Aspirin Could Prevent Bowel Cancer

A tablet of aspirin daily could help prevent bowel cancer, a study suggests.

An Oxford University study has shown aspirin taken daily to cut the number of cases of bowel cancer by a quarter and the number of deaths by a third in a review of 14000 patients.

Aspirin is already used frequently as a preventitive for strokes and heart problems. However a large number of middle aged people do not take them because of the risk of side-effects.

But researchers said their findings – published in the Lancet – tipped the scales in favor of taking them. They followed four study groups over a period of 20 years to determine the impact of small regular doses of aspirin. The aspirin tablets given for medical reasons are often only a quarter of the dosage of the ones that are used to treat headaches. (75mg Aspirin Tablets)

They found it reduced the risk of the incidence of bowel cancer by 24% and of dying from the disease by 35%.

And even if the regular use of aspirin can have side effects, researchers said it is still worthwhile and that low doses of Aspirin tend to cause relatively minor side effects, such as bruises or nosebleeds.

One in 20 individuals in this country develop colon (bowel) cancer in their lives, making it the third most common cancer. Approximately 16,000 people die each year as a result of it.

The results expand on previous research in this area and comes after the government announced earlier this month that it is going to launching a new screening program for bowel cancer for 55 year olds.

Lead researcher Professor Peter Rothwell said the selection would be the perfect opportunity for physicians to talk with their patients about the possibility of taking aspirin.

“To date, for healthy middle-aged people it has been a fine balance as to whether to take aspirins, but this tips it in my view.

“There is a small benefit for vascular disease and now we know a big benefit for this cancer. In the future, I am sure it will be shown that aspirin helps prevent other cancers too.”

He said those at high risk of bowel cancer, including the obese and those with a family history of disease, should give aspirin treatment serious consideration.

Mark Flannagan, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said they were “very positive” findings and giving aspirin alongside the new screening programme should be looked at.

Anyone considering starting a course of medication should first consult their GP.

The Aspod is a device designed to carry aspirin on your keyring at all times in case of a heart attack. This is because chewing an aspirin has been proven to reduce deaths from heart attack by 20-25% and the earlier it is taken during a heart attack, the greater the benefit. If sudden severe chest pain is experienced a single 300mg tablet of soluble aspirin should immediately be chewed and swallowed, together with a drink of water if readily available.

Aspirin has also been shown to be beneficial if taken for a sudden worsening of anginal pain (unstable angina). A patient who has unstable angina and whose chest pain suddenly becomes worse, or who experiences anginal pain when resting, should also chew and swallow a single 300mg soluble aspirin without delay.

The key active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is found in the root of the plant, and it is this part which is responsible for its bright yellow colour.

Studies have shown how the curcumin in turmeric can inhhibit the compounds involved in the inflammatory response. Consequently, practitioners often combine turmeric with glucosamine sulphate to combat joint problems such as stiffness. Also turmeric is increasingly being added to formations for back problems. However, almost all of these formulas provide only token levels of the spice.

Positive results have also been shown by researchers in a recent trial using as little as 2 to 3 grams of turmeric extract daily to help prevent the frequent/looser motions and flatulence-type symptoms of irritable bowel. Ina relatively short time, long standing sufferers saw some positive effects on the problems that had plagued some of the volunteers for more than 10 years.

Lamberts Turmeric extract is a high potency root extract standardised to provided 95% curcumins, which is the level generally used in studies. Each tablet contains 500mg turmeric root extract, which is equivalent to 10,000mg of Turmeric spice. This is approximately two teaspoons worth of spice, which makes Lamberts Turmeric one of the strongest turmeric products in the UK.

Pregnacare Conception nutritional tablets are specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs of women trying to conceive. When you try to have a child, preparing your body and ensuring a healthy diet and lifestyle are essential to maximize your chances of conception.

Vitabiotics Pregnacare Conception formula was developed on the basis of global research showing that certain nutrients can play an important role in helping build the stores of nutrition ready to support pregnancy and good reproductive health.

The Vitabiotics Pregnacare Conception formula includes:

Folic acid – Pregnacare’s design provides 400mcg of folic acid, the exact amount that the Department of Health recommend for all women trying to conceive. Folic acid aids the healthy development of fetal neural tube defects. It may also play a role in the conception and is necessary in the first days and weeks of pregnancy, before a woman even knows she is pregnant.

Antioxidant minerals and natural vitamin E – Important co-factors in antioxidant enzymes, to help protect genetic material from free radical damage.

Inositol – May help support ovarian function and influence fertility.  It is involved in the cell signalling pathway which influences fertilisation and cell growth.

L-arginine – A well known ingredient involved in nitric oxide (NO) metabolism, L-arginine can influence follicular release as well as healthy follicular blood flow and implantation.

N-acetyl cysteine – Involved in glutathione production (an important antioxidant in the body).  It is also important for healthy cervical secretions.

Vitamin B12 & B6 – Part of the B complex group of vitamins, it has been found that B12 supplementation can maintain healthy ovarian function and reproductive health.  Vitamin B6 is also recommended before conception.

Vitabiotics Pregnacare Conception can be used as a couple start trying for a baby. Vitabiotics Pregnacare Conception is available from Pharmacy First for £7.99.

Elderly people who get about by walking are less likely to suffer mental decline or even dementia, a study says.

Brain scans revealed that older people walking between six and nine miles a week seemed to have more brain tissue in key areas.

The study by the University of Pittsburgh of 299 people suggested that there was less “brain shrinkage”, which is related to memory problems.

The research was reported in the journal Neurology.

The volunteers, who had a mean age of 78, were checked for signs of “cognitive impairment” or even dementia.

The Pittsburgh team also had access to the brain of the test results of four years earlier, which measures the amount of “gray matter” in their brains.

This is found in various parts of the brain and is known to decline in many people as they age.

Each of them had been questioned in his 60 years on the number of city blocks walked per week as part of their normal routine.

The results showed that those who walked at least 72 blocks – six to nine miles – a week had a greater volume of gray matter.

Four years after the scans, 40% of the group had measurable cognitive impairment or even dementia.

Those who walked more than half as likely to have these problems compared with those who walked less.

Dr. Kirk Erickson, who led the study, said: “If regular exercise in middle age could improve the health of the brain and improve thinking and memory in old age, would be one more reason to exercise regularly in people of all ages a public health imperative. ”

Susanne Sorensen, of the Alzheimer’s Society, said the study was further proof that the health of the heart could lead to a healthy brain.

She added: “One of the benefits of this research is that it eliminates the impact of other socio-economic factors can play and focuses specifically on walking instead of more general exercise.

“Although a link was found between lack of exercise and brain shrinkage, more research is needed to find out what physical activity can affect the brain.

“The best way to reduce your risk is to exercise regularly, eat healthily, not smoking and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol checked.”

Infestation with Head Lice is a global issue; people of any age can be affected, however head lice tend to be more common in children. Although the exact rates of infestation in the UK are unknown, studies have shown that around 8% of children in primary schools have live lice.

These days people tend to find the idea of head lice infestation disgusting, however it is probably worth noting that a head louse infestation only really causes itching an no other physical problems and that Lice are not known to carry or transfer any diseases.

Treatment of Head Lice requires knowledge of 2 key things:

1. The methods that are available
2. The life-cycle of the head louse

In recent years new products have become available that promise to make treatment easier and more convenient.

Head Lice are parasitic insects that live on the human scalp and feed on blood four to five times a day. They hang on to hairs close to the head, normally behind the ears or in the nape of the neck and are only rarely found in other hairy areas.  They have strong claws and cannot be removed from the hair by normal combing or brushing.

Head lice are spread through head-to-head contact because they cannot fly, jump or swim. This means that they are very unlikely to be spread through sharing combs, brushes, towels, clothing or bedding as they cannot survive for more that 12 hours away from their host. If a louse drops out of the hair than it is normally injured or too weak to crawl back to its host and will die.

Mature lice are about 3mm long and be beige, brown or blackish often camouflaging to the surrounding hair. The fertilised female can lay 5 to 10 eggs a day. The oval, yellowish-white eggs are golued singly to the hair shaft.

After 7 days the egg hatches leaving an empty egg case (or nit) stuck in the hair. Young lice are known as nymphs; they are white and smaller than adults. Over the next 10 days the nymph will moult three times and grow into a mature louse. Lice feed by piercing the skin and sucking blood from the scalp.

All the recommended treatments kill the adult lice but are less effective on the nymphs and eggs. This is why it is recommended to do a second treatment after 7 days to kill all of the freshly hatched nymphs. It is important to check that treatment has been effective 2-3 days afterwards. A Lice detection comb should be used again 8-10 days after treatment.

The main agents that are used for the treatment of head lice are physically acting compounds (dimeticone-based) and insecticides, including pyrethroids (permethrin), malathion and carbaryl. All of these except carbaryl can be supplied without a prescription.

The way that treatments like Hedrin work are not fully understood but it is believed that they work by coating the lice and disrupting their water balance meachanisms, stopping them from excreting waste and causing them to die. This means that these products are highly effective even on lice that may have become resistant to insecticides. You should always follow the instructions on any packaging fully.

Insecticide treatments like Derbac M, which use Malathion, or Lyclear are normally applied to dry hair so that the scalp and roots are saturated. It is then left to dry naturally and washed off after 12 hours. Shampoos and foam products are not normally as effective due to the short amount of contact time and the low strength of many that are available.

Pregnant women and people who suffer from asthma or eczema are normally advised to use Dimeticone based products (Hedrin).

A recent study suggests that high doses of vitamin B can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in older people experiencing some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain shrinkage is one of the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment, which often leads to dementia.

The researchers believe that this could be the first step to finding a way to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Experts said the findings were important, however more research is warranted.

The study’s authors believe that was the effect of vitamin B “in homocysteine levels that helped reduce the rate of brain shrinkage.

Study author, Professor David Smith, said the results were more significant than expected.

“It’s a bigger effect than anyone could have expected,” he said, “and tells us something biological.

“These vitamins are doing something to the structure of the brain – they are protecting, and that is very important because we must protect the brain to prevent Alzheimer’s.”

He said more research was needed now to see if high doses of B vitamins actually prevented the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people with mild cognitive impairment.

The Alzheimer’s Research Trust, which co-funded the study, also called for more research.

“These are very significant results, with vitamins B begins to show a perspective of the protection of some Alzheimer’s disease in old age,” said CEO Rebecca Wood.

“The findings should inspire strong extended trial to follow people expected to develop Alzheimer’s disease.”

B vitamins are found naturally in many foods, including meat, fish, eggs and green vegetables.

Chris Kennard, chairman of Neuroscience and Medical Research Council Mental Health Board, said: “We must be cautious about recommending supplements such as vitamin B, as there are separate health risks if taken in doses too high.

“More research is needed before recommending the supplement as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.”

UK Food Standards Agency says take more than 200 milligrams of vitamin B6 can lead to a loss of sensation in the arms and legs, but these symptoms are reversible once someone stops taking the supplements.

He adds that taking 2 mg or less of vitamin B12 per day is unlikely to cause harm, but there is not enough evidence to know what the effects would be of  taking more than that.

Taking too much folic acid – over 1mg a day – can mask signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. An early symptom of B12 deficiency is anaemia, but taking large amounts of folic acid treats the anaemia without treating the B12 deficiency.

There are many remedies on the market for colds, flu and coughs but most can be quite expensive. Pharmacy First have not only lowered the prices of the big names such Lemsip and Covonia, but we are also offering the lowest prices on all of the cheaper non-branded and generic alternatives.

Lemsip Alternative

We are currently selling a Lemsip alternative sachet in packets of 5 sachets that contain the same active ingredient found in both Lemsip and Beechams Sachets but for a fraction of the price. This box of 5 cold and flu sachets is, at the time of writing, available for only 95p.

The sachet form a hot drink that contains Paracetamol and Vitamin C to clear your headache and reduce your fever but also contains decongestants to unclog your nose, throat and chest so you can breathe easier and feel better without it making you drowsy.

We highly recommend this product for you to help deal with your colds and flu this winter.

Vapour Rub

We also have a great price available for a Vapour Rub product that is very similar to Vicks VapoRub. It comes in 50g jars and has the same effect for clearing your sinuses and letting you get on with your life.

This Vapour Rub can also be added to hot water to be used as an inhalant to further aid in clearing your airways.

Vapour Rub is normally applied to the chest, throat or back to let the vapour work on clearing you blocked nose and sinuses during a cold or flu.

Vapour rub is also good for people who may not be able to take medication during the time that they have a cold or flu.

Simple Linctus

Simple Linctus contains Citric Acid Monohydrate, which is also found in Benylin. It is commonly used to relieve the symptoms of coughs. Simple Linctus is a demulcent. It coats the throat and relieves the symptoms of coughs. It is a highly effective remedy for any type of cough and only costs 99p at Pharmacy First.

Simple Linctus is a great alternative to expensive cough medicines and branded remedies, such as Covonia and Benylin. For details of more great cheap cough remedies check out the Coughs and Colds section of the main website.

For childrens coughs, we would suggest using something like Galenphol Linctus Paediatric, which is aimed at children from 3 months to 12 years old.

Other Options

At Pharmacy First we also offer one of the widest ranges available for all cold, flu and cough remedies and we are always checking that our prices are as competitive as possible. Please feel free to browse our Cold, Flu and Cough Section or search fro your favourite remedy on our main site. If you cannot find waht you are looking for then please do not hesitate to contact us and let us know what we are missing!

Chlamydia – What is it?

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection found in vaginal fluids and semen and is an increasingly common sexually transmitted infection.

How is it Transmitted?

Chlamydia can be transmitted from one person to another in a number of ways. These include vaginal, oral or anal sex, or by sharing sex toys. The infection can be found in a few different places; inside cells of the cervix, urethra, rectum and sometimes in the throat and eyes.

Pregnant women are also at risk of passing the infection on to their babies.

What are the Symptoms?

Chlamydia often has no clear symptoms and is sometimes known as a silent infection.

Symptoms can appear one to three weeks after you’ve come into contact with chlamydia, or many months later, or not until the infection spreads to other parts of your body.

Women might notice:

• Unusual vaginal discharge.
• Bleeding between periods or during or after sex.
• Pain with sex or when passing urine.
• Lower abdominal pain.

Men might notice:

• White/cloudy, watery discharge from the tip of the penis.
• Pain when passing urine or painful testicles.

If the infection is in the eye or rectum, you may experience discomfort, pain or discharge. Chlamydia in the throat is uncommon and usually has no symptoms.

Testing and Treatment

If you think you might have chlamydia, it’s important to be tested quickly. Testing is free on the NHS from genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, sexual health clinics, many contraception clinics, your GP and pharmacies. In some areas testing kits may also be available by post.

The National Chlamydia Screening Programme in England is being extended to ensure all sexually active women and men under 25 can access chlamydia testing – this includes testing in other settings such as youth clubs and colleges.

You can also buy home chlamydia testing kits, but the accuracy of these tests varies so it’s important to get good advice from a pharmacist. We currently sell the Clamelle test which is a reliable chlamydia test.

Women having intrauterine contraception (IUD or IUS) fitted, or having an abortion, will be offered a chlamydia test.

The test is simple and painless. Either a urine test is done or a swab (like a cotton bud) is used to take a sample of cells from the vagina or urethra. If you’ve had anal or oral sex, a swab will be taken from the rectum or throat. Your eyes will be tested if you have symptoms of conjunctivitis (discharge from the eye).

Chlamydia is easy to treat with antibiotics, either as a single dose or longer course for up to two weeks.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you’re pregnant, or think you might be, or you’re breastfeeding – this might affect the type of antibiotic you’re given. The antibiotics used to treat chlamydia interact with the combined oral contraceptive pill and the contraceptive patch, making them less effective, so check this with the doctor or nurse.

To avoid reinfection, any sexual partners should be treated too. Every time you have a new sexual partner you need to be tested. If complications occur, another treatment might be needed.

Without treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of the body causing damage and long-term health problems, including infertility.

In women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to:

• Ectopic pregnancy (when a pregnancy develops outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tube).
• Blocked fallopian tubes (the tubes that carry the egg from ovary to womb).
• Long-term pelvic pain.

In men, chlamydia can lead to painful infection in the testicles and possibly reduced fertility.

Rarely, chlamydia can lead to inflammation of the joints in both men and women. This is known as reactive arthritis. When this involves the urethra and the eyes, it is known as Reiter’s syndrome.

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis causes bones to become more porous (less solid and less dense), which gradually makes them weaker and more brittle. “Osteo” means bone, and “porosis” means porous.

Bones affected by osteoporosis:

• Do not have enough solid calcium and phosphorus, and steadily lose their supporting protein framework
• Become thinner and more fragile than normal
• Break more easily, particularly the spine, hip, and wrist

To maintain bone density, the body needs enough calcium and other minerals and must produce the proper amounts of several hormones, including estrogen in women and testosterone in men. In addition, an adequate supply of vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from food and incorporate it into bones.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

There is no single cause of osteoporosis.

Our bodies constantly build new bone and remove older bone. In childhood, more bone is built than removed, and so the bones grow in size. After age 30 or 40, however, the cells that build new bone do not keep up with those that remove bone. The total amount of bone then decreases, and osteoporosis may develop as a result.

The average rate of bone loss in men, and in women who have not yet reached menopause, is small. But after menopause, bone loss in women accelerates to an average of one to two percent a year.

This is because after menopause, the level of the female hormone estrogen in a woman’s body sharply decreases. Estrogen protects the skeleton by helping the body’s bone-forming cells to keep working. After menopause, when the level decreases, some of this protection is lost.

How to Avoid Osteoporosis

Preventing osteoporosis involves making a few changes in your diet, getting enough exercise, and considering whether the available medication is right for you.

One of the most important ways to help prevent osteoporosis is to get enough calcium in your diet. Here is the recommended daily dietary allowance of calcium for various age groups:

• Children, age 1-10- 800 mg daily
• Teenagers, age 11-18- 1,200 mg daily
• Pregnant teens – 1,600 mg daily
• Pregnant women, age 19 and older – 1,200 mg daily
• Breast-feeding women – 1,200 mg daily
• Adults, male, up to age 65 – 1,000 mg daily
• Adults, male, over age 65 – 1,500 mg daily
• Adults, women, before menopause – 1,200 mg daily
• Adults, women, after menopause – 1,500 mg daily

Manufacturers sometimes add extra calcium to foods such as orange juice and breakfast cereals. The Nutrition Facts label on the package will tell you how much calcium is contained in the foods you eat.

In addition, calcium supplement tablets are available over-the-counter.

One of the uses of vitamin D by the body is to help absorb calcium from the intestine. Some people with osteoporosis have a lower level of vitamin D and a less effective absorption of calcium as a result. Vitamin D is either made in the body from exposure to sunlight or is taken through foods.

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 400 IU. You can increase that to 800 IU, especially if you don’t get enough in your diet and don’t get much sun exposure. Don’t take any more than that per day, unless your physician has recommended a higher dose.

One of the best ways to forestall osteoporosis is to do regular weight-bearing exercises.

Begin a regular exercise program and stay with it. Start light and gradually build up to 30 to 40 minutes of exercise several times a week. Of course, consult your physician before you begin any exercise program and if you feel pain after you’ve begun.

Although swimming is not a weight-bearing exercise, it can be excellent for strengthening the muscles in your back. The stronger the back muscles, the stronger and more dense the bones of the spine. Exercising in the water is also a good option for individuals with arthritis or others who experience pain with weight-bearing exercise.

Keep in mind that it is possible to get too much exercise. Some women athletes who train excessively and exercise strenuously may alter their hormone production so severely that their menstrual periods stop, a condition called amenorrhea. This can lead to osteoporosis and fractures.

Here are some of the many benefits of exercise:

• Maintaining bone condition. The pull on the bones from exercising muscles helps to maintain bone density and strength.
• Improving your posture. Exercising the back muscles helps the whole body become more upright. This can help avoid the “bent-forward position” that can develop with osteoporosis.
• For general fitness. This is important for everybody, but especially for individuals with osteoporosis.

Menopause, as well as surgical removal of the ovaries, causes estrogen production to decrease. Low estrogen levels make women more vulnerable to osteoporosis. Women can protect themselves by taking estrogen to replace what their ovaries no longer produce naturally. This is called hormone replacement therapy.

Studies have shown that osteoporosis can be prevented or delayed if estrogen treatment is begun within the first few years of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is considered both an effective treatment and a preventive measure for osteoporosis.

Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to entirely restore the rate of post-menopause bone loss to the pre-menopausal rate. It may even replace a small amount of bone already lost.

For infomation about medications such as Raloxifene please consult your GP.