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.
talkhealth
This is the talkhealth blog spot, where we post on a wide range of health conditions, topics, issues and concerns. We post when we see something that we believe is of interest to our visitors. Our posts do not reflect any particular view or standpoint of talkhealth, but are merely to raise attention and awareness.
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