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.

Nicotine 'can slow mental decline'

• Scientists have said nicotine patches could improve the memory of elderly people but rejected suggestions that smoking can stop Alzheimer's

Nicotine patches can improve the memory of elderly people experiencing early mental decline, research has shown.
The small pilot study, though not conclusive, may point the way to new treatments that delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Scientists carried out memory and thinking skill tests on 67 individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) over a period of six months.
Half the participants, who had an average age of 76, were treated daily with 15 milligrams of nicotine administered via a skin patch. The others were asked to wear a "dummy" placebo patch containing no active medication.
By the end of the study the nicotine-treated group had regained 46% of normal long term memory for their age. Their ability to pay attention also improved.
However the authors of the research, published in the journal Neurology, were quick to scuttle any suggestion that smoking might stave off Alzheimer's.
"People with mild memory loss should not start smoking or using nicotine patches by themselves, because of the harmful effects of smoking and a medication such as nicotine should only be used with a doctor's supervision," said lead scientist Dr Paul Newhouse, from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, US.
"But this study provides strong justification for further research into the use of nicotine for people with early signs of memory loss. We do not know whether benefits persist over long periods of time and provide meaningful improvement."
Nicotine, the chemical that makes smoking tobacco addictive, is known to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.
Some of the affected cells play a role in preserving mental performance and cease to function properly in people with Alzheimer's. This has led scientists to wonder if nicotine can help them find new ways of tackling the disease.
Dr Simon Ridley, from the charity Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "This small study looks promising as people with MCI treated with nicotine patches showed improvements in several cognitive tests. Larger and longer-term studies will be needed to get a bigger picture of the potential of nicotine-based treatments in Alzheimer's."

Britons lack awareness of high calorie foods

Most Brits have a "troubling" lack of awareness of the calorie content of everyday foods, a survey has revealed.
A YouGov poll for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) found that around two-thirds of adults in the UK underestimated the level of calories in foods such as hummus and mayonnaise.
Some 2128 adults were asked to identify high calorie foods from a list which included hummus, bananas, flapjacks, cornflakes, grapes, plain bagels, light mayonnaise and parsnips.
Just 32 per cent of those surveyed thought hummus was high in calories, while only 29 per cent picked out 'light' mayonnaise.
Hummus contains an average 332 calories per 100g and 'light' or 'reduced fat' mayonnaise contains an average of 259 calories.
Both exceed the WCRF’s definition of foods high in energy density, as they contain more than around 225 calories per 100g.
The use of terms such as 'light' or 'reduced fat' in high calorie foods can lead to confusion, the health charity said.
It said this was a concern because being overweight is a risk factor in a number of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
One fifth of those surveyed thought that bananas were high in calories, although the fruit contains just 95 calories per 100g on average, making it a low energy-dense food.
Maya Monteiro, senior education manager at the WCRF, said: "Despite decades of increasing awareness about calories and healthy eating, it seems a lot of people are still confused about the calorie content of everyday foods.
"This troubling lack of understanding is perhaps not helped by labels such as 'light' and 'reduced fat' when these are applied to foods which still have a high calorie content.
"Reduced fat doesn't necessarily mean low fat. It is important for people to be able to make informed choices about the food they eat.
"At this time of year many people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight but to do this it is important that they understand how to determine whether a food is high in calories.
"If people are unaware which foods contain lots of calories then it makes it even more difficult to adopt a diet that can help maintain a healthy weight.
“We hope the findings of this survey help to raise awareness of the importance of checking food labels because it is clear that it is not always obvious which foods are high in calories.
"The study also highlights the importance of having a system of food labelling that is both easy to understand and widely used."
The WCRF has launched an online calculator to help inform people about the energy density of different foods.

One in three men would give up a year of their life for ideal body

Beer bellies and man boobs cause most concern

© Knut Ekanger - Fotolia.com

More than a third of British men would choose to die early if they could have the “perfect” physique.
A shocking new study, which reveals men are becoming increasingly obsessed with body image, found more than 35 per cent would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal shape or weight.
Four in five men regularly engage in conversations about their bodies and most say they are unhappy with their “beer bellies”.
More than 60 per cent are dissatisfied with their muscularity and want more defined arms and chest. As a result, as many as one in five is on a high protein diet, while almost one in three use protein supplements.
Over half - 58.6 per cent – admit that talk about “ideal” male bodies among friends and in the media affects them personally, mostly in a negative way. In some cases it even prevents some men from going to the gym, because they feel so self-conscious about their looks.
The research is a collaboration between experts at UWE Bristol’s Centre for Appearance Research, the Succeed Foundation and Central YMCA.
Central YMCA chief executive Rosi Prescott said: “Historically conversation about your body has been perceived as something women do, but it is clear from this research that men are also guilty of commenting on one another's bodies and in many cases this is having a damaging effect.”
She added: “The high levels of body talk that we have found in men are symptomatic of a growing obsession with appearance. The fact that one in three men would sacrifice a year of life to achieve their ideal weight and shape is a worrying sign and suggests that men are placing more value on their appearance than on other things, including life itself.”
The study mirrors similar research in women, which shows that listening to just five minutes of so-called ‘body talk’ can lower overall body confidence.
Among men the most commonly discussed body issues are “beer belly”, six-pack and “man boobs”.
Dr Phillippa Diedrichs of the Centre for Appearance Research said: “This really demonstrates that body image is an issue for everyone, and that we need to take a collaborative approach towards promoting an environment that values diversity in appearance and promotes healthy body image.”
Karine Berthou, founder of UK-based eating disorders charity The Succeed Foundation added: “Negative body image is a serious issue in our society and is a key risk factor in the development of eating disorders.”
She noted that 17.4 per cent of men fear gaining weight every day, 17.8 per cent feel “fat” every day, while 31.9 per cent admit to having “exercised in a driven or compulsive way” to control their weight. Smaller but still significant numbers of men report making themselves sick at least once (4.1per cent) or using laxatives (3.4per cent) as a means of controlling their weight.
Berthou said: “This sort of disordered eating and exercise behaviour is deeply concerning and highlights that men must be included in eating disorder and body image programmes.”

Pratchett condemns end-of-life care

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Older people regard care homes as something akin to workhouses, author Sir Terry Pratchett has said

Poor quality end-of life care in the UK is driving people to travel abroad to die and the UK needs to provide an alternative, author Sir Terry Pratchett has said.
Sir Terry, who has campaigned for a change to the law over assisted dying since being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2007, said care homes have the same connotations for some older people as workhouses used to have.
He said Thursday's report from the Commission on Assisted Dying, which he helped fund, did not go far enough. But he admitted there was little prospect of progress over the next few years.
The award-winning Discworld author said the poor quality of end-of-life care in the UK was leading to people travelling to the controversial Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, where he filmed the Choosing to Die documentary last year, to die.
While Sir Terry, 63, conceded he does not "necessarily agree with everything Dignitas stands for", he said: "I'm glad that it's there, because it's a spur. If you don't like people going to Dignitas, what can you provide them with here?
"And what you can provide them with is a certain amount of commonsense thinking. And I would say a declaration that somebody's life is their own and does not belong to the sodding Government."
The commission, chaired by former lord chancellor Lord Falconer, said that, under their proposals, a terminally-ill person would need to be able to take the medication themselves, as a clear sign their actions were voluntary.
One member of the 11-strong commission, the Reverend Canon Dr James Woodward, said he was unable to back its majority decision, saying it was not the right time to consider changing the law until a greater ethical, moral and social consensus had been generated on the issue.
Sir Terry said: "If you have to wait until everyone in the country is ready for something then nothing is ever going to change."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the report would help people come to conclusions on the issue of assisted suicide, but any vote on the law would be taken by MPs individually, not along "Government" lines.

Gastric bypass cuts death risk: study

Obese people who undergo gastric bypass surgery are less likely to die from heart attack and stroke than people who receive more conventional treatment for their weight condition, a Swedish study said Tuesday.
The study, published in the January 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, included about 4,000 patients in Sweden who were recruited between 1987 and 2001.
The surgery patients either had gastric bypass (13.2 percent), banding (18.7 percent), or vertical banded gastroplasty (68.1 percent), and all lost 16-23 percent of their body weight in subsequent years.
The control group did not have any type of surgery and showed a 0-1 percent weight loss at follow-up periods of two, 10, 15 and 20 years.
"Bariatric surgery was associated with reduced number of fatal heart attack deaths (22 in the surgery group vs. 37 in the control group)," said the study led by Lars Sjostrom of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Bariatric surgery was also linked to a lower number of heart attacks overall, fewer strokes, and fewer fatal strokes.
But when the researchers looked at weight change alone, they could find no significant relationship to cardiovascular events in either group, suggesting that the weight loss itself might not be the driver of fewer deaths.
"There are many benefits to bariatric surgery and that some of these benefits are independent of the degree of the surgically induced weight loss," said the study.
Other studies have shown that the benefits of gastric surgery for extremely obese people can include long-term changes of body weight, better quality of life, and fewer incidences of diabetes and cancer.
"The message is clear -- bariatric surgery saves lives," said Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the study.
Roslin noted that the most common type of surgery in the study, vertical banded gastroplasty, has been replaced by newer methods that are even more effective, so the cardiovascular death risk is likely even lower today.
As many as 200,000 gastric bypass operations, in which the stomach is sectioned off so that the smaller amounts of food can fit inside, are done annually in the United States, where about a third of people are obese.

Breast implant scandal: Q&A

Key questions and answers on the breast implant scandal.

Research from the United States has suggested ruptures are more common than is generally reported - often women with an implant experience a 'silent rupture' without knowing about it

How did this all start?
In March 2010, regulators received a tip-off that industrial grade silicone, never authorised for medical use, was being used by French manufacturers Poly Implants Protheses to make breast implants. An investigation found the practice had gone on since 2001.

So what happened?
The company was closed down. Meanwhile, medical authorities in 65 countries tried to establish whether more than 300,000 women who had received the substandard implants had suffered health risks – such as an increased risk of cancer, or heightened rates of rupture, which allows the substance to leak to other parts of the body and can cause pain, inflammation and other health problems.

What did the authorities find?
Last year the authorities were aware of at least eight cases of breast cancer among women who received the implants in France (further cases have recently emerged), but all investigations concluded the implants did not bring an increased risk of developing the disease.

However, the French authorities uncovered rupture rates of five per cent and just before Christmas, they said they would pay for all 30,000 women who had received the implants in France to have them taken out. In Britain, where around 40,000 women had the implant, the authorities said they found rupture rates of just one per cent, and that no such action was warranted.

So do British women have any need to worry?
Yesterday, the Government announced an urgent review of safety data, after a major cosmetic group told regulators its rates of rupture were higher than previously reported. The admission from Transform, the largest commercial firm in the country, means all the clinics will now be asked to resubmit data on safety.

The review led by Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS medical director, will report to ministers next week, when the Government will decide whether any further action is required.
What’s happening elsewhere?
So far, most countries have not recommended removal of implants, though Venezuela last week said it would pay for women to have them removed.
How dangerous is it if an implant ruptures?
Research from the United States has suggested ruptures are more common than is generally reported – often women with an implant experience a “silent rupture” without knowing about it. It is likely the majority of women who suffer a rupture are likely to suffer no more than discomfort, but there are gaps in the data.
Will women know if they have had this implant?
Not necessarily. While some surgeons provide women with details of the type of implant used, others do not. The NHS said such decisions are at a surgeon’s discretion.
Are other types of implant safe?
There have been health risks associated with many types of implant used in this country.
In 2000, hydrogel implants, also made by PIP, were withdrawn from the market when the company could not produce safety data to support their use. The 4,000 women in this country who had been given the implants since 1994 were never contacted.
Implants made from soya beans were introduced in 1995. But in 1999 British medical regulators banned them, amid concerns about inflammation and swelling caused by ruptures and leakage from the implant. More than 4,500 women were advised to have the implants removed, with costs paid by the manufacturers Trilucent.
A relatively early type of implant, made of polyurethane-coated silicone gel was taken off the market in 1991, amid concerns about cancer risks. In 2003 regulators decided the cancer risk was small, and they were reintroduced in 2005.
Saline implants were thought to offer safety advantages, because even if they rupture the contents are simply salt water.
There are no restrictions on their use in this country, but many women and surgeons believe silicone offers a better shape. However, there can still be risks with infection. In 2000, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that saline implants made by PIP had been found to be adulterated. It stopped the devices being sold in the US.
How many women have had implants in this country?
Approximately 25,000 women a year have breast implants for cosmetic reasons. More than 1,200 women a year have implants on the NHS as part of reconstructive work following surgery for cancer. Others have been given the implants on the NHS because their breasts are so disfigured as to cause psychological trauma.