BlueSkies Newsletter - November 2011
Welcome to the November edition of the BlueSkies Newsletter.
We hope that you find the articles useful and informative.
In this edition, we look at:
How Sugar-Sweetened Drinks May Be Affecting Your Health
Whether Exercise Can Keep The Doctor Away
Also this month, find out about the nutritional benefits of Monkey Nuts and a new Eco-Friendly Junior Toothbrush.
If you have any comments, or there is a particular topic you would like us to cover, please contact us.
Are Your Drinks Affecting Your Health?
Many of us drink sugar-sweetened drinks on a daily basis but they could be damaging our health. Strong evidence is emerging that links these drinks with weight gain and subsequently Type 2 diabetes which suggests that we should switch from sugar-sweetened drinks to water in order to lower our health risks.
In fact, an analysis of tens of thousands of people's habits suggested that replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with water may eliminate 1.5lb of weight gain over a 4-year period which would reduce Type 2 diabetes risk by 7% (Hu, FB (2011). The importance of healthy hydration. Harvard School of Public Health).
In the UK, over 2.8 million people have diabetes and it is estimated that treating diabetes and its complications accounts for 10% of total NHS spending. More than 100,000 people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes every year and this number is projected to rise as it is estimated that 26 million Britons will be obese by the year 2030. Therefore, simply changing from sugar-sweetened drinks to water, may dramatically affect a large number of lives.
In addition to this, an over-consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks has been identified as a contributory factor for abdominal obesity along with sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition. The main reason for this is that sugar-sweetened drinks are used as an important marker of poor diet which can contribute to abdominal obesity. Abdominal obesity is another powerful risk factor for the development of Type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular diseases.
So, it seems that sugar-sweetened drinks may do more than just damage our teeth, as Dr Hu from Harvard Medical School says, "There's convincing evidence that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with increased risk of obesity and diabetes, and emerging evidence that these beverages increase the risk for heart disease. To reduce the risk of obesity of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, it is important to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and replace them with healthier choices such as water and unsweetened tea or coffee."
Switching to water is just one step towards a healthier lifestyle but it is an easy step to make. Taking note of what we drink can be just as important as what we eat. Water is actually the only fluid that our bodies need to remain hydrates - it contains no calories or artificial added ingredients and, therefore, is the healthiest way to hydrate.
What's more, it's not just adults that need to take note - nearly 1,500 UK children have Type 2 diabetes an this number is growing rapidly. Promoting healthy eating, drinking and living is an important step in ensuring that our children grow up with healthy habits. As Jean-Claude Coubard, Executive Director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk (ICCR, www.cardiometabolic-risk.org) says, "Healthful hydration is one important element to fighting the epidemic of obesity in children" and this is an important step in preventing increased health risks in children.
So, why not take a step towards a healthier life today and swap your sugar-sweetened drinks for water?
Can A Jog A Day Keep The Doctor Away?
Exercise could be used to prevent or treat a whole range of physical and mental health conditions, according to research which was discussed at the British Nutrition Foundation's conference which was held in October of this year.
Regular physical activity influences many aspects of human health but compelling evidence is emerging in specific areas of interest including cancer. For example, research now shows that regular physical activity can help to prevent some cancers, as well as having significant benefits in helping the survivors of most common cancers maintain their quality of life.
Physical activity has also been shown to have significant positive effects on mental health, and research suggests that being regularly active can reduce the risk of diseases of the mind by as much as 20-30%. The impact of this can be seen in cases of depression, dementia, Alzheimer's & Parkinson's disease.
Whilst most of us know that physical activity burns calories and can help with weight loss and maintenance, it is less well known that regular physical activity helps us to create & maintain lean body tissue (muscle). This is particularly important for older people as muscle loss can inhibit independence. Additional muscle tissue is also more metabolically active which means that, even at rest, a person who is physically active will use more calories than a habitually inactive person.
In addition to the fact that regular activity helps us to burn more calories and create more lean tissue, research shows that being active can also help fight hunger. In fact, it appears that appetite can actually be supressed after intense exercise and levels of the satiety hormones are elevated which contribute to a sense of fullness. This means that after intense exercise, we are less likely to want to eat or overeat.
As obesity is a huge and growing problem in the UK, placing great demand on the NHS, Bridget Benelam (Senior Nutrition Scientist at the BNF) hopes that by encouraging people to adopt a more active lifestyle, incorporating regular exercise and a healthy diet, we can start to redress the balance and free up valuable medical resources for redirection elsewhere."
Official recommendations are that all adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate level physical activity each week and that children should be active for at least an hour a day. At the moment, it is estimated that only 40% of men and 28% of women achieve these levels and that, although children tend to be quite active when young, levels drop off significantly as they become teenagers.
However, with the evidence pointing so strongly towards the health benefits physical activity offers and that exercise can help to present and even treat some of the most serious diseases, as well as aiding and speeding recovery, it is important that we all really understand its value.
If you want to become more active or need a hand to work out how to make the most of the time that you have available for physical activity, why not contact BlueSkies and find out about the expert advice and programmes that we offer.
Product Of The Month - Junior Eco Toothbrush
A new toothbrush, specifically designed for children, is showing them how their daily actions impact upon the planet and teaching them how to care for the planet at the same time as caring for their teeth.
The Monte Bianco toothbrush is designed so that rather than throwing away your entire toothbrush when it is past its best, you simply unclip the head and replace it with a new one. This economical and eco-friendly way of cleaning teeth means that every individual can reduce the amount of plastic from toothbrushes they throw away by around 80%. This is just a small action but it would have a huge effect on the environment.
Up until now, the Monte Bianco Clip-System toothbrush has only been available for adults but it has now been redesigned for juniors. With a shorter handle for ease of use and precision cleaning, the junior eco-friendly toothbrushes come in two parts - a handle and handy replacement heads - and they offer a simple & entertaining way for children to learn the importance of making eco-friendly choices.
Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every three months which, while good for oral health, does have a heavy impact on the environment. If everyone in the UK is following this advice, over 240 million toothbrushes are being dumped in our landfill sites every year!
The Monte Bianco Junior toothbrush heads come in 3 bright colours - green, pink and blue - and they have equally bright bristles, which children love. "Teeth-cleaning time doesn't always go to plan where children are involved but the bright colours make it a lot more fun and children love to know that they are helping to look after the environment. I know parents who say to their children, 'Right, time to save the planet' which generally gets a better reaction than 'Time to clean your teeth'." says general manager of Pravera Ltd, Joanne Blaylock.
To purchase the Monte Bianco toothbrushes, you can visit www.pravera.co.uk.
Food Of The Month - Monkey Nuts
With Christmas coming up, monkey nuts will be appearing in homes across the country. Monkey nuts are simply peanuts in their shells and, despite their name, they are not true nuts but a member of the legume family which includes lentils and chickpeas. One of the benefits of eating peanuts in this natural form is that they haven't been roasted or salted making them a pretty healthy snack.
Unprocessed peanuts offer a range of health benefits as they are rich in nutrients, particularly protein, niacin, folate, fibre, magnesium, vitamin E and phosphorous. What's more, they are a very good source of mono-unsaturated fats which are the healthy fats that may help to improve heart health. Peanuts also supply the human body with reservatrol which is the same antioxidant as found in red grapes and red wine that can also promote heart health. So, this Christmas, instead of snacking on a handful of salted peanuts, why not eat them in their natural form and reap the health benefits?
How To Deal With Fractures
Continuing with our first aid articles, this month we are looking at how to deal with fractures.
Broken or cracked bones are known as fractures. These are fairly common and can range from a crack in the bone to a complete break where the bone is split into two or more pieces.
Fractures can be caused by a range of incidents but there is normally some type of abnormal movement of and/or force through the bone involved. However, if bones are weak, the force needed to cause a fracture may not need to be that strong.
There are two main types of fracture:
- Compound (open) fracture - a fracture that results in the broken end of the bone breaking out through the skin
- Closed fracture - a fracture that doesn't result in any damage to the skin
The symptoms of fractures will vary with the severity and from person to person but, in general:
- They will be painful
- They will result in reduced movement & strength
- There will be swelling & bruising
In addition to this, there may be:
- Visible deformity
- Feelings of sickness or dizziness
Although, it is important to be aware that some fractures occur with no signs or symptoms and it has been know for people to carry on with everyday life for some time with a fractured bone.
The main aim when treating a fracture is to limit the casualty's movement around the fracture and ensure that they seek professional treatment whilst dealing with the symptoms if appropriate. To achieve this:
- The casualty may be able to keep the fractured bone immobile themselves but, if not, the first aider may need to take action to help.
- If the first aider knows how to apply a sling, this can be an effective way to achieve this, where appropriate.
- Alternatively, the first aider may help to support the fractured bone.
- Cold-treatment may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of fractures e.g. swelling & bruising but should not be applied to open fractures.
- The casualty should be referred to A&E or an ambulance called.
- The only way to be 100% sure whether a bone is fractured or not is through an X-ray.
- The ability to move a limb/joint does NOT imply that there is not a fracture.
N.B. For open fractures, there will be a different emphasis for treatment as the casualty will be bleeding due to the bone having broken the skin. In this instance, it is most important to stem the bleed by appplying pressure to the wound where possible using a clean dressing/towel/other absorbent material whilst being aware of the bone injury.
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