Using certain type of HRT before menopause could raise cancer risk
The research found that overall HRT use was not broadly connected to an increased risk of young-onset breast cancer.
However, oestrogen -only hormone therapy appeared to decrease breast cancer risk by 14 per cent in younger women.
Conversely, oestrogen plus progestin therapy was associated with a 10 per cent increased risk of young-onset breast cancer.
These findings offer new guidance for clinical recommendations on HRT use in younger women, where previous information was limited.
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Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The surprising similarities between near-death experiences and psychedelic drug trips – and why both mean seeing a bright light
Across hundreds of reported near–death experiences, people see the same things with staggering consistency. Now, scientists have discovered that these brushes with death share a surprising similarity with another type of mind–altering experience. According to new research, psychedelic drug trips and near–death experiences often result in the same bizarre visions. Strikingly, a bright light at the end of the tunnel is seen in 'nearly all' high–dosage experiences with certain drugs. Both types of experience also produce feelings of detaching from the body, encountering supernatural beings, and travelling mysterious spaces. Similarly, both potent drug trips and near–death experiences (NDEs) can be some of the most transformative moments in a person's life. Researchers now say that the striking similarities between these different experiences might hint at a common underlying mechanism. Dr Pascal Michael, of Greenwich University, told the Daily Mail: 'Both states share the same neurobiological 'scaffold,' but individual psychology builds different experiential 'stories' on that foundation.' What are the similarities between near–death experiences and psychedelic drug trips? In a recent trial, Dr Michael and his co–authors from Greenwich University compared people's subjective reports of drug–induced trips and NDEs. In the study, 36 participants took a high dose of vaporised DMT – an extremely potent psychedelic and the main active component of the Ayahuasca brew. Researchers then compared the details of the participants' trips to a database of near–death experiences triggered by heart attacks. What they found is that both types of experience share a surprisingly large set of common attributes. For example, people in both cases reported feeling 'disembodied' and travelling to a new location or through a strange space. Most frequently, this involved a reference to a passage through a tunnel or a vision of bright lights. Likewise, both groups frequently described encountering entities or supernatural beings during their travels. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given DMT's extremely potent effects, several participants taking the drug also reported believing that they were dying. Beyond these superficial similarities, previous research has shown that both experiences may have similar effects. A study of over 3,000 people, conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, found that psychedelic trips can be almost as transformative as a brush with death. Participants reported that both drug experiences and NDEs brought them a more positive attitude towards death, alongside increases in welfare and meaning in their lives. Dr Stephen Taylor, a psychologist from Leeds Beckett University and author of The Leap: Psychology of Spiritual Awakening, told the Daily Mail: 'Both are what you could call spiritual or mystical experiences. Both experiences take us beyond the limitations of our normal awareness. 'The world seems like a completely different place, with a sense of meaning and harmony. This heightened awareness is a revelation that changes us and our view of reality permanently.' The visions produced by DMT and by an NDE have totally different causes, so it might seem odd that they would be so similar. The 'third state' beyond life and death The third state is an emerging state of existence in biology, neither life nor death. This third state consists of cells of dead organisms that can continue to function even after the organism's demise. After an organism has died, cells are gaining new capabilities that they did not possess in life, the researchers say. Different cell types have different capacities for survival, including white blood cells in humans. However, researchers suggest that their similarities could be caused by the common physical structure of our brains. Dr Michael says: 'The common structural experiences – such as disembodiment, entities, environments, ego dissolution, timelessness, and visual intensity – stem from bottom–up neurological effects.' For example, the vision of a tunnel could be triggered because both experiences impact our brain's visual processing centres. During a DMT trip, the activation of serotonin receptors in the brain 'disintegrates' the networks that inhibit activity, leading to an explosion of spontaneous stimulation. During an NDE, meanwhile, the physical stress on the brain pushes the visual system into 'hyperexcitability', producing visions of bright lights and tunnels. In some cases, a powerful DMT trip could be so overwhelming that it actually produces an NDE. Scientists believe that just the threat or thought that you are dying can be enough to trigger a near–death–like experience known as a 'fear–death experience'. Yet it is possible that the DMT experience and NDEs could have an even closer similarity. Study co–author Dr David Luke, associate professor of psychology at Greenwich University, told the Daily Mail: 'There may be some similar biological mechanisms at play in both experiences. 'The main argument here considers that because DMT is naturally occurring in humans, it is possible that DMT may be produced or released in the human brain at the point of death, or during a near–death experience.' Essentially, people may see things during a near–death experience because they are tripping on DMT that is naturally produced by the brain. That could explain why NDEs appear to contain many of the canonical aspects of DMT use. However, there still isn't evidence to show that DMT concentrations in the brain reach truly psychedelic levels during cardiac arrest or other extreme states. 'The neurobiology of both DMT and the NDE continues to be under–researched and the theory remains highly debatable,' says Dr Luke. How do NDEs differ from psychedelic drug trips? In addition to finding how these experiences were similar, Dr Luke and Dr Michael's research also found a number of important ways in which they differ. Although the types of visions experienced can be similar, they are often wildly different in content. For example, people undergoing an NDE sometimes report encountering dead loved ones or people they knew in their lives. People taking DMT, on the other hand, report encountering bizarre insectoid or octopus–like entities. 'Another feature that superficially appears similar is that 'out–of–body experiences' are reported in about a third of NDE cases, and about half of people report feeling 'disembodied' in DMT experiences,' says Dr Luke. 'But in the latter, there is typically no sense that one even has a body, whereas in NDEs people often report seeing and recognising their body from outside it or separating from it.' Likewise, despite both types of experience frequently involving a tunnel and lights, the types of tunnels are totally different. Dr Luke explains: 'In NDEs, the tunnel is often a dark passage or corridor leading towards a glimmer of bright light at the end. 'In DMT experiences, the tunnels or portals are typically highly complex and very colourful geometric structures, sometimes culminating in higher–dimensional objects, such as a hypercube. 'Why both involve tunnels, although of very different types, is open to speculation but remains a mystery.' In fact, the researchers say that explaining why these experiences are so different is the 'big question'. The researchers believe that these may be caused by 'top–down cognitive factors' such as cultural expectations, memory, personal belief systems, and context. But how exactly our personal psychology builds the unique character of a near–death experience, or overwhelming drug trip, remains mysterious. WHAT DOES DYING FEEL LIKE? Scientists reported in October 2017 that they had discovered a person's consciousness continues to work after the body has stopped showing signs of life. That means they may be aware of their own death and there is evidence to suggest someone who has died may even hear their own death being announced by medics. A team from New York University Langone School of Medicine investigated the topic through twin studies in Europe and the US of people who have suffered cardiac arrest and 'come back' to life, in the largest study of its kind. Study author Dr Sam Parnia told Live Science: 'They'll describe watching doctors and nurses working and they'll describe having awareness of full conversations, of visual things that were going on, that would otherwise not be known to them.' He said these recollections were then verified by medical and nursing staff who reported their patients, who were technically dead, could remember details of what they were saying. Doctors define death based on when the heart no longer beats, which then immediately cuts off blood supply to the brain. Once that happens, blood no longer circulates to the brain, which means brain function halts almost instantaneously. You lose all your brain stem reflexes, including your gag reflex and your pupil reflex. The brain's cerebral cortex, which is responsible for thinking and processing information from the five senses, also instantly flatlines. This means that within two to 20 seconds, no brainwaves will be detected on an electric monitor. This sparks a chain reaction of cellular processes that will result in the death of brain cells. However this can take hours after the heart has stopped, researchers said.
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
The worst foods for cellulite
Orange peel. Cottage cheese. Dimples in the wrong places. Cellulite is one of the most common, and stubborn, body complaints. It's harmless but there's still no definitive cure. It happens when fat pushes through a web of connective tissue beneath the skin, a bit like a lumpy mattress with loose springs and bulging stuffing. ' Cellulite is the inflammation of the fat tissue, and it has many causes including poor circulation, hormonal changes, ageing, genetics, and lifestyle choices including lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol and a poor diet,' says Dr Ariel Haus, a dermatologist at Dr Haus Dermatology on Harley Street, and the Royal Free Hospital. Around 85 per cent of sufferers are women and cellulite is usually found on the thighs, bottom and sometimes the stomach. It's not confined to the overweight: slim people can also get it, but research is increasingly showing that diet is a major factor. 'Cellulite is something nearly all women have – it's normal, natural, and nothing to be ashamed of. There are a few things we can do to support our skin through the foods we eat. Certain foods can make cellulite more visible by damaging the collagen in our skin or causing changes in how fat and fluid sit under the skin's surface,' says Kirsten Humphreys, a nutritional therapist at Bare Biology. How your diet can make cellulite worse Eating processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt, as well as not consuming enough fibre, increases inflammation, causing fat cells to expand and water retention and puffiness. Inflammation can also make the skin thinner and less elastic, making cellulite more noticeable. New research shows that eating foods that irritate our gut microbiome could also be a factor. An early-stage study published in October 2022 in Obesity Reviews suggests that lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are molecules from gut bacteria, may leak through the gut wall, accumulate in fat layers, and trigger changes that lead to cellulite. More research is needed – but poor diet may raise LPS levels and increase cellulite risk. 'Foods that are bad for the gut and the liver are going to exacerbate cellulite in someone prone to it, so that's processed, refined food. They've got more additives, they're low in nutrient value and they can contribute to toxin build-up,' says Sarah Carolides, head of nutrition at Zooki. So, while cellulite has no cure, if you want to delay it or improve the look of it, here are the foods to cut out (or limit to an occasional treat). Foods to avoid Parmesan and other salty cheese While cheeses like feta, halloumi, parmesan and cheddar are rich in protein and calcium, they are surprisingly high in salt – with a typical 30g serving providing up to 10 per cent of a 6g daily allowance. 'Eating too much salt impacts your gut, your liver and your kidneys and leads to inflammation throughout your body, which is linked to cellulite,' explains Dr Haus. Salt also increases water retention and puffiness, which can make cellulite look worse. Research shows that women are more sensitive to salt than men, particularly in midlife and beyond. Carolides recommends women have around 3-5 grams maximum, depending on how much exercise they get, which is lower than the 6g allowance recommended by the NHS. 'If you're eating a balanced diet, you should get enough sodium from your diet without adding more, maybe just have a little on your eggs,' she advises. If you're worried about cellulite but still can't resist the cheese board, lower salt options include mozzarella, Swiss cheese, ricotta and cottage cheese. Similarly, many plant-based processed meat substitutes, while marketed as a healthier option, are often high in salt and preservatives, as are so-called low-calorie or healthy ready meals. Packaged, mass-produced sliced bread is also high in salt, as well as emulsifiers and preservatives, which some animal studies suggest may disrupt gut bacteria. Always check the amount of salt on the label and try artisanal bread instead. Look at the per 100g information, low salt is 0.3g or less, medium is up to 1.5g and high salt is more than 1.5g. ' Giving up sugar is the first thing I recommend to a client with cellulite. A high sugar diet triggers glycation, oxidative stress and inflammation, which interfere with the production of collagen, so your skin will be weaker and thinner, allowing the fat pockets to protrude, making cellulite more noticeable', says Carolides. Pasta sauces bought in jars and pouches are a prime sugary example, with some popular tomato-based sauces containing more sugar than a biscuit, and a typical serving delivering 25 per cent of your daily limit. Too much sugar also leads to insulin spikes and encourages a build up of fat. Fizzy drinks are also to be avoided as they're packed full of sugar which makes them one of the most inflammatory, metabolism-disrupting products in our diets, hitting multiple cellulite triggers all at once. The average fizzy drink contains between 28-35g of sugar per can, more than the recommended daily limit of 30g. Diet drinks that contain artificial sweeteners are not much better, as these chemicals may also disrupt the gut microbiome. Fizzy drinks also mean you're forgoing healthier choices like water or tea which promote better circulation and hydration. Meal replacement protein shakes Carolides says many of her clients have replaced meals with protein shakes, missing out on vital fibre. 'There's no fibre in a commercial protein shake – and while there can be a role for them in a balanced diet, there's a big push for high protein diets, so instead of good carbs like brown rice, sweet potatoes and vegetables, people are downing protein shakes,' she says. Fibre encourages good bacteria in our microbiome and helps us stay regular, but most people struggle to consume 10g a day, let alone the recommended 30g. 'If you're constipated and your gut is sluggish, then toxins are sitting there for a lot longer. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are being produced, and are more likely to get into the bloodstream and cause problems linked to cellulite, so you want your gut to be happy and humming and emptying every day,' says Carolides. Protein is important as we need it to build and repair skin and muscle tissues – and good muscle tone can make cellulite less visible. However, it's best to get protein from lean sources like chicken, fish, cottage cheese or plant alternatives like tofu. If you are going to have a protein shake, make sure it doesn't have added chemicals, sugar and sweeteners and preferably choose an organic brand. Processed meat If eaten excessively, foods high in saturated fat contribute to inflammation and the release of LPS levels in the blood, which could trigger cellulite. These include fatty red meat cuts, processed meat such as burgers, bacon and salami, and fast food like chips. 'Saturated fats aren't inherently harmful in moderate amounts and are even essential for certain bodily functions, including hormone production. However, diets excessively high in saturated fats, especially when combined with low intake of vegetables and healthy fats, can contribute to poor circulation, higher body fat, and inflammation, which may exacerbate the appearance of cellulite,' says Kirsten Humphrey, a nutritional therapist. If you're craving red meat, make it an occasional treat, and choose non-processed options like a good cut of steak.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Hertfordshire girl who hands out chemo bags is in radio final
A teenage girl who has handed out more than 500 bags for chemotherapy patients in hospital is one of the people shortlisted for a local BBC radio Trim from Colney Heath in Hertfordshire started Lexie's Chemo Bags after her mother and aunt were diagnosed with breast cancer in bags, given to Lister Hospital in Stevenage, contain items including bed socks, boiled sweets, a soft toothbrush, alcohol-free mouthwash and hand is one of 32 finalists shortlisted across eight categories for the BBC Three Counties Radio Make A Difference Awards. The awards, which began in 2022 across local radio, celebrate those making a positive contribution to their communities.A fitness group which combines exercise with good deeds and a bikers' group which works to help people facing poverty are among those shortlisted in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Three Counties Radio breakfast presenter Andy Collins, who hosts the awards, said: "They're a wonderful way of saying thank you to those who are going above and beyond."I'm always humbled by the finalists, who all seem to underestimate the effect they have on those around them." Jade Cook from Spectrum Performing Arts has been nominated for creating a space for children and adults with often complex additional said: "It's wonderful to be recognised for something I believe is so important for society; for everyone to be included."Luton Sikh Soup Kitchen is also in the final. It has handed out 15,000 meals in the town centre since it started in November dog Ralph, who is deaf and partially sighted, visits hospital wards in owner Helen Lomax says patients are so keen to see him, that he is the incentive for getting people out of bed and dressed. Ralph is shortlisted for the Animal Award. COMMUNITY AWARDAylesbury Sew and So'sForget-Me-Not-Dementia Volunteer Service (Hertfordshire)Luton Sikh Soup KitchenKaotic Angel Foundation (Stevenage)FUNDRAISER AWARDGiles Cuthbert (Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire)Sandra Jeffs (High Wycombe)Ian Milne (Studham, Bedfordshire)Putnoe Scouts (Bedford)GREEN AWARDZoe Riley (Dunstable, Bedfordshire)Friends of People's Park (Luton)Richard Walker (Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire)Community Trees MK (Milton Keynes)ACTIVE AWARDScott Walker (Hertfordshire)Ros Cramps (Herts Disability Sports Foundation)Jade Cook (Spectrum Performing Arts in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire)GoodGym (Luton)GREAT NEIGHBOUR AWARDJoan Sykes (Bourne End, Buckinghamshire)George Maxted (Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire)Kevin Poulton (Luton)Stef Muzz (Ridgmont, Bedfordshire)VOLUNTEER AWARDSaundra Glenn (Luton)Christine Blackett (Watford)Kenny Joe Witney (Biggleswade, Bedfordshire)Jan Hale (Milton Keynes)YOUNG HEROEvie-May StevensFrankie PickupOwain WilksLexie TrimANIMAL AWARDSamantha Wenn and Chester the horse (Bedfordshire)Ralph the therapy dogJenna Jones (Rehoming Animal Telephone Service, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire)Oaklands Small Mammal Rescue (St Albans)The story of each finalist will be broadcast on BBC Three Counties Radio over the summer, with the winners announced at a ceremony at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable on 18 September. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
