Healthier people should receive priority healthcare, says think-tank

A think-tank organisation yesterday spoke of their belief that patients who adhere to a healthy lifestyle that is low in dietary fat and engage in regularly exercise should be placed at the top of NHS waiting lists for operations.

Perhaps controversially, the think-tank Demos have stated that people should have the ability to prove they are living a healthy life via supermarket receipts and gym membership forms and therefore have access to priority NHS treatment. Their ideas could also involve moving up professional patients higher up the queue when booking a GP appointment for a non-emergency issue.

In their somewhat contestable report that was published yesterday, a wide range of recommendations are given that seem to urge the British public in to taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing – instead of purely punishing the ‘lazy’ people consistently who consumed a poor diet. The report was constructed after liaising with experts, policy makers and politicians.

Another recommendation from Demos is that those patients who receive benefits should be rewarded with more money if they are exercising and eating a balanced diet with more fruit and vegetables. Demos want supermarkets to provide feedback on shopping baskets, making shoppers aware of the benefits of fruit and vegetables as well as the dangers of alcohol and saturated fats.

The think-tank argue that the current system needs addressing as patients who leading an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle are at a much higher chance of requiring the already dwindling resources and funds available to the NHS.

In addition, Demos are trying to coax ministers into exploring the schemes offered by many insurance companies whereby there are incentives to those customers with healthier lifestyles such as reduced rates on gym memberships.  Demos comment: “There is scope for the NHS to provide its non-emergency services in a way that takes account of responsible behaviour.”

The report’s author, Max Wind-Cowie, said: “Obesity, type two diabetes, smoking and the overconsumption of alcohol are things which cost the NHS, which is a pooled resource we all share, huge amounts of money, as well as actually making people’s lives unhappy and reducing their living standards. So we’re arguing that people who take the option of sharing their Tesco club card information, their gym information, with their doctor – it’s up to them whether they want to share it or not – and then allow their doctor to monitor that, we would empower doctors to reward people in a variety of ways.”

As with many disputable ideas put forth by think-tanks such as Demos, there are oppositions to the suggestions who believe there are better methods of tackling such issues, in this case the spiralling obesity crisis in the UK. Katherine Murphy, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Proactive investment in prevention, public campaigns and health literacy can deliver change more constructively than punitive sanctions.”

Although it could be a nice prospect the thought of being rewarded simply for leading a healthy life, not many people will probably enjoy the idea of their private shopping habits being transmitted to the government.

The responsibility of the public to ensure their health is properly maintained is a topic bound to cause divisions. However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing a disease or health problem such as quitting smoking, engaging in regular exercise and eating a balanced diet.

UK’s soaring diabetes cases are a ‘public health emergency’

Many of us may already be aware of the obesity epidemic that is rife not only in the United Kingdom but over in the U.S. too. However, closely linked to this issue is an increasing problem of diabetes which in itself seems to be an epidemic of its own.

According to new research, a staggering three million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in Britain – equating to 4.6% of the population.

Researchers for Diabetes UK and Tesco have discovered that around 132,000 people were diagnosed with the disease over the previous year and an estimated 850,000 people are believed to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

There are roughly 24,000 premature deaths each year in England and Wales because of diabetes and without rapid intervention, this death toll will continue to rise. Therefore, supermarket giant Tesco and the charity Diabetes UK have begun a partnership to try and improve the situation. Tesco hope to raise £10 million for the charity to tackle the disease and provide help to those who suffer with it.

In the UK alone, approximately 90% of all adults with diabetes have the Type 2 variation and the partnership will provide funds to launch the biggest ever public awareness campaign focusing on the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, aimed at the seven million people deemed ‘high risk’ of developing the disease.

In addition to the massive public awareness campaign, the money raised will also be used to develop a new vaccine for Type 1 diabetes as well as helping to identify those 850,000 people who are living with undiagnosed diabetes.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, warns the situation is a ‘grim staging post towards a public health emergency’.

She says: “We are hugely concerned that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has reached three million for the first time and there is no reason to think this will mark the end of what has been a rapid rise in the condition. Instead, all the projections suggest that the three million figure will be a grim staging post on the road towards a public health emergency and this unfolding tragedy is already putting huge pressure on the NHS and will have potentially devastating consequences for those people who develop the condition. But this is not inevitable. By identifying those at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, we can ensure they start getting support to make the kind of lifestyle changes that can help prevent it. And by making sure people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are already getting the care and support they need, we can help them avoid the devastating complications diabetes can cause.”

Rebecca Shelley, group corporate affairs director at Tesco, added: “Diabetes affects millions of families and communities across the UK and as today’s news confirms, the number of people with this condition is increasing. Thanks to this important partnership, we have the opportunity to inspire our colleagues and customers to come together, raise awareness and much needed funds to help the millions of people with diabetes in the UK.”

Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin and as such is often referred to as ‘insulin-dependent diabetes’. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease not attributed to any lifestyle factor. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas (a small gland behind the stomach) will not produce any insulin (a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels) and anyone who has this kind of diabetes will be required to have injections for life in addition to strictly controlled diet. Diabetes UK state that 10% of all diabetes cases in the UK are Type 1 – usually beginning in childhood or young adulthood.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than Type 1 and it occurs when the body is not generating enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not properly respond to it (or both). This is referred to as insulin resistance. It mainly affects adults over 40 years of age but in recent years it has become prominent in younger, overweight people. Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by obesity, consuming too much sugar and leading a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, around 85% of cases of Type 2 diabetes occur in people who are obese and in the UK, about 90% of all adults who suffer with diabetes have Type 2.

Although each can have its own particular symptoms, there are some symptoms that are common for both types of diabetes. These include:

. Feeling very tired.
. Feeling very thirsty.
. Having to urinate often, particularly at night.
. Unexplained weight loss and loss of muscle bulk.

The symptoms of the most common kind of diabetes – Type 2 – can be mild and thus people can go for years without realising they have the disease or receiving a formal diagnosis. If you suspect you have diabetes you must see your doctor as soon as possible as an early diagnosis can decrease the chances of developing more serious problems at a later stage.

Cancer causing horse painkiller may have entered the food chain

A drug which can cause cancer in humans may have inadvertently entered the UK food chain through horse meat slaughtered in the country last year, a Labour MP claims.

Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh told the Commons that she had obtained clear evidence showing that ‘several’ horses slaughtered in the UK during 2012 had tested positive for the carcinogen phenylbutazone, which is also known as ‘bute’.

Probably the most common horse medication used, bute is a highly effective anti-inflammatory painkiller administered to horses, injected intravenously or given orally to horses as a powder or paste. However, the drug has been found to cause bone marrow and liver problems in humans, supressing white blood cell production.

As Ms Creagh addressed the Commons yesterday, she said: “I am in receipt of evidence showing that several horses slaughtered in UK abattoirs last year tested positive for phenylbutazone, or bute, a drug which causes cancer in humans and is banned from the human food chain. It is possible that those animals entered the human food chain.”

Agriculture minister David Heath replied to Creagh and claimed that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had thoroughly inspected all the meat to guarantee it was fit for human consumption, saying: “The Food Standards Agency carry out checks in slaughterhouses to ensure that equine animals presented for slaughter are fit for human consumption in the same way as they do for cattle, sheep and other animals. In addition, the FSA carry out subsequent testing for phenylbutazone and other veterinary medicines in meat from horses slaughtered in this country. Where positive results for phenylbutazone are found, the FSA investigates and takes follow-up action to trace the meat.”

However this prompted more questions from Ms Creagh who subsequently wanted to know whether or not Mr Heath knew about the problem. She said: “I’m astonished that you have not raised this and I think the public have a right to know.”

Creagh wasn’t finished though, adding it was a ‘very serious development’ and demanded action to ensure that ‘illegal and carcinogenic horse meat stops entering the human food chain’.

Amy Cope, FSA communications manager, commented: “Horses which have been treated with phenylbutazone or “bute” are not allowed to enter the food chain. In 2012, the FSA identified five cases where horses returned non-compliant results. None of the meat had been placed for sale on the UK market. Where the meat had been exported to other countries, the relevant food safety authorities were informed. During the recent horse meat incident, the FSAI [Ireland] checked for the presence of phenylbutazone and the samples came back negative.”

Perhaps surprisingly, it has not yet been suggested the issue is connected to the horse meat scandal that erupted earlier this month when traces of horse meat were discovered in the burgers of retailers Tesco, Iceland, Aldi, Lidl and Dunnes in Ireland. An alert was only raised after Irish food watchdogs found equine and porcine DNA during sample checks at the Silvercrest Foods processing plant in County Monaghan, Ireland.

This resulted in Tesco withdrawing all its own-brand frozen burger products from shelves in Britain as it emerged that some had contained a shocking 29% horse meat while Iceland, Lidl and Aldi also pulled burgers from sale after they too were found to contain horse meat. It is thought that suppliers in the Netherlands and Spain could be the cause for incorrectly labelled ingredients that have led to the scandal that forced Tesco to submit full-page apologies in several national newspapers for selling the contaminated beef burgers.

Luxury ready meals contain twice as much fat, salt and sugar as budget versions

Supermarket luxury ranges of ready meals can contain more than twice as much fat and salt than the cheaper, value versions, according to a new academic study. Glasgow University academics said, “Some of the meals should be labelled damaging on their packaging after discovering that they contained shocking levels of saturated fat, the major cause of heart disease.

The high end meals come with shocking levels of saturated fat. Just one serving can contain an adult’s entire daily recommended fat intake, according to the study. Researchers from Glasgow University analysed a range of ready meals that are on sale in five of Britain’s largest supermarkets. They found that some meals contained substantially more of the guideline daily amount (GDA) of fat, that an adult should consume than their cheaper counterparts.

Mike Lean, chair of human nutrition at Glasgow University said, “Labelling food as extra special or finest can be misleading for consumers who might expect health benefits at a higher price point. This does not seem to be the case. Value lines are not nutritionally inferior and general represent good value for money.”

“Sainsbury’s taste the difference beef lasagne contains more than twice the saturated fat than its basics version”, the researchers said.The luxury meal has 77 per cent of the guideline daily amount (GDA) of fat, whereas its budget equivalent has 36 per cent.It also contains more salt with 34.5 per cent GDA, compared to the cheaper version’s 28.8 per cent.

How they compare:

. Asda smart price macaroni cheese – 48% GDA of saturated fat.

. Asda extra special macaroni cheese – 114% GDA of saturated fat.

. Asda smart price lasagne – 33% GDA of saturated fat.

. Asda extra special lasagne – 72% GDA of saturated fat.

. Morrisons savers macaroni cheese – 74% GDA of saturated fat.

. Morrisons kitchen macaroni cheese – 140% GDA of saturated fat.

. Morrisons savers beef lasagne – 40% GDA of saturated fat.

. Morrisons kitchen beef lasagne – 85% GDA of saturated fat.

. Sainsbury basics beef lasagne – 35% GDA of saturated fat.

. Sainsbury taste the difference beef lasagne – 77% GDA of saturated fat.

. Sainsbury basics shepherd’s pie – 22% GDA of saturated fat.

. Sainsbury taste the difference shepherd’s pie – 52.5% GDA of saturated fat.

. Tesco value cottage pie/shepherd’s pie meals - 18% GDA of saturated fat.

. Tesco finest cottage pie/shepherd’s pie meals – 39% GDA of saturated fat.

. Tesco value chicken tikka masala – 41% GDA of saturated fat.

. Tesco finest chicken tikka masala – 68% GDA of saturated fat.

Mr Lean said, “A meal that contains 140 per cent of GDA contains the amount that should be spread over at least five meals, more than a day’s food. That is shocking. Consumer organisations and politicians should demand that such meals are clearly labelled as damaging.”

But the supermarkets rejected the complaints, with Sainsbury’s saying, “It was committed to helping customers eat healthily and it was the first UK retailer, to introduce traffic light labelling on packaging, showing the salt and fat content.”

Tesco also said, “Its packaging displayed nutritional information on the front of the pack”, while Morrisons highlighted the larger portion sizes in its kitchen range. An Asda spokesman said, “Extra special is indulgent by definition and our customers love it.”

Hot dogs come under fire for their lack of dietary goodness

A Hot dog or ‘Frankfurter’ as they were originally commonly known, is a widely popular choice of food and some say they date back to the 13^th century when they were distributed to the masses during the event of an imperial coronation. Fast-forward to the present day and they are constantly seen being offered to the crowds at sporting events such as football, baseball and basketball, or being sold to the public at movie cinemas for a usual extortionate sum.

Their popularity is at a high risk of nose-diving this week however with news about the questionable methods of their creation and the dangers they could pose to one’s health. Charlie Powell, a member of food lobby group Sustain, has hit out at cheap factory-produced meat that comprises a typical sausage, and he says, “Cheap frankfurters are highly processed and have little in them that will improve your health. If they are eaten on a regular basis, they cannot be good for you. They are one of the least natural foods I can think of.”

Indeed there are many people who blame their stomach and bowel issues with the consumption of hotdogs, and they like most processed meats, have been shown to be linked to bowel cancer. With the opening of a niche London restaurant named ‘Bubbledogs’ (serving hot dogs and champagne), this has kick-started campaigns for more genuine, better-made hotdogs.

Originally purely made of pork and originating from the German city of Frankfurt, they are rumoured to have eventually made it to America in the 19^th century courtesy of German immigrants. Nowadays, the main ingredients comprise of pork, beef, chicken, or a variety of combinations of these meats. However, Tesco’s ‘Red Dogs’ range consist of 64% mechanically reclaimed chicken meat and only 17% is actually pork. The phrase ‘mechanically reclaimed’ is used to describe the process of recovering meat from carcasses that have already initially had their meat taken off.

The carcass is forced through a machine which acts like a sieve and provides a blast of liquid to remove the meat. This mushy substance then gets mixed with a variety of additives such as flavourings and colourings, before being put into plastic tubes to be cooked. If this suspect process of creation doesn’t put you off hot dogs, perhaps the health impacts might – many hotdogs are made up of 2% salt and are in the high-salt category of foods. An abundance of consumption can therefore raise your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Dr Rachel Thompson from The World Cancer Research, commented, “If everyone ate less than 70g a week – or two hot dogs – it would mean there would be fewer cases of bowel cancer in the UK each year.”

Not only do hotdogs have potential effects for long-term health, they are also the cause for a surprisingly number of choking-related deaths. A past study in the US discovered 17% of food-related asphyxiations in children younger than 10 years of age happened because of a hot dog. Doctors claim it is incredibly difficult for them to attempt to remove a stuck sausage from a child’s windpipe and the risk may be reduced if parents cut the meat into smaller pieces.

Tesco to sell Viagra in store

Tesco have started a campaign to supply Viagra in-store to men over the age of 40 & up 65 years. Tesco last night confirmed that Viagra would be on sale from September 27 in 300 stores across the UK.

"They will have to complete a questionnaire and we will then carry out a blood pressure test, diabetes screen and cholesterol test."

This comes in line with Boots supplying Viagra in stores as well, so far we haven't heard any good reports about the service with the general public still too embarrassed to pop into their supermarket or local Boots to admit they have erectile dysfunction.

Not only that you have to be within a specific age range and go through a range of medical questions and physical tests before any Viagra is handed out.

Here at www.medical-specialists.co.uk we believe ordering is easy, fast & private with Viagra from as low as £37 per box and next day delivery from our in-house pharmacy and UK GMC registered Doctors who write all prescriptions.

We believe on-line is still the way forward for most men to buy embarrassing treatments such as male impotence medication.