HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU: Isssue 17

Autumn 2015

HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 You

How to breathe correctly How not to get old Basics of Mindfulness Meditation

Protecting your Eyes

Yoga helps in Arthritis

High blood pressure is your heart's worst enemy

World Diabetes Day:

'Healthy living starts at breakfast'

CONTENTS Autumn 2015, Issue 17

On 14th November more than 160 countries observed World Diabetes Day. It aims to increase awareness about diabetes. The figures are staggering. 1 in 11 adults (415 million) across the world have diabetes. 46.5% of adults with diabetes remain undiagnosed. 12% of global health expenditure ($673 billion) is spent on diabetes. Every 6 seconds a person dies from diabetes.

Each year, World Diabetes Day carries a particular theme.

Between 2009 and 2013 the theme was ‘education and prevention’. The theme of World Diabetes Day, from 2014 to 2016 is going to be ‘healthy living and diabetes’, and this year there’s a focus on starting each day right by having a healthy breakfast.

A healthy breakfast should help blood sugar levels from getting too high and should keep you full through the morning. Whilst cereal and toast may be cheap, these options typically raise blood sugar levels rapidly and may leave you hungry again before lunch.

If you drink fruit juice for breakfast, consider cutting the juice out or having a smaller glass of it. For reference, a 150ml glass of unsweetened orange juice contains around 15g of carbohydrate and 13g of sugar.

Vijay Rana Editor, Health & Happiness 4 You

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5 - How to talk to your doctor 7 - iPad can adversely impact your sleep 8 - What happens after you drink Coke 9 - Five surprising benefits of walking 10 - How to breathe correctly 11 - The basics of mindfulness meditation 12 - How not to get old 13 - Yoga helps arthritis and improves your mood 14 - Five truths about protecting your eyes 15 - Nutrition education for preschoolers 16 - High BP is your heart's worst enemy 17 - World Diabetes Day 14 November 2015 18 - Ban transfats to prevent 7,000 deaths

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Disclaimer: The information available in this magazine is for general awareness only. It is NOT a substitute for the knowledge and judgment of qualified medical experts. We make no warranty as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of this information. Should you have any medical condition, you are strongly advised to consult a qualified health care professional. Views expressed by our contributors are their own and we take no responsibility for their views.

How to talk to your doctor

Patients and health care providers share a very personal relationship. Doctors need to know a lot about you, your family, and your lifestyle to give you the best medical care. And you need to speak up and share your concerns and questions.

Be prepared. Before your health exam, make a list of any concerns and questions you have. Bring this list to your appointment, so you won’t forget anything.

Do you have a new symptom? Have you

other person can help you describe your feelings or ask questions on your behalf.

Do not rely on Web information. Many people use Web-based tools to research symptoms and learn about different illnesses. But you can’t diagnose your own condition or someone else’s based on a Web search.

Ask your doctor to recommend specific websites or resources, so you know you’re getting your facts from a trusted source.

noticed side effects from your medicines? Do you want to know the meaning of a certain word? Speak up with your Ask again and take notes. Take notes if concerns. needed during the consultation. After your appointment, if you’re uncertain about any instructions or have other Do not be afraid of asking a dumb questions call or email your health care provider. question. Even if the topic seems sensitive or Don’t wait until your next visit to make sure you embarrassing, it’s best to be honest and upfront with your understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, or anything health care provider. else that might affect your health.

You may feel uncomfortable talking about sexual Do not waste your doctor's time. Be problems, memory loss, or bowel issues, but these are all brief, focus on the question that your doctor has asked important to your health. It’s better to be thorough and you. Give him a clear answer. Your clarity will help him share a lot of information than to be quiet or shy about to diagnose your ailment better. what you’re thinking or feeling.

Your body is complicated and your problems may be Consider taking along a family complex, so make sure you do everything you can to get the most out of your medical visits. member or friend when you visit the doctor. Your companion can help if there are language or cultural 5 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU differences between you and your doctor. If you feel unsure about a topic, the

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iPads and tablets can adversely impact sleep

Use of a light-emitting electronic device such as iPads, e-Books and other tablets in the hours before bedtime can adversely impact overall health, alertness, and the circadian clock which synchronizes the daily rhythm of sleep to external environmental time cues, the daily rhythm of sleep, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) who compared the biological effects of reading an LE-eBook compared to a printed book. These findings of the study are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2014.

“We found the body’s natural circadian rhythms were interrupted by the short-wavelength enriched light, otherwise known as blue light, from these electronic devices,” said Anne-Marie Chang, PhD, corresponding author, and associate neuroscientist in BWH’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. “Participants reading an LE-eBook took longer to fall asleep and had reduced evening sleepiness, reduced melatonin secretion, later timing of their circadian clock and reduced next-morning alertness than when reading a printed book.”

During the two-week inpatient study, twelve participants read LE-e-Books on an iPad for four hours

before bedtime each night for five consecutive nights.

This was repeated with printed books. The order was randomized with some reading the iPad first and others reading the printed book first. Participants reading on the iPad took longer to fall asleep, were less sleepy in the evening, and spent less time in REM sleep. The iPad readers had reduced secretion of melatonin, a hormone which normally rises in the evening and plays a role in inducing sleepiness. Additionally, iPad readers had a delayed circadian rhythm, indicated by melatonin levels, of more than an hour. Participants who read from the iPad were less sleepy before bedtime, but sleepier and less alert the following morning after eight hours of sleep.

Although iPads were used in this study, BWH researchers also measured other eReaders, laptops, cell phones, LED monitors, and other electronic devices, all emitting blue light.

Researchers emphasize the importance of these findings, given recent evidence linking chronic suppression of melatonin secretion by nocturnal light exposure with the increased risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer.

NHS: Our precious Resource, let's use it sparingly Send us ideas to optimise the use of NHS. For example, you don't need to rush to your GP for minor ailments that can be looked after by your local pharmacist. Do not waste medicines. Request a medicine that is really required. How can you help the NHS to save and conserve its resources? Send your ideas to: nhsideas@ajivan.com. We will publish them in the next issue.

What happens one hour after drinking a can of Coke FIRST 10 MINUTES 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system that is more than 100% of your recommended daily intake. You don't immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavour allowing to keep it down.

20 MINUTES Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat.

There is plenty of that at this particular moment.

40 MINUTES Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate. Your blood pressure rises, as a response your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain now blocked preventing drowsiness.

60 MINUTES The phosphoric acid binds down calcium, magnesium and zinc on your lower intestine providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

60 MINUTES The caffeine's diuretic properties come into play. It makes you have to pee. It is now assured that you will evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.

60 MINUTES As the rave inside you dies down, you will start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and sluggish. You have also now, literally pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with 45 MINUTES valuable nutrients your body could have used for things Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the like even having the ability to hydrate your system or pleasure centres of your brain. This is physically the same build strong bones and teeth. way heroin works, by the way.

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5 surprising benefits of walking The next time you have a check-up, don't be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you've been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted as "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug," in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of course, you probably know that any physical activity, including walking, is a boon to your overall health. But walking in particular comes with a host of benefits.

Here's a list of five that may surprise you.

1. It counteracts the effects of weightpromoting genes.

Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesitypromoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.

2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations.

And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.

3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on

walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.

4. It eases joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritisrelated pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place.

Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.

5. It boosts immune function. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less.

And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

To learn more about the numerous benefits of walking, as well as easy ways to incorporate a walk into your daily routine, buy Walking for Health, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

9 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

How to breathe correctly Breathing and controlling your breath is one of the easiest ways to improve mental and physical health, doctors and psychologists say. Slow, deep and consistent breathing has been shown to have benefits in treating conditions ranging from migraines and irritable bowel syndrome to anxiety disorders and pain.

“If you train yourself to breathe a little bit slower it can have long-term health benefits,” said Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. Deep breathing activates a relaxation response, he said, “potentially decreasing inflammation, improving heart health, boosting your immune system and maybe even improving longevity.”

Research has found people working on computers often hold their breath, an action referred to as screen apnea, he said.

Belisa Vranich, a New York City-based clinical psychologist, has been conducting breathing workshops around the country for just over a year. Among her biggest clients: corporate managers eager to learn how to better manage stress.

Dr. Vranich says she instructs clients to breathe with their abdomen. On the inhale, this encourages the diaphragm to flatten out and the ribs to flare out. Most of us by instinct breathe vertically, using our chest, shoulders and neck, she says.

Abdominal, or diaphragmatic, breathing is often taught in yoga and meditation classes. Experts say air should be breathed in through the nose, and the exhale should be longer than the inhale. Dr. Vranich recommends trying to breathe this way all the time but other experts say it is enough to use the technique during stressful or tense times or when it is necessary to focus or concentrate.

Slow breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs from the stem of the brain to the abdomen. It is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” activities.

The vagus-nerve activity causes the heart rate to decrease as we exhale, said Richard Gevirtz, a psychology

professor at Alliant International University in San Diego.

Vagal activity can be activated when breathing at about five to seven breaths a minute, said Dr. Gevirtz, compared with average breathing rates of about 12 to 18 breaths a minute.

Certain conditions, including asthma and panic disorders, have been shown to benefit from a different

breathing technique—taking shallow breaths through the nose at a regular rhythmic speed of eight to 13 breaths a minute. For these patients, already anxious about their symptoms, deep breathing can cause them to take in too much air and hyperventilate.

A 2011 Stanford study of 13 students found that on average they took 16.7 breaths a minute when they were doing normal computer work compared with 9.3 breaths a minute when they were relaxed, he said. The study was published in the proceedings of the annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology.

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The basics of mindfulness meditation Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment, such as how the air smells and feels as you walk your dog, or how a bite of bread tastes with dinner. The ultimate goal is to help shift your thoughts away from your usual preoccupations toward an appreciation of the moment and a larger perspective on life.

Scientific examination of mindfulness shows that it can improve both physical and psychological symptoms and create positive changes in health attitudes and behaviours.

Here are two mindfulness exercises you can try on your own.

Basic mindfulness meditation 1. Sit on a straight-backed chair or cross-legged on the floor.

2. Focus on an aspect of your breathing, such as the sensation of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, or your belly rising and falling as you inhale and exhale.

3. Once you've narrowed your concentration in this way, begin to widen your focus. Become aware of sounds, sensations, and ideas.

4. Embrace and consider each thought or sensation without judging it as good or bad. If your mind starts to race, return your focus to your breathing.

Then expand your awareness again.

Mindfulness in everyday moments A less formal approach to mindfulness can also help you to stay in the present and fully participate in your life.

You can choose any task or moment to practice informal mindfulness, whether you are eating, showering, walking, or playing with a child. With practice, this sense of awareness will become more natural.

1. Start by bringing your attention to the sensations in your body.

2. Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air to move downward into your lower belly. Let your abdomen expand fully. Then breathe out through your mouth. Notice the sensations of each inhalation and exhalation.

3. Proceed with the task at hand slowly and with full deliberation.

4. Engage your senses fully. Notice each sight, touch, and sound so that you savour every second.

5. When you notice that your mind has wandered from what you are doing, gently bring your attention back to the sensations of the moment.

The whole idea is to be present where you are, to focus on the task at hand and to enjoy the moment that you are living in.

11 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

How not to get old In an encouraging message Baroness Flather wrote: "I want to share with you and your readers the recipe for staying young and and functioning well."

Everybody feels when they retire they should be resting or doing less. This is one of the biggest mistakes because it certainly leads one to so-called old age syndrome.

The second mistake is to focus on one's health issues. We are living in an age when most ailments can be dealt with medically. The important thing is not to keep thinking about our health, which, in my experience, is quite a bad habit in many Indians, especially women. I have a pacemaker, high blood pressure, and wet macular degeneration in my eyes, but I leave it to the professionals who are looking after me to keep these things under control.

I believe that all of us should cultivate an interest or pick up an issue that is important to us, and after we have finished working as a daily chore, we focus on that issue.

The issue should be something that is to do with improving other people's lives. It should not be something that is gratifying to us alone.

Sometimes I think that people don't realise how wonderful it is to help somebody else and see the result. If you can't think of something of your own go to the Town

Hall or the local library and get the list of local charities and choose the one you most identify with. In other words, there is no excuse to sit at home and do nothing.

I have been really involved in trying to help people or do things which would be for the benefit of people all my life. I could never imagine living for myself alone. This does not mean that I have taken 'Sanyas' and have nothing to do with my family and friends. I believe in enjoying life as well and sharing my good fortune with my friends.

My abiding passion is for poor women of India and Africa. I am trying to set up a charity to the British companies who are also based in India or Africa to start employing poor women. I may or may not succeed but I am trying and I am also involved in lots of other issues particularly with Pakistani women in this country. This keeps me active, it keeps me alive, and it helps my brain to keep functioning. My friends say, "why do you tell everybody that you're 81, you don't look 81." I tell everyone that I am 81 to see the shock and surprise on their faces.

Faith, Emotional Intelligence and Happiness at Hounslow Friends of Faith

While celebrating Interfaith Week, Hounslow Friends of Faith invited Vijay Rana, the editor of Health & Happiness 4 You, to deliver a presentation on 'Faith, Emotional intelligence and Happiness'.

He talked about how faith helps to improve emotional wellbeing. Dwelling on the latest research in the field of positive psychology Vijay Rana pointed out how mindfulness mediation can help to improve physical and mental wellbeing. At the end of the programme he received appreciation from the group's chairperson Basil Mann.

18 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

Yoga improves arthritis symptoms and mood Johns Hopkins researchers report that 8 weeks of yoga classes improved the physical and mental wellbeing of people with two common forms of arthritis, knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The study is believed to be the largest randomized trial so far to examine the effect of yoga on physical and psychological health and quality of life among people with arthritis.

Results were published in the April issue of the Journal of Rheumatology. "There's a real surge of interest in yoga as a complementary therapy, with 1 in 10 people in the U.S. now practicing yoga to improve their health and fitness," says Susan J. Bartlett, Ph.D., an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins "Yoga may be especially well suited to people with arthritis because it combines physical activity with potent stress management and relaxation techniques, and focuses on respecting limitations that can change from day to day."

Arthritis, the leading cause of disability, affects 1 in 5 adults, most of whom are under 65 years of age. Without proper management, arthritis affects not only mobility, but also overall health and well-being, participation in valued activities, and quality of life.

There is no cure for arthritis, but one important way to manage arthritis is to remain active. Yet up to 90% of people with arthritis are less active than public health guidelines suggest, perhaps due to arthritis symptoms such as pain and stiffness, but also because they are unsure of how best to remain active.

The study recruited 75 people with either knee osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Participants were randomly assigned to either a wait list or eight weeks of twice-weekly yoga classes, plus a weekly practice session

at home. Participants' physical and mental wellbeing was assessed before and after the yoga session by researchers who did not know which group the participants had been assigned to.

Compared with the control group, those doing yoga reported a 20% improvement in pain, energy levels, mood and physical function, including their ability to complete physical tasks at work and home. Walking speed also improved to a smaller extent, though there was little difference between the groups in tests of balance and upper body strength. Improvements in those who completed yoga was still apparent nine months later.

Participants were screened by their doctors prior to joining the study, and continued to take their regular arthritis medication during the study.

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Five truths about protecting your eyes help protect the eyes against cataracts and age-related Of your five senses, which one are you most afraid of losing? If you’re like most people, your answer is your ability to see. Because our eyesight is so precious, it’s no wonder that myths abound about what can damage our eyes — and what can protect them. Here, we debunk five common myths — and tell you how to truly keep your eyes healthy.

Myth: Doing eye exercises will delay the need for glasses.

Fact: Eye exercises will not improve or preserve vision or reduce the need for glasses. Your vision depends on many factors, including the shape of your eyeball and the health of the eye tissues, neither of which can be significantly altered with eye exercises.

Myth: Reading in dim light will worsen your vision.

Fact: Dim lighting will not damage your eyesight.

macular degeneration. Just don’t expect them to prevent or correct basic vision problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Myth: It’s best not to wear glasses or contact lenses all the time. Taking a break from them allows your eyes to rest.

Fact: If you need glasses or contacts for distance or reading, use them. Not wearing your glasses will strain your eyes and tire them out instead of resting them.

However, it will not worsen your vision or lead to eye disease.

Myth: Staring at a computer screen all day is bad for the eyes.

Fact: Using a computer does not damage your eyes.

However, staring at a computer screen all day can contribute to eyestrain or tired eyes. People who stare at a However, it will tire your eyes out more quickly. The best computer screen for long periods tend not to blink as way to position a reading light is to have it shine directly often as usual, which can cause the eyes to feel dry and uncomfortable. onto the page, not over your shoulder. A desk lamp with To help prevent eyestrain, adjust the lighting so it an opaque shade pointing directly at the reading material doesn’t create a glare or harsh reflection on the screen, is ideal. rest your eyes briefly every 20 minutes, and make a conscious effort to blink regularly so that your eyes stay Myth: Carrots are the best food for well lubricated.

the eyes.

Fact: Carrots, which contain vitamin A, are indeed

good for the eyes. But fresh fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, which contain more antioxidant vitamins such as C and E, are even better. Antioxidants may even

For more information about keeping your eyes healthy, buy The Aging Eye, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

14 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

Nutrition education for preschoolers Nutrition Education Program Improves Preschoolers’ at-Home Consumption of Vegetables, Low-Fat/Fat-Free Milk A nutrition education program in child care centers can improve a child's at-home consumption of vegetables and low-fat/fat-free milk, according to a study by researchers from RTI International, Altarum Institute, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

"Many preschool-aged children are not meeting the recommended daily amount of fruits, vegetables, and lowfat and fat-free dairy products," said Pam Williams, Ph.D., senior research scientist in RTI's Center for Communication Science and co-author of the study. "Our research shows the potential value of nutrition education programs that take place in child care centers to impact what children eat at home."

The USDA recommends that children two to five years of age eat one to two cups of vegetables daily and one to 1.5 cups of fruit each day. Nearly 60 percent of U.S. children ages three to five years old attend a center-based child care program, according to the U.S. Department of Education, which can provide an opportunity to improve the nutrition of preschool-aged children.

Researchers found that children who participated in the nutrition-education program were about 39 percent more likely to drink or use low-fat/fat-free milk on their cereal than children who were not exposed to the program.

The study also found a significant increase in the number of cups of vegetables that these children consumed at home each day.

The study examined the State of New York's Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings nutrition-education program administered by registered dietician nutritionists in low-income child care settings. The initiative is part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Education program aimed at increasing children's consumption of fruits and vegetables, and encouraging children to drink low-fat/fatfree milk.

At the child care centers, children participated

in 30-minute nutrition education classes about trying new foods, eating a variety of vegetables and fruit, using healthier dairy products, and eating healthier snacks.

Nutritionists also provided training sessions to child care center staff about identifying areas of policy needed to improve nutrition at the center, and how to incorporate messages about nutrition into the classroom.

Mrs Ravneet Sawhney is the Director/Proprietor of Little Cherubs Day Nursery

High blood pressure is your heart’s worst enemy

Though it is important to control your body weight and lower your cholesterol, new evidence suggests high blood pressure is the heart’s worst enemy.

The risks were reinforced by the results of a much anticipated trial called SPRINT, published on Nov. 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study questioned current blood-pressure recommendations and suggested that lower is definitely better–the lower the blood pressure, the better the outcome.

SPRINT–which stands for systolic blood pressure intervention trial–is the largest study yet to compare people whose blood pressure meets the currently recommended levels of below 140 mm Hg with people who dropped their measurements even further.

Researchers randomly assigned 9,300 hypertensive patients over the age of 50 one of two systolic-bloodpressure goals–below 140 mm Hg and below 120. Systolic pressure is the first number in the ratio and reflects blood flow as the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body.

Those who aimed for the blood-pressure target of 120 had significantly lower rates of premature heart-related deaths and early deaths from any cause, with the most pronounced benefit for heart-related conditions–those in the 120 group reduced their risk of heart failure by 38% and deaths from heart problems by 43% compared with the other group. The difference was so dramatic that researchers stopped the trial two years early because they couldn’t justify keeping half the patients at the higher target.

“The general message here seems to be that lower seems to be better,” says Dr. Paul Whelton from Tulane University, chairman of the SPRINT trial. “Overall we deem that the benefits of the lower blood pressure far

outweigh the potential for risk.” The risk can range from side effects of the medications for treating hypertension to the dangers of lowering blood pressure too far.

While major medical organizations will not change their guidelines overnight on the basis of one study–the AHA and the American Medical Association continue to recommend 140/90 or lower for most people and up to 150/90 for people over 60–the SPRINT results suggest that more people would benefit from lower blood pressure. Nearly 1 in 3 American adults has hypertension, and heart disease is the top killer for men and women.

The results will only stoke an already fierce debate over the optimal blood-pressure target. As recently as 2013, a group of experts recommended raising blood-pressure targets to 150 for people over age 60. The number, it turned out, was somewhat arbitrary. “No one believed that 150 was the optimal blood pressure,” says Wright. “It was just that it was lower than the much higher numbers they were seeing in the patients.”

The results of SPRINT do not mean that every person with hypertension should be dropping his blood pressure to under 120. Plus, to achieve those levels, it’s unlikely that lifestyle changes alone would be enough. It could take three to five antihypertensive drugs, as it did for many of the SPRINT participants, to reach those lows. Doctors will have to weigh the benefits of doing that against the medications’ side effects, which can include irregular heartbeat and painful leg cramps.

So while SPRINT can help guide doctors’ decisions about some of their patients, it doesn’t mean that a new universal guideline for blood pressure is in order. Instead, it’s a good reason for every person to find out, with his doctor, where his blood pressure should be.

16 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

World Diabetes Day 14 Nov. 2015

Banning transfats can prevent 7,000 heart deaths in next 5 years A total ban is technically feasible and decisive action is now needed, say experts A total ban on trans fatty acids (trans fats) in processed foods in England could potentially prevent or postpone about 7,200 deaths from coronary heart disease over the next five years, suggest experts in The BMJ. They say a total ban in England is "technically feasible" and they call for "decisive action" to prioritise the most effective and cost effective policy options.

Industrial trans fatty acids are produced from plant oils (a process known as hydrogenation) and are commonly added to processed foods to cheaply improve shelf life and palatability.

Higher intake of these fats is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and death, and consumption is generally higher in lower socioeconomic groups. Their elimination from the UK diet is part of the Department of Health's responsibility deal.

So a team of researchers decided to evaluate three policy options to reduce consumption of trans fats in England: a total ban on trans fatty acids in processed foods; improved food labelling; and bans on trans fatty acids in restaurants and takeaway outlets.

They calculated health and equity benefits and cost effectiveness of each policy compared with consumption remaining at most recent levels. Influential factors such as age, sex, and socioeconomic status were taken into account.

Guidelines currently recommend that trans fats are limited to less than 1% of energy intake. The researchers calculated that average consumption of trans fatty acids among UK adults in 2001-09 to 2011-12 was around 0.7% of energy intake. For the most disadvantaged groups, consumption was higher, around 1.3%.

The researchers found that a total ban on industrial trans fatty acids in processed foods in England might potentially prevent or postpone about 7,200 deaths (2.6%) from coronary heart disease from 2015-20 and reduce inequality in mortality from coronary heart disease by about 3,000 deaths (15%).

This inequality stems from the fact that early death from coronary heart disease is substantially higher among the most disadvantaged socioeconomic groups compared with the most affluent.

Policies to improve labelling or simply remove trans fatty acids from restaurants and takeaways could save between 1,800 (0.7%) and 3,500 (1.3%) deaths from coronary heart disease and reduce inequalities by 600 (3%) to 1,500 (7%) deaths, thus making them at best half as effective.

A total ban would also have the greatest net cost savings of ÂŁ264m excluding product reformulation costs, or ÂŁ64m if substantial reformulation costs are incurred.

"Elimination of trans fatty acids from processed foods is an achievable target for public health policy," say the authors.

Such a ban "would lead to health benefits at least twice as large as other policy options, both in terms of total population benefit and reduction in inequality."

They suggest that continuing to rely on industry cooperation via the responsibility deal "might be insufficient" and call for "decisive action" to prioritise the most effective and cost effective policy options.

There's nothing good about industrial trans fats and a total ban would be best for public health, argues Lennert Veerman from the University of Queensland's School of Public Health, in an accompanying editorial.

"Given the clear evidence on the health impact of trans fats and what we know about consumption patterns, rates of heart disease, and related economic costs in England, we can safely conclude that these actions to accelerate the removal of industrial trans fat from the food supply are good for health, cost saving, and equitable," he writes.

18 HEALTH & HAPPINESS 4 YOU

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• • • HARI SINGH M.A. (Westminster) LL.M. (London) Solicitor and Notary Public

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Power of Attorney for worldwide use Affidavits and Sworn Statements Commercial Documents Documents relating to property Change of Name Deed Statutory Declarations

Languages spoken: Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu

HS Law Solicitors & Notaries 90 A THE BROADWAY SOUTHALL MIDDLESEX, UB1 1QF TEL: +44 (0)20 3264 2130, FAX: +44 (0) 3264 2131, DX 119579 SOUTHALL 3 WWW.HSLAWSOLICITORS.COM; EMAIL: INFO@HSLAWSOLICITORS.COM Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under Practice No: 444389

MAYA FOODS Widest range of fresh fruits and vegetables Finest quality of groceries All kinds of Hindu puja materials Maya Foods: Serving the community with pride and dedication 364-65 Stains Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, UK, TW4 5BD Tel: 020 8577 6077, Email: mina.bhatt@hotmail.com