A new, more vicious MRSA strain threatens Britain

'Flesh-eating' MRSA strain threatens Britain

Extracts from the Telegraph:

"Spread by contact among people, the bug can cause boils as large as tennis balls, blood poisoning or a necrotising condition which eats away at a person's lungs.

Resistant to most front-line antibiotic drugs, the new strain is a far more vicious form of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), which is commonly found in hospitals.

It is copying the HIV virus by targeting mainly gay men in the US, but is also prevalent among injecting drug users and players of contact sports such as wrestling or American football.

Although only two cases of the lethal strain - which is a new form of a recently identified MRSA strain known as USA300 - have been recorded in the UK, experts fear it may only be a matter of time before it becomes established in Britain."

"Professor Mark Enright, from Imperial College and St Mary's Hospital, London, Britain's leading authority on MRSA, said: "It's quite surprising that the figures are so high. "The main reservoir for this infection is gay men, drug users, and those involved in contact sports, like wrestling. Having lots of sexual partners and making skin contact with a large number of different people helps the infection to spread.

"In the US it is already moving into the wider community, which is very worrying.""

You can boost your general resistance to infection by avoiding salt and salty food and eating plenty of fruit and fresh vegetables. See Sodium in foods and
Associated health conditions

Give your body and mind a real tonic! - Improve your health by eating less salt and salty food!- You will feel so much better...(o:

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

A junior doctor's thoughts about incapacity benefit

Incapacity benefit should be for those who really need it, says Max Pemberton

Max Pemberton is a junior doctor who writes articles for the Telegraph.

Extract:

"One summer, before graduating, I sat for a week studying in my bedroom. It was swelteringly hot and I had to keep the window open. But I was incessantly interrupted by the neighbours' banter outside.

Laughing, joking, playing football, having rows; their entire social life was being played out in front of me. And then as I battled with the intricacies of the kidney, it occurred to me: I had the education, but wasn't I being the stupid one?

I was studying while they sunbathed, so I could be a doctor and heal them when they developed skin cancer, and I would pay taxes to ensure that they could continue their lifestyle. Outrageous!

What was even more galling was that their apparent illnesses didn't hinder their lives - they weren't incapacitated at all. I watched the sons, both of whom were around my age, as they kicked a ball around. Was this the best cure for their depression?

I can see the appeal - if it's possible to live for free, not having to work, then why not do it? But perhaps making people get a job would mean that they weren't so depressed. Have they not just fallen into a vicious circle?

In my work, I see people battling crippling, disabling illnesses who deserve help from the state, people who are unable to work and whose lives are blighted by their conditions.

Further restrictions on benefit applications that would make it more difficult for people to receive long-term sickness benefit might mean that a proportion of those who really deserved it were excluded, and that would be a tragedy. But can we continue to support legions of people for whom state assistance has become a lifestyle rather than a necessity?

Official figures last week showed that half a million people under the age of 35 are now claiming incapacity benefit, more than those claiming unemployment benefit."

Kissing, shaking hands and infection transmission...

Cheeky kiss is healthier than a handshake

Extract from the Sunday Telegraph:

"People who greet each other with handshakes are much more likely to pass on germs such as flu, cold and stomach bugs, than those who settle for a peck on the cheek, a scientific study has concluded.

More than three million Britons called in sick last week as flu and norovirus outbreaks swept through the country.

The majority will have been infected after touching someone else's hands and might have been better off kissing friends and relatives instead.

"The hands are critical in the chain of infection as they transmit infections from surfaces to people and between people," said Prof Sally Bloomfield, from the London School of Hygiene and chairman of the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, which carried out the research.

"Shaking hands is the main form of physical contact with each other but you don't know what the other person has been touching before you greet them. People avoid kissing each other when they have a cold, but in fact they are more likely to pass on an infection by shaking someone's hand.""

This information fits in with what I was told many years ago when I went as a volunteer to the Common Cold Research Centre at Harvard Hospital, near Salisbury, Wiltshire. - The virologists said the most common way of catching a cold was by shaking hands with someone who had the germs on their hands and then later, rubbing your eyes - and the germs entered your body by way of the eyes... - Ever since then I have tried to avoid rubbing my eyes...

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/steroids.html

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/ami.html

vulnerable groups

How to Lose weight!

Children and Obesity

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions and

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/story.html - my 'political' page

Wider implications of the flawed theory that excess calorie intake causes obesity

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

Army hero, Cpl Mark Wright, died because of failings of the Ministry of Defence

Army hero left to die by failings at MoD

Extract from the Sunday Telegraph:

"Last night, Bob Wright, the soldier's father, said he was furious with the Ministry of Defence, which he accused of "trying to hide the truth".

Cpl Wright, a 27-year-old paratrooper, was one of seven soldiers who became trapped in a minefield in September 2006 in Helmand, southern Afghanistan, following an operation to rescue a wounded soldier.

The report states:

• Cpl Wright died because of the non-availability of an aircraft equipped with a suitable winch

• Soldiers did not have a map of the mined area even though one was available

• Radio problems led to a communications breakdown

• Soldiers had to provide their own mine extraction kits

• The British military needs to develop its own Combat Search and Rescue capability.

At the time of the incident, the MoD made no mention of the equipment problems and claimed that Cpl Wright's injuries were so severe that he was effectively beyond medical help. But a copy of the soldier's post- mortem report, which has also been seen by this newspaper, states that the injuries were "survivable".

Last night, Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, described the findings as an appalling indictment of Labour defence policy.

"This is a catalogue of unacceptable errors," he said. "Contrary to the MoD's claims, it is clear that Cpl Wright's injuries were survivable."

Three of the soldiers who lost legs are suing the MoD for negligence. Their lawyer, Paul Harrington, who is also acting for Cpl Wright's parents, said: "There was a systemic failure by the Ministry of Defence in providing adequate resources, equipment and intelligence which led to a wholly avoidable death and serious injuries.""

I watched Look North on BBC1 this evening and heard about Lee Jardine's problem of manboobs (gynaecomastia)

The BBC has a webpage about Lee: - Man's plea for breast reduction

Gynaecomastia is one of the health problems that can be greatly reduced by eating less salt. - Lee says he is considering taking antidepressants. - I do hope he decides not to, because antidepressants often actually cause gynaecomastia and might, in Lee's case, worsen it. - Lee says he is desperate. - If you know Lee, suggest to him that he visit my website and read about how avoiding salt and salty food would help with the manboobs problem and with his problem of overweight.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/steroids.html

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/ami.html

How to Lose weight!

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions

Safe, reliable, free obesity advice

'Munchies' drug offers hope to the obese

The Telegraph article is about taranabant, another so-called weight-loss drug.

But drugs are not necessary to lose weight when you are overweight or obese. - Nor is dieting, calorie-counting or vigorous exercise. - You will lose weight fast and safely by eating less salt and salty food. - This is because obesity is caused not by overeating but by fluid retention, and fluid retention is made worse by eating salt/sodium.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/steroids.html

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/ami.html

vulnerable groups

How to Lose weight!

Children and Obesity

Read my Mensa article on Obesity and the Salt Connection

See Sodium in foods and

Associated health conditions and

http://www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk/story.html - my 'political' page

Wider implications of the flawed theory that excess calorie intake causes obesity

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

All hens' eggs are due to be free-range within two years

All eggs to be free-range within two years

Extract from the Telegraph:

"Sainsbury's, the Co-op and Morrisons have all agreed to ban eggs from caged birds while Marks & Spencer and Waitrose already sell only free-range eggs.

All products containing egg will also use free-range varieties.

The chains will phase out battery hen eggs over the next two years, before an EU ban on battery cages due to come into effect in 2012.

Asda and Tesco have not yet followed suit, but have cut back shelf space given to battery hen eggs.

In Britain, "enriched cages", which are larger and have a perch, nest and litter, will still be legal but Germany will also ban these cages.

The move comes as the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver launches a campaign to persuade consumers to demand better welfare for hens.

He examines the poultry industry in a one-off television programme, Jamie's Fowl Dinners, in which he shows a series of films and interviews explaining the brutal living conditions of battery chickens that are killed for meat.

Sainsbury's, which Oliver promotes, said it was the first major supermarket to announce a ban on battery hen eggs and was expected to end the sale of all such eggs by next year.

Morrisons also plans to stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2010. A spokesman said: "We see animal welfare as an extremely important factor when sourcing produce - that's why we have taken action on eggs.""

Ready meals are more popular than ever

Ready meals more popular than ever

Extract from the Sunday Telegraph:

"They have been criticised as unhealthy, unappetising and expensive, but ready meals are more popular than ever.

Sales of pre-prepared meals have trebled in the past decade, according to a government study which found we eat out more, down our food more quickly and vary our mealtimes.

Each person spends an average of £11.41 a week eating out, nearly a third more than 10 years ago, after allowing for inflation."

The main trouble with ready meals is that they usually contain a lot of salt/sodium and so they are harmful to people who are sensitive to salt or are overweight.

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

Patients are left to starve on NHS wards...

Patients left to starve on NHS wards

Extracts from the Telegraph:

"The number released from hospital suffering from malnutrition, nutritional anaemia, or other nutritional deficiencies has risen by 84 per cent in the decade since Labour came to power, from 74,431 in 1997 to 139,127."

"The worst area in the country for malnutrition was the Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust in Greater Manchester, where 4,947 patients were discharged suffering malnourishment, followed by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, with 2,771, and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

They were among nearly 50 hospital trusts around the country that discharged more than 1,000 malnourished patients last year.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that the poor quality of hospital food is putting patients off to the extent that 13 million meals are thrown away each year, at an average cost of £2.65 each.

Last year, the health minister Ivan Lewis admitted patients were being starved on wards, with some elderly people given little more than a scoop of mashed potato for lunch.

Others were "tortured" by having meal trays placed out of reach, which they were too weak to pull towards them."

When I was in hospital (Northern General Hospital, Sheffield) for a month last summer, my main complaint about the food was the high salt content of most of the meal choices. - As a steroid victim I need to avoid eating salt and salty food, so I had to rely on friends bringing me food that I could eat.

UK's Whitehall and other Departmental waste...

Ministers waste £2billion on computer projects

Article in the Telegraph. - Extract:

"Ministers have wasted nearly £2 billion - or £33 for every man, woman and child in Britain - on scrapped computer projects over the past seven years, a survey has found.

Blunders overseen by Whitehall have included the £486 million computer upgrade at the Child Support Agency and an adult learning programme that was subjected to extensive fraud.

The Department for Work and Pensions wasted more than £1.6 billion by abandoning three schemes including a new benefit card based on outdated technology."

Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, vascular dementia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better!

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.)

I can be contacted via my website if you need my help. My help is free.

TV chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver, begin a campaign against the cruelty of intensive chicken production

The shameful price of cheap food

Extract from the Telegraph:

"We are living in the era of cheap food, when you can pick up a chicken in the supermarket for less than the price of a pint of beer. But there is a hidden cost: of the 850 million birds reared in Britain every year, only five per cent have had anything approaching a comfortable life. The vast majority are intensively reared, in prison-camp environments.

Now two of our most celebrated campaigning chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Jamie Oliver, are about to try to change our minds, and to ensure that the 25 kilos of chicken meat we each consume a year have come from birds that were decently treated.

Starting next week, Channel 4 is devoting a season of programmes to the nation's eating habits. There will be a one-off Oliver special - Jamie's Fowl Dinners - in which he demonstrates the realities of industrial chicken production, while Fearnley-Whittingstall's aptly titled Hugh's Chicken Run will follow his attempts to set up an intensive farm - in the course of which he is reduced to tears.

The way chickens are reared provides an insight into the intensive techniques used to satisfy our demand for cut-price meat and vegetables. In this world, a bird that will feed a family of five can be raised in a mere 39 days, when before the Second World War it would have needed around 20 weeks to reach the same weight. Modern methods see 40,000 birds packed into one artificially lit barn, reeking to such an extent that if the ventilation system failed they would be gassed by their own droppings. Each bird inhabits a space smaller than a piece of A4 paper, and most will have been de-clawed and de-beaked to prevent them damaging their neighbours. To encourage them to feed continuously, they are given only one hour of darkness in each day. They will never experience natural light or see a blade of grass.

These birds are meant to fatten quickly, so exercise is undesirable. Low light levels keep them drowsy, but as they grow they become so densely packed in as to find movement impossible. Even if they had the notion to try to make it to an open door, they grow so fat that their legs often become useless. During the process of catching and transportation, tens of thousands may die, as they are packed together even more tightly than in their sheds. (Chickens need three times as much air as human beings for their size: in a lorry, they may get almost none.)"