I’m not shy about saying that I’m 48 years old. That means in a year and a half I’ll be 50 – a half a century. Wow, that sounds kind of shocking when you say it that way, but it is what it is, right?

There’s a difference between wanting to look good and wanting to look like something you’re not. Looking good, looking healthy, is great. Looking like you’ve been to the plastic surgeon too many times, injected too many substances into your face, or you wear way too much make up to try to hide the lines isn’t so great.

All that aside, if you could take a pill, that no-one would know about,  no tell-tale signs of surgery, no thick layers of make up, would you take it? If so, you may be interested in this news story from the United Kingdom: Anti-ageing pill developed that ‘cuts wrinkles and makes skin look younger’

Apparently, the food company Nestlé and cosmetics company L’Oréal have teamed up to develop a lozenge-size pill that uses as its base the compound lycopene, the red carotene pigment in tomatoes to promote the regeneration of new skin cells and protect old ones from damage.

The pill, called Innéov Fermeté, is already on sale in a few parts of the world (Europe and South America) and is pending release elsewhere.

But, does it work? The scientists behind the production say “yes.” They are claiming a success rate of an almost 9% improvement in the skin’s elasticity in the face. This improvement could take up to three months to be obvious though.

The drawback? The price. The estimated price for the pill in the United Kingdom will be 25 pounds, or about 40.00 U.S. dollars for a 10-day supply.

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Image: Newscom.com

Post from: Healthbolt

Roman Catholics who enter a church usually dip their fingers into a small bowl filled with Holy Water. They make the sign of the cross and then proceed to enter the main part of the church. Many repeat this motion when they leave the church.

Because of the H1N1 fears, many churches have removed their holy water, leaving some Catholics upset, unable to perform this important tradition or ritual. No matter, because an Italian inventor has come to the rescue with an automatic holy water dispenser.

The set up is designed like touchless liquid soap dispensers. Church-goers just wave their hand underneath the device and a preset amount of holy water. This allows the person to perform the ritual without dipping their hand into a communal bowl. According to this news report, the church-goers are pleased with the invention. And the inventor? He may be reaping the benefit of a good idea and good timing.

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Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Healthbolt

It’s the latest bizarre internet phenomenon that’s sweeping the world, causing people to, well, basically, lie down in the strangest places, including the engine of a jumbo jet (engine off, on the ground)

There’s only one rule – you must have your palms flat against their sides and tips of your toes touching the ground.

No place is out of bounds. And the more public the better. Pictures posted on the Facebook site have people lying down in front of tanks, on roads, on roofs…

In one British hospital, the medical staff on night shift in the Emergency war laid down on the floors, the resuscitation trolley, and the hospitals helipad. Hospital management were not amused. Seven of the 18 staff who participated and posted pictures to the Lying Down Game website were suspended for having apparently “breached health and safety and infection control regulations.’

Obviously, the hospital didn’t find it at all funny. But to suspend the staff – that’s really a bit of overkill if you ask me.

What do you think?

Post from: Healthbolt

Queensland Health’s new doctor fatigue policy, soon to take affect in public hospitals around Queensland, Australia, suggests the antidote for sleep-deprived doctors is …. six cups of coffee.

This will, apparently, prevent them from harming their patients while in state of exhaustion.

Honestly. I’m not making this up. The policy document claims that the standard solution of ‘more staff’ really isn’t feasible. Therefore, the doctors need to find a way to work effectively on little sleep.

And that way is caffeine. The document suggests recommends a dose of 400 mg of caffeine (about 5 to 6 cups of coffee) as the doctor’s fatigue fighter.

And if they can’t drink coffee, then perhaps, the document goes on to say, they should try caffeine tablets instead.

For more on this, read the full story at the Courier Mail

Post from: Healthbolt

Trust the British to come up with a unique, even bizarre, way to combat Swine H1N1 flu.

Most governments are focusing on helplines, information on anti-viral drugs, and specialized clinics.

But British health chiefs have looked outside the square and created The Flu Pandemic Game.

It’s a role-playing game that simulates ‘the effects of a flu pandemic on staffing in an imaginary group of small businesses’ through the role of the dice and chance cards.

The players (3 to 60) assume staff identities at imaginary workplaces. The game has 15 rounds that represent 15 weeks of work. The players learn whether or not they will go down with the flu through the roll of the dice, with certain sets of numbers indicating their fates. As the rounds progress, the risk increases.

But it’s not all fun. At the end of each round, surviving players are asked to discuss the impact that the flu pandemic is having on their ‘imaginary’ workplaces.

The game, by the way, comes with this government health warning:

‘Some people may find it disturbing to play using details of their own organisation.
The game is a simulation and has no effect on subsequent events, but it can seem a little like fortune telling.’

By the way, do not expect the be seeing this game any time soon at the local Toys r Us.

It’s not for sale.

It was designed for use simply as a training resource for local businesses and voluntary organizations to develop their own business continuity plans.

(image source)

Post from: Healthbolt

This debate revolves around an old law and a new case. The old law, the 1961 Suicide Act bans assisted suicide in Britain and criminalises anyone who aids, abets, counsels or procures someone else’s suicide.

The new case -  a 46-year-old woman with progressive multiple sclerosis who wants to travel abroad to die and wants to ensure her husband Omar Puente won’t be  prosecuted if he helps her travel.

The law as it stands can allow for the prosecution of  relatives and friends who travel with someone planning to undertake assisted dying overseas. Granted, government law officers readily admit that those who goes abroad for this purpose are highly unlikely to face prosecution.

But law is law. And it looks as though this one is about to be changed.

Further reading…

Post from: Healthbolt

Wanted: A Few Good Brains

Seems that they are running a little low on this organ and without it, are unable to pursue necessary research to help advance Parkinson’s Disease treatments and maybe even find a cure.

But getting people to donate their brains isn’t as easy as getting them to donate other organs. A survey recently commissioned by the Parkinson’s Disease Society has shown that while over 60% are comfortable with donating a heart or a kidney, only 7% are comfortable with donating a brain.

It’s hoped that this brain donation appeal will change that, by bringing out into the open what happens to the donated brains.

Take a trip to the Parkinson’s Brain Bank facility with Jane Asher, actress and president of the London-based Parkinson’s Disease Society, and see what they do…

(image from sxc.hu)

Post from: Healthbolt

Flicking on the television this morning, I was captivated by this news piece…

Watch Susan’s full performance on Britain’s Got Talent here.

Post from: Healthbolt

Image details: Satin-Lined Gray Coffin served by picapp.com

The Japanese – an efficient, healthful group of people. People rooted in culture. People who cherish their elders. People who keel over from being overworked.

Say what?

Yes, it’s true. While America is sometimes looked at as slovenly and over-privileged, our Japanese pals are working so hard, they’re launching themselves into the grave. This has become such an epidemic, in fact, that it even has a name: karoshi.

For example, there was a poor fellow, a 45-year-old chief engineer for Toyota, who worked an additional 114 hours of overtime per month (overtime!). That’s equivalent to about 2.85 weeks a month. Can you even imagine?

Not surprisingly, the man died of heart failure, and now the Japanese government will need to uphold a law that gives money to the widow and children of this man, since we worked himself into an early karoshi for the good of his company. Amazing.

The Japanese government also has a national karoshi hotline, and a karoshi self-help book.

So, the lesson to be learned here? While a strong work ethic is admirable indeed, working yourself into an early karoshi is not. As with everything in life, let there be balance.

Source

Special thanks to my friends at the American Cancer Society for this head’s-up. Be sure to give them a visit.

Post from: Healthbolt

But for two Belgian beer fans, that’s simply not enough. Seems that they think you should be able to relieve yourself and shot aliens or slalom down ski slopes at the same time.

To that end, they designed and have recently released the ‘Place to Pee’ video game. It’s set up in a booth and caters for two users at a time. Gamers (ie pee-ers) score by aiming and hitting sensors positioned on either side of the urinal.

And ladies, if you think that it’s just a ‘man thing’, think again. Seems that they have created a paper cone allows women to play too. Lucky us!

Personally, I think these guys have more than one beer too many!!!

(source – Reuters)

Post from: Healthbolt