all copper in supplements and multivitamins is copper-2).

So how does copper affect the brain?  In a nutshell, it increases oxidative stress and beta amyloid plaque formation. Beta amyloid is a protein that forms the plaques, which are hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.  It is possible that forming the beta amyloid clumps may be body’s way to cope with increased oxidative damage from metals like copper.  But after its role has been fulfilled, the body will try to eliminate excess of beta amyloid. If removal is unsuccessful, as a result beta amyloid will aggregate in plaques, gumming up the work of the neurons.

More recently researchers from University of Rochester found that adding small amounts of copper to water fed to mice has affected that cleanup mechanism.  The blood-brain barrier become leaky, admitting even more copper into the brain circulation.

There is another factor, which can make problems with inorganic copper even worse. You saw it in Larry Spark’s rabbits. It turns out that eating a diet high in red meat and trans fatty acids increases absorption of copper, enough to make a difference in cognition. Perhaps this is just how it works in rats, you wonder. Maybe it was one-off result? Fair point. Alas, no.

Look at the results of this study done on seniors in Chicago. In 2006, Morris and his colleagues published the results of 6 years follow up on over 3700 residents of Chicago, 65 and older. The researchers looked at dietary content of copper and fat and following patients’ memory with four different tests. There was a strong association of memory problems with high copper intake (mostly from vitamin supplements) and fatty diet. In fact, the risk of dementia in people whose copper intake was in the top 20%, was increased six fold (yes, you read that right – six fold!). Interestingly, there was no such correlation in people who avoided saturated and trans fats.

Could this be the key to the increased rate of dementia we have observed in the last 60 years? George Brewer, professor at University of Michigan, and one of the main researchers on copper and brain, thinks that it may be the case. He proposed that the high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (20% of those 70 and older and 30% of 80 and above) arose in context of increased affluence in US after WWII, which brought with it diet rich in meat and processed food and widespread use of copper plumbing.

Consider this: the rates of Alzheimer’s disease in undeveloped countries are only a fraction of what we see in US. For instance, in rural India its prevalence in people over 65 is only about 1%. In Nigeria it is even lower, at about 0.5%. Their diet contains much less saturated and trans fats. And there is much less infrastructure in terms of plumbing, copper or otherwise. Now, look at Japan, admittedly a developed country, but with low prevalence of dementia (8%). They have rejected copper plumbing because of concern about its toxicity. But, when Japanese migrate to Hawaii (where use of copper plumbing is as common as in continental US), their rates of Alzheimer’s disease increase to match the rest of the population.

Did you know that over 80% of US households use copper plumbing? Environmental Protection Agency set its “action level” for copper content in water at 1.3 mg/L. But the amount of copper in water that jumpstarted the dementia in Larry Sparks’ rats was less that tenth of that, at 0.12 mg/L. Should we be concerned?

Concerned – yes. Ripping out your copper plumbing? Probably overkill. As this is all rather new, the researchers don’t have enough data to make definite recommendations yet. Here is what I do, as we are all awaiting more conclusive figures:

• I use copper-free multivitamin. Almost all copper in multivitamins is copper-2, potentially toxic to the brain.


• I stopped using unlined copper cooking pots, as they may leach some inorganic copper into food, particularly in higher acidity. But here should be no problem with copper cookware lined with ceramic or stainless steel.


• It seems that dietary copper (copper-1) is safe. I don’t go out of my way to avoid copper-rich foods. However, if concerned, cooking beans and grains will reduce the amount of copper by 50%.


• I never use hot water tap for cooking. Heat increases corrosive properties of water and with that – copper leaching from the plumbing.


• For drinking water – I let the faucet run for at least 30 sec. I haven’t been able to find and studies on that and to my knowledge and there is no consensus on how long is enough – I’ve seen numbers anywhere from 15 sec to 5 min. You could use the flush water for watering the plants, washing the dishes etc. to minimize the waste.


• I use water filter for all drinking and cooking water. Reverse osmosis filter will eliminate 97-98% of copper-2. Activated carbon and ion exchange resins filters, like Brita will work, too.


• If you have copper pipes, like I do, it may be worthwhile to test the water copper content. A single test (copper only) from local water testing company costs about $ 30.


• Finally, if you worry about your memory, you may run it by your doctor, and ask to have your serum copper and zinc level tested. Calculate your copper/zinc ratio (divide copper over zinc; make sure they are reported in the same unit, usually μg/dL). Desirable copper/zinc ratio is 0.7-1, but it may increase with age and inflammatory diseases. Should your ratio be above 2, talk to your doctor about zinc supplementation. Don’t do it on your own – there may be some real, irreversible downsides to over supplementing zinc. Stay tuned – I will be writing about copper/zinc ratio as a biomarker of aging, cognition and inflammation soon.

Resources:

Brewer GJ. Copper-2 ingestion plus increased meat eating leading to increased copper absorption are major factors behind the current epidemic of Alzheimer’s Disease. Nutrients 2015;7:10053-64

Brewer GJ, Kaur S. Zinc deficiency and zinc therapy efficacy with reduction of serum free copper in Alzheimer’s Disease. Int J Alzeimers Dis. 2013; 2013:586365

Squitti et al. Low copper diet as a preventive strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurobiol Aging. 2014 Sep;35 Suppl 2:S40-50

Morris MC et al. Dietary copper and high saturated and trans fats intakes associated with cognitive decline. Arch Neurol 2006 Aug;63(8):1085-8

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/private/wells/disease/copper.html

Dr. Anna Lamnari is an internist, geriatrician and integrative practitioner with almost 20 years of clinical practice. She is passionate about healthy, vibrant aging and natural ways of improving memory. Follow her on: www.aginglikeaboss.com.

Can your multivitamin increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

Backlash after report claims saturated fats do not increase heart risk

Saturated fat does not increase the risk of a heart attack by clogging up arteries, three cardiologists have said in a challenge to medical thinking, sparking a furious backlash.

In an editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine the cardiologists also write that relying on foodstuffs marketed as “low fat” or “proved to lower cholesterol” to avoid heart disease is “misguided”.

A key previous research study, they say, “showed no association between saturated fat consumption and all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, CHD mortality, ischaemic stroke or type-2 diabetes in healthy adults”. Instead they say that a Mediterranean-style diet and 22 minutes of walking a day are the best ways to prevent heart problems.

The paper co-authored by Pascal Meier, a cardiologist at University College London and editor of the journal BMJ Open Heart; Rita Redberg, the editor of the American journal JAMA Internal Medicine; and Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist at the NHS’s Lister hospital in Stevenage, has triggered furious criticism from a range of experts in cardiology and evidence-based medicine. Some said the views were not based on reliable evidence and would mislead consumers and further confuse the public over which foods they should eat and which they should avoid.

They also dismiss the potential for a smaller intake of saturated fats to help prevent heart disease. “There is no benefit from reduced fat, including saturated fat, on myocardial infarction [heart attacks], cardiovascular or all-cause mortality,” they say.

Instead of adopting a low-fat diet, people seeking to cut their risk of heart problems should instead follow “an energy-unrestricted Mediterranean diet (41%) fat supplemented with at least four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a handful of nuts”.

But critics responded by accusing the co-authors of naiveté, ignoring evidence which contradicts their theories and simplifying a hugely complex issue.

Dr Amitava Banrejee, a senior clinical lecturer in clinical data science and honorary consultant cardiologist at UCL, said: “Unfortunately the authors have reported evidence simplistically and selectively. They failed to cite a rigorous Cochrane systematic review which concluded that cutting down dietary saturated fat was associated with a 17% reduction in cardiovascular events, including CHD, on the basis of 15 randomised trials.”

Dr Gavin Sandercock, director of research at Essex University, rejected the trio’s claims about the benefit of “replacing refined carbohydrates with healthy high fat foods” as not true and not based on any existing evidence. “We must continue to research the complex links between fat, cholesterol and heart disease but we must not replace one myth with another”, Sandercock said.

Christine Williams, professor of human nutrition at Reading University, said the cardiologists’ dietary advice was impractical, especially for poorer people. “The nature of their public health advice appears to be one of ‘let them eat nuts and olive oil’ with no consideration of how this might be successfully achieved in the UK general population and in people of different ages, socioeconomic backgrounds or dietary preferences,” she said.

However, some experts did back the authors. Dr Mary Hannon-Fletcher, head of the school of health sciences at Ulster University, hailed their views as “the best dietary and exercise advice I have read in recent years. Walking 22 minutes a day and eating real food. This is an excellent public health message.

“The modern idea of a healthy diet where we eat low-fat and low-calorie foods is simply not a healthy option. All of these foods have been so altered they are anything but healthy. So eating real foods in moderation and exercising daily is the answer to keeping fit and healthy; it’s just too simple a message for the public to take on board,” she said.

Gaynor Bussell, a dietitician and member of the British Dietetic Association, also offered the authors qualified support. “Many of us now feel that a predominantly Med-style diet can be healthy with slightly more fats and fewer carbs, provided the fats are ‘good’ – such as in olive oil, nuts or avocados,” she said.

However, saturated fats should comprise no more than 11% of anyone’s food intake, she said – far less than the 41% fat level backed by the co-authors.

While carbohydrates should still be part of every meal, people should routinely consume high fibre or wholegrain versions, Bussell said.

Williams also accused the BJSM of publishing opinions seeking to portray saturated fats as “innocent” in the causation of heart disease in order to generate headlines. “Some would argue the journals have a very credible business model based on attracting controversy in an area of great importance to public health where clarity, not confusion, is required,” she said.

Backlash after report claims saturated fats do not increase heart risk

Antibiotics overuse could increase bowel cancer risk, study finds

The overuse of antibiotics could increase a person’s risk of developing bowel cancer, the findings of a US study suggest.

Research published in medical journal Gut found extended use of antibiotics significantly increased the chance of polyp formation in the colon, a precursor of bowel cancer.

The findings add weight to emerging evidence that the type and diversity of bacteria in the gut may have a key role in the development of cancer, according to the authors of the study.

An Australian bowel cancer expert, Associate Professor Graham Newstead, the head of the colorectal unit at the Prince of Wales private hospital and director of Bowel Cancer Australia, said the research had “credence”.

“We know already that if you take antibiotics you frequently get diarrhoea,” Newstead said.

This happened because the antibiotic killed some of the normal bacteria, leading to an overgrowth of the abnormal bacteria in the gut.

But Newstead said the study did not look at the effect of antibiotics on the colon and caution must be taken.

US researchers monitored the health of more than 120,000 nurses, aged between 30 and 55, who were part of the the Nurses Health Study launched in 1976.

Between 2004 and 2010, 1,194 abnormal growths in the colon and rectum were diagnosed.

Those who had taken antibiotics for two months or more between the ages of 20 and 39 were 36% more likely to be diagnosed with an adenoma, or polyp, compared with those who had not taken antibiotics for any extended period in their 20s and 30s.

Similarly, women who had taken antibiotics for two months or more during their 40s and 50s were 69% more likely to be diagnosed with an adenoma.

And those who had taken these drugs for 15 days or more between the ages of 20 and 39, and between the ages of 40 and 59, were 73% more likely to be diagnosed with an adenoma.

“It does seem to indicate that people who have too many antibiotics might be at more risk of of getting polyps than people who have less of them,” Newstead said.

“And, remembering that not all polyps turn to cancer but the cancer comes from the polyps. If you have more polyps or tendency to get polyps then maybe you are slightly more at risk of getting cancer.”

The message to be taken from the study was not to use antibiotics for a “tickle” in the throat or a cold, Newstead said.

Antibiotics overuse could increase bowel cancer risk, study finds

Top 17 Foods That Increase Magnesium To Prevent Fatigue and High Blood Pressure

Top 17 Foods That Increase Magnesium To Prevent Fatigue and High Blood Pressure

Cancer rates set to increase six times faster in women than men

Cancer rates will increase nearly six times faster in women than in men over the next 20 years, with obesity partly to blame, experts predict.

As several of the obesity-related cancer types only affect women, the growing number of people of both sexes who are severely overweight is likely to have a greater effect on incidence of the disease among women, according to the analysis by Cancer Research UK.

Cases of ovarian, cervical and oral cancers are predicted to rise the most. Rates will rise by around 0.5% for men and 3% for women, meaning an estimated 4.5 million women and 4.8 million men will be diagnosed with cancer by 2035.

That equates to projected UK cancer rates increasing by approximately 0.5% for men and 3% for women.

The figures were released on the same day as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) announced that it was recommending that the breast cancer drug palbociclib should not be routinely funded on the NHS in England.

Charities decried the decision by the drugs watchdog, stressing the importance of developing and supporting more treatments to help women to survive, but they also urged women to change their lifestyles to minimise their risk.

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive Sir Harpal Kumar said: “These new figures reveal the huge challenge we continue to face, both in the UK and worldwide. Research is at the heart of finding ways to reduce cancer’s burden and ensure more people survive, particularly for hard-to-treat cancers where the outlook for patients is still bleak. We need to keep working hard to reduce the devastating impact cancer can have on so many families.

“The latest figures show that more than 8 million people die from cancer each year across the world. More people die from cancer than Aids, malaria and tuberculosis put together. With more investment into research, we hope to make big improvements over the next 20 years in diagnosing the disease earlier and improving and developing treatments so that by 2034, three in four people will survive their disease.”

Smoking is another factor behind the projected growth of cancer cases among women, which will mean the gap between the number of women and men with the disease narrows. Widespread smoking among women happened later than men and lighting up continues to have a big effect on the number of cancer cases diagnosed each year, says Cancer Research UK.

Sarah Toule, head of health information at the World Cancer Research Fund, said lack of exercise and alcohol consumption were also driving the predicted increase in the UK cancer rate for women.

“It is concerning that rates are predicted to rise so sharply in women, especially as so many cancer cases could be prevented,” she said. “For example, about two in five breast cancer cases in the UK could be prevented if women maintained a healthy weight, were more physically active and didn’t drink alcohol – that’s around 20,000 fewer cases a year. Other cancers that could be reduced by women having a healthier lifestyle include womb and ovary.”

Professor Kevin Fenton, the director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, said: “The top things we can all do to prevent and reduce the risk of cancer are quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and attending cancer screening when invited.”

In draft guidance explaining its reasoning for its advice on palbociclib, which is made by Pfizer, the drug watchdog said that a full course of treatment costs £79,560. Although Nice found that the drug stalled the growth of the cancer for an extra 10 months on average “it was still not enough to make palbociclib cost effective at its current price”.

The watchdog estimates that around 5,500 people in England – out of 45,000 new diagnoses of breast cancer each year – would be eligible for treatment with palbociclib.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “This is the clearest illustration to date that the drug appraisal system is totally unfit for purpose in assessing first-in-class breast cancer medicines.

“Palbociclib could benefit a large proportion of metastatic breast cancer patients and may even be the closest thing these women would have to a cure in their lifetime.”

She urged Pfizer to reconsider its decision not to offer the NHS a discount on the list price and said the pharmaceutical giant must work with Nice to ensure the drug can be made widely available to women as soon as possible.

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), with its partner The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, led a major clinical trial of palbociclib.

Dr Nicholas Turner, team leader in Molecular Oncology at ICR and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden, said: “Palbociclib is one of the most important advances in treating the most common type of breast cancer in 20 years.

“If the manufacturer, Nice, and NHS England can find a way of making this treatment available for patients, they will substantially improve the lives of patients with breast cancer.”

In December, Nice turned down another breast cancer drug, Kadcyla, made by Roche Pharmaceuticals, on financial grounds, triggering an outcry from patients’ groups who say it prolongs the lives of people who are seriously ill with the disease.

At present there are an estimated 7.4 million men and 6.7 million women being diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year. The disease is the leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 8.2m deaths in 2012 and approximately 15% of all deaths.

Cancer rates set to increase six times faster in women than men

NHS on brink of winter crisis after increase in patient numbers

The NHS is on the brink of winter crisis after a larger than expected increase in patient numbers caused a third of hospital trusts in England to warn they needed urgent action to cope last month.

The BBC commissioned the Nuffield Trust health thinktank to look at four weeks of hospital data in the run-up to Christmas and found that 50 of the 152 English trusts were at the highest or second highest level of pressure.

During the time period seven trusts had to declaring the highest level of emergency 15 times, meaning they were unable to give patients comprehensive care.

Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said the situation could deteriorate further in the next two weeks when the NHS was usually most stretched.

“The real crunch point generally comes in week two or three after the Christmas break … there are early signs that there is a problem,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

NHS England insisted hospitals were coping, but Edwards said “there are reasons to be really quite concerned”.

He pointed out that hospitals were having to cope with a 4% increase in A&E attendance, which is more than expected from population growth. At the same time problems in social care was making it “really tricky” for hospitals to free up beds, he said.

“If you can’t get patients out of the back of the hospital, home, then obviously, the whole system begins to seize up,” he told Today.

“Anecdotally, what you are hearing from chief executives of trusts is that they are experiencing very, very high levels of pressure in their A&E departments.”

The Nuffield Trust found that some of worst problems were in Berkshire, the West Country, and parts of the east Midlands. But Edwards pointed out: “This pattern of increase demand is spread right across the country.”

Dr Taj Hassan, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, warned that hospital emergency departments “are in an absolute acute state of distress”. “This is on the background of chronic underfunding, understaffing, both in health and social care and failures in the wider urgent emergency care system.”

Hassan said the issue was the “number one item on the agenda” in a meeting the college had on Thursday with the NHS chief executive, Simon Stevens. “Our four hour performance in A&E departments is the worst in 15 years. We entered this winter in the worst state of affairs possible and we predicted that this situation would arise,” he told Today.

Hassan called for emergency funding to resolve problems in social care to help free up hospital beds.

He said: “There is an absolute and urgent need to address the patients who are fit to be discharged from hospital, which in some systems is running between 10% or 20%.

“We need to move those patients back into the community so that we can create flow in our hospitals and our significantly overcrowded emergency departments which are struggling badly.”

In a statement NHS England said: “The NHS’s tried and tested plan is currently managing the ongoing pressures of winter. The public can play their part avoiding going to A&E and using their local pharmacy and NHS 111.”

NHS on brink of winter crisis after increase in patient numbers

Increase Red Blood Cells and Blood Count Using This Homemade Syrup

Increase Red Blood Cells and Blood Count Using This Homemade Syrup

Trees may increase air pollution on city streets

City trees, popularly thought to remove pollutants and improve urban life, may also increase the amount of foul air that people breathe, says the UK body which gives independent health guidance to national and local government.

“Leaves and branches slow air currents, causing pollutants to settle. They may also act as sinks for particulates and chemicals that may have direct or indirect effects in air quality. Air quality [under trees] may deteriorate at street level near vehicles,” says the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) in new draft guidance for local government to combat air pollution.

Nice does not recommend that councils cut down trees in leafy suburbs to meet pollution limits, but urges planners, local authorities and developers to take into account the adverse effect that trees can have on air quality if badly sited or unmanaged.

“It is not always true that trees reduce air pollution. Their effect is dependent on factors including species, canopy density, time of year and wind direction. Ventilation [on streets] will vary according to the size, distribution and species of tree and their position,” it says.

The guidelines also question the unintended consequences of other measures often taken by cities to improve people’s quality of life. Road humps aimed at slowing traffic and noise barriers erected alongside busy roads can both increase air pollution, says Nice.

“Traffic calming measures such as speed humps … may increase emissions by adding to decelerations and accelerations,” it says. “Ensuring motorists drive steadily at the optimum speed can reduce stop-go driving and reduce emissions.

“People regularly travelling or living downwind of a plume of vehicle pollution can experience poorer air quality as a result of a solid barrier.”

The 60-page report, which goes to consultation on Thursday and could be adopted by July, is expected to feed into the government’s response to the supreme court. Following several cases brought by law firm ClientEarth, the court has demanded faster action to reduce air pollution which causes more than 40,000 early deaths a year in Britain, with conservative estimates putting the cost at between £8.5bn-£18.6bn.

Under pressure from the courts, the government has proposed clean air zones in five cities, including Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton. But Nice recommends that all councils consider setting up similar zones which could allow them to ban heavily polluting vehicles from town centres, and set their own pollution standards for taxis, hire vehicles and council fleets.

It proposes that councils consider air pollution at every stage of the planning process. This could extend to where new housing is sited and recommending that developers build new houses with the living room situated furthest away from roads.

Schools and nurseries should be sited away from main roads and councils should avoid developments that trap pollution in canyons, says Nice. But it also wants to see drivers educated as to how to reduce emissions. New guidelines are expected to support low and zero emission travel.

“Public sector transport providers should educate drivers how to reduce emissions. This could include switching the engine off when they are dropping people off, or making deliveries, and avoiding rapid accelerations and decelerations,” said a spokesman.

However, the committee could not directly address the sheer number of cars now on roads and was limited to proposing ways to mitigate pollution.

“We can take steps now to encourage people to walk or cycle rather than drive but these efforts will be futile if we do not have a long-term plan to improve air quality,” said Mark Baker, director for the centre of clinical practice at Nice.

“Past measures have not had the required impact. The draft guidance sets out … practical measures for local authorities to encourage low or zero emission transport,” said Paul Lincoln, chair of the Nice guidelines committee.

“We welcome this draft guidance. Robust measures must be taken to clean up the air we breathe. We need to specifically target the most polluted areas in our towns and cities. Everyone deserves to breathe clean air,” Lincoln said.

“Action is needed both to ensure vehicles on the road are clean and that there are fewer of them. Diesel vehicles, which are the most polluting, must be phased out and our transport and planning policy needs a radical overhaul,” said a spokeswoman for Friends of the Earth.

“This is no time for tinkering around the edges – to deal with this public health crisis we must plan our towns and cities in ways which actually reduce traffic and give people real alternatives to driving.”

Trees may increase air pollution on city streets

NHS "struggling to cope" with increase in people undergoing cancer tests

NHS pathology services cannot keep up with the increasing number of samples being taken from the growing number of people being tested for cancer, raising fears that some will be diagnosed late.

That is the conclusion of a report published on Wednesday by Cancer Research UK, which warns that units are “struggling to cope” with the number of biopsies and blood samples being taken as the ageing and growing population produces more cases of suspected cancer.

Experts fear the lack of capacity and shortages of pathologists could hamper the NHS-wide drive to improve Britain’s poor record in early identification of cancer.

“Diagnostic services, including pathology, urgently need support and investment to ensure that diagnoses aren’t delayed and patients benefit from the latest treatment,” said Emma Greenwood, Cancer Research UK’s director of policy.

“The UK’s cancer survival is lagging behind other European countries and improving early diagnosis through diagnostic services is one of the ways to address this. The diagnostic bottleneck will only get worse without action now and this involves addressing staff shortages in imaging, endoscopy and pathology.”

The research found that the number of NHS pathologists is failing to keep pace with rising demand, leaving pathology services under growing pressure.

“Pathologists are the medical specialists who diagnose cancer. They also play a vital role in the prevention, treatment and monitoring of cancer and are at the forefront of research to improve the length and quality of life of people with the disease,”said Dr Suzy Lishman, president of the Royal College of Pathologists.

Meanwhile, women with ovarian cancer – the deadliest female cancer – are being “left stranded without vital support at every turn”, from diagnostic tests to access to nurses, according to a report by the charity Target Ovarian Cancer.

Its Pathfinder 2016 study found that only one in five UK women (20%) could identify bloating as a major symptom of the disease.

Two in five women (41%) visited their GP at least three times or more before they were referred for ovarian cancer tests, risking a delayed diagnosis.

And 80% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer said they had encountered mental health problems since being diagnosed.

“Women with ovarian cancer are being failed at diagnosis, in access to trials and effective drugs, and they lack support,” said Annwen Jones, the charity’s chief executive.

NHS "struggling to cope" with increase in people undergoing cancer tests

Prevent Age Stealers… Use these ’12 Keys’ to increase quality of life and get your glow back

Aging doesn’t wait until we are 50 years old. It starts when we misuse our body. Here are 12 keys to increase quality of life and prevent Age Stealers.

1- Age Stealers can target the lymph system. Organs with an outside arm of the lymphatic system include the skin, gut, and lungs.(1) Lymph formed in the liver is a major contributor to total lymph flow with as much as 50% of total lymph being from hepatic origin.(2) The lymphatic system helps rid the body of  toxins and waste. It helps to ditch the alcohol and smoking habit that can impair your lymph, liver, and skin health. PLUS, exercise such as jumping on the trampoline is excellent for cleaning all three.

2- Premature aging can begin in children suffering from obesity. In fact, obesity can not only be linked to poor learning skills and Alzheimer’s it can damage DNA. It may be time to seek out a certified health coach. Getting to the bottom of obesity and poor skin health requires that the conversation move  towards other factors that add to the obesity epidemic such as: depression, medications, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and more. According to a German Study, there is a relationship between obesity, psychological factors and effective interventions.(3)

3-  Petroleum byproducts can be found in moisturizers, sunscreens and shampoos. Reduce and prevent premature aging with organic skin care products.

4- Inflammation is caused by consuming foods that are foreign to humans. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are found to be linked to premature aging.  Various foods will cause various degrees of inflammation, and the most inflammatory producing foods are those that are grown using chemicals, pesticides and hormones, those that are injected with antibiotics, laced with sugars, and coated or stored to increase shelf -life. Inflammation in the skin and body can be reduced by going sugar-free, gluten-free, processed-free and eating more raw foods.

5- Increase emotional intelligence/ make mediation a habit. Meditation can keep you young in mind, body and spirit. When was the last time you turned off the bad news on TV and read a good book? Make time to make simple changes for your own health and the health of your family.

6- Know your farmer. Say “No” to factory farming. For high quality health, we need high quality nutrition. If you consume meat make sure it’s produced in the best possible way, without toxins and hormones. Food plays a role in skin health and in skin cancer. In fact, a high meat intake significantly increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma.(4)

7- Take care of  your Mitochondria. Mitochondria convert food molecules (like glucose) into a chemical called ATP. There is energy damage causing premature aging when mitochondria is disrupted. Ditch the trans-fats and energy drinks and drink more pure clean water. Your brain and skin thrive on water.

8- Your skin needs sunshine, not a sunburn. Sunshine can rejuvenate, but, using toxic suntan oils and laying out in the sun all day can harm.

9- Get a grip on cravings and balance your adrenals. As the destructive nature of adrenal hormones overrides the body, we lose our connective tissue.(causing us to look older) This can lead to diabetes in the skin. (Altered skin wound healing.)(5)

10- Having a healthy gut means more than simply being free of annoyances like diarrhea or Gerd. It helps to consume fermented foods for healthy microbiome. A healthy microbiome is absolutely central to our immune function and our skin health.

11- No matter how old or young we are, we need our skin to go through the rejuvenating process when sleeping. Design your bedroom for optimal rest and relaxation.

12- Not only is our skin a barometer of what goes on inside your body, our skin hears everything we do. (It absorbs our everyday stressors and tension, while it protects our organs.) The crosstalk between epidermis, dermis as well as brain and endocrine organs are what should spark our interest when caring for our skin.(6) When we break the skins ability to protect us- it breaks down and can make us old before our time. This is premature aging!

There is beauty in everything that ages, but understand we don’t have to be sick as a side-effect of aging.

Connie Rogers is a Certified Integrative Nutritional Holistic Health Coach and Published Author, Certified Cosmetologist & Skin Health Expert, Gluten-Free Practitioner and Reiki Master. You can find her book on Amazon-Path to a Health Mind & Body    website-www.bitesizepieces.net

Prevent age stealers: https://bitesizepieces.leadpages.co/age-stealers-presentation/

footnotes:

1-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15624317

2- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3026597/

3- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21547645

4- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2836433/  see also https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17490979/

5- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11423485

6- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3051846/

Prevent Age Stealers… Use these ’12 Keys’ to increase quality of life and get your glow back

Increase in serious IVF complications raises concerns over use of fertility drugs

Increased numbers of women suffered from a serious complication of IVF last year, according to official figures that raise concerns about the use of powerful fertility drugs.

In 2015, 60 women were admitted to hospital with severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a 40% increase on the previous year. The condition, which is triggered when the ovaries swell up and leak fluid, is potentially life-threatening. Symptoms include abdominal swelling and pain, nausea, dehydration and blood clots in the legs.

Leading fertility doctors warned that the trend could be driven by doctors giving women stronger drugs to harvest more of their eggs, with a view to boosting the chances of a successful pregnancy.

Professor Geeta Nargund, a senior consultant at St George’s Hospital in London and medical director of Create Fertility, said: “OHSS is a preventable condition. The number should never go up, it should always go down in modern fertility practice.”

In the past decade the numbers of OHSS cases have been steadily falling as clinics have shifted towards milder treatments, but the latest figures suggest a reversal of this trend.

Nick Macklon, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Southampton, believes the increase could be linked to recent improvements in embryo and egg freezing technology.

In theory, the ability to freeze eggs and delay transferring embryos until the ovaries have settled down should help avoid serious cases of OHSS, which can be worsened by pregnancy. However, it also provides a greater incentive for clinicians to obtain as many eggs as possible to maximise a couple’s chances of success, he said.

“This escape route may have encouraged clinicians to return to harder stimulation regimens,” said Macklon, adding that recent Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) figures showing higher pregnancy rates when around 15 eggs are obtained may also have played a role.

During IVF, a woman is typically given injections of drugs designed to stimulate the ovaries into releasing eggs, which are then harvested, fertilised and either transferred back to the patient or frozen for future use. Some women are more sensitive to the drugs, however, and their ovaries are sent into overdrive, causing them to enlarge and release chemicals into the bloodstream.

Fluid from the blood vessels leaks into the abdomen, and in severe cases, into the space around the heart and lungs. Mild OHSS is common, affecting about one in three women, but the condition can result in serious health problems and -extremely rarely – women have died.

Blood tests are now used by clinics to predict who is at risk of OHSS, based on their natural levels of a hormone called AMH. “We might reasonably expect that the trend in incidence should therefore be down rather than up, so I think there is likely to be a real cause rather than statistical artefact behind the rise,” said Macklon. “The overall numbers remain very low compared with the past, but I think there is a message in these data to remain vigilant about preventing OHSS by avoiding high dose stimulation where possible.”

According to HFEA data, in 2014, 42 cases of severe OHSS were recorded, compared to 46 the previous year, but last year the figure rose to 60 cases.

The regulator classifies severe OHSS as a grade B adverse incident, one level below the most serious category, which includes the death of a patient or an embryo being transferred to the wrong woman.

Professor Adam Balen, chairman of the British Fertility Society and a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “OHSS is a potentially serious complication of fertility treatment, particularly IVF. Most women will recover with pain relief; however, for severe cases, women may need to be admitted to hospital and given treatment to reduce their risk of developing blood clots, which is a serious complication of the condition.”

HFEA figures show a steady upward trend in the number of IVF cycles carried out annually, rising from 68,000 in 2014 to around 72,000 in 2015 (roughly a 6% increase), which might explain part of the increase in adverse incidents last year.

“I said ‘call my mum,’ and then ‘no, call an ambulance.’”

Lee Cowden, who suffered a heart attack as a result of OHSS. Photograph: Sophia Evans for the Observer

A decade ago, Lee Cowden, a primary school teacher from Surrey, was newly married and lying in bed with her husband, Iain, after a weekend away in Norfolk. “I remember sitting up in bed gasping and saying to my husband ‘I can’t breathe.’” she said. “We hadn’t been married that long and I said ‘call my mum,’ and then ‘no, call an ambulance.’”

Lee later discovered she had suffered a heart attack as a result of OHSS.

At 25 she had decided to start trying for a baby, because her diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome meant she would need fertility treatment. She had been prescribed stimulation drugs to induce ovulation, but when it hadn’t worked the clinic had doubled the dose.

The first sign that she was suffering OHSS was abdominal pains, but the clinic told her this was probably due to a benign ovarian cyst. In fact, her ovaries had become severely over-stimulated and this eventually led to a blood clot forming that travelled to her heart.

“I felt a stabbing pain between my shoulder blades, which I knew was a sign of a heart attack, but I thought: don’t be ridiculous, you’re 25,” she recalls.

Since then, she said, she has met many others who have suffered from milder forms of OHSS. “So many women … think overstimulation is part and parcel of treatment,” she said. “It’s not acceptable.”

Lee, now 37, made a good recovery – although she will take daily heart medication for the rest of her life – and went on to have IVF treatment using milder drugs. She conceived her daughter, Molly, who is now nearly ten. Two years later, she conceived naturally, and her second daughter, Ruby, is eight.

Increase in serious IVF complications raises concerns over use of fertility drugs

Longer Telomeres May Help Deter Diseases And Increase Life Expectancy

Scientists and many alternative health advocates and practitioners have long been interested in factors influencing telomere length in the body, and how it affects health and life expectancy.

What are telomeres? 

Telomeres are caps that protect our chromosomes, consists of short segments of DNA at the  end of each strand of DNA. They affect gene expression and how our cells age.

Made of proteins, they have a vital role in keeping the end of the chromosome in stable condition and act as a buffer for wear and tear.

Each time cells divide, telomeres get shorter.  When their length becomes too short, the protection effects on chromosomes ceases, causing cells to malfunction and the body to age.

Short telomeres are implicated in the development of a broad range of age-related diseases, including many forms of cancer, obesity, stroke, osteoporosis, vascular dementia, diabetes type 2, and heart disease.

Telomeres are not only shortened by chronological aging, but also by obesity, stress, smoking, sedentary life, and poor diet. Telomere length is arguably the best marker of biological aging to date.

The followings are lifestyle changes proven to positively affect telomere length.

Lifestyle

A small pilot study carried by scientists of the University of California at San Francisco found that subjects of intervention group who adhered to a program of comprehensive lifestyle changes, which include diet, activity, stress management, and social support experienced a significant increase in relative telomere length.

The more they adhered to the recommended lifestyle program, the longer their telomeres had become. On the other hand, subjects in the controlled group who not asked to change their lifestyle experienced shorter telomeres by 3 percents over the course of 5 years.

The diet used in the study consisted of whole foods, plant- based proteins, fruits, vegetables, and low in refined carbohydrates and fat. Some plant-based diet advocates highlight this research as proof that the diet is the healthiest due to its overall ‘alkaline based’ and high in antioxidants.

Perhaps they are not aware that other studies such involving Mediterranean diet, which consists of meat, rich in vegetables and olive oil was also found to increase telomere length as well!

Stress 

A 2004 study found that telomeres of women exposed to the greatest stress by caring for chronically ill children were 10 years shorter compare to that of women experienced low stress. A recent study suggested that job-related stress is associated with the acceleration of the rate of  biological aging, which is determined as decreased length of telomeres.

A 2011 study demonstrated that women working part-time or were retired had longer telomeres. The result of the study suggests that telomeres may be able to recover from chronic stress.

Relaxation techniques have been shown to help. In a recent study of people who were highly stressed from caring for a loved one with dementia, calming yoga and meditation boosted telomerase activity by 43%

Exercise

A less strenuous exercise and short-lived, also known as acute exercise found to upregulate telomere-associated genes, which is responsible for telomere maintenance, and regulates several types of microRNA expression. Both are believed as an important mechanistic link between physical activity, telomeres, and improved health.

Antioxidants

A study showed a positive association between dietary antioxidants and longer telomeres.

Vegetable consumption

Vegetables are known to contain various types of antioxidants, including carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and phytosterols, all of which known to have many beneficial physiological effects. A study demonstrated that vegetable intake is associated with longer telomeres and reduced risk of hypertension.

Fats Intake

A study found small to medium chain saturated fatty acids (SMFAs), except lauric acid, to shorten telomere length. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats had no effect.

Shorter telomere length in participants taking SMFAs might due to their high alcohol consumption. In the result section of the article, authors stated ‘Participants with shorter TL tended to be white, older, and consumed more alcohol.’

In the body, ethanol from alcohol is converted to ethanal (acetyldehyde) in the body. Therefore, authors’ assumption of increased oxidative stress and inflammation could be one of the underlying causes linking SFA intake to TL is questionable. Saturated fat is inert, whereas ethanal is very reactive. So, it is ethanal that should be pointed out as the culprit!

Longer Telomeres May Help Deter Diseases And Increase Life Expectancy

Health anxiety may increase risk of heart disease, research finds

Fit and healthy people who worry about developing an illness may be increasing their risk of heart disease by unnecessarily fretting over their health, research suggests.

A study of more than 7,000 people over 12 years found that those with health anxiety at the start of the study were about 70% more likely to develop heart disease than those without that state of mind. Additionally, the researchers found that the higher the reported anxiety, the higher the risk of heart disease.

Anxiety is a known risk factor for heart disease but the Norwegian authors of the paper believe it is the first to look specifically at health anxiety, which is characterised by a persistent preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness and seeking medical help, despite the absence of any physical disease.

The findings, published in BMJ Open on Thursday, suggest that far from health anxiety protecting people from heart disease through increased monitoring and frequency of checkups, it may have the opposite effect.

The lead author, Dr Line Iden Berge, from the division of psychiatry at Sandviken University hospital in Bergen, Norway, said: “We hypothesised that people with health anxiety would have reduced risk because they would take better care of themselves.

“The results suggest it’s better, instead of worrying about what’s going on with your body and running to the doctor for any physical health problem, to seek a proper diagnosis and help for the anxiety disorder.”

The study analysed 7,052 participants in the long-term collaborative research project Norwegian Hordaland health study, all of whom were born between 1953 and 1957.

They filled in questionnaires about their health, lifestyle and educational attainment and had a physical checkup between 1997 and 1999.

Levels of health anxiety were assessed using a validated scale and the top 10% of the sample – 710 people – were considered to have health anxiety.

The heart health of all the participants was tracked up to the end of 2009. Anyone who received treatment for, or whose death was linked to, coronary artery disease occurring within a year of entering the study, was excluded on the grounds that they might already have been ill.

In all, 234 (3.3%) of the entire sample had an ischaemic event – a heart attack or bout of acute angina – during the monitoring period. But the proportion of those succumbing to heart disease was twice as high (just over 6%) among those who displayed health anxiety compared with those who did not (3%).

After taking account of other potentially influential factors, those with health anxiety at the start of the study were found to be 73% more likely to develop heart disease than those who did not have anxiety at the outset.

As it was an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Limitations include the frequent co-existence of health anxiety with other mental health issues, making it hard to differentiate, and the fact that the health anxiety index relies on self-reported symptoms and does not discern between imagined illness and more legitimate reasons for concern.

Emily Reeve, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s natural for people to worry if they feel they might be unwell. But anxiety and stress can trigger unhealthy habits, such as smoking or eating badly, which put you at greater risk of heart disease.

“While we don’t know if the worried well are directly putting themselves at risk of a heart attack, it’s clear that reducing unnecessary anxiety can have health benefits. If you are experiencing health anxiety, speak to your doctor.”

Health anxiety may increase risk of heart disease, research finds

7 Foods That Increase Bone Cartilage & Regenerate it

Cartilage acts like a pad or cushion, protecting your bones at the joints during movement. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue that serves as a communicating medium between musculo-skeletal elements such as bones, ligaments and the muscles. Cartilage is regenerated according to what food you eat. Some recent studies have shown how eating foods rich in the amino acid lysine can be of great help, because this amino acid participates in the renewal of the collagen, which is the main part of your cartilage.

7 Foods That Increase Bone Cartilage & Regenerate it!

Pomegranate

Pomegranate extract repair cartilage damaged by osteoarthritis, it lowered levels of an inflammatory chemical linked with overproduction of a certain enzyme. This enzyme is essential for cartilage replacement but when too much is produced, cartilage wears down. Joints likely absorb the juice when you drink it.

Almonds

These nuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and manganese. Omega 3 reduces inflammation. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the body from damage. Manganese helps glucosamine work quicker and more effectively as it repairs joints.

Turmeric and Ginger

One of the best ways to increase bone cartilage is to include more ginger and turmeric into your diet. Both ginger and turmeric are revered for their amazing anti-inflammatory properties. Not only can these two super roots help to protect your remaining cartilage from suffering further damage, but they can also help to provide relief from pain.

Garlic

Garlic protect your joints and cartilage. You could also eat onions, leeks, or chives—these foods have organo-sulfur compounds in them, which, unsurprisingly, are an organic source of sulfur. Sulfur is not something normally thought of when considering diet, but for preventing joint pain, it is rather important.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is rich in essential oils that reduce inflammation, reduce pain, hydrate tissues, and protect against viruses, bacteria, and fungi that deal damage to our bodies. It can be used both internally and topically.

Cherries

Any rich-colored fruits, like cherries, blueberries, or pomegranates, are good at promoting joint health. This is due to a substance called anthocyanins that is responsible for their color.

Gelatin

Other than using it as a salad dressing or a desert, gelatin has another advantage, it’s a great natural remedy for regenerating the knee cartilage, hip and other joints. It was found that gelatin can help in regeneration of cartilage because it has a similar structure.

Sources:

– http://www.nutritionbyangelique.net/2016/04/6-foods-that-can-help-increase-bone-cartilage/

– https://sunwarrior.com/healthhub/foods-for-joint-health

– http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/fruits-cartilage-8260.html

Read:

7 Foods That Increase Bone Cartilage & Regenerate it

6 Common Nutrient Deficiencies That Increase Cravings and Appetite

6 Common Nutrient Deficiencies That Increase Cravings and Appetite

How to Increase Your Platelet Count the Natural Way!

Platelets is a natural source of growth factors and play is crucial role in blood clotting. The average lifespan of a platelet is normally just 5 to 9 days. Usually, platelet count in human blood should be between 150,000 to 450,000 micro liter.

Low platelet count, also called thrombocytopenia, is a condition where the clotting agent in human blood is at a low, unsafe level. When the count is below 150,000 per microlitre, it is considered a low platelet count.

10 Natural Way to Increase Low Platelets Count

Pomegranate

Eating pomegranate regular increase the low platelets count. Its rich red color show its high iron content which boost the platelets naturally. You can eat it raw or in juice form. The fruit is also rich in vitamins to help you keep your energy levels steady despite having your blood platelets low in level.

Papaya

Papaya is another fruit that boost low platelets level naturally. Both the papaya fruit and its leaves can help increase a low platelet count. Study found that papaya leaf juice can increase the platelet count of people diagnosed with dengue fever. Eat ripe papaya or drink a glass of papaya juice with a little lemon juice 2 or 3 times daily.

Chlorophyll From Wheatgrass

Chlorophyll is commonly known as the blood of plants. It has similar molecular structure to that of hemoglobin. Chlorophyll has a strong effect in overall blood production and increase of platelet count in the body. Wheatgrass juice contain over 70% of chlorophyll and it is one of the best sources for this nutrient. Drink half cup of wheatgrass juice each day.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is another food that increase low platelet count naturally. It is high in vitamin A that support proper platelet development. It also regulates the proteins produced in the cells, which is important to raise the platelet level. Drink ½ glass of fresh pumpkin juice with 1 teaspoon of honey 2 or 3 times a day.

Sesame oil

Sesame oil is very effective in boosting low platelet count as well as it prevent free radical damage of the platelets naturally. All you need is to drink 1 to 2 table spoons of sesame oil daily.

Lean Proteins

Lean protein foods high in zinc and Vitamin B12 and these nutrients are essential to reverse the effects of thrombocytopenia. Eat lean proteins foods such as turkey, chicken and fish regularly if you have low platelets count.

Vegetable Juices

Aloe vera juice, beetroot juice and carrot juice are best juice that increase low platelet count. Aloe vera juice should be taken after every meal, which is believed to be ideal. Taking 2 or 3 tablespoons of beetroot juice mixed with carrot juice twice a day can boost the platelet count in just a few days.

Spinach

Spinach is great source of vitamin K which helps in treating the problem of low platelet count. Moreover the vitamin K is also very useful in treating excessive bleeding in case of cuts and injuries. Just boil some spinach leaves in water and drink the water 2 to 3 times in a day to improve platelets count.

Milk

Drinking milk also boost the platelets count. It contains high amount of calcium, which helps our body to regenerate platelets. It works with milk protein fibrinogen and vitamins K and increases the platelet count.

Indian Gooseberries

Indian gooseberries is a popular indian remedy to raise low platelet count. The vitamin C in gooseberries increase the production of platelets. Drink gooseberries juice with little salt, it will increase platelets as well as boost our immune system.

Sources:

1) http://www.thrombocyte.com/low-platelet-count/

2) http://www.boldsky.com/health/disorders-cure/2014/ten-foods-that-increase-platelet-levels-047084.html

3) https://draxe.com/low-platelet-count/

Also Read:

How to Increase Your Platelet Count the Natural Way!

Combined HRT could increase breast cancer risk by nearly 300%

Women who rely on the most commonly used form of hormone replacement therapy are roughly three times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who do not use it, according to a study whose results suggest the risk of illness has been previously understated.

Those using the combined HRT therapy, a combination of oestrogen and progestogen, were running a risk 2.7 times greater than non-users, according to a study by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London.

Previous investigations may have underestimated the increased risk by up to 60%, the study added.

Anthony Swerdlow, professor of epidemiology at the ICR, said: “What we found is that the risks with combined HRT are larger than most of the literature would suggest.”

The study’s leaders added that HRT is an individual choice but one for which accurate information is essential.

An estimated one in 10 women in their 50s use HRT to deal with menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, mood swings and tiredness.

The treatment is effective but controversial because studies published in 2002 and 2003 have previously suggested there is also link with breast cancer. Those findings led to a halving of the numbers of women taking the drugs.

In November an NHS watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), sought to reassure women about the safety of the treatment, which replaces depleted oestrogen and – in combined HRT – progestogen to alleviate symptoms.

Most women take combined HRT because oestrogen alone can increase the risk of womb cancer and taking progestogen alongside oestrogen is known to help minimise this risk. HRT using oestrogen alone is usually recommended for women who have had a hysterectomy.

Breast Cancer Now’s chief executive, Lady Delyth Morgan, said:
“Menopause symptoms can be hellish. The really important thing about the generations study is that it’s actually a fine-tuned study that’s looking very specifically and carefully at the issue.

“It’s potentially the most accurate assessment that can be made because it’s looking at the menopausal status of the participants and it’s looking at the length of time HRT was taken and on that basis assesses the change in the risk.”

There were almost 900,000 prescriptions for combined HRT with progestogen last year, according to the NHS. The risk of breast cancer increased with duration of use, with women who had used combined HRT for more than 15 years being 3.3 times more likely to develop breast cancer than non-users.

However in women using the other type of HRT – a variant that uses oestrogen only – the scientists found that there was no overall increase in breast cancer risk compared with women who had never used HRT.

Scientists have debated the increased risk of breast cancer from HRT, which could be explained by an increased exposure to hormones affecting the development and growth of some tumours.

For the study, published in the British Journal of Cancer on Tuesday, 39,000 women were monitored for six years. During that time 775 – or nearly 2% – developed breast cancer and women using combined HRT (for an average, median duration of 5.4 years) were 2.7 times more likely to contract the disease during the treatment period than women who had never used HRT.

However, no increase in risk was seen in women using oestrogen-only HRT and a year or two after women stopped taking combined HRT, there was not a significantly increased risk of breast cancer, confirming findings of previous studies.

The experts believe the lack of follow-up information on the use of HRT and menopausal status affected the accuracy of other studies. For example failure to account for women who had stopped using HRT during the research period could lead to the risk being underestimated.

When the researchers analysed their own data without adjusting for changes in HRT use or women’s known menopause age, it led to a lower estimate of a 1.7-fold increase in risk.

Dr Heather Currie, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and chair of the British Menopause Society, said: “Women need clear, evidence-based information to break through the conflicts of opinion and confusion about the menopause.

“For many women, any change in breast-cancer risk is outweighed by the benefit on their quality of life, bearing in mind that there are many other factors that increase the risk of breast cancer, for example lifestyle factors.”

Meanwhile a separate study has found that women who expect the worst from a type of breast cancer treatment are more likely to suffer adverse side-effects.

The research, published in the Annals of Oncology, found that women with a negative perception of receiving hormone therapies such as tamoxifen suffered nearly twice the number of side-effects than women with positive expectations or who thought the effects would not be too bad.

The authors looked at 111 women in Germany who had had treatment for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

They questioned the patients about their expectations of the effect of taking hormone therapy at the start of the trial and then assessed them at three months and at two years. Those with higher expectations of side-effects at the start of the study saw a 1.8 increase in their occurrence after two years.

Prof Yvonne Nestoriuc, from the University Medical Centre, Hamburg – who led the study – said: “Our results show that expectations constitute a clinically relevant factor that influences the long-term outcome of hormone therapy.

“Expectations can be modified so as to decrease the burden of long-term side-effects and optimise adherence to preventive anti-cancer treatments in breast cancer survivors.”

Combined HRT could increase breast cancer risk by nearly 300%

Syphilis cases increase by 163% in London in five years

Five times more people were diagnosed with syphilis in London last year than in any other English region, according to a report that says cases of the infection have more than doubled in the capital since 2010.

Nearly 60% of syphilis cases in England were diagnosed in London, according to research (pdf) published on Wednesday by Public Health England, with rates increasing in 32 of the capital’s 33 boroughs in the five years to 2015.

Gay men were disproportionately affected, experiencing 90% of new diagnoses in 2015, despite comprising just 2% of the adult population. But experts are warning of a rise among heterosexuals as well.

Dr Patrick French, genitourinary medicine consultant at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The increase we are seeing in syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections is a marker of a more general problem within sexual health and tackling this must be a priority across London.

“More awareness is needed around STIs, how they can be prevented and why it is important to have a check-up if you think you are at risk. Anyone having sex with new or casual partners should always use condoms and have regular sexual health checks.”

Last year, there were 2,811 cases of syphilis in London, representing a rate of new infections of 32.9 per 100,000 people – more than five times higher than that of any other region in England, and three times higher than the rate for the country overall.

That figure represents a 163.4% rise in cases since 2010, when there were 1,067 diagnoses in the capital, and an increase of 21.9% on 2014, when there were 2,306 cases.

The overwhelming majority of cases in 2015 were among gay men, with 2,406 infections compared with 196 among heterosexual men and 70 among heterosexual women. Gay men have long been overrepresented, but the gap has widened significantly since 2010, when there were 724 infections compared with 130 among heterosexual males.

Syphilis infection is a marker of high-risk sexual activity, PHE’s report says, and comes amid evidence that Londoners, particularly gay men, are having more sex than ever.

Drug-fuelled “chemsex” parties, app-facilitated sexual networking and so-called “sero-sorting”, where people choose sexual partners based on their HIV status, are all associated with reduced use of condoms, the report says.

Related: Give young people and gay men free condoms to reduce STIs, watchdog says

The recent rise in cases of syphilis comes after a historical decline in the late 1980s and early 90s, when the spectre of the HIV pandemic encouraged many people to change their sexual habits.

The first symptom of syphilis is a painless ulcer at the site of infection, lasting from three to six weeks. That is followed by general symptoms of illness including fever, headache, swollen glands and night sweats. If untreated it can lead to central nervous system disease, cardiovascular complications and death, but the widespread use of antibiotics means it rarely progresses that far.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE London, said: “In London, we have excellent open-access sexual health services providing free STI testing and treatment, notification for the sexual partners of those diagnosed with an STI and free provision of contraception. With these services available across the capital, there is no reason for people to be taking unnecessary risks with their sexual health.

“I hope today’s report will further raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections including syphilis and drive home the messages about the importance of practising safe sex, which include using condoms, regularly being tested and avoiding overlapping sexual relationships. All of these will reduce the risk of STIs.”

Syphilis cases increase by 163% in London in five years

NHS under pressure from increase in cancer survivors, report warns

People are twice as likely to live at least 10 years after being diagnosed with cancer than they were at the start of the 1970s, new research shows.

More than 170,000 people in the UK who were diagnosed in the 1970s and 1980s are still alive – an “extraordinary” number, Macmillan Cancer Support said in its report Cancer: Then and Now.

The increase in long-term cancer survivors is due to more sophisticated treatment combined with an ageing population, the charity said, acknowledging that there was still a huge variation in survival rates according to cancer type.

But it warned the consequences were increasing demand on the NHS, with more people living for longer, with long-term side-effects. The Macmillan chief executive, Lynda Thomas, said: “More and more people are being diagnosed with cancer and, in general, having a more sophisticated life with their cancer than perhaps they would have done. What we are now seeing is that lot of people are coming in and out of treatment, so all of that does put pressure on the NHS.”

Related: How to get through chemotherapy: Decca Aitkenhead on cancer treatment

Around 625,000 people in the UK are estimated to be facing poor health or disability after treatment for cancer.

Long-term consequences can range from painful lower-leg swelling in women following breast cancer to emotional trauma, and with the number of people living with cancer in the UK set to grow from 2.5 million to 4 million by 2030, more people will need support.

Thomas said: “About one in four cancer patients will come out of cancer treatment with debilitating and very serious side effects … like incontinence, or experiencing serious sexual problems. Those are the things we tend not to talk about, but they can be the things that really result in people having a very poor life experience after their cancer diagnosis.”

The challenge for medical professionals is to “keep up to speed” with the potential side-effects as new treatments emerge, she said.

Some 116,000 cancer patients last year in England did not have the potential long-term side effects from their cancer fully explained to them, Thomas said.

Greig Trout, 37, from Thames Ditton, south-west London, who suffered cancer as a child: ‘I’m just trying to enjoy every day as it comes and just grateful to be here.’ Photograph: Karen Druy/PA

“It does happen from time to time, we will meet patients who’ve said: ‘I had no idea this was going to happen’. I hope that’s happening less and less now, particularly as professionals become better at explaining the consequences of treatment. But it’s important people recognise that issues such as fertility might be affected, or you might have heart problems later on in life. You never want to somebody to say: ‘I wish I’d known that before because I would have done something different’.”

Macmillan also estimates that there could be around 42,500 people who were diagnosed with cancer in the 1970s and 1980s who may still be dealing with long-term consequences.

After suffering cancer as a child, Greig Trout developed scoliosis, deep vein thrombosis and eczema. He struggles to put on muscle or fat in his upper body, has physiotherapy for his back and takes blood thinning pills every day.

Doctors believe his second bout of cancer, diagnosed when he was 30, could be a result of the radiation therapy he received more than two decades prior.

The 37-year-old from Thames Ditton, south-west London, said: “The life-saving treatment I had as a child has come back to bite me in the future, but I’m still here.

“I think GPs … it would be good for them, especially now with people who are struggling with side effects of treatment back in the 1980s, just to know and be more aware of what those side effects are.

“Developments of cancer treatment are just getting better and better, so I hope that more people don’t have to go through what I’ve been through as a child. I’m just trying to enjoy every day as it comes and just grateful to be here.”

NHS under pressure from increase in cancer survivors, report warns

seven Personal Improvement Tips to Increase the High quality of Your Daily life

How do you boost your daily life? You can emphasis on external issues if you want. Perhaps your existence will be better if you moved into a various apartment. Possibly a new job is your crucial to a better life. There is no shortage of folks who have tried to boost the quality of their life by way of pursuing relationships. However, there is a issue with all of this. Any time you concentrate on changing the external, at least a portion of what you are shifting is beyond your control. You may not find an apartment to rent that you can afford. A new job may not be offered to you, and there is no way of knowing of guaranteeing that the feelings of another particular person match yours, let alone no matter whether or not your life will be much better. Ultimately, the only factor that you can do that is assured to increase the high quality of your existence is to function on your very own private advancement.

1. Dedicate an Hour of Productive Time Each Day to Oneself

What do you feel when you read through the phrase ‘me time?’. Do you consider of time on the sofa binge viewing your favorite television demonstrates, or time you invest in some other form of self-indulgence? Pampering by yourself is definitely great. It can enhance your state of thoughts and increase your outlook. If you are performing this, there is no reason to end, but have you deemed working in an hour of time every day that you dedicate to doing productive issues to improve oneself? You can use that time to read, set ambitions, or merely organize your life.

2. Compose Down One Goal to Focus on Each Month

At the end of each and every month, make setting a aim for the following month a priority. Then, decide what it is that you will do every single day to operate towards that aim. For instance, if you want to read far more, focus on getting through ten pages each and every day. If you want to organize your home, give yourself the goal of focusing on one living room each and every week. This will give you a positive accomplishment to focus on at the end of the month, and give you the energy to find something else to do for the next month.

3. Overlook About Resolutions. Focus on A single Constructive Notion For The Year

Odds are, you’ve burned through hundreds of resolutions every 12 months, and for the most part, none of them have truly resulted in any optimistic modify in your lifestyle. Worse, you may even feel worse since you haven’t reached the objectives that you set at the beginning of the yr. So, what would happen if you eschewed the notion of resolutions altogether? What if you replace resolutions with a positive idea that you could focus on throughout the 12 months. For example, you could focus on getting of services to other individuals or creating my spirituality. If this sounds like this would function for you, attempt discovering a relevant quote that you can use as your affirmation.

4. Prioritize Finding out

You might not be sure of what you need to do to increase oneself as a person and increase your high quality of lifestyle. Need to you operate on your physical wellness and brain exercise, try out to earn that up coming promotion, or concentrate on your spirituality? It can be challenging to tell. However, there is one particular location on which you will never regret focusing. If you make studying a priority, your results can only be positive. You can make learning a priority by going back to college, or just turning out to be a more curious person.

5. Move a Minor Much more

Treating your entire body a little much better, incorporating some motion to your daily life, and focusing on your bodily wellness are great techniques to boost your lifestyle. Some folks attain this by setting objectives to shed a specific sum of bodyweight or by reaching some objective, this kind of as operating a 5k, or currently being able to trek up a mountain. The only problem with this is that it can really feel like failure if you really don’t reach your aim. What if you enhanced your life by merely turning into more and a lot more active each and every day, every week, and each month? You could incrementally edge yourself in direction of bodily well being with out dealing with the chance of setbacks due to disappointment and failure.

6. Commence a Journal

“Write.” If you’ve ever read the novel Push by Sapphire, or watched the movie based mostly on that guide ‘Precious’, you know that this basic instruction provided to the title character represented some thing existence modifying. Yes, precious is a fictional character, but the book represents what the electrical power of literacy and creating can do for anyone, no matter exactly where they are. Now, think about what trying to keep a journal can do for you on your spiritual and emotional journey.

7. Pursue Some thing That Has Usually Interested You

Everyone ought to have interests. Following all, it is our hobbies, interests, and passions that really make us special. However, these are the things that can also assist us find our tribe and then relate to that tribe in methods that we considered have been unattainable. Produce your interests, and you will always be your very best companion.

Personalized growth will take a great deal of effort, and you might not be ready to apply all of these suggestions to your existence correct away. In fact, you might not want to apply these ideas at this point. Hopefully, you are ready to focus on at least one or two as a way to increase the quality of your life, and increase oneself along the way.

seven Personal Improvement Tips to Increase the High quality of Your Daily life