Diet that sheds weight fast by eating MORE: This easy plan was made to help cancer patients - then doctors realised its amazing benefits. JANE ALEXANDER tried it and couldn't believe how much she lost...
It's not just how I look – my GP has told me I really need to lose my stores of visceral fat (the pernicious fat around the organs in the abdomen that is so bad for our health).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a doctor - this one household feature is slowly harming your health
A common household feature may be unknowingly creating an unseen health risk – and it's hiding in plain sight. According to GP Dr Emily Carter, older carpets pose an unexpected health threat. 'People usually think of carpets as harmless,' said Dr Carter. 'But old carpets can be a major source of indoor pollution.' Carpets are known to trap allergens like dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mould spores, and even chemical residues from cleaning products or smoke. Over time, these build up in the fibres and can trigger or worsen health issues especially in children, the elderly, and those with asthma or allergies. The difficulty is that this build-up can occur gradually - even when older carpet is regularly vacuumed or appears clean. There are certain recurring health symptoms to be on the look out for that may indicate that your home environment could be be impacting on your health. Signs include frequent sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes while indoors, worsening allergy or asthma symptoms. Feeling tired or headachy without clear cause is another indicator. Sudden skin irritations - especially in younger children – can also result from carpet-trapped allergens. However, the tricky part with many of these symptoms is that many may be mistaken for seasonal allergies or minor colds. Dr Carter, who is also a UK-based mother of two young children, said she had seen first-hand the health issues that can be caused by older carpets. 'I've seen it in my own family, my youngest started getting skin rashes and breathing problems that we couldn't explain,' Dr Carter said. 'After having our carpets replaced and testing air quality, the symptoms started improving.' For anyone who is concerned about whether their carpet poses a possible health risk, the British doctor recommends a simple 'sniff test' as a first line assessment. 'If a room smells musty no matter how often you clean it, that's a red flag,' Dr Carter said. 'Especially in bedrooms, where people spend hours each night, clean air matters more than we think.' For families with babies, Dr Carter also urges extra caution: 'Young children spend a lot of time crawling and playing on floors.' 'Their immune systems are still developing, so they're more likely to react to mould spores and dust mites. If you notice frequent eczema flare-ups or a child often gets congested indoors, your flooring could be part of the problem.' According to My Home Improvements, most carpets should be replaced every 7–10 years, depending on usage, cleaning habits, and exposure to pets or dampness. The UK home renovation business suggests that any carpet over a decade old is likely to be 'past its best'. 'Your carpet is like a sponge, it absorbs everything that enters your home. Over time, it collects years of grime, allergens, and chemical residues that vacuuming can't always reach,' says an expert from My Home Improvements. 'Even professional deep cleans won't remove built-up toxins that have soaked into the padding underneath. 'Replacing old flooring might not be glamorous, but it could be the biggest upgrade you make for your health.'
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Wales debit card to pay for gluten free food in shops
People in Wales who cannot eat gluten will be given debit-style cards preloaded with money to help pay for their UK-first move, which begins later this year, will be an alternative to the current system where those with conditions such as coeliac disease - which affects about one in 100 people - get food on prescription from the Cherylee Barker, 54, from Narberth, Pembrokeshire, took part in a pilot scheme and got £14 a month, which she said "scratches the surface of the cost".A Coeliac UK report said a gluten free diet added 35% to food bills and Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the Welsh government wanted to "de-medicalise the supply of gluten-free foods". The new card will work like a chip and Pin bank card and be taken in most places that sell gluten-free food, including supermarkets, shops, community pharmacies and online stores, according to the Welsh would not say how much people will be given - just that it will vary by person and be regularly reviewed - or how much would be spent on the anticipate it will be "cost neutral" and not add any more to the NHS prescription model will still be available in Wales, which is similar to schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Those with coeliac disease cannot eat gluten as their immune system attacks their own tissues and their body cannot properly take in nutrients. It results in symptoms including bloating, vomiting and diarrhoea. There is also an added cost . with gluten-free food more expensive Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, the four leading supermarkets. The average price of a own brand loaf of bread was 63p, compared with £2.26 for a gluten-free penne pasta averaged 56p per 500g whereas the lowest gluten-free option averaged £1.22. Ms Barker has been part of the pilot scheme in the Hywel Dda health board area for the past five gets £42 every three months, which equates to £14 a month, and described the previous prescription system as "slightly embarrassing" and the food "not that edible".She said: "I didn't want to take the money from the NHS. I thought 'just suck it up and see' but after a little while I just found it was just becoming more and more expensive."It isn't a lifestyle choice, it is a need."Despite saying the card was "fantastic" she said the amount she got was only "scratching the surface" of rising costs for everybody, especially coeliacs. Bethan Williams, 24, from Cardiff, said prescriptions did not work for her as the food was low a vegetarian, she said the cash cards could give people with additional dietary needs the freedom to make healthy choices."I am in a good position that I can afford the higher quality bread but that is not the case for all people," she said."Eating food and being able to eat a balanced diet isn't a privilege, it's something everyone should be entitled to." For businesses such as Plumvanilla Cafe and deli in Narberth, which accepts the cash card, making sure they can serve the community's needs is becoming more Beere, who works at the cafe, said: "We've noticed more and more people shopping with gluten-free requirements so we like to keep a big stock."But she added it was a challenge balancing stocking the shelves with the high cost items and making sure nothing goes to waste. Miles said the move would cut "administrative burdens on GPs and pharmacies".He added: "For people living with coeliac disease, following a strict gluten-free diet is not a lifestyle choice but a medical necessity."We want to de-medicalise the supply of gluten-free foods in Wales, giving people more freedom to access the food they want to eat, more conveniently, to help them to manage their condition." Tristen Humphreys from Coeliac UK said: "We need to recognise that a gluten-free diet is the treatment for coeliac disease, it's a serious autoimmune disease not a lifestyle choice – we want that recognised."He added supporting people's diets would help prevent health complications down the line and was "cost efficient" for the NHS and called on other UK nations to follow suit. Additional reporting by Sara Dafydd
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Why you should think twice about hugging lambs this summer
Health officials have issued a warning against kissing, cuddling, or holding lambs due to an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis is a severe parasitic infection that causes serious gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms including watery diarrhoea and stomach pains. Public Health Wales has advised farmers to prevent close contact between visitors and lambs this summer to curb the spread; people should also wash their hands after contact with animals. The alert follows an investigation into 74 cases of cryptosporidium linked to a petting farm in Vale of Glamorgan earlier this year, which led to 16 hospitalisations, including a four-year-old boy. There were also 17 outbreaks of the infection connected to farms across England and Wales in the previous year.
