Health benefits

RACHEL GARRICK, who is a Monmouthshire county councillor was criticised for knitting during a council meeting. She began knitting in 2012 to alleviate the pain of osteoarthri‐tis and Ehlers‐Danlos Syndrome which affects tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessel, she explained. Making an uncom‐plicated item like a baby blanket also helped her to concentrate during meetings.

“Workplaces should be more accepting of knitting as a way of focusing,” she said.

DON’T spurn the humble potato. Rich in antioxidants, potatoes supply beneficial vita‐mins and minerals including Vitamin C, B6, and potassium, although nutritional content depends on the variety chosen and its preparation. Studies have linked pota‐toes to impressive health ben‐

Spud love

efits which include improved blood sugar control, reduced risk of heart disease and boost‐ed immunity.

They can also improve di‐gestive health and combat signs of ageing.

By Clinica Britannia

Do not suffer in silence

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED) is when there is a persistent inability of getting and keeping an erection firm enough for sex, but men should not suffer in silence as treatment is available.

But let’s be clear, it is not just the men that suffer when suffering with Erectile Dysfunc ‐tion but their partners also. Surprisingly it is es‐timated that half of all men over the age of 40, will have at some degree suffered the problem, causing problems in the personal relationships and self‐confidence.

Now available is a non‐invasive Extracorpo‐real Shock Wave Thera ‐py (ESWT), this is a clini‐cally proven method and has been used for treat‐ offers a cure for ED. ing various medical con‐ditions in the past.

Treatment consists of low ‐ intensity sound waves passing through the erectile tissue, help‐ing to restore the natu ‐ral erectile function by clearing plaque out of blood vessels and en ‐couraging the growth of new blood vessels.

The shockwave treat ‐

A cuppa tea

TEA has the potential to benefit 40 different areas of our health, a review of 96 different studies found. The authors of the review, published in the Molecular Nutrition and Food Re ‐search Journal, linked drinking two to three cups a day to better gut health and a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

ment offers a cure in that it reverses the prob‐lems that cause the dys‐function in the first place ‐ the most desired win‐win outcome covet‐ed by men with ED.

Making healthy lifestyle choices like tak‐ing regular exercise, drinking less alcohol, and stopping smoking can help with ED.

Don’t suffer in silence and put unnecessary strain on your relationship, make an appointment with our Specialist here at Clinica Britannia for more information.

Drinkers of ordinary ‘builders’ tea also ap ‐peared to have a reduced risk of certain cancers, and there were additional ben‐efits for bone health and brain power.

It’s allergy time

APPROXIMATELY 30 per cent of Spain’s population have some type of allergy, generally caused by pollen.

Tree and grass pollen are the main culprits, but as well antihistamines and nasal sprays, Vaseline can also help.

“A barrier of petroleum jelly around your nose will help to trap pollen and re‐lieve dry and uncomfort ‐able skin resulting from repetitive nose ‐ blowing,” Dr Nisa Aslam said in the UK.

Too much of a good thing

DRINK coffee for a headache.

When your head pounds, blood vessels swell, producing greater blood flow around the brain. This increased blood flow pressures surround ‐ing nerves, which send pain messages to the brain, bringing on the headache.

Caffeine has vaso ‐ con ‐strictive properties so blood vessels narrow to re‐strict blood flow, alleviat‐ing the pain.

Be careful, however, be‐cause the body becomes dependent on caffeine and reducing or eliminating consumption triggers with‐drawal symptoms.