Category Archives: Health News

Latest Health News

Health24.com | Cracking the truth on vaginal eggs

You Need Posted on by

Love eggs, yoni eggs, jade eggs, vaginal jade eggs… There are even more names for the device than there are benefits.

These eggs are made from a variety of materials; however, the most common are smoothed rose quartz, black obsidian or nephrite jade.

These stones are believed to strengthen vaginal muscles, increase libido, enhance feminine energy, improve physical appearance and prevent and alleviate uterine prolapse.

In order to reap these health benefits, the egg needs to be inserted into the vagina.

In an interview with Women’s Health, medical doctor and sexologist Dr Elna Rudolph states that the egg should only be inserted for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. “I wouldn’t advise anybody wear one 24/7 – you need to relax your pelvic floor at times.”

Loud criticism 

Over the last year, the love egg has come under scrutiny and a lot of criticism after Goop, the affluent lifestyle site owned by actress Gwyneth Paltrow, published an article praising the incredible healing qualities of the stones.

The story, now removed from the site, stated that the stones can provide women with various vaginal health benefits.

Gynaecologists, however, emerged in droves to deny any health benefits attributed to the stone and claimed that there was no scientific evidence to back the claims made by the site.

In an interview with Health, gynaecologist Dr Jen Gunter warns that using these eggs can be really harmful, “The stones are really porous, so I’m not sure how they could be cleaned or sterilised between uses… [It’s] especially an issue when one of the recommended ways to use it is sleeping with it in. We don’t recommend that tampons or menstrual cups be left in for longer than 12 hours, and those are either disposable or cleanable.”

Speaking to Vogue, physical therapist Stacey J Futterman Tauriello, who specialises in pelvic-floor rehabilitation, states, “Saying that [a jade egg] can alleviate uterine prolapse is absurd. Prolapse is a laxity of ligaments. [Strengthening] the pelvic floor helps support those organs, but it doesn’t change the structure of them.”

Insufficient scientific evidence

Last month the Goop site had to settle a R2 075 000 lawsuit over the health benefits the site attributed to the egg. According to court documents, the claims about the egg made by the site were not backed with scientific evidence.

In a statement, Goop noted, “This settlement does not indicate any liability on Goop’s part. While the company has not received any complaints regarding these product claims, it is happy to fully refund any Goop customer who has purchased any of the challenged products.”

The vaginal jade eggs are still for sale on the lifestyle site.

Image credit: iStock 

Lauren Mitchell

Health24.com | Doctors turn to ‘social prescriptions’ to combat depression and loneliness

You Need Posted on by

Visiting museums, doing yoga, attending a dance class or even taking a stroll in the park may seem like simple pastimes, but these activities can be highly beneficial for your mental health and general well-being.

This is why doctors in countries like Canada and the UK have started providing patients who suffer from depression, loneliness or anxiety with social prescriptions instead of medical ones.

In an interview with Halifax Today, clinical psychologist Dr Simon Sherry explains the models of social prescriptions. “In the first model, your primary care doctor would issue you a prescription to complete a social activity within your community. This might be befriending someone else, it might be something like gardening or getting involved in the arts. The second model refers patients to a nurse or social worker who helps customise a ‘social prescription plan’.”

These social interactions through activities like dancing, arts and crafts and knitting have helped people form social bonds with their fellow participants.

Social interactions

Some organisations allow patients to offer what skills they have. Thereby, not only are they benefiting from the social interactions and the feeling of being needed, they are also helping those around them.

According to social worker and clinical psychologist Megan Rafuse, in an interview with Huffington Post, “What we know is that when we prioritise connection with others, we actually thrive in all aspects of our lives and offer ourselves a buffer against mental illness, including depression and anxiety.”

These kinds of prescriptions have received significant backing from the UK. British Health secretary Matt Hancock said in a speech last year, “We’ve been fostering a culture that’s popping pills and Prozac, when what we should be doing is more prevention and perspiration. Social prescribing can help us combat over-medicalising people.”

Speaking to Health 24’s Cybershrink Dr Michael Simpson, he noted that “The environment during (mental health) treatment is important. In the old days, an asylum (literally, a safe place) was often sited in the countryside, with fields, trees, and views considered to be therapeutic…For loneliness I often recommend that people get involved in helping other people : this brings them company, they meet nicer people than they’d meet at a club or bar, they help people who need help, and they get their own problems into better perspective.”

Not for everyone 

Researchers have found that these social prescriptions have led to patients opting for a reduction in medication.

However, we need to take into consideration that mental health exists on a spectrum. Some patients may benefit from these social prescriptions whereas medication is beneficial to the health of others. Researchers are aware that these prescriptions won’t work for everyone.

Image credit: iStock

Lauren Mitchell

Health24.com | 3 conditioning exercises to support your hips

You Need Posted on by

To support your hip joints, you need to strengthen the muscles that support them. This can help prevent or relieve hip pain and guard against injury.

Appropriate exercises target muscles of the thighs and the glutes. Here are three to add to your fitness regimen:

Note: Before conditioning, always warm up with five to 10 minutes of easy exercise, like walking or riding a stationary bike.

Hip abduction exercises primarily work the outer thighs. Lie on your left side, top leg straight but not locked, bottom leg bent. Slowly raise the straight leg to make a 45-degree angle with the floor. Hold for five seconds, then slowly lower. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Hip adduction exercises primarily work the inner thighs. Lie on your left side with both legs straight. Cross your top leg over the lower leg, placing the foot flat on the floor. Raise the lower leg six to eight inches off the floor, hold for five seconds, and then slowly lower. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Prone hip extensions primarily work the glutes. Lie flat on your stomach on a firm surface and place a pillow under your hips. Bend your right leg so that your calf makes a 90-degree angle with your thigh (the sole of your foot is parallel with the ceiling). Keeping your head, neck and upper body relaxed, raise the bent leg straight up (your thigh lifts off the floor) without jerking your hips. Slowly lower your thigh to a count of five. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Follow these tips to make the exercises even more effective:

  • Wear ankle weights during your workout. Depending on your ability, start with a two- to five-pound cuff on each ankle.
  • Do these exercises two or three times a week, but never on consecutive days.
  • Always stretch after strengthening to improve your range of motion and avoid soreness.

Image credit: iStock

NEXT ON HEALTH24X

Health24.com | Even the smallest fitness gains could help you reduce the risk of a heart attack

You Need Posted on by

Even a slight improvement in your heart/lung fitness could reduce your risk of a heart attack, a new study reveals.

Between 2006 and 2008, researchers assessed the cardiorespiratory (heart/lung) fitness of just over 4 500 men and women in Norway. None had heart disease, high blood pressure or cancer, and most were considered at low risk for heart disease over the next 10 years.

By 2017, however, 147 of the study participants had suffered a heart attack or developed angina, conditions caused by narrowing or blockage of heart arteries.

More investigation showed that the risk of heart attack and angina steadily declined as cardiorespiratory fitness increased.

“We found a strong link between higher fitness levels and a lower risk of heart attack and angina pectoris over the nine years following the measurements that were taken,” said Bjarne Nes of the Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.

“Even among people who seem to be healthy, the top 25% of the most fit individuals actually have only half as high a risk as the least fit 25%,” he said in a university news release.

The study used a fitness calculator developed at CERG, which measures the body’s capacity to transport and use oxygen during exercise. It found that for each increase of 3.5 fitness points, the risk of heart attack and angina decreased by 15%.

The findings suggest that even a small improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness can benefit heart health, the researchers said.

The study was recently published in the European Heart Journal.

Study first author Jon Magne Letnes said, “Our results should encourage people to use training as preventive medicine. A few months of regular exercise that gets you out of breath can be an effective strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.” Letnes is a doctoral candidate in the university’s department of circulation and medical imaging.

Sanjay Sharma, a leading expert in sports and heart disease, wrote an editorial that accompanied the study.

“There is apparently no upper limit for training when it comes to the beneficial effects for the heart,” Sharma wrote. In addition to serving as medical director of the London Marathon, he is a professor of cardiology at St. George’s, University of London.

Health24.com | Stroke, heart events can sideline you from work

You Need Posted on by

After having a stroke, heart attack or cardiac arrest, people are less likely to be employed than their healthy peers, new research shows.

Even if they are working, they may earn significantly less than people who haven’t had a stroke or heart event, the investigators found.

A drop in yearly earnings

Although the majority of people who have one of these serious health scares do end up back at work, about 20% of those who had a stroke weren’t back at work three years later.

Meanwhile, about 5% of those who had a heart attack hadn’t gone back to work, while 13% of those who’d had cardiac arrest weren’t back on the job after three years. (Cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops beating.)

The study also found an average drop in yearly earnings of more than $13 000 (±R178 000) after a stroke, about $11,000 (±R150 000) after cardiac arrest and nearly $4,000 (±R55 000) after a heart attack.

“When we look at the impact of health events, we need to look not only at short-term, easy-to-measure outcomes like life and death. Quality of life and economic well-being are equally important to people,” said study author Dr Allan Garland. He is a professor of medicine and community health sciences at the University of Manitoba and Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg in Canada.

Garland said that most people want to work, so it’s important to figure out who’s most likely to lose their ability to work and earn. Then, he added, “we need policies from government and employers to try to help these people get back to work and be more productive.”

Canadian database

Serious health events like heart attacks, cardiac arrest and strokes can be life-altering, the study authors noted. These conditions may lead to a loss in some abilities, which might make it difficult to return to work or to return to work full-time.

One-third of heart attacks, 40% of cardiac arrests and one-quarter of strokes occur in people who are 65 or younger, according to the report.

To see what impact these events had on people’s working lives, the researchers were able to use a Canadian database that links hospital records and tax return information. They looked at data from 2005 to 2013.

The investigators looked for people who had experienced a heart attack, cardiac arrest or stroke who had been working during the two years before their health event. They were all between the ages of 40 and 61.

Garland’s team compared these groups to a much larger group of similar healthy people, and looked at the three-year period after the serious health event.

Need for stress prevention

“These kinds of unemployment and lost earnings have broad consequences across society. In the United States, it can lead to a loss of health insurance and lead to the phenomenon of medical bankruptcy. Those costs are borne by governments and employers,” Garland said.

Dr Terrence Sacchi, chief of cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Methodist Hospital in New York City, said that someone who has had a heart attack has a much better chance of returning to work than someone who is much sicker, such as someone who’s had a stroke or cardiac arrest.

Sacchi said the study shows the need to stress prevention.

“Modify all the risk factors you can. If you have diabetes, treat it. If you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, treat it. If you smoke, quit. Eat a healthy diet and exercise to decrease the chances of this happening again,” he advised.

Sacchi also recommended that people enter a cardiac rehabilitation programme, and “if you feel you’re capable, you can get back to work.”

The findings were published in the CMAJ.

Image credit: iStock

Health24.com | How to choose the right iron supplement

You Need Posted on by

Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anaemia and is often treated with iron supplements to correct the shortage of oxygen-carrying haemoglobins in the blood.

When your doctor advises you to start taking iron supplements, it can be a challenge to choose the right one with so many options on the market. Here are some tips to help you choose the best iron supplement for your purposes:

1. Determine which form you prefer

Iron supplements are available in liquid, tablet or capsule form. Depending on your lifestyle and preference, you might want to go for a slow-release supplement. Your doctor will tell you the exact dose you need and might also recommend the exact type of supplement. Some people struggle to swallow non-chewable pills, while others are worried that a liquid may stain their teeth.

2. Determine the exact dose you need

Too much iron can be toxic to the liver and cause serious health problems. The best way to determine your optimal dose is to have your doctor do blood tests. Take your iron supplements as instructed. It is recommended that adult males take 8mg of iron and adult females 18mg per day. A recommended amount of 27mg of iron daily is recommended for pregnant women.

3. Check the level of elemental iron

Iron supplements are sold under the names ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate. The amount of iron displayed on the label can be confusing; it is therefore important to determine the level of elemental iron in the supplement. All three forms of iron are well-absorbed by the body, but their elemental iron levels differ. Ferrous fumarate contains the highest amount of elemental iron, but the dose may be too strong for some and therefore ferrous sulphate may be suggested – which is also a more affordable version.

4. Know thy iron

There are two types of dietary iron. Haeme iron is the type of iron that we only find in animal products such as red meat. This type of iron is most easily absorbed by the body. Non-haeme iron is is found in plant products as well as meat, but the absorption of this type may be hindered by substances like caffeine, or plant compounds such as phytates. Fortunately vitamin C can help you absorb non-haeme iron.

5. Only take an iron supplement if needed

If you’re suffering from fatigue and frequent headaches, get a doctor’s opinion before you start shopping for iron supplements. A supplement alone might not be able to treat severe iron deficiency and you may also need to increase your dose of vitamin A to help with iron absorption.

6. Check the possible side-effects

It’s normal to experience some side-effects from iron, such as constipation, dark stools, a strange taste in your mouth or an upset stomach. But if these side-effects are severe and unpleasant, you might want to switch to a different iron formulation such as an iron amino acid or a ferric supplement instead of a ferrous supplement. The difference lies in the oxidation process of the iron.

Image credit: iStock

Marelize Wilke

NEXT ON HEALTH24X

Health24.com | What to do if your tampon is stuck inside you

You Need Posted on by

All these years of getting your period makes you a tampon expert now, right? Er, except for that heart-stopping moment when you go to yank out your tampon and … wait … where is it? Did you even have one in? Or is it … stuck? SOS.

First, breathe. A stuck tampon is more common and far less freaky than you might think. “Most of the time, a woman simply forgets the tampon is in there or she places a second one, forgetting about the first,” says Dr Jessica Kiley, associate professor and chief of obstetrics and gynaecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

More good news: A tampon doesn’t really have anywhere to go – the vagina‘s only about seven or ten centimetres deep, and the opening of your cervix is way too small to let a tampon pass through, says Kiley. So, a tampon is never really lost (whew).

Still, having a tampon stuck up there isn’t exactly something you want. Keep this info handy just in case one of your tampons goes rogue.

How do I know if I have a tampon stuck up there?

Your discharge will give you a hint: If it’s changing colour to a thick yellow or even brownish red – yes, even when on your period – that might mean you left a tampon up there.

This is especially true when combined with other tell-tale symptoms like a musty or fishy odour that gets stronger (and fouler) as time passes, along with abdominal cramping, says Dr Jessica Shepherd, obstetric-gynaecologist and gynaecologic surgeon at Baylor University Medical Center.

You might even feel a sensation of pressure thanks to a tampon being more deeply lodged or because you’ve put another one in (a.k.a., every girl’s fear when putting in another tampon).

On their own, these symptoms are definitely a sign you might have a tampon stuck – and need to get it out asap. But having a combo of these symptoms, in addition to fever, nausea, vomiting, or body rash could indicate something more serious, like Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), which happens when bacteria enter the bloodstream through tiny tears in your vagina. While this is rare, the longer you have a tampon up there (like longer than the recommended eight hours), the greater the risk of TSS, so it’s even more reason to fish it out.

Read more: 5 alternatives to pads and tampons you should think about trying

Okay, so what do I do if there is a tampon stuck?

Don’t panic – seriously. Your muscles clench when you’re anxious, even the ones down there. Contracting your pelvic muscles can make it harder to locate and remove the tampon.

It’s definitely okay to DIY. Pros recommend squatting over a toilet or standing with one foot elevated on a toilet cover or edge of the bathtub so that your pelvis is at an angle, which can help you access the tampon.

With clean hands (and cut nails, please!), insert one finger and gently sweep around to locate it. Grab and lightly pull. Don’t worry, you won’t hurt yourself or do any damage by reaching up, says Kiley, who recommends having some lube nearby for easier entry.

Once the tampon is outta there, Shepherd cautions against douching. Instead, briefly rinse your vagina with a shower head to clean up any blood or discharge. In a day you should be symptom-free and back to your norm.

Read more: Wait a second – are tampons legitimately bad for you?

Well, what if I can’t find it, but something still feels off?

Go ahead and call your doctor. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about – they see this kind of stuff all the time. Pros of having an expert help? They get a full-front view compared to, well, barely any view when doing it yourself (yoga can only make you so flexible). Plus, your obstetric-gynaecologist has all the tools necessary to, uh, get up in there – like a speculum, says Shepherd.

Another reason to make a visit? Worsened symptoms, especially when fever, pain, or heightened stench come into play. Sure it’s rare, but again, TSS is no joke. So ditch Dr Google and have a consultation with your doc IRL, just to be safe.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com 

Image credit: iStock

Health24.com | Why you should make cancer prevention a priority in 2019

You Need Posted on by

If one of your resolutions for 2019 is to improve your health, reducing your risk of cancer should be part of that goal, a cancer expert says.

While cancer risk factors such as family history and ageing can’t be controlled, lifestyle changes such as eating right, staying active and not smoking can lower your risk, said Dr Elias Obeid. He is director of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer risk assessment at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

Early detection

Cancer screening is also important because it can detect the disease at an early and more treatable stage.

“Getting regular recommended cancer screenings is just as important as modifying your lifestyle to reduce your risk,” Obeid said in a Fox Chase news release. “Regular screenings can greatly increase your chances of detecting cancers early, when they’re most likely to be curable and before you begin having symptoms.”

Screening tests are available for breast, colon, prostate, cervical, lung and many other types of cancers. “Individuals should talk with their doctor about their specific risk factors as well as when to start and how often to receive cancer screenings,” Obeid advised.

In terms of lifestyle, the World Cancer Research Fund estimated that about 20% of all cancers in the United States are related to excess body fat, physical inactivity, too much alcohol and poor nutrition.

“Watching how much you eat can help control your weight and keep your body mass index (BMI) at healthy levels,” Obeid said. “If you’re overweight, losing even a small amount of weight has benefits and serves as an excellent starting point.”

Second most common cause of death

Regular exercise also reduces the risk of cancer, and the American Cancer Society says adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week.

Smoking is a major cause of cancer, but “no matter how long you have smoked and no matter what your age, quitting can reduce your risk for cancer and other chronic diseases,” Obeid said. “The best advice I can give is to quit, and if you’ve never smoked, don’t start.”

It’s also important to protect yourself from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, and never use tanning beds or sun lamps.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States.

Image credit: iStock

Health24.com | Mangoes prove why they are considered the ‘king of fruits’

You Need Posted on by

Mangoes are a delicious tropical fruit enjoyed by millions.

You can pop it in a smoothie, add it to your salad or simply enjoy it as is.

This delicious fruit is more than just a tropical treat; it’s packed with vitamins A, C and B6. A recent study, conducted by Texas A&M University, found that the high fibre content of mangoes can also help relive constipation.

According to studies, adult men need about 38g of fibre a day and women around 25g. 

Constipation relief

Constipation is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. According to an article published by the South African Pharmaceutical Journal, 20% of South Africans suffer from constipation.

The condition is characterised by having trouble passing stool and having fewer than three bowel movements a week.

The study compared the effect of consuming mangoes to taking the equivalent amount of fibre on the bowel movements of study subjects.

Over four weeks, women and men suffering from chronic constipation were equally divided into a group that ate one mango a day and a second group that consumed a teaspoon of fibre powder every day.

Further research

Although all study subjects experienced relief from their constipation, it was noted that those who ate the mangoes had better results. The researchers believe that this is due to the mineral content of mangoes.

The fruit consists of a combination of polyphenols and fibre. Polyphenols are nutrients found in plant-based foods. They are renowned for their antioxidant properties and digestive health benefits. What also makes mangoes a great solution for constipation is that, unlike laxatives or fibre powder, they also treat the intestinal inflammation that often accompanies constipation.

The researchers concluded that although mangoes were clearly more effective in relieving the symptoms associated with constipation, more research needs to be done on the mechanics of exactly how mangoes relieve constipation and the relationship between polyphenols and fibre.

Image credit: iStock 

Lauren Mitchell

Health24.com | Night shift plus unhealthy habits equals higher diabetes risk

You Need Posted on by

Rotating night-shift work together with an unhealthy lifestyle significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers say.

“Most cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented by adherence to a healthy lifestyle, and the benefits could be larger in rotating night-shift workers,” said study authors led by Zhilei Shan. He is a nutrition researcher at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

The new study was published in the BMJ.

Combined effects

The researchers noted that previous studies have shown smoking, a poor diet, inactivity, and being overweight/obese increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Shift work has also been linked with an increased risk, the investigators added in a journal news release.

But the authors said they believe this is the first study to examine the combined effect of an unhealthy lifestyle and shift work on type 2 diabetes risk. The results show it’s especially important for shift workers to follow a healthy lifestyle.

The researchers analysed data from more than 143 000 US women who did not have type 2 diabetes, heart disease or cancer when they enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and NHS II in 1976 and 1989.

Over 22 to 24 years of follow-up, nearly 11 000 of the women were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. For every five years of working rotating night shifts, there was a 31% higher risk of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Each unhealthy lifestyle factor – ever smoking, being overweight or obese, having a poor diet, being inactive – was linked with a 2.3 times higher risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The study authors explained that a poor diet was low in fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, and high in processed meat, trans fats, sugar and salt.

Rotating night-shift work

Women who had any of the four unhealthy lifestyle factors and also worked rotating night shifts had the highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the findings showed. Among this group, each individual unhealthy lifestyle factor was associated with a 2.8 times increased risk.

This suggests that some kind of interaction between rotating night shifts and an unhealthy lifestyle factor adds further risk, according to the authors. In this study, rotating night shifts were defined as working at least three night shifts a month, in addition to day and evening shifts that month.

The researchers concluded that rotating night-shift work accounted for about 17% of the combined higher risk of type 2 diabetes, unhealthy lifestyle accounted for about 71%, and the remaining 11% was additional risk associated with the interaction of the two.

According to the report, the increased risk of type 2 diabetes among rotating night-shift workers with an unhealthy lifestyle may be due to disrupted sleep and body-clock rhythms affecting hormones, other metabolic pathways or the balance of bacteria in the gut.

Because this was an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Also, since all of the nurses were female and mostly white, the findings may not apply to men and other racial or ethnic groups, the researchers noted.

Image credit: iStock