Social media and bullying: how to keep young people safe online

For all the benefits to mental health a digital world can bring, such as a sense of belonging and information and support for those with problems, there are also myriad dangers associated with online activity. In the very worst cases, people have live-streamed their suicide and had people cheer them on in the comments section.

Meanwhile, cyberbullying and trolling, along with communities and groups on social media that foster, glamorise or even encourage self-harm are pervasive. Stephen Buckley, head of information at the charity Mind, acknowledges these risks: “It is vital to recognise the huge danger created by any site or social media trend that promotes self-harm, suicide or eating disorders. They can be hugely damaging and possibly dangerous to someone in a crisis.”

This has come to the forefront over the past decade as more and more children use smartphones and tablets. A Young Minds report, Resilience For the Digital World, says half of Europe’s nine- to 16-year-olds now own a smartphone; the vast majority go online at least once a week, and most daily.

Buckley says that people are now used to following their friends on social media and sharing news of a new job, relationship, or a holiday presented in the best possible light. But this can have an impact on individual self-esteem. “While low self-esteem is not a mental health problem in itself, the two are closely linked. If lots of things are affecting your self-esteem for a long time, this may lead to depression or anxiety,” says Buckley.

Pressure on young people may also come from situations where they are being bullied in daily life that then cross over into their digital lives, says Marc Bush, chief policy adviser at Young Minds. “For instance, victimisation in the school playground is replicated on their Facebook pages or their WhatsApp or Snapchat groups, so they relive the distress they’re experiencing in real life on the digital platform.”

So, what’s to be done? Bush says industry has an important role to play. Today, if you search certain hashtags on Instagram, for example, a helpline pops up. He also cites the report from the House of Lords communication committee, Growing Up With the Internet, which calls for a national digital champion who can look at the rights of young people online, educate parents and teachers on how to look out for warning signs, and support young people to understand the consequences of bullying someone online.

The greater part of the solution, though, lies with young people themselves. “Ultimately,” says Bush, “young people are active in the creation, consumption and distribution of these images or forms of behaviour, so they have to be part of the solution.”

Tamanna Miah: ‘I developed severe anxiety after being bullied online.’

Tamanna Miah is now a prominent anti-bullying activist

Tamanna Miah, 23, is a campaigner and public speaker from Kent. She describes how she coped with being bullied on social media and what it has been like to grow up in a digital world.

“I grew up in Sevenoaks, Kent, which is a very conservative, middle-class area. I suffered from severe bullying and racism from primary school to my all-girls secondary school until university. When I went home, the abuse continued online. It happened on my social media networks – Facebook, Bebo and MSN. People would comment on photos, status updates, anything that I was doing. Sometimes it was racist or Islamophobic, or attacking my appearance or the way I acted – anything. People would find a fault and take advantage of the situation.

I was a very shy, quiet child, I couldn’t stand up for myself, or look people in the eye. I would be bullied at school, come home and log on to the laptop and it would continue. You wake up in the morning to check again and it’s never-ending torment and hate. I couldn’t escape. I hated school and my time in education. I was never happy.

I developed severe anxiety and depression as a result. I tried to get support from my school and was unsuccessful. I visited my GP and they dismissed me and didn’t take me seriously. They said nothing was wrong and told me to do some exercise. It wasn’t until university that I was diagnosed.

Now I try and be careful when using social media, but I also use it for networking and meeting people. I’ve been through bullying online and offline, but I’ve also had a wealth of opportunities through social media.

I make sure that my personal activity, photos and comments are restricted, to avoid anyone attacking me publicly or harassing me. I don’t want to experience more abuse so I’d rather keep personal things private. I’d say to others in similar situations to always be careful about what you post and where.

Your online life is always going to be present. Google yourself to see what’s out there so you can check your settings and change them if needed. If someone is bullying you, always tell a responsible person as soon as possible. Make sure you have evidence of everything. Take screenshots or make audio recordings.

Whatever happens, don’t give up – just keep going. We absolutely need to speak about these issues, because if we don’t, who will?”

Social media and bullying: how to keep young people safe online

NHS mental health trust to be prosecuted amid claims it failed to offer safe care

A mental health trust is to be the first NHS provider to be prosecuted under legislation brought in after the Mid Staffs scandal.

Southern Health NHS foundation trust is being taken to court after a patient sustained serious injuries during a fall from a low roof at Melbury Lodge, Royal Hampshire county hospital, Winchester, in December 2015.

It is accused of failing to provide safe care and treatment resulting in avoidable harm to a patient and other patients being exposed to a significant risk of avoidable harm, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said on Monday.

Legislation allowing the CQC to prosecute for such alleged offences was introduced in 2014 as a response to events at Mid Staffs, which was was criticised by a public inquiry for the “routine” neglect of patients between 2005 and 2009.

Southern Health provides services to 45,000 people across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Melbury Lodge includes a specialist mother and baby unit for women suffering with mental illness, as well as a ward for older people with mental health problems.

In its most recent report, in September last year, the CQC noted that anti-climb guttering had been installed to prevent patients getting on to the roof and that the fence had been fixed to reduce potential footholds after concerns were previously raised about its accessibility.

Basingstoke magistrates court will hear the case relating to Melbury Lodge this year.

Julie Dawes, interim chief executive of Southern Health said: “I express again our apologies to the patient involved, and the patient’s family. The safety of people using our services is of central importance to us and we are doing everything we can to improve the safety and quality of our services at present.

“Since the incident the trust has made significant improvements to Melbury Lodge, investing over £1m. This includes climb-proof guttering to prevent a similar incident taking place, as well as comprehensive refurbishment of the interior to make the ward safer and more therapeutic for patients.”

NHS mental health trust to be prosecuted amid claims it failed to offer safe care

Dutch minister calls on UK to join safe abortion fund after Trump ban

The Dutch government has voiced hope that the UK will join 20 countries to set up a safe abortion fund to fill the gap left by Donald Trump’s “global gag rule”.

Lilianne Ploumen, the Dutch international development minister, is leading an international campaign to raise $ 600m (£480m) to compensate for the Trump administration’s ban on funding for NGOs that provide abortion or information on the procedure to women in developing countries.

Belgium, Denmark and Norway have joined the Netherlands in pledging $ 10m each, while at least 15 other countries are preparing to join the scheme, including Canada, Cape Verde, Estonia, Finland and Luxembourg.

The British government has yet to declare whether it will sign up to the initiative, prompting concerns from British Labour MPs that Trump’s ban could undermine the Department for International Development’s work in promoting the health and education of poor women around the world.

Ploumen said she had contacted the international development secretary, Priti Patel, and her DfID predecessor, Justine Greening, who serves as minister for women and equalities.

The British government and the Netherlands were working closely on international family planning topics, Ploumen said, voicing hope that the UK would join the latest initiative. “It is up to them to voice their support. They are a strong partner in all of this so I do hope they will be able to join.”

“The UK has been a great champion of international cooperation and not only when there were Labour leaders in charge,” she said, praising David Cameron and Theresa May.

The Dutch government wants donors to step in to support family planning programmes.

Campaigners fear the ban will choke off funding for maternal health services and work to combat Aids, malaria and the Zika virus.

Already, 3m unsafe abortions for 15- to 19-year-old girls are carried out each year, the World Health Organisation estimates, leading to lasting health problems and, in some cases, the mother’s death.

The Dutch minister voiced optimism that a coalition of international donors – governments, foundations, companies and individuals – could raise the money, despite tepid responses to international fundraising drives for humanitarian emergencies in Syria and Yemen.

The $ 600m goal was a “very ambitious target” that “signalled the US has been a great partner in the last years”. But she acknowledged that countries were struggling to “make ends meet and it is really unfortunate that the US has now given us another challenge”.

The Dutch government has also approached US foundations. A few individuals have handed over money in envelopes to the Dutch embassies in Washington and London, prompting the creation of the fundraising page at SheDecides.com

NGOs have praised the Dutch government and other countries, but fear the plan may not go far enough..

We are counting on the UK government to continue supporting the family planning cause

Irene Donadio, IPPF

“We are witnessing a new version of the global gag rule,” said Irene Donadio, an expert at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). “It has been enormously expanded and that will affect expenditure on all global health programmes. We know that at a minimum it could be $ 600m a year, but it could be much more.

“We admire and support those governments who want to stand up for women and their dignity, but we are not sure this will fill the gap or how quickly it will fill the gap.”

The IPPF had “always admired the UK’s commitment to family planning”, but “could not help noticing that the UK has not been very vocal [on the global gag],” Donadio added. “We are counting on the UK government to continue supporting the family planning cause.”

A DfID spokeswoman did not address a question about whether the UK would contribute to the international fund, saying: “The UK is a global leader on family planning, sexual and reproductive health and rights. We are continuing to work closely with partners, including governments and civil society, to deliver this, and are stepping up our leadership even further by hosting a major international summit this summer to secure commitments that increase access to family planning services for women and girls in the world’s poorest and most fragile countries.”

Aid experts have voiced concern that Brexit will damage Britain’s international development role, by eroding budgets and prompting an isolationist turn.

But Ploumen voiced optimism that the UK would not shrink from its promises. “Listening to your prime minister, she has voiced the importance of Britain in the world on several occasions, and international solidarity is part and parcel, I would assume, of that relationship with the rest of the world.

“If you are a trading nation, if you are an open economy like the UK and the Netherlands, there is a deep interest in a stable world.”

Dutch minister calls on UK to join safe abortion fund after Trump ban

Is Your Dog’s Collar Actually Safe?

Is Your Dog’s Collar Actually Safe?

Ebola vaccine is safe and effective, scientists declare after trials

A vaccine for Ebola which has completed successful trials in Guinea and Sierra Leone means the virus should never again be able to wreak the havoc it did during the recent epidemic in west Africa, say scientists.

More than 11,000 people died in the outbreak, which began unnoticed in December 2013 and spread across the region, infecting at least 28,600 people and triggering a global response, including a race to get an effective vaccine tested and into use.

Final results for the vaccine that was rushed into trials in Guinea and later Sierra Leone show that it was highly effective against one of the most lethal known pathogens in existence. Ten days after vaccination, none of the trial subjects developed Ebola virus disease. The very few who did, in the days immediately following vaccination, are thought to have been infected already.

“While these compelling results come too late for those who lost their lives during west Africa’s Ebola epidemic, they show that when the next Ebola outbreak hits, we will not be defenceless,” said Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, the World Health Organisation’s assistant director general for health systems and innovation, and the study’s lead author.

Dr Marie-Paule Kieny of the WHO announces the results at the United Nations in Geneva on 22 December. Photograph: Martial Trezzini/EPA

Merck, Sharp & Dohme, the company manufacturing the vaccine, has received permission to go through fast-track procedures for a licence from the US and European regulatory authorities. It has committed to making 300,000 doses that will be ready for any emergency even before formal approval, with $ 5m (£4m) in funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

The trial began in the coastal region of Basse-Guinée, which still had cases in 2015, even though the numbers were abating across the region. Writing in the Lancet medical journal, the scientists say it was not easy.

“A devastating outbreak of Ebola virus disease is clearly not the ideal situation for doing a vaccine trial. The healthcare system in Guinea was strained, potential trial participants were worried about a candidate vaccine made by foreign people, and the Ebola virus disease response teams were facing security issues,” they write.

They collaborated closely with the government and local authorities in Guinea and chose a “ring vaccination” design for the trial, which was unusual but had been successful in helping stamp out smallpox decades ago.

When a new case of Ebola was diagnosed, the teams offered vaccination to everybody who had been in contact with that person in the previous three weeks, from family to friends and neighbours. They also offered vaccination to the closest contacts of those contacts. This cluster – or ring – amounted to around 80 people on average. Altogether, 117 such rings or clusters were identified. At first, adults were randomly assigned to get the vaccine immediately or three weeks later, but when it became clear that the vaccine was protecting most people, everybody was offered immediate vaccination, including children.

A baby receives a vaccine in Freetown, Sierra Leone, November 2014. Photograph: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images

Among the 5,837 people who received the vaccine, still known only as rVSV-ZEBOV, no Ebola cases were recorded 10 days or more after vaccination. Among those who were not vaccinated, there were 23 cases. There were very few serious side-effects – one case of fever and one of anaphylaxis (allergic reaction) thought to be related to the vaccine.

The authors of the study say the ring design was also helpful in ending the outbreak and suggest it could be a useful way to tackle the disease in future.

Co-author John Edmunds, professor of infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, whose team helped design the trial, said: “This novel and historic trial, conducted under the most difficult of circumstances, has demonstrated that the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine is safe and effective. When Ebola strikes again we will be in a much better position to offer help to affected communities, as well as protect the brave volunteers who help control this terrible disease.”

Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, which supported the trial, said the outcome was “simply remarkable” and demonstrated what was possible even in the midst of a raging epidemic.“We’ve shown that by working collaboratively, across international borders and sectors, we can develop and test vaccines rapidly and use them to help bring epidemics to an end,” he said.

“Had a vaccine been available earlier in the Ebola epidemic, thousands of lives might have been saved. We have to get ahead of the curve and make promising diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for diseases we know could be a threat in the future. My hope is that this success story provides the inspiration we need to make this happen and change the way the world prepares for epidemics.”

Dr Sakoba Kéita, coordinator of the Ebola response and director of the National Agency for Health Security in Guinea, said: “Ebola left a devastating legacy in our country. We are proud that we have been able to contribute to developing a vaccine that will prevent other nations from enduring what we endured.”

Ebola vaccine is safe and effective, scientists declare after trials

The morning-after pill is safe. So why is it so difficult to access?

A new campaign from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) is calling for emergency contraception, commonly known as the morning-after pill, to be sold directly from pharmacy shelves without a mandatory consultation. The campaign highlights the fact that the pill can cost British women up to £30, as much as five times higher than in other European countries, meaning that it could even be cheaper to fly to France and buy it there than to visit a local pharmacy.

A 2003 report published in the Pharmaceutical Journal revealed that the high price –described by BPAS chief executive Ann Furedi as a “sexist surcharge” – was a deliberate attempt to prevent women from taking it too often. As a spokesperson for Levonelle, a manufacturer of the pill, said: “The price has been set, in part, to ensure that EHC [emergency hormonal contraception] is not used as a regular method of contraception.”

BPAS also argues that the mandatory consultation women must go through with a pharmacist may be part of the reason it is so costly in the UK, compared with other countries where such consultations are not required. Given that the medication is considered very safe, even compared with other medications sold off-the-shelf, and that the NHS says it has no serious side effects, it seems likely that this is a means of influencing women’s sexual and reproductive decisions, rather than a requirement for safety reasons.

The comments of one spokesman from the Family Education Trust exemplified this rationale: “With no questions asked about previous medical history or previous use of the drug, there is a very real danger that it could be misused or overused.” The same could be said of countless other off-the-shelf products, but the extra barriers only seem to come into play when a product is associated with female sexuality. And considering the lack of medical dangers associated with the morning-after pill, the “misuse” or “overuse” seems likely to be a moral, rather than medical, judgment.

So the major arguments both for the sky-high cost and the mandatory consultation seem closely tied to the idea that women cannot be trusted to make their own decisions about their bodies and sex lives. Not to mention the terrifying risk that, should the situation change, immoral, promiscuous women might run amok, foregoing other forms of contraception, indulging in countless one-night stands and choosing to pop morning-after pills instead of taking any other precautions.

Talk of ‘misuse’ or ‘overuse’ ​being referred to here​ seems likely to be a moral, rather than medical, judg​​ment

Of course it makes sense for a consultation to be available for those who choose it, as with any other product purchased in a pharmacy. Some people might want to ask about the efficacy of the medication within a given timeframe, or seek further information about issues such as sexually transmitted diseases. But this is a decision an individual is capable of making herself – not every person taking emergency contraception needs to be subjected to these interactions, often described as “embarrassing” and “shaming”.

The moralistic overtones of this debate are the same ones that emerge during any discussion relating to women’s reproductive health – as if male lawmakers and commentators feel the need to wrestle women’s autonomy from them because “we know best”.

As a healthcare option for those who wish to avoid unwanted pregnancy, it is hugely important that women should be able to access the morning-after pill as easily and cheaply as possible. But a 2014 study found that women in the UK were nearly twice as unlikely to use emergency contraception because they were “embarrassed to ask for it” than women in other European countries. Nearly a third of all the women surveyed who used emergency contraception said they felt uncomfortable or judged when obtaining it.

That women have to jump through hoops because they aren’t trusted to use it responsibly is reminiscent of the ongoing Victorian-era legislation that means abortion is still technically illegal in mainland Britain. Rather than overturning the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, the 1967 Abortion Act essentially created a loophole allowing the procedure only after two doctors have agreed that a woman’s mental or physical health would be harmed by continuing with the pregnancy. The law hasn’t been changed since.

Like the idea that a woman’s decision isn’t valid until two doctors have agreed to “let her off” prosecution, the notion that we need a consultation before being allowed to take emergency contraception is outdated and patronising. It’s 2016. Isn’t it time we moved away from the Victorian notion that women can’t be trusted to make their own choices about their health, bodies and sex lives?

The morning-after pill is safe. So why is it so difficult to access?

Is It Safe To Eat Papaya During Pregnancy?

Some believe that papaya is harmful during pregnancy. Yet, many pregnant women still eat this fruit to get rich vitamins and minerals. Papaya fruit grows in tropical areas and is characterized by the outer green cover and it has a yellow color from the inside. It’s also known as the angels fruit.

This tropical fruit has many benefits and widely present in weight loss diets to boost the immune system, digestion and the renewal of skin cells. It’s rich in Vitamins “C” and “E”, in addition to dietary fiber which exists in abundance. Papayas also contain folic acid, a vitamin that is recommended taking during pregnancy. Papayas are best when eaten in the mornings during breakfast.

Papaya health benefits:

1. Papaya fruit contains a high percentage of fiber that prevents constipation and works to facilitate the digestion and absorption of food in the intestine.


2. One of the papaya prominent roles is reducing the oxidation of cholesterol in the body because they contain a variety of antioxidants, which also supports the protection against cancers.


3. Papaya fruit is very rich in vitamin A, which strengthens the sight and maintains the human hair.


4. They contain vitamins A and C, which makes it an important factor in building a strong immune system.


5. It helps to protect the body from infections, especially arthritis.

Papaya during pregnancy:

Papaya provides nutritional benefits for pregnant woman and the fetus. However, it should be avoided if its unripe (immature papaya), because it contains a substance called latex that can be harmful during pregnancy.

Research has shown that a high concentration of latex in the body can cause uterine contractions, which may lead to abortion.

There are advantages of eating this fruit according to papaya in pregnancy guide, as it helps to ease out the bowel movement and neutralizing acid formation in the stomach. In addition, to reduce the gaseous distension which is a regular symptom in pregnancy.

It is best to avoid unripe papayas or even a semi-mature once during pregnancy. And eat fruit ripe papaya in moderation during pregnancy to avoid any risk. Also, pregnant women that suffer from contraction pain regularly should avoid this fruit.

Finally, it’s better to be taking the advice of your physician before taking papayas to take caution.

References:

1. http://www.babycenter.in/x1023025/is-it-safe-to-eat-papaya-ipapitai-during-pregnancy


2. http://www.superbabyonline.com/papaya-in-pregnancy/

Is It Safe To Eat Papaya During Pregnancy?

This EpiPen Hack Can Save You Money, But Is It Safe?

Most people who depend on the drug epinephrine to treat potentially fatal allergic reactions (whether their own, a child’s, or a loved one’s) are well aware of the price-gouging scandal surrounding Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ EpiPen. And despite recent adjustments by the company to make the auto-injector more affordable, many still worry about how much it will cost to keep the life-saving medication on hand.

That’s left some people wondering if they really need an auto-injector after all. Wouldn’t it be much cheaper, some have asked, to just get a prescription for epinephrine and inject it with a regular old syringe?

The question of this so-called EpiPen hack has been raised on social media, health blogs, and even the local news. So to get an idea of how realistic this scenario is (and if it’s actually a good idea) we asked Bob Lanier, MD, executive medical director of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Here are his thoughts on DIY epinephrine—the good, the bad, and the downright scary.

First things first: Do you really need epinephrine?

“The first question to always ask is whether a patient really needs epinephrine,” says Dr. Lanier. “A lot of people are given EpiPens by their pediatrician or primary care doctor because they have a positive lab test to some allergen, but they’re never really evaluated by an allergist.”

Unfortunately, this can lead to a lot of unnecessary worry. “There’s been a media blitz around anaphylaxis, and there’s concern now that every sign of hives or swelling is equivalent to potential death,” he says. “In many cases, that’s not true.”

If you or a loved one has been given an EpiPen, make sure you know it’s truly needed before you start considering alternatives, says Dr. Lanier. Once you’ve seen an allergist and your condition is definitively diagnosed, read on.

RELATED: Your 12 Worst Allergy Mistakes

DIY doses are a good idea in theory

Before 1987, when EpiPens hit the market, epinephrine was pretty much only delivered via standard syringes. “For the most part, we survived pretty well back to the beginning of time without auto-injectors,” says Dr. Lanier.

Epinephrine is cheap, and so are syringes. “I could make up a kit with a pre-filled syringe for about 35 cents that could have the same effect as a $ 400 auto-pen,” says Dr. Lanier. That’s one reason he only uses syringes himself when he treats allergic reactions in his practice.

There’s another advantage to the DIY approach, too, at least for a trained professional: While EpiPens are only available in two doses, a syringe allows for customized doses—less for small children and more for larger, heavier adults, for example. It even allows for smaller or larger needles, which can also be helpful for different size patients.

But in an emergency, there can be serious downsides

One of the best things about EpiPens is that they can be used with one hand, while measuring liquid medicine into a syringe requires two. “That may not seem like a big difference, but there are certain situations, on the playground or while you’re driving a car, for example, that one-handed operation is crucial,” says Dr. Lanier.

Not to mention, breaking open a vial of medicine and drawing out the correct dosage isn’t something most people want to be doing in an emergency situation.

“The question is, can a doctor teach someone adequately to do this?” asks Dr. Lanier. “We’ve found that even nurses have a little trouble with this, so you can imagine what it might be like for a panicked parent or someone having an allergic reaction themselves.”

We don’t have to imagine, actually: One 2001 study found that it took parents nearly two and a half minutes, on average, to draw a dose of epinephrine for infants using a syringe. Many of those doses were inaccurate, even then.

RELATED: 31 Everyday Things You Didn’t Know You Could Be Allergic To

Can’t my doctor make me a pre-filled syringe?

Carrying a pre-filled syringe everywhere you go can solve some of these problems, Dr. Lanier says, but they bring up additional concerns. A teacher or school nurse may be unwilling to inject a syringe of unknown material into a child, for example. Even if a doctor or pharmacist labels it and includes prescription information, the process would be more daunting for a typical bystander than the practically foolproof EpiPen.

(Then again, Dr. Lanier says, many people are afraid to use the EpiPen. “People show up all the time at the ER with the auto-pen in hand, wanting for someone else to do it for them,” he says. “In that sense, a syringe kit may not actually be that different.”)

Epinephrine can also be easily damaged by light and heat, so a DIY kit would have to be prepared and carried very carefully, and refilled more often than an EpiPen, in order to make sure the medicine doesn’t become ineffective.

Preparing a pre-filled syringe could also open doctors and pharmacists up to legal challenges if something did go wrong with the medication, Dr. Lanier adds. As a matter of fact, he says, pre-filled syringes used to be commercially available until a few isolated problems forced the manufacturers to shut down.

Dr. Lanier recommends that people talk with their doctors about the pros and cons of these low-cost alternatives, and decide together whether they’re worth considering.

“I think the chances of an average family physician or pediatrician prescribing this option are remote,” he says. The possibility of an allergist prescribing it to a well-established patient, he adds, is much better.

Which takes us back to Dr. Lanier’s original point. “First and foremost, you should only be considering this if you have a condition serious enough to be seeing an allergist,” he says. “Once that’s established, a doctor who knows your condition can help you decide what’s best.”

This EpiPen Hack Can Save You Money, But Is It Safe?

Are statins safe? Only you and your doctor can decide

The controversy raging over the safety and effectiveness of statins is creating uncertainty among people taking them or who might need to consider doing so. Are statins as controversial as stories suggest?

Statins lower the amount of bad (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in your blood, and the higher your cholesterol, the greater the riskof a heart attack. If you have a gene defect that causes a very high cholesterol level – a condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) – then you are at very high risk of a heart attack. Before statins, doctors were virtually powerless to prevent such heart attacks because there were no drugs that were effective at reducing cholesterol without causing intolerable side effects. Statins changed all that.

Now people with FH can take a statin and expect to live a normal lifespan. Similarly, if you have suffered a heart attack, regardless of your cholesterol level, there is abundant uncontested evidence that taking a statin will reduce your risk of a further heart attack or stroke. So where is the problem?

The problem arises when we consider giving a statin to healthy people, who have no apparent cholesterol gene defect or evidence of heart disease, in the hope it will prevent a future heart attack. This is when doctors start to worry about the risk-to-benefit ratio. If a doctor is going to prescribe a statin for a healthy individual to protect against future heart disease, he or she wants to be pretty certain the drug won’t do more harm than good because, unfortunately, all drugs have side effects.

Statins reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke even in those with relatively low cholesterol levels

So you and your doctor need to know three things – what are your chances of having a heart attack or stroke in the next few years without any treatment? How much would that risk be reduced if you took a statin? And what is the likelihood of a serious side effect?

By noting down some simple facts such as your age, gender, whether you smoke, your blood pressure, your cholesterol level and family history, your doctor can calculate your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. Evidence on benefits and side effects comes from clinical trials designed to impartially quantify the benefits and risks of taking a statin.

The combined evidence from many such trials shows that statins reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke even in those with relatively low cholesterol levels. But, because most people with low cholesterol levels are at relatively low risk of a heart attack, many people would need to be treated to prevent one of them from having a heart attack. This would not be a problem if there were no risks associated with taking a statin.

So what are the risks? Studies have identified three potentially serious but very rare risks. People taking statins are at slightly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This seems to occur in people on the verge of developing it anyway, and despite the onset of diabetes those people are still at lower risk of heart attack or stroke in the future than they would be without a statin.

There is also a small increased risk of a haemorrhagic stroke – a bleed into the brain – but this risk is more than offset by the reduced risk of a stroke – caused by a blocked artery – if you take a statin, so your overall risk of a stroke is reduced.

The third risk is that statins can definitely cause a condition called myopathy which is characterised by muscle pain and evidence of muscle damage on blood tests. Very rarely, if the treatment is not stopped, this can progress to a potentially fatal condition called rhabdomyolysis. But if the treatment is stopped, the symptoms stop too. Patients are warned to watch out for muscle pains when they start taking a statin and, not surprisingly, many do complain of muscle pains. But few of them have actual myopathy. Placebo-controlled trials have shown that when patients are told to watch out for muscle pains, almost as many taking a placebo report experiencing them as do those taking the active drug. It is this phenomenon that has led to the perception that statin side-effects are common, which they are, but it does not mean they are unsafe.

So what should you do? If you are at high risk, take a statin. The risks of not taking one – a heart attack or a stroke – far outweigh risks associated with the drug. If you are not in this category, ask your GP to assess your risk then discuss the best way to reduce it. For many this will mean a change in lifestyle and diet, not a statin. If your doctor recommends a statin and you experience a side-effect, they can usually be resolved by reducing the dose or swapping to another brand.

Clinical trials tells us that, at a population level, statins are safe and effective. But only you and your doctor can decide if they are right for your needs. Be guided by your doctor rather than by what you might read or hear elsewhere.

Are statins safe? Only you and your doctor can decide

Are vaccines really safe and effective?

We were taught in high school that vaccines have saved millions of lives in America and Europe. One of the greatest heroes of modern medicine is Louis Pasteur, the creator of the “germ theory,” the ideological foundation for vaccines. But the real history of vaccines, and the real story of Louis Pasteur, is something quite different.

In his early career, Pasteur did believe that germs were the cause of disease. But 15 years before his death he recanted this belief. He came to believe that it was not germs but the degradation of an organism’s internal environment that causes disease. He came to believe that germs took advantage of degraded or susceptible “terrain.”

Over a century of scientific research has validated Pasteur’s terrain theory. Maintaining a healthy terrain, not eliminating germs, has proved to be the key to disease prevention. But Pasteur’s germ theory retains a powerful hold on our collective imagination.

The polio vaccine is the most touted example of the human endeavor to triumph against germs. “Every school kid knows” that the polio vaccine eradicated polio in the Western hemisphere. But in fact there is no evidence to support this claim.

From 1923 to 1953, before Jonas Salk’s killed-virus polio vaccine was introduced, the polio death rate in the U.S. and England had already declined by 47 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

The epidemic ended not just in the United States and England, but in European countries that questioned the vaccine’s safety and refused to systematically vaccinate their citizens.

Not only was the vaccine ineffective, it produced results opposite to those intended. In the U.S, the number of polio cases following mass vaccinations was significantly greater than before mass vaccinations.

Doctors and scientists on the staff of the National Institute of Health during the 1950s were well aware that the Salk vaccine was ineffective. Some frankly stated that it was worthless as a preventive and even dangerous. Many refused to vaccinate their own children.

Dr. Salk himself said: “When you inoculate children with a polio vaccine you don’t sleep well for weeks.” But the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, and pharmaceutical companies with a large investment in the vaccine, convinced the U.S. Public Health Service to sign a proclamation claiming that the vaccine was “safe and 100 percent effective.”

From the early 1960s to the mid-1970s, a new live-virus polio vaccine became, in Salk’s words, “the principal if not sole cause” of all reported polio cases in the U.S. Between 1973 and 1983, 87 percent of all cases of polio (excluding imported cases) were caused by the vaccine. More recently, every case of polio in the U.S. since 1979 (excluding five imported cases) was caused by the vaccine.

In Dr. Benjamin Sandler’s book “Diet Prevents Polio,” an unequivocal correlation is found between diet and susceptibility to polio. Sandler found that persons in contact with the virus but eschewing foods high in sugars and starches have significantly greater protection from the polio virus. Dr. Sandler is one of many advocates of the terrain theory whose work has been systematically ignored. The details of his work were published in the American Journal of Pathology in 1941.

Sixty years later, in the waning days of the year 2000, members of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) unanimously voted for an end to all government-mandated childhood vaccines. Jane M. Orient, M.D., AAPS executive director, said: “Children face the possibility of death or serious long-term adverse effects from mandated vaccines.”

One of the most serious adverse effects of vaccines is that they cause the very diseases they’re meant to prevent. Measles, for instance, which declined by more than 95 percent before the vaccine was introduced, is 14 times more likely to be contracted by vaccinated than by unvaccinated persons.

A recent study in Pediatrics found that women vaccinated with the measles vaccine pass on far less immunity to their offspring. Before the vaccine was introduced, it was extremely rare for an infant to contract measles. Now more than 25 percent of all measles cases are babies under a year of age.

One significant concern with vaccines today is their casual relation with the growing epidemic of childhood autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD has increased from 900,000 in 1991 to 5 million today. The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine is the primary suspect.

Dr. Viera Scheibner, author of “Vaccinations: 100 Years of Orthodox Research” sums up the position of researchers not funded by pharmaceutical companies: “There is no evidence whatsoever that vaccines of any kind … are effective in preventing the infectious diseases they are supposed to prevent.

Further, adverse effects are amply documented and are far more significant to public health than any adverse effects of infectious diseases. Vaccinations have caused more suffering and more deaths than any other human activity in the history of medical intervention.”

Vaccines are only the tip of the iceberg for a look at how the medical industry has consistently defrauded the American public on issues from cancer to childbirth.

And, let’s not forget President Bush’s law passed in 1990 giving the pharmaceutical industry full immunity from lawsuits even when the results of vaccinations caused death.

In God we trust. All others pay cash!

Aloha!

To learn more about Hesh, listen to and read hundreds of health related radio shows and articles, and learn about how to stay healthy and reverse degenerative diseases through the use of organic sulfur crystals and the most incredible bee pollen ever, please visit www.healthtalkhawaii.com, or email me at heshgoldstein@gmail.com or call me at (808) 258-1177. Since going on the radio in 1981 these are the only products I began to sell because they work.

Oh yeah, going to www.asanediet.com will allow you to read various parts of my book – “A Sane Diet For An Insane World”, containing a wonderful comment by Mike Adams.

In Hawaii, the TV stations interview local authors about the books they write and the newspapers all do book reviews. Not one would touch “A Sane Diet For An Insane World”. Why? Because it goes against their advertising dollars.

Are vaccines really safe and effective?

Is your shampoo safe? We simply don"t know | Dianne Feinstein

In the US, virtually none of the chemicals used in personal care products are independently evaluated for safety. Americans of all ages use these products every day – from lotion to shampoo, makeup to deodorant, hair dye to shaving cream – and many of the chemicals they contain are rapidly absorbed by the skin.

With increasing evidence that certain chemicals in personal care products are linked to a variety of health concerns, there is an urgent need to update the 80-year-old federal rules aimed at ensuring their safety.

Formaldehyde, which is used in Brazilian blowouts, has been associated with headaches and shortness of breath in the short term, and cancer in the long term.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are used as preservatives in creams, lotions and shampoos, have been linked to diabetes, obesity, reproductive disorders and even cancer.

And lead acetate, which is used in men’s hair dye, has also been linked to cancer.

The European Union and Canada have reviewed the ingredients in personal care products for decades. More than 1,500 chemicals are banned or restricted in Europe, while more than 800 are banned or restricted in Canada.

Due to outdated US laws, only 11 substances are banned or restricted. It’s long past time for the US to catch up.

The Personal Care Products Safety Act would finally address this glaring safety loophole.

The central component of the bill is an FDA review process for ingredients. The FDA would review at least five chemicals a year, chosen based on input from consumers, medical professionals, scientists and companies.

This process would address which chemicals can continue to be used in personal care products and, if so, what the concentration levels should be.

The FDA may determine that some chemicals, such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, are not appropriate in any products, or are only appropriate in small amounts.

The key for many chemicals may be how much is used. We need to know at what concentration these chemicals are unsafe.

For example, after conducting a scientific review, the FDA may determine that a particular chemical is only safe at a concentration of 10 parts per million.

Going forward, all companies would need to reformulate their products so they contained no more than 10 parts per million of that ingredient.

Companies would still have the power to adopt a stricter standard. They could use less of a particular ingredient, or not use certain ingredients at all, but the ingredient review process would finally create a uniform safety standard.

The bill would also require companies to report adverse health effects. An ongoing investigation into the popular hair cleanser Wen highlights the need for this provision.

A class action lawsuit alleging significant hair loss has been filed on behalf of thousands of consumers, and the FDA has received 127 complaints about the product.

During the course of its investigation, the FDA discovered that a staggering 21,000 complaints had been registered with the company. Under our bill, the manufacturer would have been required to tell the FDA about all complaints related to negative health effects.

In addition, the bill would require companies to register with the FDA and provide a list of their ingredients, with a range of concentration for each one.

Warning labels would be required for products not appropriate for children, and complete label information, including ingredients and product warnings, would be posted online to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions.

Lastly, the FDA would be given the authority to recall products that cause serious harm.

Our bill has the broad bipartisan support needed to move forward. Consumer and health groups, including the Environmental Working Group, Endocrine Society and Good Housekeeping Institute, and a wide range of companies support the bill.

Industry support includes both the largest companies in the industry – Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and Unilever – as well as small and mid-size companies such as California Baby, Dr Bronner’s and Madison Reed.

This marks the first time federal legislation on this issue has earned the support of both consumer and industry groups. These commonsense proposals are long overdue and the US Senate should act. Consumers deserve to know that the products they and their families use every day are safe.

Is your shampoo safe? We simply don"t know | Dianne Feinstein

A Natural & Safe Homemade Ginger Ale to Treat Migraines

Ginger, this commonly-used spice has lots of medicinal uses, including easing migraine headaches. As nausea and vomiting are the most common migraine symptoms, while ginger is well known for combating nausea and also providing relief for an upset stomach.

Studies About Using Ginger For Migraines

• A study published in Phytotherapy Research found that sumatriptan and ginger powder are similar in their effect on migraine relief, and ginger powder had less reported side effects than sumatriptan.


• Another study in Medical Science Monitor showed the combination of ginger and feverfew relieved migraine headache pain in almost 50%.


• A research by the American Academy of Neurology also proved the positive effect of ginger on the pain relief for migraine suffers.


• A study made by the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine found that ginger contains volatile oils, which have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to prevent and ease migraines.

Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated ginger


• 4 cups water


• 2 fresh limes


• A small handful of mint leaves


• Sparkling carbonated water


• Honey to taste

Directions

Add the ginger to boiled water and simmer for 5-10 minutes, then strain the ginger outside.

Now mix the ginger water with the other ingredients and your homemade ginger ale is well. Whenever you feel migraine headaches, use this easy-to-make ginger ale.

Sources: verywell.com, fhfn.org, migraine.com

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A Natural & Safe Homemade Ginger Ale to Treat Migraines

Is Testosterone Treatment method Safe And Efficient?

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Testosterone, the hormone most accountable for “maleness” in males, naturally declines with age. Drug companies have capitalized on this fact, and on the vague signs and symptoms that make up the non-medical, common term “andropause”. Supposedly, reduced or even minimal-ish testosterone levels can make guys feel bad—really, really negative. Symptoms attributed to [...]

Is Testosterone Treatment method Safe And Efficient?

Is it finally safe to be out as HIV positive in the workplace?

It was November seven, 1991, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the home. Magic Johnson had hastily assembled a press conference, surprising the world with the information that he was HIV optimistic and would be retiring correct away. Whilst he produced an exalted return to basketball the following yr – sharing in an Olympic Gold – his fellow players have been fearful about contracting AIDS and soon forced him out of the game.

That was early days for HIV awareness, of course. Nowadays, for National HIV Testing Day, I noticed that the campaign – which consists of totally free HIV testing at Walgreens in much more than 140 cities – asks us to proudly proclaim, “I Acquired Tested,” in the very same method of “I Voted”.

Why not? Following all, the Centers for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) factors out that although 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, 1 in six is unaware they have the virus. Not only does testing save lives, thanks to early diagnosis, but those who are HIV optimistic and are in treatment method have been shown to decrease the danger of spreading the virus to other folks.

But a lot of stigma about HIV even now persists. Just final month, Donald Sterling, the embattled owner of the LA Clippers, implied – in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper – that Johnson isn’t a great illustration for youngsters due to the fact of the sexual behavior that led to HIV.

Sterling may possibly nicely be an excessive case. But, 23 many years right after Magic Johnson’s press conference, is it ultimately safe to be out as HIV good in the workplace? Or is getting HIV optimistic one of the final workplace taboos?

The answer is nuanced. Thanks to the Americans With Disabilities Act, for most firms with 15 or more personnel, it is against the law to inquire about an employee’s HIV standing – and illegal to terminate them primarily based on their perceived or actual standing. But that does not indicate HIV good staff encounter no discrimination at operate.

Daniel, who has asked us to withhold his last name for privacy, is a healthcare professional who is openly HIV optimistic at function. “I consider that there’s practically nothing incorrect with wearing that sticker,” he said. “The awareness wants to be there. [But] as far as sharing that at function, you could be shunned by co-staff, passed in excess of for a promotion.”

Jennifer Kates, director of worldwide wellness and HIV policy for the Kaiser Household Foundation, a co-founder of Better Than AIDS, agrees that HIV stigma is nonetheless there. “It’s really difficult to weigh: get examined, be noticeable as an HIV positive person and encounter the prospect of discrimination,” she explained. “It’s a tension that nonetheless exists. But the public overall health relevance of being aware of your status and acquiring linked to companies you may need to have is critical.”

What are companies carrying out to adjust the stigma?

Levi Strauss, for one particular, looks to have taken this concern critically. It has a international policy to guarantee nondiscrimination and confidentiality of HIV status. In the US, the garment producer will take a tailored approach. In its retail stores, retailer managers get the lead in educating their personnel, and in distribution centers, the company partners with local NGOs to provide a single-hour education sessions. It has put with each other a video to introduce workers to the issues surrounding HIV.

The organization also provides HIV Connect, a counseling hotline, and has place procedures in area to investigate and respond to allegations of HIV/AIDS discrimination. All collectively, Levi’s initiatives have brought about enhancements in HIV/AIDS expertise and workplace discrimination (pdf), among other indicators, winning it a Enterprise Action on Wellness award from GBC Wellness last 12 months.

But authorities say a lot of other organizations nevertheless have a long way to go.

Rose Saxe, senior employees attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT &amp AIDS Project, has the following advice for managers right after HIV Testing Day: “No assumptions must be produced about anyone’s HIV standing just due to the fact they have taken an HIV check. HR departments and managers should demonstrate leadership by making clear that speculation about anyone’s health-related historical past, or disparaging remarks against individuals living with HIV, or LGBT men and women, are inappropriate.”

Even though Saxe urges testing, she’s cautious to stage out that it alone won’t de-stigmatize HIV. “Efforts to broaden testing will only make a genuine big difference if they are combined with a continued push for meaningful HIV training,” she mentioned.

In other words, addressing HIV discrimination explicitly in business policy and including HIV education to your worker training can go a extended way in direction of de-stigmatizing HIV in the workplace. What can you – and your firm – do to drive this forward? Tell us what your organization is carrying out – or not doing – in the remarks under.

Jerry Weinstein has contributed to a wide variety of publications like Triple Pundit, the Christian Science Keep track of and the Boston Company Journal. He is an associate producer of the forthcoming documentary, Examined, and an adviser to the Adaptive Layout Association

The social influence hub is funded by AngloAmerican. All material is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out much more right here.

Is it finally safe to be out as HIV positive in the workplace?

NHS will cease to exist with out reforms to safe funding, warns Frank Area

Frank Discipline: a 1p improve in nationwide insurance coverage, collectively with adjustments to raise the NICs ‘floor’ and remove the ‘ceiling’, would consequence in more money for the NHS and current Labour as a tax-cutting celebration. Photograph: Frank Baron/The Guardian

The NHS will “cease to exist in any recognisable kind” by the end of the decade unless key reforms are launched to safe its long term funding by introducing a 1p enhance in nationwide insurance contributions, the former Labour minister Frank Area has warned.

In an echo of calls from senior members of the shadow cabinet for NHS funding guarantees, the former welfare reform minister mentioned a 1p increase in nationwide insurance (NICs) would increase £30bn over the following parliament amongst 2015-20.

But Discipline said that his strategies would be fairer and much more progressive than the 1p boost on NICs launched by Gordon Brown soon after the 2001 general election to fund increased NHS investing. He says that only half of the further NICs improve in 2001 went on the NHS.

The Discipline plan would involve two subsequent reforms which would allow the Labour celebration to say that it is guaranteeing NHS funding even though making tax cuts. The preliminary 1p enhance in employee and employer NICs would be followed by a raising of the NICs “floor” to make certain that better numbers of less nicely-paid staff would be exempt from paying national insurance. The “floor” is at present set at £153 a week which indicates that staff earning below £7,956 a yr do not pay NICs.

This change would be accompanied by getting rid of the “ceiling” on NHS contributions so that higher earners would pay out much more in NICs. The ceiling is currently set at £805 a week which means that somebody – and their employer – earning £41,860 a 12 months pays the exact same percentage in NICs as a person earning £1m a yr.

The further money from the reformed system of NICs – on leading of the £30bn raised from the first 1p increase – would go into a new NHS and social care mutual insurance method. For every £10bn injected into this fund, earnings tax would be decreased by £10bn, allowing Labour to portray itself as the tax-cutting celebration.

The proposals by Field are comparable to ideas becoming pushed by shadow cabinet members, including the shadow well being secretary, Andy Burnham. This group of shadow cabinet members feel that Labour ought to carry with each other the work of the NHS and social care and ought to show its historic dedication to the NHS by introducing a 1p boost on NICs.

Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor, understands the need to have for Labour to burnish its credentials on the NHS. But Balls, who drew up the 1p improve on NICs for the NHS ahead of the 2001 election, will be wary of Tory costs that Labour is addicted to increased taxes.

Area said his programs are created to meet the likely Tory charge and to tackle the profound requirements of the NHS. He stated it was important to get daring actions to promise NHS funding due to the fact it requirements an further £30bn over the course of the up coming parliament to make sure that paying at least keeps tempo with inflation – a goal that will place severe pressure on other government departments as the government extends the period to tackle the fiscal deficit. The demands of an ageing population are an additional key pressure on sources.

In his submission to Labour’s policy forum, Area writes: “In excess of the next six years the financial challenge to the NHS is so excellent that, unless of course it is tackled boldly and radically, it will simply cease to exist in any recognisable kind. By the initial year of the parliament soon after next the NHS deficit will equate to anything like a even more third of recent expenditure and this does not consist of the sums required for social care.”

Area adds: “The NHS needs, above all, the most radical of initiatives to safe its potential. But Labour also wants to be observed to make that bold move. Labour faces a tough challenge in aspiring to form even a minority government following the next election. Unless the very greatest suggestions of the Policy Overview are seized upon and transformed into a radical manifesto this kind of as that of 1945, our electoral prospective customers will be grim.”

The former minister explained that the new entire body – the Nationwide Well being Services and Social Care Services – would improve voter self confidence in the method. He writes: “This emergency move need to be accompanied by a reform of NHS ownership it ought to turn out to be the people’s health and social care service – a NHSCS. So a 2nd and quick move should be to guarantee that voters can trust that new monies voted to the health services would be completely utilised for their wellness and social care demands and not diverted to other political pet projects.”

NHS will cease to exist with out reforms to safe funding, warns Frank Area

Statins are safe as analysis claiming adverse side results proved incorrect

Sir Rory mentioned he first highlighted the error to the editor of the BMJ in December, but it had taken months to be corrected.

He stated large scale placebo trials of far more than one hundred,000 individuals have proven that statins are typically secure, with a minimal chance of side effects.

John Abramson, of Harvard medical college, has admitted claims contained in his paper that 20 per cent of sufferers on statins suffered side effects were flawed. He has now withdrawn the statements.

Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist in Croydon, repeated the findings and has now also redacted claims submitted in a paper to BMJ.

Sir Rory added: “They overestimated the side results of statins by far more than 20 occasions.”

He mentioned: “By misrepresenting this it might have meant folks stopped taking them or large risk sufferers really don’t start taking them in the 1st place.

“It’s a shame that this correction hasn’t been more warm hearted and proper.”

Fiona Godlee, editor in chief of the BMJ, said the journal had created a public retraction so sufferers who could advantage from taking statins have been not deterred from undertaking so simply because of the flawed claims.

“I’ve invited a panel to make a choice about no matter whether we need to do much more than we have accomplished,” she said. “

She said that the error was contained in one statement which was published in two separate content articles, which had been edited and peer reviewed.

Nonetheless regardless of admitting the flaw in the research, she said she felt far more essential to be accomplished ahead of statins could be declared risk-free.

“This is a quite serious public wellness concern talking about massively extending the use of these drugs to healthful folks,” extra Dr Godlee.

Dr Abramson’s primary claim, that healthier individuals did not minimize their danger of death by taking statins, has not been withdrawn but will also be regarded as by the independent panel.

Statins are safe as analysis claiming adverse side results proved incorrect

Birmingham mosque attacker sent to safe hospital indefinitely

The knife utilized by Mohamoud Elmi to assault two worshippers and a police officer at the Birmingham mosque. Photograph: West Midlands police/PA

A mentally ill guy who launched a near-fatal knife attack on a police officer at a mosque has been ordered to commit an indefinite period in a safe hospital.

Mohamoud Elmi, who also stabbed two worshippers at the Madrassa Qasim Ul Uloom centre in Birmingham, was informed he would need lifelong monitoring to protect the public.

The 32-yr-outdated, who suffers from a type of schizophrenia, was discovered not guilty on Tuesday by cause of his insanity.

In returning the “specific” verdicts, jurors ruled that Elmi had carried out acts which amounted to attempted murder and wounding.

A three-day trial heard how Elmi calmly walked away from his initial “frenzied” attack on two fellow worshippers at the Ward Finish mosque to go to a washroom.

Mohamoud Elmi. Photograph: West Midlands police/PA

Elmi, of Washwood Heath, then returned to a prayer spot ahead of repeatedly stabbing a Computer Adam Koch, who attempted to subdue him with a Taser.

Passing sentence on Elmi, Mrs Justice Carr explained the victims had been subjected to a “terrifying and unprovoked” ordeal.

The judge told Elmi: “Other people in the mosque bravely intervened to cease you continuing your attacks and also tended to the injured. All three victims were badly harm.

“Pc Koch bears a scar on the left side of stomach which brings about him long term discomfort as effectively as disfigurement. It is a constant reminder of the day when he feels he nearly died.”

Elmi was born in Somalia in 1981 and initially lived with his household in Sheffield just before moving to Bristol and then Birmingham.

Addressing the defendant’s problem at the time of the stabbing, which occurred right after he was discharged into the local community following treatment, the judge extra: “You have been in a mental state where neither your actions nor your ideas have been in your management.

“Getting heard and deemed all of the specialist proof I am pleased that, simply because of the nature of your offences and obtaining regard to your psychological sickness and to the chance that you will commit further offences if you are not detained, a restriction purchase is essential to safeguard the public from critical harm.

“I take into account the severe and considerable dangers that you pose if you relapse, collectively with the sturdy probability of a long term relapse.

“You require lifelong stick to-up and monitoring to safeguard the public. This is not a punishment but necessary for the safety of the public.”

Birmingham mosque attacker sent to safe hospital indefinitely

Flame Retardant Soda Is Safe To Drink According To FDA

by Prolonged Island Lawyer Paul A. Lauto, Esq./www.liattorney.com

A lot of of us have heard of flame retardant pajamas for young children, but far less have heard of flame retardant soda.  We wouldn’t consume flame retardant pajamas, so why does the FDA say it is secure to drink soda containing flame retardant?

There are a multitude of health preserving motives not to drink soda and other assorted soft drinks, but one reason in specific is Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO).  BVO is a vegetable oil derived from corn or soy and is utilized in citrus flavored sodas and soft drinks, as an emulsifier to aid the flavoring from separating.  Brominated Vegetable Oil sounds harmless, however the FDA limits its use to 15 elements per million to ensure that it is safe for our consumption.  Notwithstanding the FDA’s approval of BVO, it is banned in soft drinks in Europe and Japan, as they feel it is unsafe for human consumption.

BVO was initially patented for use as a flame retardant, but the FDA has deemed it protected to be employed in soda since 1970.  BVO is deemed toxic by numerous such as the FDA, which is why they have limits on its usage.  In addition, BVO has been associated with critical ailments which includes but not constrained to, neurological impairment, hormone disruption, thyroid dysfunction, infertility, memory reduction and heart lesions.

It is estimated that BVO is contained in about ten% of soft drinks consumed by Americans.  If you agree with the FDA and believe it is safe for  your family to drink soda containing a flame retardant with probably grave side results to your health, then that is undoubtedly your appropriate.  However, if you do not believe the FDA is infallible and totally free of outside influence, then stand up for your households and stop drinking soda that includes BVO.  Better nevertheless, quit  buying and consuming soda altogether.  Some day when your kids are outdated enough to totally recognize, they just may well thank you.

Lomg Island Attorney
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.

www.liattorney.com

Flame Retardant Soda Is Safe To Drink According To FDA

Family members of brain-dead California girl safe feeding and breathing tubes

The family of a 13-year-previous California woman who was declared brain-dead right after struggling complications from sleep apnea surgical procedure has secured for her the feeding and breathing tubes for which they had been fighting.

Christopher Dolan, the lawyer for the girl’s family members, explained medical doctors inserted the gastric tube and tracheostomy tube Wednesday at the undisclosed facility the place Jahi McMath was taken on 5 January.

The method was a accomplishment, Dolan mentioned, and Jahi is receiving the therapy that her household believes she must have received 28 days ago, when doctors at Children’s Hospital Oakland very first declared her brain-dead.

Jahi underwent tonsil surgery 9 December, then began bleeding heavily before going into cardiac arrest and being declared brain dead on twelve December.

Her mother has refused to think Jahi is dead and went to court to avoid her daughter from being taken off a ventilator.

Jahi’s uncle, Omari Sealey, explained Monday that she is now becoming cared for at a facility that shares her family’s belief that she still is alive. The new facility has “been really welcoming with open arms”, Sealey mentioned. “They have beliefs just like ours.”

Neither Dolan nor the family members would disclose the identify or place of that facility, which took the eighth-grader after a weekslong battle by her family to avoid Children’s Hospital Oakland from getting rid of her from the breathing machine that has kept her heart beating.

But medical specialists mentioned the ventilator won’t function indefinitely and caring for a patient whom 3 medical doctors have said is legally dead is likely to be challenging since – unlike an individual in a coma – there is no blood movement or electrical exercise in either her cerebrum or the brain stem that controls breathing.

The bodies of brain-dead patients stored on ventilators gradually deteriorate, ultimately triggering blood strain to plummet and the heart to cease, mentioned Dr Paul Vespa, director of neurocritical care at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has no role in McMath’s care. The process typically takes only days but can at times carry on for months, health-related specialists say.

“The bodies are genuinely in an artificial state. It needs a wonderful deal of manipulation in order to preserve the circulation going,” Vespa explained.

Brain-dead people may possibly search like they are sleeping, he added, but it truly is “an illusion based on innovative health care strategies”.

Sealey, the girl’s uncle, explained Monday that Jahi’s mother, Nailah Winkfield, is relieved her persistence paid off and “sounds happier”. He criticized Children’s Hospital for repeatedly telling Winkfield they did not need her permission to remove Jahi from the ventilator simply because the lady was dead.

Sealey told reporters Monday that Jahi traveled by ground from Children’s Hospital to the unnamed facility and there have been no issues in the transfer, suggesting she might still be in California.

The $ fifty five,000 in personal donations the family has raised because taking the situation public assisted cover the carefully choreographed handoff to the critical care crew and transportation to the new place, Sealey said.

“If her heart stops beating even though she is on the respirator, we can accept that due to the fact it signifies she is completed fighting,” he stated. “We couldn’t accept them pulling the plug on her early.”

Meanwhile, an advocacy group is facing sharp criticism for making use of Jahi’s case to try to increase funds.

The nonprofit Client mentioned in an email solicitation that it fights for patient security for households like Jahi’s and that it had drafted a proposed November ballot measure that would increase medical malpractice award limits in California.

Dolan, the family lawyer, is a board member of Customer Attorneys of California, the prime group funding the ballot initiative to lift the cap on ache and struggling awards. But he mentioned he was dismayed that Client Watchdog utilised Jahi’s title as a fundraising tool.

“Employing Jahi’s situation as an instance is incorrect and that is not what this case is about,” he said in a text message to the Connected Press.

Hospital spokesman Sam Singer also criticized the use of Jahi’s case for fundraising, calling it “tasteless and thoughtless”.

Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber explained the funds have been becoming solicited for the organization’s patient safety system, not the political campaign, and none of the cash would go to the ballot measure.

“We considered we have been currently being clear,” she stated. “This email has been construed in ways we did not assume.”

Client Watchdog’s Christmas Eve e-mail to supporters prominently mentioned the Jahi McMath situation to help the require for its advocacy function and for lifting the state’s 38-year-outdated cap on medical malpractice awards.

“Hospitals like Children’s actually have an incentive to let young children like Jahi die,” the electronic mail mentioned. “If little ones injured by medical negligence die, the most their families can recover is $ 250,000. … If young children who are victims of health-related negligence reside, hospitals are on the hook for medical expenses for life, which could be hundreds of thousands.”

If it will get on November’s ballot and passes, the Troy &amp Alana Pack Patient Security Act would increase the cap on health care malpractice awards to about $ one.2m, a limit that would boost based on inflation, stated Bob Pack, chair of the campaign committee. He stated the group has collected about 500,000 signatures and needs 300,000 more by 25 March to assure there are sufficient legitimate ones to qualify for the ballot.

Family members of brain-dead California girl safe feeding and breathing tubes