Boozy diet of young holiday Britons

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  Among 18 to 25-year-olds, alcohol consumption per day amounted to an average of 1,592 calories, the poll by travel company www.sunshine.co.uk found.

This amounted to 11,144 calories for a week-long holiday and exceeded the daily average of 1,310 calories for food, with the weekly food total being 9,170 calories.

Of the 1,736 people aged 18-25 who were questioned, 84% said they had consumed alcohol on their last holiday abroad.

A total of 63% admitted to drinking every day, with 92% saying they felt they ate less on holiday than at home.

Around half put their lack of eating down to "the heat", while 28% cited the expense of food abroad.

Sunshine.co.uk co-founder Chris Brown said: "I can certainly relate to not wanting to eat as much in hot temperatures - warm weather does seem to have that effect on some people.

"However, 1,592 calories a day is a huge amount to be consuming through alcohol alone, so I was really shocked to see that number in comparison to the calories taken in from meals and snacks."

Window seats on planes can up the risk of DVT

But economy class syndrome 'a myth'

Sitting in a window seat of an aeroplane during long distance flights can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), doctors say.

A window seat is one of the risk factors for DVT in long distance travellers outlined in new guidelines by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), which say that a person's individual risk factors for blood clots should be taken into account before being offered preventative medicines.

Other risk factors highlighted include being elderly, pregnant or taking oral contraceptives.

The experts also say that so-called '"economy class syndrome" is a myth, as the risk of developing a blood clot during a long haul flight is the same for those travelling in first or business class.

Deep vein thromboses are blood clots which usually develop in the legs. If a clot breaks away, it can cause a potentially fatal blockage in the lungs known as a pulmonary embolism.

The new guidance, published in the journal Chest, says the risk of developing a blood clot on a long distance flight is "very small" for most people, but was strongest for flights taking longer than eight to ten hours, particuarly in those with other risk factors.

Prolonged sitting, such as in a window seat of a plane, where someone is less likey to get up and move around, can also increase the risk of DVT.

Guidelines co-author Dr Mark Crowther from McMaster University, Ontario, said: "Travelling in economy class does not increase your risk for developing a blood clot, even during long-distance travel.

"However, remaining immobile for long periods of time will. Long distance travellers sitting in a window seat tend to have limited mobility, which increases their risk for DVT. This risk increases as other factors are present."

Smoking and obesity were also identified as risk factors, but the doctors said they found no "definitive evidence" that either dehydration or drinking alcohol boosted the risk of DVT.

Medical conditions which can put a person at increased risk include having had recent surgery, a family history of blood clots and having heart disease.

The guidelines recommend that all long-haul passengers should take preventative measures such as getting out of their seats and walking around, and calf muscle stretches.

In addition to this, people at higher risk of DVT should sit in an aisle seat if possible and wear below-knee graduated compression stockings, they advised.

The doctors also advised against the use of aspirin or any other anti-coagulant medication to prevent DVT in long-distance travellers.

Drugs which can prevent blood clotting should only be considered on an individual basis for those at a higher risk of DVT as the "adverse effects may outweigh the risks," they said.

Dr Gordon Guyatt, who chaired the panel of experts which drew up the guidelines, said: "There has been a significant push in health care to administer DVT prevention for every patient, regardless of risk.

"As a result, many patients are receiving unnecessary therapies that provide little benefit and could have adverse effects."

"The decision to administer DVT prevention therapy should be based on the patients' risk and the benefits of prevention or treatment."

Sugar should be controlled like cigarettes and alcohol

© Lori Martin - Fotolia.com

Sugar is a modern-day menace to health and should be controlled in a similar manner to alcohol and cigarettes, experts say.

In an article called "The Toxic Truth About Sugar," published in the journal Nature, US scientists argue that sugar is more than just "empty calories that make people fat."

As well as fuelling a global obesity pandemic, too much dietary sugar can change the body's metabolism, raise blood pressure, critically alter people's hormones and cause "significant damage" to the liver, the scientists from the University of California said.

"As long as the public thinks that sugar is just 'empty calories,' we have no chance in solving this," said Robert Lustig, a professor of paediatrics and child obesity expert. "There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. But sugar is toxic beyond its calories."

The scientists also said the effects of consuming too much sugar largely mirror that of drinking too much alcohol, which they point out, is made from the distillation of sugar.

Worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years, and is linked to 35 million deaths a year from diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, the researchers said.

To reduce sugar consumption, the researchers recommended controlling access to sugary food and drinks, including age restrictions, stricter regulations on vending machines in schools and snack bars and even taxing sugar containing products.

Dr. Laura Schmidt, who co-authored the paper said: "We're not talking prohibition. We're not advocating a major imposition of the government into people's lives.

"We're talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people's choices by making foods that aren't loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get."

Overweight and smoking while pregnant linked to baby heart defects

More than doubles the risk of heart abnormality

Smoking and being overweight during pregnancy can increase the risk of the baby being born with a heart defect, new research suggests.

A study published in the journal Heart found that babies born to overweight smokers were more than twice as likely to have a congenital heart defect compared with those born to women who either smoked or were overweight while pregnant, but not both.

Congenital heart abnormalities are among the most common defects found at birth, affecting around eight in every 1000 babies, but a likely cause is only found in fifteen per cent of cases.

Researchers from the University of Groningen analysed data on nearly 800 live and stillborn babies and aborted foetuses with congenital heart defects.

This was then compared with data on 322 babies and foetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, but without any heart defects.

After taking into account other factors such as the mother's alcohol consumption and educational attainment which could influence the results, the scientists found that the combination of being overweight and smoking increased the risk of the baby being born with a congenital heart defect by 2.5 per cent.

Women who were overweight were defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more.

The risk of specific heart defects which reduce the blood flow from the heart ventricles to the pulmonary artery or aorta was more than tripled in babies born to overweight mothers who smoked while pregnant.

The researchers said the findings suggest that an imbalance in cholesterol levels might be behind the effect as its already known that both obesity and smoking can independently lead to lower levels of "good" cholesterol and higher levels of "bad" cholesterol.

"Maternal and overweight smoking may have a synergistic adverse effect on the development of the foetal heart," the researchers wrote.

Overweight women who wish to become pregnant should be strongly encouraged to stop smoking and lose weight."

Self-massage to beat the cold

Self-massage to beat the cold

In winter, nothing is more unpleasant than the feeling of being cold. To remedy this, you need to pamper your extremities, the most exposed to chilly weather. Using just a few minutes of targeted self-massage you can help you body better cope with the cold.
Faces are in the line of fire, and hands and feet will also suffer straight away from the sharp drop in temperature. Finally, you must keep your stomach warm, which can start to feel the strain when it gets cold. And don’t forget your kidneys too, at the risk of letting the cold into your body’s core.
Here’s a 7 step guide of self-massage techniques to get warming energy circulating around your whole body, so you can beat the winter cold.

Energise your face before hitting the cold

One of our body’s worst enemies? Variations in temperature. Massaging the face will stimulate micro circulation, giving your face a protective shield of warmth before going out into the brisk morning air.

• Self-massage technique 1: Rub both hands together to start with, to warm them up. Put them on your cheeks, either side of your nose and gently rub them before moving upwards on your head. Move your hands behind your ears and then down the length your neck. Do this 5 times.

• Self-massage technique 2: Massage the sides of your nose, rubbing slightly on each side, using your middle finger. Work from the bottom to the top. Then finish by following the line of your brow out to the extremities of your eyebrows. Repeat this 5 times.

• Self-massage technique 3: Massage the ears between thumb and forefinger with 6 circular movements and then move down to the tip of your earlobe sliding with your thumb. Repeat 5 times.

Don’t forget: cover your head when you go outside, with a hat, beret or shawl! More than half of your body heat escapes from the top of your head.

Keep hands and feet warm during a cold day

The harsh change from hot to cold temperatures can upset micro-circulation. However, blood flows through your vital organs as a priority and will bypass the extremities… which get coldest first. To acclimatise to the cold and allow your body to move more easily between being uncovered to covered, pamper your hands and feet:

• Self-massage technique 4: Warm up your feet with a fast self-massage as socks or tights don’t actually make much difference to the warmth of your feet. The heat generated through this energy boost will spread through your entire body.  You should start with the ends of your toes ideally. Then massage the whole of your instep firmly with the help of both thumbs and your palms. Carry out a movement which starts from the tips of your toes and ends at the heel. You will improve the flow of blood through veins and relieve any tension resulting from the cold.

• Self-massage technique 5: Intertwine your fingers and rub your palms together, one against the other. When you feel a tingling sensation, this is an indication of better blood circulation. Unfold your fingers and move on to smoothing, between your thumb and your forefinger. For this movement begin at the bottom of the hand and work towards the nail.

Warming up the body after a cold day

Even if it is protected by clothing, the body still needs to be kept warm. There are two strategic points to concentrate on at the end of a cold day; the stomach and the kidneys, which can react strongly to low temperatures. The goal here is to prevent yourself from catching cold.

• Self-massage technique 6: The stomach (the original cauldron of energy, in Chinese medicine) needs to be kept warm above all else, even more so as it dislikes the stress of the cold and this leads to various stomach complaints. It is very simple, over your jumper, put your hands one on top of the other, beneath the navel, and turn them clockwise. Do this 15 times.

• Self-massage technique 7: To warm up your kidneys, where our vital energy comes from, you can drum them a little with closed fists on either side at the base of your back. Around 50 of these quick little ‘taps’ will do, you will feel heat invading your pelvis. Once this is done, the cold won’t have such an easy route into your body!

Throat spray to help detect cancer

• Oesophagus cancer killed Inspector Morse star John Thaw

A fluorescent "throat spray" that pinpoints abnormal cells could help doctors spot early oesophagus cancer, research has shown.
The disease, which killed Inspector Morse star John Thaw, can easily be missed or wrongly diagnosed in its early stages. Often patients are given unnecessary invasive treatment, including removal of the oesophagus - the "food pipe" that connects the throat to the stomach.
The new technique involves spraying a fluorescent dye into the oesophagus that attaches to normal, healthy cells. The dye cannot stick to cancer cells or those turning malignant.
Abnormal cells stand out from healthy cells that glow green under light of a specific wave length, so they can then be seen with an endoscope - a flexible optical device - passed down the oesophagus.
Affected areas can be treated with radiofrequency ablation, a minimally invasive method of killing cancer cells using electrical current.
Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald, from the Medical Research Council Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge, who led the study published in the journal Nature Medicine, said: "Current methods to screen for oesophageal cancer are controversial - they are costly, uncomfortable for the patient and are not completely accurate.
"Our technique highlights the exact position of a developing oesophageal cancer, and how advanced it is, giving a more accurate picture. This could spare patients radical surgery to remove the oesophagus that can result in having to eat much smaller more regular meals and worse acid-reflux."
After pilot studies on large numbers of tissue samples, the spray was tested on four patients in the process of having early cancer removed. In two cases, the spray revealed hidden pre-cancerous areas that had evaded detection by conventional imaging. Another patient whose entire oesophagus had been removed was shown to have undergone unnecessary treatment. The cancer only affected a small area and could have been treated less drastically.
Co-author Professor Kevin Brindle, from Cancer Research UK's Cambridge Research Institute, said: "The benefit of using this dye is that it is specific, relatively cheap and is found in our normal diets so unlikely to cause any unwanted effects at the levels we use. We now need to test our technique in newly diagnosed patients, but it has great potential to be used with current imaging techniques to help improve treatment for oesophageal cancer."
Oesophageal cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the UK. Each year around 8,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and rates of the disease in men have risen by more half in a generation. Risk factors for the disease include alcohol use and smoking.

10 flat-belly tricks

Most women have experienced the feeling of being bloated at some point in their lives. However, for some it can be a recurring problem, leading to frequent discomfort and embarrassment. To help beat bloating and get the flat stomach you’ve dreamed of, check out these 10 de-bloating tips.

Consult your GP

Bloating can be caused by numerous factors including water retention and poor digestion. However, if you frequently suffer from chronic bloating you should visit your GP to discuss your symptoms and try to pinpoint a cause. As bloating can be a symptom of manageable conditions such as IBS or coeliac disease, as well as a reaction to certain medications, it is important to get an expert opinion.

Keep a food diary

If you tend to get bloated following meals, it could be that you are suffering from a food intolerance. It may be worth getting tested for food intolerances; however, experts are unsure of the effectiveness of these tests. The best thing is to keep a food diary, noting everything you eat as well as any signs of bloating, to help identify a link.

Beat bloating

Take a probiotic

A healthy gut is packed with good bacteria which help to break down food and prevent yeast overgrowth. However, due to factors such as stress and medication (particularly antibiotics) levels of good bacteria can get low. When this happens, digestion and levels of yeast in the gut are affected, both of which can lead to bloating. To rectify this, try taking a probiotic supplement. Probiotics can also be found in some yogurts, although dairy can be a cause of bloating for some.

Stay hydrated

Ironic as it may sound, staying well hydrated is one of the best ways to reduce the water retention which can lead to bloating. Furthermore, getting enough fluids can help you to improve your digestion and avoid constipation. Try to drink regularly throughout the day, opting for uncarbonated drinks such as water, peppermint or fennel tea.

Avoid gas-inducing foods

The leading cause of bloating is excess gas, so try to limit your intake of gas-inducing foods such as cabbage, sprouts, beans and grains. Also, avoid the sweeteners sorbitol and maltitol, try not to overdo your intake of fiber, and avoid chewing gum, which can exacerbate bloating. Try to also cut down on refined sugars, fermented products such as alcohol and cheese, and foods containing yeast, as these can cause yeast in the gut to thrive, which can lead to excess gas and bloating.

Concentrate on your meals

Many of us eat our meals on the go or while chatting with family and friends; however, taking more time over your meals and not talking while you eat could help reduce post-meal bloating. Eating too quickly and talking while eating can cause you to swallow air, leading to excess gas. Also, as digestion begins in the mouth, not chewing your food enough times can affect how well it is digested. It is also beneficial to eat little and often, as large meals can overload the digestive system.

Give your digestive system a helping hand

If you regularly feel bloated after meals, it may be that you have low levels of certain enzymes, meaning that foods are not being digested properly. To rectify this, try supplementing your meals with natural enzymes such as papain, bromelain or lactase which can help the digestive system to break down certain foods.

Try natural bloating remedies

Sadly, bloating will affect most of us from time to time, regardless of our best efforts. Luckily, there are some natural remedies you can turn to in times of tummy distress. A good natural remedy for bloating is charcoal capsules, which help to absorb excess gas. Peppermint capsules and aloe vera juice are also good for supporting the digestive system and preventing bloating when taken regularly.

Get active

To help gas pass through the digestive system more quickly when bloated, try heading out for a brisk walk or jog. Also, try to establish a regular exercise routine as regular workouts help to keep the digestive system working efficiently and strengthen core abdominal muscles, which will help to reduce the extent that abdominal muscles relax when gas builds up in the gut.

Relax

One of the biggest precursors to digestive problems and bloating is stress. The digestive tract can be extremely sensitive to stress hormones, which is why many people experience abdominal pain or bloating during turbulent times in their lives. To help reduce bloating, try to manage your stress by experimenting with different relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation, to find one that works for you.