BlueSkies Newsletter - September 2011
Welcome to the September edition of the BlueSkies Newsletter.
We hope that you find the articles useful and informative.
In this edition, we look at:
Whether Wine Really Can Be Good For You
How To Deal With Burns & Scalds
Also this month, find out about the nutritional benefits of Aubergine and how Zumba® can help you keep yourself fit!
If you have any comments, or there is a particular topic you would like us to cover, please contact us.
Hug Your Joints Month
September 2011 has been designated 'Hug Your Joints Month' and, thanks to an aging population, rising obesity and the stress & strain of everyday life, there has never been a greater need for joint care awareness in the UK.
This healthcare initiative by Regenovex®, a groundbreaking joint health formulation, is being launched in a bid to directly address the ticking joint care time bomb and encourage everyone to look after their joints so that they can enjoy a more active future.
In the UK, about 1 in 5 people - more than 10 million - suffer from arthritis and many more have undiagnosed stiff joints and are forced to endure significant pain and mobility problems. All too often, the early warning signs and symptoms of joint problems are ignored until they become serious and potentially crippling.
The makers of Regenovex®, a research-backed, pioneering joint formulation to help maintain the health of joints, are determined to stem the mounting tide of joint issued and have put together a package of healthy-joint initiatives aimed at helping curb the UK's joint pain burden. This is spearheaded by Hug Your Joints Month in September 2011 which focuses on a host of campaigns and education programmes including a website www.hugyourjoints.co.uk packed with easy to understand information, a joint health test and tips on how to look after your joints.
Hug Your Joints month runs from 9th to 30th September 2011 and includes special joint care advice in pharmacies and stores where Regenovex® is sold. The goal is to help spread the message of good joint care, and Hug Your Joints Month will also feature a package of self-help guides, quizzes and advice designed to help everyone protect their joints and avoid potential future joint problems.
To help promote good joint care, the scientists at Regenovex® have helped to draw up a joint care action plan which includes in-depth tips on posture, exercise and diet with a special emphasis on polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. As part of the initiative, a special questionnaire has been devised - The Regenovex® MOT - to help gauge the health of your joints and this can be undertake fpr free on the Hug Your Joints website. Following the completion of the questionnaire, you will receive score-based advice on what diet, exercise and lifestyle changes may help to protect your joints in the future.
Cherie Lunghi is the ambassador for Hug Your Joints Month. The renowned actress and star of Strictly Come Dancing is a joint pain sufferer herself and wants to help raise awareness of the issue of joint health.
Containing two functional ingredients from natural sources - a marine oil & hyaluronic acid - Regenovex® is specifically formulated to help maintain the health of joints. Two recent research projects have underlined the potential of these key ingredients in helping to reduce the loss of important joint tissue components and reducing joint swelling.
The Regenovex® range includes one-a-day capsules, a gel for targeted application and a patch which can be worn day or night - all contain ingredients proven to help maintain joint health. The range can be purchased at Boots, Superdrug or other independent pharmacies.
Food Of The Month - Aubergine
The aubergine is often associated with warmer, more exotic climes than the UK but it is now widely grown here. Apart from being an interesting looking berry (yes, berry not vegetable!), it also has a distinctive flavour and texture that make it a great addition to many dishes. From a nutritional point of view, aubergines are low in calories (15 calories/100g) & fat (0.4g/100g) and are a good source of fibre, potassium & folic acid. What's more the purple skin is a result of the presence of anthocyanins which are antioxidant compounds. So, why not add one to your shopping basket this month? They go well in curries, are great grilled and added to salads or can be used in the traditional Moussaka dish.
Can Wine Really Be Good For You?
Alcohol has been around for a long time but the argument about its potential health risks and/or benefits rages on to this day! Whilst it is clear that excessive alcohol intake is detrimental to health, there is also evidence that moderate alcohol intake can benefit health and potentially lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cognitive decline.
However, research has not yet been conclusive as to whether moderate alcohol consumption is associated with overall health amongst older people. Considering that we are an ageing population, this type of research would certainly be valuable. Fortuitously, a study carried out at the Harvard School of Public Health, studied just this topic, focussing on the effect of mid-life alcohol consumption on successful ageing in women.
The study used the data from over 120,000 female registered nurses who took part in the Nurses' Health Study in 1976 and assessed alcohol consumption at mid-life (average age of 58 years). Almost 14,000 of the participants survived past 70 years of age and one tenth of these were categorised as having achieved 'successful ageing'. Successful ageing was defined as being free of major chronic diseases such as cancer & heart disease and having no major cognitive impairment, physical impairment or mental health problems.
After allowing for other factors that would affect health e.g. smoking, the study found that women who drank light or moderate amounts of alcohol had a modestly increased chance of successful ageing as compared to non-drinkers. Compared to non-drinkers, women who drank up to 1 drink per day had approximately a 20% higher chance of successful ageing.
In addition to this, women who drank regularly had a better chance of successful ageing that those who only drank occasionally. In fact, compared to non-drinkers, women who drank 5 to 7 days per week had almost a 50% greater chance of successful ageing whereas those who drank just 1 or 2 days per week had a similar chance.
In reality, these findings do not suggest that non-drinkers should start drinking but they do suggest that regular, small amounts of alcohol in middle age might be good for you. What's more, this study's subjects were mainly women of European ancestry meaning that the findings cannot be directly applied to men or other ethnic groups. However, it would be expected that men would benefit similarly but evidence needs to be found to support this.
Activity Of The Month - Zumba®
If you've not heard of Zumba® yet, you will do soon - it's the latest craze in dance fitness where people literally party themselves into shape! Zumba® is described as an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning, dance fitness party - quite a claim eh? However, if global participation is anything to go by, it seems to be living up to this claim as more than 12 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages take part in weekly Zumba® classes in over 110,000 locations across more than 125 countries.
There are currently 6 types of Zumba® classes:
- Zumba® - imagine exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin beats, a totally exhilarating workout
- Zumba® Gold - a modified Zumba® workout which is more suited to older participants and people who are new to exercise
- Zumba® Toning - a combination of targeted body-sculpting exercises and high-energy cardio workouts with the trademark Zumba® moves and beats
- Aqua Zumba® - the Zumba® pool party giving an invigorating water workout
- Zumbatomic® - Zumba® but for kids aged 4-12
- Zumba® in the Circuit - a 30 minute high-octane, Latin-inspired dance class combined with strength-based circuit training.
If Zumba® sounds like your kind of thing, why not visit their website to find out more and use the Find An Instructor facility to find your nearest Zumba® licensed instructor. Once you've tried it, exercise will never be the same again!
How To Deal With Burns & Scalds
This month sees the start of our first aid articles and we are looking at how to deal with burns & scalds. Each month, we will cover a different first aid topic giving you up-to-date guidelines on how to deal with common injuries & illnesses.
Burns & scalds can be caused by fire, hot objects, friction, steam, the sun, hot liquids, chemicals or electricity. They can be mild or severe and, in the worst case scenario, can be fatal. The severity of a burn or scald is dictated by the depth of the injury - 1st degree burns are minor, affecting the outermost layer of the skin and 3rd degree burns are more severe and affect all layers of the skin.
The symptoms of burns and scalds will vary with the severity but, in general:
- they will be extremely painful (very severe burns/scalds will not result in pain)
- there will be swelling around the site of the burn/scald
- there may be redness and/or blistering associated with the burn/scald
The main aim when treating a burn or scald is to take the heat out of it & halt the burning, alleviate the pain and minimise the risk of infection. To do this, where possible, it is recommended that:
- the burn/scald is placed under cold running water for a minimum of 10 minutes
- this may be achieved by putting the burnt/scalded area of the body under a running tap, using a cold shower or using jugs of water
- any clothing/material stuck to the wound is NOT removed
- the burn/scald is covered with a non-sticky dressing
- burns dressings are ideal
- cling film makes a very good substitute but avoid wrapping it too tightly around the wound
- NO ointments or creams are placed on the wound
- the casualty should be referred to A&E or an ambulance should be called
Burns/scalds to the mouth or throat can be potentially fatal because swelling in this area can affect the casualty's breathing. If the burn/scald affects the breathing, an ambulance needs to be called immediately and if possible the clothing around the neck should be loosened. Additionally, burns or scalds that affect large areas of the body, the hands, the feet or the genitals, an ambulance should be called to the casualty.
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