Almost half of all Irish adults could reduce their risk of suffering from heart disease and several cancers by 30 per cent by regularly eating whole-grain foods, according to an American researcher. Speaking at the recent launch of a new health campaign, Whole-Grain for Health, Dr Mark Pereira, epidemiologist and instructor at the Harvard Medical School, Boston said that many cancers are preventable and that dietary changes such as whole-grain may play an important role. He also said that wholegrains may lower risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood pressure, as well as reducing the risk of diabetes. "The disease-preventing capability is not solely due to the dietary fibre found in whole-grain. The whole-grain also delivers abundant amounts of antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals that appear to act together to provide protective effects," says Dr Rob Welch from the Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health at the University of Ulster, Coleraine. Whole grains are found in foods including bread, pasta and breakfast cereals. Free copies of Whole-Grain for Health leaflets are available from the WholeGrain for Health Bureau, Direction Marketing, 21 Windsor Place, Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2 (include SAE with request).
Genes may be as important as diet and dental hygiene in the development of gum disease, according to an international team of researchers. Changes in the gene for enzyme cathepsin C have been found to be responsible for two conditions, the Papillon-Lefevre syndrome and prepubertal periodontitis. Symptoms of both conditions include severe inflammation of the gums. Prof Tom Hart of the University of Pittsburgh said that the discovery could eventually lead to new treatments. "Severe, early-onset gum disease will probably be preventable in the future," he predicted. The research was published in the Journal of Medical Genetics. (BBC News Health).
The more involved fathers are in parenting and household tasks, the less likely that children will be neglected, according to a new study of inner-city children in the US. Child neglect is less likely where a father or father figure is involved with the child over an extended period, feels effective as a parent and is involved in household tasks, says Dr Howard Dubozitz of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. The researchers also found that the presence of a father "did not significantly influence the neglect of the children, rather the nature of his involvement did". Dubowitz and his colleagues concluded that paediatric healthcare providers should seek opportunities to impart parenting knowledge and skills to fathers. The study is published in the February issue of the American journal, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. (Reuters Health)
The lobbying group, Consumers for Health Choice Ireland, was formed last year, months before it became illegal to sell natural medicines such as St John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) without prescription. Now keen to effect a change in the legislation, the group is holding its first annual general meeting tomorrow at 1.30 p.m. in the Loft at the Spawell Hotel and Leisure Complex (just off the Tallaght dual carriageway). Contact Gabrielle McAuley on 01-4518681 for more details.
Patients want to be allies of healthcare providers - not passive recipients. This has to be the priority of all the healthcare partners - doctors, pharmacists, the Department of Health and the pharmaceutical industry. So said Michael Dempsey, president of the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association at the recent launch of Managing your Minor Ailments Effectively. This is a small booklet with tips on what to do if you have colds, sore throats, indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation or any of a host of other minor health problems. The second of a series (the first is Knowledge is the Best Medicine), the booklet is available free in pharmacies and health centres.
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