In Praise of File on 4

I often listen to File on 4 and I never find it less than interesting. In fact it's often much more than that. - You feel as you listen that the matter is so serious and so urgent that 'somebody' will take steps to remedy or to ameliorate the situation. Just like with today's subject: dangerous, potentially lethal, levels of harmful oxides of nitrogen in diesel fumes from traffic in some cities, including Sheffield.

 

File on 4 can be relied upon for careful investigations and has excellent presenters to make the issues clear. You'd think after wrapping up the preparation for the programme, matters would be 'all over bar the shouting'. But no. All too often when the presenter puts the case to the person in the best position to effect necessary change and start the process of amending regulations or legislation, instead of being persuaded by the evidence and the importance of the matter, the 'powerful person' recites well-rehearsed ambiguous drivel that translates as, 'Sorry, mate; couldn't really care less.' Anyone who's ever experienced taking in a lungful or two of diesel fumes can have little doubt that the noxious stuff is injurious to health. We were informed of the special danger of babies developing severe breathing problems. Well heaven help those poor babies who live near to roads with busy traffic, 'cos it doesn't look like the powers-that-be have any intention of helping...

 

You can listen to the File on 4 programme from this page. "World health chiefs have branded diesel exhaust emissions a major cause of cancer. Despite the efforts of car-makers to filter out the most noxious substances, these fumes still play a big part in causing air pollution. Britain has the second worst respiratory death rates in Europe and has long been under notice from Brussels to clean up its act. So why are most UK areas in breach of legal limits?  And do ministers have any clear plan to reduce the huge annual total of resulting deaths? "

Reduce Risk of Steroid/Oestrogen/HRT-Induced Asthma by Lowering Salt Intake

Reduce Risk/Severity of Steroid/Oestrogen/HRT-Induced Asthma by Lowering Salt Intake. There is a common element here. Certain steroids, of which oestrogen is one, frequently cause weakened blood vessels/weight gain/sodium retention/water retention/sensitivity to salt, the result of which is that the veins become distended/swollen as blood volume increases, retaining extra sodium and water. Obviously this extra weight has many negative effects on health, e.g. tiredness from carrying extra weight around, increased appetite because of needing more energy to carry the extra weight and service the heavier body, greater demands on the heart and lungs and kidneys, etc.

You can reduce all of these problems by reducing your sodium intake. You will then excrete some of the excess sodium from your body, along with its accompanying water. You will lose weight swiftly and safely and you will find your breathing is easier and you will feel much better.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, vascular dementia, stroke, osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, boost your lung function and improve your health in many other ways without drugs, hunger or expense by eating less salt! - Try it!

See my website www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk
The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.

Sodium in foods

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

Suggestions for asthmatics that do not involve drugs.

Breathing lessons - Guardian

Extract:

"There are 5.2 million people in the UK currently receiving treatment for asthma - which makes for a lot of inhalers lurking in bathroom cabinets. Inhalers, the most common treatment for asthma, come in two types: preventers, which are taken daily to control inflammation in the airways long-term and usually contain low-dose steroids; and reliever inhalers, which instantly relax the muscles if something triggers symptoms. Most asthmatics agree it's no big deal having to take them. And yes, it's great that they work.

But as with anyone with a long-term reliance on drugs, many asthmatics would like to reduce their reliance on inhalers without increasing the likelihood of a potentially dangerous attack. "Lots of people are very keen to know what they can do about their asthma other than take drugs to control it," says Dr Mike Thomas, a GP and senior research fellow for the charity Asthma UK.

There's a large amount of information out there about "natural" treatments, from avoiding cow's milk to eating more shiitake mushrooms. But as Thomas warns: "There's a fairly low amount of evidence for many of these things because lots of the research is based on drug treatments. It's basically much harder to fund non-drug research - but that has been increasing in the last 10 years, so the evidence is growing."

So what are the alternatives, and how effective are they?"

Click on the link to the article to read about the alternatives.

My own suggestion is that reducing your intake of sodium/salt and salty food could be helpful, especially as any steroids you have been prescribed may have caused some fluid retention/salt sensitivity/sodium retention. - See http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/steroids.html

and Sodium in foods

Lose weight by eating less salt! Go on! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!
How to Lose weight!

See my website http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/.html
(The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.)

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

I can be contacted via my website if you need my further help. My help is free...(o: