9 Things You Need to Know About Allergy Shots

Do allergy shots really work?

Allergies—whether they’re seasonal or year-round—can put a serious damper on quality of life; in some cases, they can even be deadly. But for certain types of allergies, allergen immunotherapy (commonly known as allergy shots) can be a big help.

They may require a lot of time and effort, but the benefits of allergy shots can be life-changing and long-lasting for people of all ages. Their effectiveness for children and young adults is well known, and a 2016 study also found that they can be effective for older adults, as well—reducing symptoms of hay fever in people ages 65 to 75 by 55% after three years, and reducing the need for medication by 64%.

“Everyone is different, and it’s true that some people don’t have a good response,” says Laura Dziadzio, MD, a pediatric allergist and assistant professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “But for others, it’s like night and day. I have lots of patients who were really miserable and are now doing much better, and can finally enjoy the things they couldn’t before.”

If you’ve tested positive for an allergy and are considering immunotherapy treatments, here are 10 things you should know.

9 Things You Need to Know About Allergy Shots

10 Mind Blowing Things That Happen To Your Body When You Eat Beets

10 Mind Blowing Things That Happen To Your Body When You Eat Beets

35 Things You Didn’t Know Curcumin Could Do For Your Body

35 Things You Didn’t Know Curcumin Could Do For Your Body

10 Things You Should Throw Away to Soothe Your Allergies

Your dehumidifier

Okay, you don’t have throw this out, per se, but you might want to stash it during allergy season. Since dust mites absorb fluids from the air around them, they tend thrive in humidity levels that range from about 70% to 80%, says Dr. Canfield. Using a dehumidifier, therefore, can help them survive longer.

Unfortunately, however, humans also don’t do well in low-humidity environments. Dr. Canfield suggests trying to keep the humidity levels in your home to around 50% (during the winter, the levels are around 20% to 30%), which should render the bugs dormant.

10 Things You Should Throw Away to Soothe Your Allergies

Amazing Things That Happen To Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat

Amazing Things That Happen To Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat

The dirtiest things in your home – in data

Teaching children to wash their hands properly could help stop the spread of infection and thereby limit the use of antibiotics, UK medicines watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) advised this week.

Bacteria are, of course, all around. Many of them are essential and harmless, but there are also those that can cause us to become ill.

In 2014 the Global Hygiene Council, which is funded by the health, hygiene and home products company Reckitt Benckiser, measured the level of bacterial contamination on eight surfaces in 20 family homes in the UK, testing them for bacteria including enterobacteriaceae, E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus (a group of bacteria that includes MRSA).

The eight household items were then ranked based on how many of them were found to be clean. By this measure, kitchen cloths and sponges were the worst offenders – none of the sponges in any of the 20 UK households were acceptably clean (and yes, the sponges tested were worse than the toilet brush handle).

Bacteria graphic

The dirtiest things in your home – in data

4 Things To Consider When Finding Chiropractors

With thousands of chiropractors in America, the service has shown itself to be invaluable for those seeking treatment for muscle and joint pain. If you suffer from discomfort that you think can be relieved by gentle spine and joint manipulation and alignment, you may be an ideal candidate for the chiropractor.

Here are some other things you should know when looking for the perfect practitioner.

Awareness: Chiropractors are certified practitioners who study for years, but they are not medical doctors. They specialize in treating disorders that don’t show up on x-rays, like sprains. Be sure to see a doctor rule out possible medical conditions that require more specialized treatment before booking an appointment with a chiropractor. It is crucial to first ensure that your pain isn’t being caused by a more serious injury or illness.

Expectations: A chiropractor will tailor his or her treatment plan to your needs. Chiropractors offer various treatments that may involve the use of heat, light, specialized adjusting treatments (with the spinal column and joints), ultrasound, electrotherapy, muscle testing and balancing. The treatment used will depend on your age, overall health and condition. There is no general time limit for a course of treatment, and while a friend may have received only a month’s worth of treatments, you may require more or less appointments. Speak to your doctor about what to expect.

Financing: Talk to your employer or insurance company about possible coverage, and if none exists, shop around for third-party insurance that may cover all or part of the services you want or need.

Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask your practitioner if you can see his or her license or certificate. Also, ask if you should expect any pain or discomfort during or after a procedure. Injuries and complications resulting from treatment are rare, but make sure you’re aware of the risks of any treatment plan before starting it.

Author Bio – Jane Smith is a fitness freak and loves playing with her two super-cute cats. She is passionate about healthy living, oral hygiene and visits chiropractic care centre often.

4 Things To Consider When Finding Chiropractors

My dad"s heart operation taught me a few things about being a doctor

“Look at this.”

My dad handed me an information leaflet open on a page titled Sex after major heart surgery.

“It says I can’t put weight on my arms!”

“Right.” I said, not even sure what the joke was, and refusing to engage in any discussion.

Dad was due for major heart surgery. He’d recently been rushed to hospital with breathlessness, and a couple of hours later I was at his bedside adjusting to the new perspective of family member. His heart was struggling and it was serious; he needed a complicated, life-threatening operation. The operation was just before Christmas; I would be in hospital every day over the festive period, alternating between working as a junior doctor and visiting my father. As a comedian, I also had a few gigs in London lined up one evening.

Beforehand, humour kept things light. He joshed avidly with my brother that he wouldn’t be “following the light”. But below the surface we were suffering. Christmas was cancelled, no big celebration, retail and decorations stripped down to minimum. As the date grew closer we all noticed subtle changes; every hug goodbye a bit tighter, every moment as a family more appreciated.

On the morning of the operation I drove in at 6am and sat with dad until he was called to theatre. I’d never been to the hospital he was in, and although as a doctor I knew what the signs meant and where things were, I felt a stranger in the place. I walked down the corridors and passed the discharge lounge and superstitiously thought that might be a good sign. I then turned a corner and passed the bereavement lounge and, amazed at how close they were, decided not to be superstitious. I sat and chatted until he was called to theatre, then we hugged goodbye and I walked down the corridor.

I left. I got into my car and cried. I was so tired, and the weeks of holding it together had built up. As I sat with his phone and glasses in my hands, my feet crunching against empty sandwich packets from last-minute meals before hospital shifts and comedy gigs, I saw all the unread well-wishing messages flash up, including mine.

When you work in a hospital you are so consumed by the job, so busy working out what the patient needs, that it’s almost impossible to take time to consider what the family has already been through. For families it all starts much earlier: the initial concern, the anxiety, the waiting, the unknown outcome.

In the days that followed, while working I was acutely aware of this when seeing families of patients. As family, you are a team for that one patient, every waking moment is about them, everything is time critical. When working as a doctor you have to care for many people, so you do the best you can for every patient you see and prioritise. Communication is paramount. I suddenly saw myself in the families’ shoes and empathised more than I’d been able to previously.

After dad’s operation, the surgeon and nurses were cautious – there were complications, but it had gone as well as expected and he wouldn’t be waking up today. My brother and I went to see dad in intensive care, we were asked to come back in 30 minutes. We returned and were told the same, returned a third time and told again at which point we panicked and asked what was happening. Was he in trouble? It turned out they meant “at least” 30 minutes and they were just getting routine things ready. A stark reminder of how communication is so important, how timely and accurate information is essential.

Working in hospital was a strange relief; a juxtaposition of doing a job but being constantly reminded of what was happening by familiar tests, results, and medications. I was reassured by all the brilliant staff I work with – doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants and more – all of them professional and caring, consoling me that dad was surrounded by similar people.

The evening after the operation complications arose that the intensive care team were struggling to sort out. I discussed with them some of the tests and instantly realised how serious the situation was; they didn’t know how it would go. We called almost every hour for updates – no change. The only reassurance was in talking to nurses and doctors who were calm and in control. They’d contact us if he deteriorated further – so we barely slept. By morning everything had changed and dramatically improved, with the previous 12 hours seeming like a nightmare.

That morning I walked in and saw him awake, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. “Bloody hell dad, you scared the crap out of us.”

“But I told you I wouldn’t go towards the light,” he said wearily.

By Christmas day he had been moved to a ward, almost out of the woods. Yesterday he was discharged into my mum’s exhausted but delighted arms.

After dad heard how serious the situation was, he called and told me he’d asked a nurse overnight: “Did you know how serious it was for me?” The nurse smiled, put her arm round him and said: “Yes we all did. You, sir, were our Christmas miracle”.

Comedian and doctor Ed Patrick is performing his debut show Junior Optimist across the UK. For tickets and locations visit www.edpatrickcomedy.com

If you would like to contribute to our Blood, sweat and tears series which is about memorable moments in a healthcare career, please read our guidelines and get in touch by emailing sarah.johnson@theguardian.com.

Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more about issues like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views.

My dad"s heart operation taught me a few things about being a doctor

A toxic leak left Corpus Christi with no water for days. A taste of things to come? | Sarah McClung

Corpus Christi, Texas, calls itself the “sparkling city by the sea”. But lately it doesn’t feel very sparkling. The city imposed a four-day ban on consuming any tap water last Wednesday. No one could drink the water, shower, bathe, do dishes, wash laundry, hands, faces or children with it. There were fears that a corrosive asphalt emulsifier Indulin AA86 had snuck all the way from the city’s industrial district into our homes due to a “back-flow incident”. There was water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.

On 1 December, the Corpus Christi city hall received the first report of dirty water from Refinery Row. On 7 December the city hall received their second, on 12 December their third. By then the water was shimmery, sudsy – just the kind of sheen we would soon fear creeping into our commodes.

On 14 December, city hall told us not to consume tap water. If it was contaminated with Indulin AA86, then drinking it could sear our stomachs, light up our lungs and burn any bodily organ it contacted through water or air.

Where were the men and women who would put public safety before all else? Where were the leaders who would make sure that the companies in charge installed and maintained a backflow preventer that would have kept Indulin AA86 where it belonged: out of our tap water.

But this is only Corpus Christi, a forgotten scab of a city. A tiny, immaterial industrial outpost marking naught but the dwindling Texas shoreline as it slopes and surrenders on its muddy fall to Mexico. This is the small potatoes of municipal incompetence; until it isn’t. Until we look to the future of the Trump administration and see the shimmering signs of far worse to come.

Streets need their protectors, cities need them too. And countries? Most notably, a country that’s among the biggest environmental offenders, a country whose ties to big business, big oil, big money are notorious for putting profit before the public good? That kind of country doesn’t need Scott Pruitt, it doesn’t need Rex Tillerson and it certainly doesn’t need Rick Perry.

Had Corpus Christi taken as much care with its public facilities as it does with the maintenance of private residencies, my two-year-old daughter might not have known what it was to be thirsty on the morning of 15 December, 2016. But with a Trump administration around the corner, I have to check myself: four days without water is nothing compared to the damage that four years without oversight, without vigilance, without care could do to our water and to our land.

Four days of thirst. Will it foreshadow the harm that Trump’s fossil fuel friends in the cabinet will bring? We all know the line-up: Scott Pruitt, a climate change denier and advocate for fossil fuel, at the helm of the EPA; Rick Perry, a climate change denier and apostle of Texas oil and gas directing the department he famously forgot he wanted to eliminate; and Rex Tillerson, a man whose successful devotion to commercial profit as the CEO of ExxonMobil is the absolute epitome of placing private over public good.

This is the very formula for successful municipal management that helped land me and my family thirsty and hunting for water last week. This is the very mindset that may have introduced Indulin AA86 into our water supply. This the very philosophy that sent me scouring supermarket shelves for four hours in three towns while my daughter cried in her carseat.

Our water is back now; the ban has been lifted. But every time I turn on the tap I hesitate, I hope for the best. That feeling will only grow stronger the closer we get to a Trump administration.

A toxic leak left Corpus Christi with no water for days. A taste of things to come? | Sarah McClung

Horrible Things That Happen to Your Body If You Use Vegetable Oil Regularly

Horrible Things That Happen to Your Body If You Use Vegetable Oil Regularly

7 Things in Wine You Didn't Know Were There (And How They Affect Your Health)

There’s a lot more to wine than just red versus white. An expert explains what terms to look for and how each one impacts your well-being.

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Sulfites, tannins, resveratrol—if you’ve read anything about wine, you’ve probably come across at least one of these terms. But what does all the fancy verbiage mean for your health? We asked Jim Harbertson, PhD, associate professor of enology (that is, the science of wine) at Washington State University, to decode the lingo commonly found on bottle labels so you know exactly what you’re drinking, and how it affects you, beyond a nice buzz.RELATED: Is Alcohol Actually Good for You?

Sulfites

What it means: “Sulfites are normally added to wine to protect it from oxidation or unwanted microbial growth,” Habertson says. In other words, they keep wine fresh and prevent it from morphing into vinegar. Sulfites have developed a bad rap for causing allergic reactions like sneezing and headaches, but in reality, only a small portion of the population exhibits a sensitivity or allergy to them. There’s also some indication that they trigger symptoms for asthmatics, but the relationship between worsened asthma symptoms and sulfites isn’t totally clear, Harbertson says. You’ll spot “contains sulfites” on wine bottles because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that labeling when any food contains more than 10 parts per million of sulfites, but for most people, they’re nothing to worry about. Know for sure you’re allergic? Look for the words “sulfite-free” on labels.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol From Ruining Your Diet

Histamine

What it means: The nitrogen-based compound is a common allergen found in foods and can cause an inflammatory response. (It’s also, confusingly, the name for a substance our bodies release when they’re having an allergic reaction.) Histamines sometimes crop up in wines that undergo a second fermentation to smooth out their acidity and texture, Harbertson explains. Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to tell which wines undergo this process and which don’t without checking with the winemaker, though some bottles are now labeled as not undergoing malolactic fermentation, meaning they should be histamine-free, Harbertson says). The good news: “There really isn’t any definitive research that demonstrates that the histamines in wine cause human health problems,” Harbertson says.

RELATED: The Latest On Food Allergies

Tannins

What it means: You know that dry feeling you get on your tongue after sipping certain kinds of vino? That astringent sensation is caused by tannins, a type of polyphenol that get produced during the winemaking process, mostly from grapes. While these micronutrients may be disease-fighting when consumed in certain forms and foods, when imbibed in wine, “these natural compounds tend to get bound up in salivary proteins and proteins in the human digestive system, so their health benefits are somewhat limited,” Harbertson says. Tannins are most often found in big, full-bodied red wines—look for labels bearing the names Bordeaux, Shiraz, Barolo, or Barbaresco.

RELATED: How to Pour a Perfect Serving of Wine

Resveratrol

What it means: You may have seen this buzzy antioxidant, found in the skin of grapes listed on the packaging of beauty serums and creams touting its anti-aging properties. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a wine label doing the same. “Based on current studies, it’s not clear that there’s a health benefit [of drinking it] because the resveratrol concentration in wine is low,” Harbertson says. Want to try to load up on resveratrol, just in case? Know that there’s likely a higher concentration of it in red wines versus white. But that’s still no reason to drink more than the recommended one glass a day.

RELATED: Is Your Diet Good For Your Skin?

Heavy metals

What it means: Okay, this one’s not listed on any label, but you might have heard about these being linked to wine anyway. Heavy metals are metals and metal compounds that can adversely affect our health when consumed in the right (or wrong, as the case may be) doses. A study published in the Chemistry Central Journal indicated that some wines have showed concerning levels of heavy metals such as copper and manganese. However, according to Harbertson, “the FDA has been monitoring heavy metals in wine and has indicated that concentrations are lower than would require regulation.” Cheers to that!

RELATED: How to Detox Your Body

Organic and biodynamic

What they mean: Organic winemakers refrain from using pesticides and other chemicals in their growing and production methods, and they don’t add sulfites as preservatives. Biodynamic vintners start with these same organic practices, but they also consider the whole ecosystem of the vineyard in growing their grapes, including more obscure factors such as lunar cycles. While Harbertson says he’s all for producing wine that’s environmentally sustainable, he also notes, “there’s not enough information at this point on the human health impacts of biodynamic and organic grapes and wine” to say that the practice is actually good for us.

RELATED: 11 Things It’s Best to Buy Organic

Low-alcohol

What it means: This hot phrase has been all over wine labels lately. The benefits of low-alcohol wine include getting less drunk with each glass, lower cost per bottle, and a lighter taste. It’s lighter on calories, too: Though the relationship between booze and calorie intake is complex—“alcohol is not converted to energy like other things you consume and, therefore, doesn’t get stored as other calories will,” says Harbertson—alcohol is the primary source of calories in wine, so low-alcohol wine will have fewer of them than bottles with a higher content.

RELATED: 5 Tips to Restart Your Weight Loss

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7 Things in Wine You Didn"t Know Were There (And How They Affect Your Health)

5 Things You Don't Know About Allergies

The so-called pollen vortex is currently making people miserable, and it’s due to trees lying dormant for longer than usual then spewing their pollen at the same time as grass pollen and mold is gearing up. Find out how to get relief.

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Just when we’re finally past the polar vortex, we’re (itchy) eye-to-eye with the pollen vortex, a perfect storm of allergens caused by trees lying dormant for longer than usual, then spewing their pollen at the same time as grass pollen explodes. Looking for relief? These are the 5 most useful things we learned at a talk with David Mazza, MD, a New York-based allergist and immunologist.Steroid nasal sprays trump antihistamines.
Steroid sprays such as Flonase and Nasacort reduce inflammation, making it harder for allergens to reach the receptors in your nasal tissue that trigger reactions. Use a spray daily (Nasacort is now available over-the-counter; Flonase is Rx-only), and save the antihistamine for days when you’re really miserable. (Take note: Decongestant sprays, like Afrin, should not be used daily, Dr. Mazza says, because they can cause rebound congestion.) You can check pollen counts in your area and sign up for email alerts so you know when to double-down on meds.Cat dander floats.
That’s why even when Fluffy is locked in an upstairs bedroom, you can walk in the front door and immediately start sneezing/wheezing/tearing up.Allergy seasons are getting worse.
It’s not your imagination: you can blame climate change. Milder fall temps lead to a longer ragweed season. In spring, pollen and grass seasons overlap more, a double whammy if you’re sensitive to both substances.Your symptoms may change over time.
Our bodies’ reaction to seasonal offenders can seem totally bonkers. “I had a patient come to me with head-to-toe hives,” Dr. Mazza says, and she didn’t realize it was related to her pollen allergies, because she’d never had skin symptoms before.PMS can exacerbate allergies.
Higher levels of hormones like estrogen are to blame, which is why many of us ladies feel more miserable in the week or so leading up to our periods—and while pregnant. “During pregnancy, one third of women have their allergies worsen,” says Dr. Massa. The bright spot? Allergies often ease up with menopause.Lisa Lombardi is the Executive Editor of Health magazine.MORE:
11 Unexpected Spring Allergy Triggers
15 Hypoallergenic Dogs and Cats
20 Ways to Stop Allergies

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5 Things You Don"t Know About Allergies

Five things that everyone should know about sex | Alice Hoyle

What was your sex education like? Did you get any at all past the age of 16? Given that only a quarter to a third of young people have sex before they are 16, but most will have had sex at least once by the age of 19, it seems remiss not to provide high-quality sex education for the 16-25 age range (especially since that is the age group most at risk of contracting STIs such as chlamydia).

Unfortunately, sex education hasn’t moved on much from puberty, plumbing and prevention, and is often reported as being too little, too late and too biological. In the new internet world order where porn and internet hook-ups prevail, and the use of dating apps by perpetrators of sexual violence was reported last week to have increased sharply, it is time we provided sex and relationships education fit for the 21st century, to help us to enjoy our bodies safely.

You might even want to think about introducing safe words into your sexual interactions

So if you missed out on quality sex education, or could do with a top-up, here are five things relating to sex and relationships you might want to think about:

1. Sexuality – We live in a heteronormative world, where gender binary and heterosexual norms prevail. Fixed ideas about sexual identity and sexuality can be limiting. We all need to understand sex as something more than a penis in a vagina and recognise that sex with all sorts of different body parts (or objects) in all sorts of wonderful configurations can be had. That’s not to say you have to experience kinds of sex outside your own comfort levels and boundaries. Be aware of how media, cultural background, gender and power dynamics influence sexuality. Monogamous heterosexuality does not have to be your path.

2) Consent – what it looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like. Enthusiastic consent should be a baseline expectation, not an aspiration. Without enthusiastic consent then sex is no fun (and quite feasibly rape). If consent is in any doubt at all, you need to stop and check in with your partner. You might even want to think about introducing safe words into your sexual interactions and ensuring you and your partner are confident using them.

‘Taking time to challenge and explore ideas around pleasure will help with your sex education.’ Photograph: Image Broker/Rex Features

3) Pleasure – sex can be one of the most awesomely fun things you do with your body. All sorts of things can affect your ability to give and receive pleasure, including your upbringing, self-confidence, physical and mental health, and communication skills. If sex isn’t pleasurable and fun for you, what needs to change? It is worth noting that male pleasure is generally prioritised over female pleasure. Consider, for example, when you would consider a penis-in-vagina sexual interaction to be finished – at male orgasm or female orgasm?

Taking time to challenge and explore ideas around pleasure as well as deepening your understanding of your own body (in other words, masturbation) will help with your sex education. Always remember, you don’t have to have sex if you don’t want to.

4) Health and wellbeing – Love your body and know what is normal for you. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. There are all sorts of pressures on us to make our bodies look a certain way, but take some time to appreciate the non-photoshopped, non-pornified variation in our bodies. Your shape and size (of penis, or breasts) do not matter – sex can be the best jigsaw puzzle, and genuine confidence in your body can help you figure out how to use it as an instrument for pleasure.

Knowing what is normal for you is also really important. There are women who continually get treated for thrush bacterial vaginosis and cystitis because they do not understand vaginal flora and the natural discharge variation in their monthly cycle. Nobody told them that having a wee shortly after sex is a good idea.

5) Safety – We are often taught to override our gut feelings. This sometimes stems from childhood, when adults have ignored our bodily autonomy. However it is vital we remember to tune into our gut instincts, especially given the rise in internet dating and internet dating-related crime. Being aware of your own personal safety and sexual boundaries when internet dating is essential.

Remember that no matter how you have been socialised, you do not need to be polite to someone who is making you feel uncomfortable. No is a complete sentence. If someone does not respect your right to bodily autonomy and violates your consent, it is never your fault; the blame lies entirely with them. Always trust your “spidey” sense – if it is tingling, it is trying to tell you something isn’t right, be that a relationship with unhealthy elements, or plans to meet up for a blind date. If a situation doesn’t feel right, think about what needs to change.

Five things that everyone should know about sex | Alice Hoyle

4 Things You Can Do Today To Prevent and Fight Cancer

4 Things You Can Do Today To Prevent and Fight Cancer

Nostalgia for things that never happened

After recent events, some will already be nostalgic for a pre-Trump world. Yet nostalgia is a feeling of familiarity which doesn’t always connect to actual memories. Indeed those who wanted Trump to make America great again were harking back to a version of the country that never really existed. Research has found that the brain systems which control recognition and familiarity are quite different from each other. The two usually work together but can be activated separately, meaning it’s possible to feel a strong sense of acquaintanceship with a place or thing, when in fact you have never been here or used it before.

This is why you can completely forget where and when you were introduced to someone, but just know that you’ve seen them before. Familiarity is instant, whereas memory recall can be a slow process – with lots of effort, it’s sometimes possible to remember the room where you met them, or the time of year it was. These details can then help unearth the full memory, something we should rely upon more than fleeting familiarity, especially in the post-factual world we live in.

Dr Daniel Glaser is director of Science Gallery at King’s College London

Nostalgia for things that never happened

Internet of things set to change the face of dementia care

Smart bottles that dispense the correct dose of medication at the correct time, digital assistants, and chairs that know how long you’ve sat in them are among the devices set to change the face of care for those living with dementia.

Dementia is now the leading cause of death in England and Wales, and is thought to affect more than 850,000 people in the UK. But a new wave of connected devices, dubbed “the internet of things”, could offer new ways to help people live independently for longer.

“We have got an elderly population, and children in their 40s and 50s are looking after their elderly parents – and they may not have the capabilities to coordinate that care effectively,” said Idris Jahn, head of health and data at IoTUK, a programme within the government-backed Digital Catapult.

While phone calls and text messages help to keep people in touch, says Jahn, problems can still arise, from missed appointments to difficulties in taking medication correctly. But he adds, connected sensors and devices that collect and process data in real time could help solve the problem.

“For [people living with dementia] the sensors would be more in the environment itself, so embedded into the plug sockets, into the lights – so it is effectively invisible. You carry on living your life but in the background things will monitor you and provide feedback to people who need to know,” he said. “That might be your carer, it might be your family, it might be your clinician.” The approach, he added, has the potential to change the way care is given. “It is having that cohesive mechanism to put everyone into the loop, which I think hasn’t existed in the past and it is something that people need.”

Among the projects IoTUK is involved with is a £5.2m venture, funded by NHS England and run by the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust.

One of two NHS test sites embracing the internet of things, the trust has created two living labs at the University of Surrey to explore a variety of connected devices aimed at helping those living with dementia. Eventually such systems could be offered by the NHS to those diagnosed with the condition.

“The vision is to provide and early intervention and prevention approach – we don’t have a cure for dementia, so it is really about being able to keep people as well as possible,” said Helen Rostill, director of innovation and development at the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust.

Within the next two weeks, says Rostill, the devices will be trialled in the homes of six to 10 volunteers, allowing the team to iron out any issues ahead of a six month randomised control trial, involving 700 pairs of people with dementia and their carers, that will begin in January. “I think this really is personalised medicine,” said Rostill. “This really is about understanding individuals’ patterns of behaviour and deviations from those patterns.”

Amongst the technological developments are scales that monitor an individual’s hydration levels, smart wallets that track how many pills have been removed from a blister pack, bottles that dispense the correct dose of medication at the correct time and can send reminders to smartphones, avatars to guide people through care routines and even sensors that can be attached to chairs to monitor how long someone has been sitting. The data collected will then be processed using machine-learning algorithms, and the resulting information shared with the monitoring team and carers, allowing phone calls, visits or other arrangements to be made.

While individual sensors are currently on the market, says Rostill, creating a system based on a suite of connected devices could prove a boon. “What we are doing here is combining the data from different types of devices which I think will provide a unique window of insight into these very complex conditions that are multi-dimensional,” she said.

Also involved in the trial is a monitoring system called Howz, from health tech company Intelesant. Set to launch for consumers before Christmas for around £200, the system incorporates egg-shaped sensors that monitor activity in different rooms, as well as devices to track electricity consumption, revealing insights such as whether the kettle has been turned on, or if the fridge is open. The data is then sent to a mobile app, providing carers or relatives with real-time information.

It isn’t only smart devices that are under development. Dementia Citizens, a project backed by Nesta, aims to improve support for those living with dementia through a variety of apps. Set to launch next year, but currently undergoing pilot testing, are Playlist for Life, an app that explores the impact of music on those living with dementia and Book of You, a digital memory book of images, sounds and comments.

Ben Fehnert, co-founder of Ctrl Group, a company that worked with Nesta, the Department of Health and the charities Book of You and Playlist for Life to develop the apps, said that innovations like the digital book could improve dementia care.

“When people are visiting someone who is living with dementia sometimes they don’t know quite how to engage with them or what to do,” he said. “It is a method of engaging with them which helps reminiscence and it helps the quality of life for the individual and it helps with the quality of the relationship with the carer.”

Internet of things set to change the face of dementia care

15 Selfless and Worthy Things to Do This Holiday Season

This holiday season is an opportune time for giving.  Even though there are many organizations committed to helping people in need, we can still lend a helping hand to individuals and families who are less fortunate.

For people with limited time and money to spare, it’s not necessary to volunteer countless hours — or donate large amounts of money to a charity. Even taking  small actions — like visiting a lonely senior citizen on Christmas Day, or cooking a meal for a family in need — can go a long way.

15 Selfless Things to Do This Holiday Season:

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1.)  Offer free help:  Helping an elderly person cross the street, or carrying a stranger’s grocery bags to their car, are kind deeds that don’t cost a dime. These uncomplicated acts of kindness go a long way — and are likely, greatly appreciated.

2.)  Adopt a family:  Participate in an adopt-a-family program this holiday season.  Give a family in need a Christmas they will never forget.  For every family you adopt, you can give them food certificates, toys for the children — as well as hygiene products and clothing for older children and adults.

3.)  Volunteer:  One of the most unselfish things you can do this holiday season — and the rest of the year — is the act of volunteering.  No matter what we choose to volunteer our time and efforts toward, volunteering is a selfless act.  It improves the community and may bring joy and happiness to people involved.

4.)  Cook a meal for others:  Consider treating a family to a home-cooked meal this holiday season.  This kind and noble action may mean a great deal to a family.

5.)  Give away something important to you:  A real test of selflessness is to give away things that are important to us.  We can even sell our items and donate the money to a charity or family in need.

6.)  Visit a nursing home:  Nursing homes can be sad and lonely places during the holidays.  Sadly, some elderly residents never have visitors and often spend the holidays alone. You can make these senior citizens feel loved by visiting them during the holidays.  Sending gifts or cards to them are also acts of kindness and generosity.

7.)  Participate in a food drive:  During the holiday season, food drives help to feed families in most communities. Whether you donate produce, gift certificates, or canned goods, food drives are effective at feeding hungry people. Food drives are always in need of donations, as well as volunteers to help in organizing the event and delivering food to families.

8.)  Donate:  Donating is another unselfish act that you can participate in this holiday season. Donating makes a big difference and is easy to do. You can donate money to the charity of your choice, donate clothes to a homeless shelter, or donate toys and food to needy families this holiday season.

9.)  Get involved in fundraising: Fundraising is another kind and noble way to help others this holiday season.  Fundraising is instrumental in raising needed funds for organizations.  It also helps in raising awareness for a cause that matters to you.

10.)  Take time to listen:  Consider taking time out to listen to a family member, friend, coworker — or even a total stranger.  Don’t interject with advice or share your opinion unless they ask for it.  Simply listen.

11.)  Serve food to the homeless:  Serving food to the homeless is a kind and caring thing to do.

12.)  Cover someone’s holiday shift:  Working during the holidays keeps people from spending quality time with their loved ones. Consider covering the shift of a coworker who needs to see his or her family this holiday season.  Your coworker will remember your sacrifice on his or her behalf.

13.)  Adopt a pet: Give a cat or dog a home this holiday season.  Adopt the pet from an animal shelter or rescue service. You’ll get satisfaction from having a new found friend and companion.  And your pet will have a second chance at life.

14.)  Pay it forward: Make someone’s day.  Pay for someone’s order in a drive-thru line or at a restaurant.  Even though they may not get a chance to thank you, you can be certain your thoughtful and kind gesture brings them some needed satisfaction and delight.

15.)  Write letters of appreciation: This holiday season, take the time to write letters of appreciation to people you really appreciate — family, friends, coworkers, and postal service workers — anyone who makes a difference in your day.

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15 Selfless and Worthy Things to Do This Holiday Season

How to survive and resist in the Trump era: practical things you can do now

The shock may have started to subside, but the despair is just beginning. For non-Americans, the aftermath of the US election feels like being in mourning, but perhaps in that detached way we feel when a beloved musician or actor dies (and goodness knows we’ve had enough of that this wretched year) – it was not our election; Donald Trump is not our president. And yet it does affect us, not just in whatever economic impact is to come, or because the president-elect couldn’t care less about climate change. The seeding of fear and hate, the misogyny that has been condoned, the attacks on our most vulnerable: this affects us all. It is time, therefore, to get to work – even from over here. You could retreat to a bunker, but fighting back will probably make you feel better, as long-time activists confirm.

“I’ve learned that when society and politics disappoints, I can’t spend too long grieving about the dying of the light,” argues the 93-year-old social justice activist Harry Leslie Smith. “The only way I feel injustice can be defeated is by staring evil or indifference in the face and shouting: ‘You won’t have me, I’ll come back tomorrow and have another go at you.’ Nobody can live as long as I have and not have faced much disappointment and loss. So when I encounter things like the madness of Brexit or the election of Donald Trump, I mourn for a short while and get back on my bike and figure out how I can lay seeds in the imagination of people for them to harvest a better world.” In many ways, he says, “activism allows me to give purpose to the suffering I endured along with my parents and my siblings. Fighting for social justice allows me to connect with younger people, people who are vulnerable, and people who are hurting, and that allows me, at 93, to feel I am still part of the human race.”

Volunteering and activism can bring personal benefits. There are four areas the Institute for Volunteering Research looks at, says its research manager Jurgen Grotz: human, economic, social and cultural capital. “In human capital, the ones we describe are personal development, such as growth in confidence and self-esteem. Young people [might experience] leadership roles. It can also result in transferable skills – public speaking, how to work in a team. If we look at social capital, especially if people become more engaged and active, we look for new networks and friendships, which sometimes leads to greater involvement in the local community.”

‘As long as there is breath in my body, I will always stand for social justice, because one day we will get it right’ … campaigner Harry Smith, 93. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

Under the cultural capital category, “we’d be looking for a better understanding of identity, and an increased expression of values, a greater appreciation of other cultures and interests. With economic capital, depending on the activity, it can be linked to better employability.”

Older volunteers are more likely to see health effects. “Some studies have suggested that especially older people who volunteer live longer than those who don’t, but the question is do they do so because of things like getting out of the house and having more physical activity? But certainly wellbeing – the sort of outcomes like self-esteem – are reasonably well-documented.”

“Being part of a movement for social change is an idealistic, altruistic act,” says activist Peter Tatchell, who has been campaigning for 50 years. “You do get an emotional uplift to participate in a campaign that changes your life, and the lives of others, for the better. But it can be very frustrating and dispiriting when change takes a long time to happen. You need to be psychologically ready for the long haul.”

Protests against Donald Trump continue across US – video

There will be aggressive opponents, and pedantic critics. “That can get very demoralising unless you steel yourself to be ready for those brickbats,” Tatchell says. What’s kept me going for the last 50 years has been a vision of what society could be, and a series of successes along the way. I’ve always taken the long view. When you’re up against great historical inequalities, they’re very unlikely to be remedied overnight. We need to be prepared to think in terms of months, years and in extreme cases, decades. Working together with others in a campaign is mutually reassuring and empowering – knowing you’re not alone will give you the strength to carry on despite delays and setbacks.”

What has kept Smith going is firm belief. “I am six-and-a-half years short of 100 years old, so I don’t know how long I’ve got, but as long as there is breath in my body and memory in my head, I will always stand for social justice, because one day we will get it right. And even I am not there to see, it will still be worth it.”

So what can we do? You may not be able to join or donate to the Democrats, but there are other practical steps you can take. Some are extreme – you could consider boycotting the US. Some are not so extreme – you could certainly boycott Trump’s businesses, such as his golf courses in Scotland and Ireland, without experiencing any sacrifice.

You could turn your attention to the US supreme court and send vitamin supplements and encouraging words to insist the ageing liberal judges Ruth Bader Ginsburg (83) and Stephen Breyer (78), and the moderate Republican Anthony Kennedy (80), carry on. There is already one open slot, and allowing Trump the opportunity to appoint (rightwing) replacements could have terrifying consequences. Here are some marginally better ideas:

Donate to Planned Parenthood

Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Grabbing ’em by the pussy is only the start of Trump’s assault on women’s bodies. Repealing the Affordable Healthcare Act, which Trump wants to do, will end free contraception. He has said women who have abortions should receive “some form of punishment”, and is against late-term abortions (which are usually performed when the woman’s life is in danger). He has said he will appoint anti-abortion judges to the supreme court. Mike Pence, who will be vice-president, is fiercely anti-abortion, and has said he would like the Roe v Wade ruling, which legalised abortion, to be “sent to the ash heap of history”.

Congressional Republicans have repeatedly tried to strip Planned Parenthood, the family-planning and education organisation, which also provides terminations, of $ 500m of federal funds – which accounts for nearly half its revenue. With a Trump government, they are seriously under threat. If you can afford it, donate to PP, to the National Abortion Federation, or to any number of local organisations that help women access abortion services – the National Network of Abortion Funds has a list online.

Join the American Civil Liberties Union

The ACLU describes Trump as “a one-man constitutional crisis”. It was founded in 1920 to defend rights supposedly guaranteed in the US constitution. Trump’s proposals, says the group, violate several amendments, and if he attempts to see them through, it promises to unleash the “full firepower of the ACLU at every step”. Non-US residents can become members and donate.

Support campaign groups

There are a huge number of organisations stepping up their work to protest Trump’s presidency and protect vulnerable people. The websites Jezebel and The Cut have good lists, but you could consider donating to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, progressive Jewish group Bend the Arc and The Trevor Project, which supports young LGBTQ people. Of course, there’s a limit to what people outside the US can do for these organisations. You can’t go on protests or host events, but you can join in virtually – share their information, news and events. Again, if it’s possible, what really helps is cash.

Join a protest

Photograph: Andy K/Pacific/Barcroft

Protests have been held in cities in the US, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Baltimore and New York, but also outside the US. There will be a rally in Berlin on Saturday , and on Wednesday, a protest was held outside the US embassy in London by the organisation Stand Up to Racism. There will be more. Look out for events, especially to mark Trump’s first state visit to the UK, whenever that is. Or create your own.

Pay for news

In February, Trump, singling out the New York Times and Washington Post, said that if he won he would declare war on the press: “We’re going to open up libel laws, and we’re going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before.” As with other Trump threats, he will come to realise that a president can’t do everything he wants (it would be a supreme court decision – another reason to be worried about ageing justices). Still, if you believe a robust press is going to be vital in the years ahead, it has to be paid for. Otherwise, one day, all we’ll end up with is the Trump Times, the Peter Thiel Gazette and fake “news” reports on Facebook.

Fight climate change

Trump does not believe humans are responsible for climate change and has promised to “cancel” the Paris agreement on climate change and Obama’s Clean Power Plan. He has also said he will withdraw all funding from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The US is the second-biggest emissions producer after China, and if it withdraws from the landmark agreement to reduce emissions, it could derail the whole thing. Why should the 192 other countries stick to their promises if the US doesn’t? Well, not to be dramatic, but because the future of life on Earth is at stake. It might seem futile to forgo that car journey or do a bit more recycling when it is predicted that a two-term Trump presidency would actually increase US carbon emissions by 16%, but we all need to do our bit – and more.

Start at home

If Brexit wasn’t enough of a wake-up call that the left is in serious trouble, maybe the US election will be. Now is the time to get involved in politics – join a political party, participate in meetings, recruit supporters. Insist progressive parties work together and do something to connect with people who believe them to be the preserve of out-of-touch, liberal elites. Donate to and volunteer with organisations such as Refugee Action, Calais Action, and Women for Refugee Women. Become a foster carer for unaccompanied minors. Stand up to rape culture. Support groups such as Hope Not Hate. True, not everyone who voted for Brexit or Trump is a rabid misogynist racist, but these wins allow rabid misogynist racists to believe people are behind them. It doesn’t have to be like that.

How to survive and resist in the Trump era: practical things you can do now

Great Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Beets

They are packed with lots of healthy nutrients and has been widely used  to treat various ailments since long time. They’re rich in iron and the content is only less than garlic of all plant foods; they’re also good sources of iodine, that is the second to kale.

Yes, they’re beets. You know they’re healthy, while there are many facts you may not know about this dark red food.

Health Benefits and Risks of Eating Beets

Health Benefits-

• Beets are high in fiber, which helps combat constipation and promote a better digestion.


• The greens of beets contain rich lutein, which helps boost eye health by preventing your eyes from age-related macular degeneration.


• Folate and betaine in beets help lower the blood levels of homocysteine, thus lowering the risk of heart disease. What’s more, betaine also helps your mental health, this compound is common used in some treatments of depression.


• Thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties and rich in antioxidants, beets fight some types of cancer. Besides, they contain betacyanins, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells effectively.


• Beets help improve the circulation as they’re rich in nitrates, which will convert to nitric oxide in the body, a compound that has ability to relax and dilate blood vessels, this will lower the blood pressure in a manner.


• The process of nitric oxide relaxing and dilating your blood vessels will also increase blood flow to your brain, means it will boost your brain function as well.


• As a high-antioxidant vegetable, beets are loaded with the essential nutrients that are necessary for cleaning and detoxifying your organs, such as betaine, pectin and betalains, all of which can remove toxins out of your body.


• Betalains in beets also fight against the inflammation-related chronic diseases, including heart disease and even cancer.


• Beets are low in calories, add them in your salads or smoothies if you want to lose more pounds.

Health Risk-

There are some side effects of eating too much beets, as they contain a high amount of oxalates, which may contribute to the development of kidney stones.

Also because of the high amount of oxalates, eat beets too much may result in gout.

The nutritional value of beets is kept well both raw and cooked, here are some good ways to include them into your daily diet:

• Beet salad


• Beet smoothie


• Beet quinoa


• Beet soup

Find the recipes at here.

Sources: healthiestalternative.com,  seekingfit.com

Related Reading:

What To Do to Effectively Detox Each Organ

How to Eliminate Toxins and Shed Fat With Green Detox Drinks

Great Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Beets

Amazing Things That Will Happen When You Drink Carrot Juice Every Morning

Amazing Things That Will Happen When You Drink Carrot Juice Every Morning