Every week, talkhealth round up the top news stories on the world of health from across the web and condense them into one bitesize read. This week, we’re looking at some new advancements in the understanding of cancer, diet and alcohol research and we take a look at whether “Night Owls” really are at risk of an early death.

New research about cancer

A recent report from male cancer charity, Orchid, has found that 4 out of 10 prostate cancers in the UK are diagnosed late.

The research found that a worrying 37% of all prostate cancers were identified at stages 3 and 4. As with all cancers, the earlier a diagnosis is made the more treatable it is. These statistics shine an alarming light on the current state of prostate cancer awareness in the UK. In comparison, in the US where prostate cancer has a higher profile, only 8% of diagnoses are made at these later stages. On the day this report was released, the government announced a £75-million five-year funding pack for research into prostate cancer, to help combat the condition. As prostate cancer has now overtaken breast cancer, in terms of death figures, more research into the condition is extremely important.

In further cancer news, there has been ground-breaking news around cancer severity and why some cancers are deadlier than others. The study centred around kidney cancer and tracked the development and mutation of cancers through sophisticated genetic work. As more work is done, it is hoped that eventually it will be possible to predict the development of a cancer and treat it quickly and more effectively by providing personalised treatment.

Health news on alcohol and processed food

In the world of food and drink, a new study has found that excessive drinking is not only harmful to your overall health, it can also take years off your life. The study of over 600,000 drinkers concluded that those who regularly drunk between 10 to 15 alcoholic drinks a week could see their lives cut short by as much as two years.

Alongside this, there was some insight into some of the UK’s most popular processed foods, with some rather shocking findings. Eating well and drinking in moderation are extremely important to an individual’s health, so ensuring that you know what you are putting into your body should always be of the upmost importance.

If you have any hints or tips of healthy eating, and drinking in moderation, head to our forums on men’s health, women’s health or weight.

Are night owls at risk?

Finally, there were worrying reports about the link between being a “night owl” and an earlier death, when compared to “early birds”. However, when the research was examined from Behind the Headlines (NHS Choices), it was found that the study doesn’t show a causation factor between the two. “Night Owls” had a tendency to have a less healthy diet and take more risks, which obviously would have an impact on life expectancy.

As the explanation from Behind the Headlines notes, if you’re a “Night owl” there’s no need to worry. As long as you maintain a healthy diet and get sufficient sleep, you should be fine. And, if you do struggle to get a good night’s sleep, here’s some tips to improve your sleep.

That’s it for this week. If you want to continue the conversation about any of these subjects, head over to our forums and get involved!

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Keep up to date on all the latest developments in the world of health with talkhealth’s weekly round-up! In this week’s round-up of the top news stories in the world of health, we’ll be discussing the newly introduced sugar taxes on soft drinks in the UK, research that suggest we may not be as fit as we think and plans to open new cancer diagnosis centres in the UK.

New sugar taxes on soft drinks

As of today, there are new sugar taxes coming into effect that will have an impact on fizzy drinks especially. As reported on the BBC, manufacturers of soft drinks will now have to pay a levy on any high-sugar drinks they produce and sell. Following in the footsteps of France, Norway and Mexico, who also enforce similar systems, the new levy aims to force the price of these high-sugar drinks up, making them less appealing.

Alternatively, many manufacturers can opt to reduce the sugar levels found in their drinks to avoid the new taxation. Already, it has been seen that some brands, such as Irn-Bru and Lucozade have cut down the amount of sugar in their drinks, from 10.3g and 13g to 4.7g and 4.5g per 100g, respectively.

However, there is still much debate around the levy. For one, diet drinks will not be affected by the new laws, as they include sweeteners instead of sugar, despite recent research that suggests that diet drinks still have a negative impact on our health.

These new laws are part of a combined effort to help lower obesity in the UK, with further sugar taxation expected for sweets and other food in the future. With obesity-related hospital admissions doubling in over 4 years, it’s clear that the UK government are taking swift action in an attempt to combat the situation.

If you are struggling with your weight or have any hints and tips to help with weight loss, head to our dedicated talkhealth forum for weight.

Low levels of fitness

Alongside the worries about our diet, a recent study shows that fitness levels in the UK are also lacklustre. The study found that three in 10 adults were unable to climb stairs without feeling out of breath.

In addition to this, 75% of respondents stated that they wouldn’t feel comfortable playing a game of football or netball in their current state, and a third claiming that they wouldn’t be able to run a mile if their life depended on it.

With 44% of those surveyed stating that they felt their fitness levels affected their day-to-day life, there’s clearly a strong case for everyone to get out there and start working towards a fitter, better you.

If you are looking for advice on getting fit or have your own pearls of wisdom you’d like to pass on, you can head over to our men’s health and women’s health forums.

Ten cancer diagnosis centres planned for England

Finally, it has been announced this week that there will be ten “one-stop-shop” cancer diagnosis centres coming to the UK.

Designed to help improve rapid diagnosis of multiple cancers, the new centres aim to cut down the wait time for an all-clear or diagnosis. As it stands, many patients find themselves being referred to several specialists before an official diagnosis is made. These new centres aim to cut down wait time for the patient and alleviate the overstretched NHS services.

Furthermore, the UK will also be opening its first photon beam cancer centre in Newport. Developed to help those battling life-threatening cancers, the new procedure will help provide support that patients would previously have had to seek out overseas. It is estimated that treatment will cost around £60,000 per patient.

And that’s it for the biggest health stories in the news this week. Be sure to join talkhealth next week to keep on top of all the latest goings on in health!

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In this week’s health round-up, we’ve got a range of news stories to cover, including the likes of diet, depression, care homes and back pain. This week also saw #WorldDownSyndromeDay, which came with a very heart-warming video, which you can take a look at below. So, let’s get started on this week in health!

Diet and weight

First up on the agenda, there was more information around diets and weight that hit the headlines this week. Analysis from Action on Sugar and the Obesity Health Alliance found that a blueberry muffin could have a whole day’s worth of sugar in it. A whole day. Let that sink in.

Picking healthy food options is extremely important for your well-being, and this was further raised by news stories that continued to connect weight with the rise of certain types of cancer, as reported by the BBC. The report found that 4 out of ten cancer cases could be prevented by lifestyle choices. While smoking led the way as the main lifestyle cause for cancer, obesity came in second, followed by UV radiation exposure, occupational exposures and infections. What’s more worrying is that it seems as though obesity could overtake smoking as the main lifestyle cause linked to cancer.

If you’re struggling with weight problems and are looking for further support, you can always reach out to your GP, or connect with like-minded individuals in our dedicated forum for weight issues.

Depression and memory problems

In other news, a recent study has identified that those who are dealing with depression may also encounter memory problems. It is widely documented that depression can come with a host of additional issues, including the likes of sleep deprivation and increased levels of stress, and this latest research has found that memory interference can be another issue that can arise.

The study highlighted that while the memory problems weren’t amnesia, those that suffered with depression may find themselves struggling with details in their memories. Depression and mental health is a hugely important aspect of your well-being, and if you are struggling with any mental health issues, you can connect with others who may be experiencing similar problems in our mental health forum.

#WorldDownSyndromeDay

Wednesday 21st was #WorldDownSyndromeDay and saw a huge amount of support out on social media. Helping to raise awareness of the genetic disorder, there were thousands of tweets, Facebook posts and more putting the condition at the forefront of many conversations.

There was plenty of support for the #LotsofSocks campaign, helping to raise further awareness. And, in case you missed it, there was a truly heart-warming carpool karaoke video, featuring 50 mothers and their children who are affected by Down’s Syndrome. You can take a look at the whole video below:

Pharmacists funded to work in care homes

In other news, NHS England is looking to fund the recruitment of 240 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians into care homes across the UK. This comes after a localised trial in East and North Hertfordshire saw impressive results.

Currently, care home residents are likely to suffer from one or more long-term illnesses, and it’s not uncommon for some of them to be prescribed ten or more medicines. After the successful trial, it was found that there was an annual saving of £249 per patient. The trial also saw a reduction of 27% in reported emergency hospital admissions and a 30% reduction in ambulance callouts.

The recruitment drive will begin early April, with an aim to have these posts filled for this coming summer.

Back pain sufferers receiving wrong care

Finally, according to a new study, many people dealing with lower back pain are being let down by the treatments they are offered.

The experts behind the study have claimed that lower back pain is one of the leading causes of disability globally and not enough is being done to challenge this. In many cases, back pain can be managed effectively by maintaining and active lifestyle and, in more serve cases, should be managed with medication-based support.

The study suggest that this cause of action is becoming more frequent and there is a rising awareness of the need to treat back pain effectively. As most adults will deal with back pain at some point in their life, if you are at all concerned about any back issues you may have, it is best to contact your GP and see if they can assist you with any further support.

That’s it for this week’s round up on the world of health. If you want to discuss any of these stories further, please head to our forums and keep the conversation going.

The post This week in health – 23/03/2018 appeared first on talkhealth Blog.

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It’s been a varied week in health. There’s been some shocking and saddening news stories, including a report about the links between depression and cancer and the passing of Stephen Hawking. However, there’s also been a great deal of awareness in the media around skin conditions and IBS, which are helping to raise the daily struggles that these illnesses and diseases can create. So, read on below for your snapshot into this week’s biggest health stories.

Stephen Hawking

Beginning with one of the biggest news stories from the week, Stephen Hawking sadly passed away on March 14th. The leading expert in theoretical physics as well as cosmology. It was not only due to his contributions to science that many mourned his passing this week. Hawking had a huge impact on the perception of those living with disabilities; Hawking was diagnosed with a rare motor neurone disease from an early age. Despite this, he went on to make a huge impact in the world of science and beyond. The outpouring of love and support for Hawking’s contribution to science and those living with disabilities is evident in this write up.

When talking about disability, Hawking said in an interview with the New York Times: “My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn’t prevent you doing well, and don’t regret the things it interferes with. Don’t be disabled in spirit, as well as physically”.

No Smoking Day

March 14th also marked No Smoking Day in the UK. The day is used to encourage those who smoke to give it up for good. While it is never easy to give up an addictive habit such as smoking there is plenty of documentation and reports about the health risks that smoking can bring about, including lung cancer, heart disease and much more.

This week alone, a new report has found that smokers may run a higher risk of losing their hearing. If you are trying to quit smoking, there is plenty a support available to you. Why not check out some of our articles around the subject of smoking?

Depression and cancer

In one of the largest UK studies to date around the link between cancer and depression, reports found the worrying statistic that cancer patients are five times more likely to take their own life when compared to the general public.

The findings detailed that those with urological cancers are at the highest risk of, including the likes of prostate cancer and bladder cancer. Finding out you have cancer can obviously be a highly distressing time, and the report suggested that around 25% of cancer patients may be dealing with serious depression. If you have any concerns about urology cancer, then we have our Online Clinic for bladder issues running in June, where we will have experts on hand to answer your questions. You can find more details here.

It’s extremely important to ensure that if you are worried about your own mental well-being, or someone’s around you, that you have information on the relevant support groups available. It is never easy o talk about depression, especially if you are dealing with cancer, but taking that first step is the most important. If you want to talk further about mental health problems or want to discover others that may have gone through similar situations, then head to our forum specifically for mental health.

Managing IBS

IBS can be difficult to manage and control on a day-to-day basis. It can cause serious distressed and discomfort for anyone affected by it. IBS itself can be extremely awkward to treat, as each individual patient will have unique triggers.

However, there are some key things you can do to help try and control IBS. This week, The Guardian put out an article on ways to manage irritable bowel syndrome. If you are suffering with IBS and looking for support, or if you have any tips or tricks that help you manage your IBS, then head to our forums today and join up with our community of those affected by the disorder.

Talking about skin conditions

There’s been a lot of coverage of skin conditions this week from the media. Skin conditions, regardless of type and severity, can have a huge impact on an individual, both physically and mentally.

BBC Radio 5 Live ran a talk shop on it, and the talkhealth team joined in the conversation alongside experts and those living with skin conditions. You can hear the full radio discussion here.

In addition to this, there have been some very powerful videos put out around skin conditions. Rosacea sufferer, Lex, talked at length about the impact rosacea can have on an individual. Alongside this, Tracy opened up about the struggles of living with adult acne, and how she copes and works through the problems the condition can cause.

If you are struggling with rosacea or acne, then why not check out our Patient Support Programmes for both which can provide you with additional support tools to help you with day-to-day management of either condition.

Eye for Pharma Awards

Photo credit: Eye for Pharma

Finally, Eye for Pharma ran its annually awards ceremony, celebrating those that are making a difference in the world of pharmaceuticals and patient care. As always, the awards were hotly contested, with some big names battling it out for the awards.

We’d like to extend special congratulations to Trishna Bharadia, who won the Patient Advocate Award. The award celebrates those working on innovative projects designed to deliver patient improvements in both the long and short term. Trishna was awarded for having successfully brought MS, chronic illness and invisible disability into the public spotlight, raising awareness and improving education and services for patients, as well as helping pharma and healthcare-related companies to better engage with patients in all stages of product development. You can have a look at the full list of award winners here.

And that’s the round-up for this week’s health care news. If you want to discuss any of these stories further, head to our forums and keep the discussion going.

The post This week in health – 16/03/2018 appeared first on talkhealth Blog.

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Bringing together some of the biggest news stories in the world of health, this week’s talkhealth news roundup will focus on some wide-ranging topics. Obesity has been one of the biggest health topics of the week, with many papers and news sources running stories around concerns of the current portion servings and calorie intake in the UK. Alongside obesity, this week’s update also includes news on international women’s day, prostate cancer and acne. Read on below for your full breakdown of the biggest news stories this week.

The UK going on a diet?

Dominating much of the health conversation this week, there were plenty of reports making the rounds about Britain’s need to go on a diet. The report stated that many adults and children routinely consumed too many calories. Off the back of this report, Public Health England have set the target of reducing calorie consumption by 20% by 2024.

In fact, the report showed that 20% of children aged between 10-11 were overweight. Much of the blame was placed on the rise in portion sizes, and this is what the report targeted as an area for improvement. You can check out a visual representation of how portion sizes have risen here.

This comes hot off the trail of Cancer Research UK’s latest ad campaign, which highlighted that being obese or overweight is linked to 13 different types of cancer.

Should you have any diet tips, questions about weight, or any concerns on obesity, you can join in the discussion here at talkhealth.

Prostate Cancer

One of the most publicised health topics this week was prostate cancer. Anyone who watched The Great Celebrity Bake Off will have seen the touching video of Bill Turnbull addressing his own combat with prostate cancer. He signs the video off urging men to ensure they get their prostates checked. Alongside this, Famous TV figure, Stephen Fry announced his battle with cancer a few weeks back.

This wasn’t the only prostate cancer news to hit the headlines this week though. A new study found that routine blood tests for prostate cancer may not be saving lives as it was previously thought. The results of this recent study found that this test may miss some fast-growing cancers. However, there is new research underway to discover new ways to identify prostate cancer, including MRI scans.

You can head to the men’s health section of the talkhealth forums to find out more about prostate cancer.

Acne

Acne and other skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis can have huge physical and emotional impacts of individuals. So, the latest news that sulphur may be the key to clearing acne up for good should be cause for celebration.

The study states the sulphur was once a popular ingredient in skin care regimes but fell out of popularity due to it’s stench. However, the latest research seems to indicate that sulphur may be the key to unlocking breakthroughs in acne care. It also seems that many skincare brands are picking up on this, with sulphur becoming a key component in a lot of product formulas.

If you have any other regimes or solutions to acne or want to learn about some of our community’s suggestions, you can head to our dedicated acne forum here.

International Women’s Day

It was international women’s day yesterday, and to celebrate, we put together a list of some of the most influential women in health, which you can check out here.

Social media was awash with fantastic news pieces, information and shout outs to some of the most inspiring women working in health today and you only had to open Twitter to see this huge outpouring of praise and gratitude for women across the globe. Be sure to check out #InternationalWomensDay to see some of the best tweets out there.

In conjunction with this, our online clinic for gynaecology is still open, when you can ask any questions or concerns you have around the subject and have them answered by leading experts in the field.

Award winners

Finally, four dementia scientists have won the brain prize award for their ground-breaking work on Alzheimer’s disease.

The scientists, including UK-based John Hardy, Bart De Strooper and Michel Goedert, were awarded the prize due to their research and work into unpicking key protein changes that can lead to the disease.

Much of the drug discovery work being done today into the disease owes a debt of gratitude to their pioneering research. It is hoped that with all the cutting-edge research underway that new treatments can be found for dementia which currently has no cure and affects over 50 million people around the world.

That’s it for this week’s roundup of the news in the world of health. Be sure to keep an eye on our blog for weekly health updates, as well as posts from experts and our wide range of bloggers.

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