Dr Oscar on Blood Pressure
If you want to measure your blood pressure at home, the British Heart Foundation have a simple chart and diary which can help. Click here, external for more.Remember, blood pressure goes up and down throughout the day. This can be because of movement, stress, or excitement. It only becomes a problem if it's consistently high.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bluetongue virus sees Wales introduce limits on moving livestock
Limits are to be placed on moving livestock from England into Wales in response to the spread of the bluetongue sheep and goats would need to test negative for the potentially fatal disease before they can be transported across the bluetongue has spread across large parts of England, it has yet to reach Wales this year and the Welsh government said it was attempting to hold it back "for as long as we can".But the farming industry warned the implications of the decision could be "catastrophic" for cross-border trade. Spread by midges, bluetongue presents no threat to food safety or human health, but can have serious consequences for ruminant livestock like sheep and farming industry is dominated by sheep and cattle farms.A restricted zone (RZ) in England - limiting the movement of animals - has continued to expand over recent months as the disease has 1 July, the UK government has decided to designate the whole of England as an RZ, which in practice means movement controls are lifted as the focus shifts to encouraging uptake of new bluetongue vaccines which alleviate the symptoms. The Welsh government said it regretted the UK government's decision, but understood the reasons behind it."This change increases the risk of disease incursion into Wales, either through the movement of infected livestock, or the ingress of virus carrying midges from across the border," warned Deputy First Minister Huw Welsh government had been left facing "a major decision - with implications for the livestock sectors and animal health and welfare across Wales", he said. Farming leaders had urged him to align with England and not impose restrictions on livestock movement across the border - branding it both "a futile endeavour and wholly impractical".Irranca-Davies, also the cabinet minister with responsibility for rural affairs, said he appreciated there were differing views and that he had listened to representation from both the livestock and veterinary ultimately he had concluded that he could not "in all conscience invite bluetongue into Wales on 1 July by aligning with the RZ in England"."I am unwilling to risk the uncertain impact of the disease in livestock dense areas like the Welsh borders," he said."I am also extremely concerned about the economic and farmer wellbeing impacts of dealing with sick animals, and the livestock productivity and fertility losses associated with severe bluetongue, as observed in many affected European countries."Testing livestock brought into Wales will allow time to monitor the effects of bluetongue in England and ensure more Welsh farmers are able to vaccinate their animals, he some would be disappointed by his announcement and there would be "licencing requirements, livestock testing costs and other commercial pressures" as a result, he said the policy would be kept "under regular review". Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) President Ian Rickman said the announcement brought "a wealth of barriers and complications"."The mechanics of issuing licences in a timely manner, arranging and conducting pre-movement sampling and testing, co-ordinating haulage and the extortionate costs and disruption to cross-border holdings and trade... will be entirely unattainable and impractical," he warned."Meanwhile the midges that carry and spread the virus would not respect any such boundaries."The union called for "clear guidelines and advice" for the 550 farms and "numerous livestock markets" that straddle the Welsh-English to BBC Farming Today earlier this week, Chris Dodds of the Livestock Auctioneers Association said limiting movement of animals across the border would be "catastrophic"."We're not very far away from the main store and breeding sales especially for sheep, when hundreds of thousands of animals move from their upland farms to the lowland farms both for feeding and for breeding purposes."Pointing to Hereford market, which sits "right near the Welsh border", he explained about 100,000 animals were moved from that market into Wales last year."The suggestion that everything (would have) to be pre-movement tested to move to Wales at great cost to the farmer - you're looking at tens of millions of pounds just within one market to facilitate that trade - and those animals need to go to the farmers as their future breeding stock." What is bluetongue? It affects cattle, goats, sheep, goats, deer and camelids such as llamas and can cause ulcers or sores around the animal's mouth and face, difficulties swallowing and breathing, fever and lameness, abortion, foetal deformities and impact of the latest strain – known as BTV-3 - seems to vary considerably across different regions, with some animals showing little sign of infection and managing to the Netherlands, tens of thousands of sheep have is a notifiable disease so anyone suspecting their animals may have it must report it to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
The Sun
34 minutes ago
- The Sun
Mum's urgent warning after innocent UTI led to life-threatening condition – and all four of her limbs being amputated
KIM Smith's hands and feet went black and had to be amputated after a common infection turned deadly. "I woke up at 4am and I thought I was going to die," the 63-year-old said in a TikTok video, recalling the day fateful day she woke up sick. 5 The mum-of-two from Milton Keynes was on holiday with her family in Spain in 2018 when a simple urinary tract infection (UTI) spiralled out of control. A UTI is a common infection where bacteria infiltrates parts of the body like the bladder, kidneys and urethra. It often causes a painful burning sensation when urinating and the need to pee more often. Familiar with the signs, Kim, then 56, saw a doctor on November 28 2018 and was prescribed antibiotics. But the pharmacist did not have her prescription available for collection that day, so the former hairdresser returned to their hotel, where she quickly deteriorated. "I had severe breathlessness, slurred speech and confusion. I was really really cold. I had a fever and I was shivering like mad," she explained. Kim was rushed to hospital in the early hours of November 29 where doctors diagnosed her with severe sepsis - with the mum being put into a coma. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection, which occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection. By the next day, her hands had already turned purple. For weeks, Kim remained in the Spanish hospital, with her family getting more and more concerned. My UTI turned out to be cancer & I had my vagina reconstructed with my bum Eventually, her daughter arranged an air ambulance to get her home, and two weeks after coming back to the UK Kim was brought out of her coma. Waking up, Kim saw her limbs had blackened and died, with doctors telling her she needed them to be removed. Once she recovered from the quadruple amputation, the mum spent 12 weeks in physical rehabilitation, where she regained her strength and learned to live without her limbs. If you feel unusually unwell and you know something is not right, please please please advocate for yourself Kim Smith Now, the mum wants to raise awareness for the little-known risk associated with common UTIs. "I want to tell you, if you need to go pee, go pee," she said. "Don't hold it, that could cause you to get an infection and that could develop into sepsis," she added. 5 5 "The symptoms are severe breathlessness, slurred speech and confusion I had that I didn't pass much urine that day and I had a fever but I was really cold," she said. "If you get anything like that, if you feel unusually unwell and you know something is not right, please please please advocate for yourself," the mum urged her followers. She added: "Tell [doctors] something is not right and ask them to test you for sepsis. "Ask for a second opinion if you have to. Do not leave if you feel something is wrong." How UTIs and sepsis are related UTIs affect the urinary tract - including the bladder, urethra, and kidneys. In the UK, 1.7 million people suffer recurrent UTIs (three or more a year). Around half of all women will get a UTI at some point. Common symptoms are burning pain when peeing, needing to go more often, and cloudy urine, which can also signal dehydration. Some may feel lower abdominal or back pain, fever, chills, or a dangerously low temperature below 36C. Severe symptoms may mean a kidney infection, which can lead to life-threatening sepsis if untreated. 5 Globally, sepsis kills 11 million people a year. In the UK, it claims 48,000 lives annually. Septic shock can cause blood clots that block oxygen to limbs which is when tissue dies, turning skin black. Doctors may try removing dead tissue, but if that fails, amputation is needed. UTIs are a leading cause of sepsis, known as the 'silent killer' because symptoms mimic flu. Key signs of sepsis include confusion, slurred speech, blotchy or blue-grey skin, difficulty breathing, and a rash that doesn't fade when pressed. Skin may be pale, cold, clammy, or show purple bruises. Producing less urine or not peeing for a day is another warning sign, as sepsis lowers blood pressure and blocks blood flow to kidneys. The NHS urges anyone with these symptoms to call 999 or go to A&E immediately.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a doctor - of all the supplements there's one I recommend because it banish insomnia
A top doctor has revealed the only supplement he swears by for its surprising anxiety-busting and sleep-inducing benefits. According to Dr Myro Figura, an anaesthesiologist from California, a special type of magnesium called magnesium glycinate could be the answer to sleepless nights. In an Instagram video that has so far been viewed over 942,000 times, Dr Figura, who is a member of the American Board of Anesthesiology, said not only does the vitamin pill improve sleep, it can enhance vitamin D absorption, which is beneficial for bone health. Magnesium is an essential mineral that ensures the body converts food into energy and helps the thyroid glands to function. But it is also known to offer sleep benefits by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and boosting melatonin, helping the body relax ready for sleep. 'If there was one supplement I would recommend, magnesium glycinate would be it,' said Dr Figura in the video. 'Firstly, more than half of us are deficient in magnesium and magnesium is involved in all kinds of biochemical reactions.' Magnesium glycinate is a highly absorbable form of magnesium that is created by combining the mineral with an amino acid called glycine. Unlike other forms of magnesium, this supplement is unlikely to put added stress on the digestive system and is thought to help the body release heat, which is needed to fall asleep. Supplements sold at the likes of Boots, Holland & Barrett and on supermarket shelves are often sold as 375mg tablets, and cost as little as 10p per dose. A deficiency in magnesium is known to heighten levels of the stress hormone cortisol, triggering sudden night time waking. In the video, Dr Figura references a systematic review, published in the journal Nutrients, that looked at 18 different clinical trials and found that magnesium could be beneficial for those who suffer with mild anxiety. Dr Figura advised that for these people, taking magnesium supplements could help them sleep better at night. It is thought that magnesium can alter how certain chemicals like cortisol work in the brain. One 2022 review of studies, involving more than 7,000 participants, suggested there was 'an association between magnesium statuses and sleep quality'. However, writing in the journal Springer Nature the researchers from Iran said this was only found in observational studies, which could not fully establish cause and effect. According to Dr Figura, magnesium is not only good for boosting sleep health. 'If you don't have magnesium, your vitamin D is not going to work,' the anaesthesiologist warned. This is because the body needs magnesium to be able to covert vitamin D into a form the body can absorb. Lacking in the so-called sunshine vitamin can cause a whole host of other problems, including bone deformities, muscles weakness and incorrect growth patterns. Dr Figura said: 'Vitamin D is implicated in all kinds of things like your immune system, anxiety and depression.' It is currently estimated that around one in six adults in the UK do not get enough vitamin D—which can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. The NHS recommends women aged between 19 and 64 get 270mg of magnesium a day, while this increases to 300mg for men of the same age. The upper limit for magnesium glycinate, however, is roughly nine times that of other types of magnesium, as it contains a smaller amount of the element. The health service adds that most people should get all the vitamins and minerals they need by having a varied and balanced diet. Experts have long advised that leafy green vegetables are a good source of magnesium because it is found in chlorophyll, which is the green pigment in plants. Unrefined grains, nuts and seeds are also good sources, as well as some fish. This comes as research suggests that up to 1 in 6 people living in the UK are affected by insomnia—meaning they regularly have problems sleeping—yet 65 per cent never seek help. The poll of 2,000 people, by The Sleep Charity, found nine in ten experience some sort of sleep problem, while one in two engage in high-risk or dangerous behaviours when unable to sleep. Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, stroke and infertility. Experts have long advised that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million people living in the UK. Still, sleep deprivation takes its own toll, from irritability and reduced focus in the short term, to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70 million Americans also have a sleep disorder.
